One of the most important connections in southern Thailand is getting from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi. Although Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi are only an hour apart via ferry, they differ very much in terms of their character. Koh Phi Phi receives more annual tourists. Consequently, its beaches are busier and Koh Phi Phi’s nightlife can be electric almost year round. Koh Lanta is much mellower than Phi Phi. With its natural beauty and undeveloped beaches, Koh Lanta is like Koh Phi Phi’s sleepy neighbour.
A practical itinerary in southern Thailand starts by landing at Krabi Airport and then immediately traveling to Koh Lanta. Â Once you have spent some time on Lanta then consider taking the convenient ferry over to Koh Phi Phi. We recently visited Lanta and then Phi Phi, therefore the information below is up to date.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to get from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi:
1. Once you have made the decision to go to Koh Phi Phi from Lanta, proceed to your guesthouse, resort  or a reputable tour office to purchase a ferry ticket. Try to purchase your ticket the day before you intend to travel. During low season (April to November) expect there to be only 2 daily ferries from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi. During high season (November to March) expect there to be frequent ferry trips between Lanta and Phi Phi.
2. When you purchase your ticket (400 Baht at the time of writing) make sure to confirm that a minibus or pick-up truck will pick you up from your hotel. A truck picked us up one hour before the scheduled ferry trip. The minibus or truck trip from your hotel to the Sala Dan pier should be included in the price of your ticket.
3. The minibus trip from the southern end of Koh Lanta (Kantiang Bay) to the ferry pier will take roughly 30 minutes. The minibus/truck driver will check your receipt to confirm that you payed. Expect the minibus/truck to make some stops at different hotels and guesthouses on Lanta along the way to pick up other passengers.
4. When we arrived at the ferry pier, the minibus driver gave us each a sticker to confirm our ferry ticket purchase to Koh Phi Phi. It wasn’t immediately obvious what ferry we would get on to Koh Phi Phi. Therefore, I suggest that you confirm with one of the workers near the ferries before boarding one.
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5. Once you get on the ferry they will ask you to place your heavier luggage on the top. Be sure to make sure it is waterproof or covered, just in case it rains.
6. The ferry from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi departed on time and it took almost exactly 1 hour. Expect it to take 1 hour and 20 minutes if the water is choppy.
7. Once you arrive at Koh Phi Phi you will depart the ferry and be asked to pay the 20 Baht environment fee.
After the environmental fee has been paid then proceed to your hotel on Koh Phi Phi. Most places will allow you drop off your luggage even if it’s before check in.
Where did we stay during this trip?
We have been to Koh Phi Phi on multiple occasions. Â For this particular trip we stayed at P.P. Casita. It’s important for us to note that we do not have a direct affiliation with this specific property or any property on Koh Phi Phi, therefore our opinion is an unbiased one. Overall, it turned out to be a nice mid-range resort to stay at. Â It was quiet at night and our room was clean. Â It is ideally located close to the beach but still far enough from the pulsating music that Phi Phi is notorious for. During high season, you might find that their room prices are a bit high due to increased demand. At the time of writing it had a score of 7.4/10 based on 3438 verified guest reviews.
How to find the best rooms on Koh Phi Phi?
Due to Phi Phi’s high tourist turnover and pulsating nightlife, it’s much harder than expected to find quality accommodation there. Therefore, the golden rule when visiting Koh Phi Phi is to book your room in advance. We have provided unbiased suggestions on where to stay on Koh Phi Phi here.
Most of our readers prefer 3 different websites to book their hotels in Thailand: www.agoda.com, www.booking.com, and www.hotelscombined.com. Typically we find www.agoda.com to be the best choice for Thailand based on our experience. Here is a list of top properties on Koh Phi Phi to save you some time:
Top Rated Properties on Koh Phi PhiÂ
Based on Verified Guest Reviews
Important: Mobile Users must swipe from left to right to see entire table.Â
| Star/Budget Range | Â Guest Rating: Hotel Provider 1 | Guest Rating: Hotel Provider 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agoda (Koh Phi Phi) | Booking.com (Koh Phi Phi) | Â | |
| 5 stars/Luxury | Zeavola Hotel – 8.7/10 | Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort  – 8.6/10 | |
| 4 stars/Comfort | Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island – 8.4/10 | Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island – 8.4/10 | |
| 3 stars/Mid-range | MaMa Beach Residence – 8.2/10 | P.P. Blue Sky Resort – 8.6/10 | |
| 2 star/ Budget | P.P. Insula Hotel – 7.9/10 | Panmanee Hotel  – 8.4/10 | |
| 1 star/ Strict Budget | Kitty Guesthouse – 7.7/10 | Phi Phi Inn – 7.3/10 | |
| Compare all room prices on Koh Phi Phi using www.agoda.com | Compare all room prices on Koh Phi Phi using www.booking.com |
- Properties rated based on ‘overall’ review scores from each respective website’s verified guests.
- Minimum of 50 verified guest reviews required to be considered eligible for comparison.
- All star ratings and verified guest review scores are tallied at the time of writing, and therefore, are subject to change.
Accommodation Map of Koh Phi Phi: Top Rated Properties
To compare prices. you can also use the Hotelscombined Search Box below:
Fee free to ask any questions in the comment section below if you want additional information on how to get from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi.
To view all of our other informative articles on Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and the rest of Thailand click here.
Enjoy safe and enjoyable travels!
Chasing Places
Some really useful info here, thanks so much for sharing this with us. You recommenced to buy tickets for the ferry a day in advance, I like to travel with a lose schedule. Do you think there would be any problems in buying a ferry ticket on the day? At the boat terminal?
If you are already in Koh Lanta, there is no problem, just drop by a tour office. If you are outside Koh Lanta, it might be a bit tricky cause you have to find a reputable third party tour agency that will give you legitimate tickets.
Many thanks for such detailed info.
Kindly advise if ferry ticket also includes transportation from Koh PHI PHI pier to resort ? . The Beach resort..
Great info., thanks for this!