Phuket Travel Forum

Hi, does anyone have any suggestions for our party of 8 hiring a crew and speed boat for the day whilst in Phuket during July. We are happy to visit either Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay but without the crowds and really just happy to spend the day visiting quiet beaches and snorkeling & chilling in general. One place I found on the net has a rate of THB44,000 including transfers and a picnic lunch....... is this reasonable? Seemed excessive to me!

If charter isnt the way to go maybe someone knows of a company specialising in small groups of 12 or so that we could book.

Thanks again for your help.
Tracey

For a group of 8 to travel to Phi Phi in a nice boat, the prices are not going to be cheap. Phi Phi is a long way from Phuket and you want a boat with powerful engines to get you there and back. The trip in a speedboat will take around an hour. I have a contact with a wonderful boat for charter for about $1000 USD/THB 33,000 plus about $15/THB 500 a person for lunch, which comes to about 37,000. The price includes transfers, snorkel equipment, guide, fresh fruit snacks, soft drinks/mineral water. If you PM me, I'll put you in touch.

Thanks Quero, I will speak with the others regarding this excursion. As a diver what are your thoughts re the snorkerling around Phi Phi that time of year. I get the feeling it is just more of a great day out on the water(without the crowds of a big organised tour) than great snorkerling.... is this the case? As some of us have dived around Australia and Fiji and others are only just putting their head in the water to snorkel we might have to think of the cost factor into this day! Regards, Tracey

The boat I'm thinking of is actually dive-capable. There is an additional fee for diving as well as a fee for an additional divemaster. If the snorkelers can manage on their own, I guess that extra DM fee may not be needed.

At this time of year, the captain will seek sheltered areas for snorkeling and diving so that the splash in and pickup points are safe and comfortable.

There are some really beautiful sites near Phi Phi for diving and snorkeling. My own favorites are Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai.

I think there is no sense to hire a speedboat just to go to Phi pHio island. The fastest and mostr comfortable way will be to go just by regular ferry Phuket-Phi Phi, there are few of of them, some are rather modren, 100-200 pax and fast. When you are on Phi Phi in 1hrs time and ca.500 THB return ticket cost/pp, then at Tongasi bay port at spot yopu can hire either speedbaot or longtail boat. But regarding secluded beaches on Phi Phi Don or phi Phi Lae ... there is no such places... Only place I can recommend as a relatively nice beach is Koh Pai - Bamboo Is., it had before tsunami perfect sand on teh beach and perefct sandy enatrnce into the water - the last has cahnged a bit, as number of corals has been brought by the wave to teh shore, but it is easy to walk around corals in order not to wear reef shoes.Beware no facilties on the Bamboo is. at all. You can find deserted e.g. Maya Bay on phi phi Don, but only if you are ther 7am-8am, otehrewise I usually count tehre 25-40 boats anchored at the same time, that mena every 30-60 sec. a boat is crossing a bay entering it or leaving it.
In general, in respect of comfort going Phuket - Phi Phi by speedboat: have you ever tarvelled a bumoy ride at the sea on speedboat? That is like speedbaot trips almost always looks on thus route, especially afternoon when waves are higher. The larger and more powerful a speedboat, a more comfortable ride you get, of course,but I am not sure what cots you could get for e.g. 400 hp or more engine. So far no speedboats on various trips around Phi Phi or Phulet- Koh Yao have been not bumpy rides, at various time of the day, seasons , routes and calibre of the boat. But if you go with large ferry no such discomfort at all.

I would suggest instead of going to Phi Phi, which is just well marketed attraction, to go on Phang Gna bay tour - it offers much more exciting view and wider range of opportunities, vs. a day spent around Phi Phis. Sample itinerary see http://www.phuket-travel.com/destinations/frameme.php?page=phangnga.htm , actually you can ask them if they will do for 8 persons a private tour - I think they can, at the advertsied price appr. 3000 THB/ pp. incl. lunch . I am often was hiring aprivate sppedboat like you are intending to do, but in this particular case a regular tours are absolutely fine, they are well organized and offer the best to offer, so for such occasion I made decision further on to join regular tours even if we are a small group. Anyway the group for speedboat tour around Phang Nga bay will be not large, and may be you will not overlap with a other daytrippers at the points of call - ask them what time better to start a tour, if you are getting private one.

Thank you Sergeyu for all your information. I will check out the site you suggested and I get your point re comfort and speedboats/ferry. I like the photos your have posted on your profile. Regards, Tracey