Phi Phi & 4 Islands Sunset + Bioluminescent Planktons

About this trip

Two things make the Phi Phi and 4 Islands Sunset and Bioluminescent Planktons trip unusual. It starts at 11:30, late enough that the morning fleet is already out at Phi Phi and starting to think about heading back. And it does not finish until 19:30, which means the last part of it happens in the dark, in the water, with glowing plankton. In between it covers eleven stops across two island groups, from Maya Bay off Krabi's outer coast to the four islands within sight of Ao Nang, with a BBQ dinner on the sand at Poda Island as the light goes. It is a speedboat trip and takes about eight hours.

What the day looks like

A light meal and a lunch box are served during check-in, so you are fed before the boat leaves at 11:30. The itinerary is subject to tide and weather conditions and the order changes accordingly.

The speedboat runs out to Phi Phi Leh first. Maya Bay is the bay from the film The Beach and is the stop everybody arrives for. Loh Samah Bay sits under limestone cliffs on the far side of the same island. Pileh Lagoon is an emerald basin walled in by rock, good for swimming and better still for photographs. Viking Cave is a historic cave and a snorkeling area, and Monkey Beach is exactly what its name says: a beach with wild monkeys on it, so keep bags shut and hands empty.

Bamboo Island, north of the group, has white sand and clear turquoise water, and it is the last of the Phi Phi stops before the boat turns back towards the mainland.

The 4 Islands half of the day fills the late afternoon. Chicken Island carries a limestone rock shaped like a chicken's head. Tup Island has a sandbar running across to its neighbors. Tang Ming Island is a landmark visible from Poda. Snorkeling happens at coral reef areas in both groups, with equipment and life jackets provided.

Poda Island is where the day settles. It is a white sand island and the sunset BBQ dinner, a mini buffet, is served there while the sun drops. After that the boat carries on to the plankton site, where glowing plankton can be seen in the water at night, conditions permitting, and you are back around 19:30.

Who this trip suits

This is for people who want the famous Phi Phi stops but do not want to be up at dawn to get them, and who like the idea of a day that keeps going after most boats have tied up. It is a long stretch on a speedboat, so it suits travelers who are comfortable at sea. If anyone in your party gets seasick, take something before you board. Children aged four to eleven have their own price, though the after dark portion asks for children who are relaxed in the water at night. If you would rather have Maya Bay quiet and early and be back in Ao Nang for the afternoon, our Early Bird sunrise trip is built for precisely the opposite end of the day.

What to bring

Swimwear under your clothes and a towel. A dry change of clothes and a light layer, because you will be wet in the dark and a speedboat at speed in the evening is cool. Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses for a long exposed afternoon. Sandals or water shoes for the sandbar and the rocky edges. A dry bag or waterproof pouch for your phone. Hotel transfer, lunch box, fresh fruits, bottled drinking water, the BBQ dinner, snorkeling equipment, life jackets, insurance and an English speaking guide are all included. The national park entrance fee is not included, so carry cash for it.

Good to know

Plankton visibility depends on sea and moon conditions. Nobody can promise you a display, and on a bright night the glow is much harder to pick out than on a dark one. Tell us if this is the part you care about and we will be straight with you about how your dates look.

The itinerary is subject to tide and weather, and stops can be reordered or swapped on the day. Roughly November to April brings the calmest and clearest conditions on this coast; May to October is the monsoon, and the Phi Phi crossing is more exposed than the inshore trips.

The trip runs by speedboat at ฿1700 per adult and ฿1500 per child aged four to eleven. Hotel transfer is included, and because this is not a morning departure we agree your pickup time with you directly instead of using a published window.

The Phi Phi national park entrance fee is not included in that price. It is ฿400 per adult and ฿200 per child aged four to eleven, charged per person.

Booking

Message us on WhatsApp with your dates, the number of adults and children with ages, and your hotel name. We will confirm availability, arrange your pickup, and confirm what the itinerary looks like on the dates you are asking about.