Bamboo Island Day Trips from Krabi

Bamboo Island, known locally as Koh Phai, sits at the northern edge of the Phi Phi archipelago, a short run from the bigger cliffs and coves of Koh Phi Phi Leh. It has no village and no overnight accommodation, just a narrow crescent of pale sand ringed by a shallow coral reef, which is why it usually shows up as the last stop on a full-day Phi Phi tour rather than a destination on its own: boats time the visit for calmer water and good light, then head back to Krabi in the afternoon.

The reef around Bamboo Island stays shallow close to shore, so it's a comfortable stop for snorkeling even for guests who are not confident swimmers, with reef fish visible over the sand and coral patches a short paddle from the beach. All three Phi Phi routes below include a stop here, alongside the better-known sights further into the group: Maya Bay, the lagoon at Pileh, and Monkey Beach on Koh Phi Phi Don, where wild macaques are a regular sight along the shoreline.

Timing changes what the day looks like. The earliest departure leaves Krabi at 06:00 to reach Maya Bay before the midday crowds build up, adding a stop at Railay Beach's Chicken Island and Poda Island on the way back for a longer, ten-hour day. A standard full-day route departs at 09:00 and keeps the loop tighter, with a buffet lunch served at Tonsai Bay on Phi Phi Don. A third option runs into the evening, pairing the same island stops with a sunset finish and a stop to look for bioluminescent plankton after dark, weather and moon phase permitting.

Whichever departure you choose, expect a full day on the water: these are speedboat routes covering several islands, with snorkeling gear, life jackets and an English-speaking guide included, and hotel pickup arranged around Ao Nang and Krabi town. Maya Bay itself closes to visitors each August and September as part of its annual reef recovery period, so trips scheduled in those months route around it while still calling at Bamboo Island and the rest of the group.