15 Islands Near Phuket 🏝️ Phuket Island Hopping

1. Phi Phi Island

(About 2,800 baht with transfer – 50 mn Speedboat – Full day)

Phi Phi is the most visited island departing Phuket or Krabi, and it got even more popular after the movie The Beach. Phi Phi is mostly a destination for young travellers who feel like partying on a tropical island with its beautiful beaches and bays. Ideally, you should go for a two days trip to make the best of it, it’s a little far and can be tiring to reach by speedboat, plus you’ll have the best beach for yourself in the morning.

2. Similan Islands

(About 2,400 baht with hotel transfer – 2 hours minibus + 1.30-hour speedboat – Full day)

The Similan Islands are a bit far from the island of Phuket, and you will have to dedicate an entire day to visit them, but the experience is so incredible that you will never regret it. You don’t need to be an excellent photographer to get striking photos. If possible, you should go on a two-day trip to make the best of it, it’s far and can be tiring to reach by speedboat, plus you’ll have the best beach almost for yourself in the morning, but the accommodation on the island is quite unpredictable.

3. Racha Island

(About 1,200 baht – 30 mn by speedboat – Full day)

Racha Island is a small hideaway twelve miles south of Phuket, about two hours by boat or 30mn by speedboat. This lovely tiny island is very well-known by divers as a clear dive site. Racha is also the home of three resorts, The Racha, a luxurious villa resort, and the Rayaburi and Baan Raya Resort. The two beaches on the main island are beautiful, and the island is fun to explore.

4. Koh Bon

(about 1,000 baht for longtail to cross – 2 minutes ride)

Koh Bon is one of the closest islands to Phuket that can easily be reached from Rawai Beach by longtail boat. This small hideaway features two beaches. One beach used to be for the exclusive use of the now-closed Evason Resort’s guests. The other beach is home to the very friendly Bon Restaurant and is an enjoyable stop for lunch followed by a lazy day on the beach or playing some water activities.

5. Maiton Island

(2,800 Baht – 15 minutes by speedboat – Full day tour)

Maiton island is a small idyllic spot 15 minutes south of Phuket that used to be home to a luxury hotel. The hotel no longer operates, but the beach is still accessible and is a great day trip with a picnic and snorkelling among a thousand fish. Expect to pay 2,800 baht for a day (including lunch).

6. Rang Yai Island

(mostly a private island)

Rang Yai Island is a beautiful private island located about five kilometres east of Laem Hin Pier. If you want to experience a Robinson Crusoe lifestyle, Rang Yai is a great place to spend the day (they used to have bungalows for rent, but these don’t exist anymore). You can spend time swimming, eating and even visiting a pearl farm. It costs around 2,000 baht (round trip) to reach Rang Yai by longtail boat from Laem Hin pier.

7. Koh Khai

(1,000 baht – 20 mn speedboat – Half day)

The Koh Khai are three tiny but trendy islands just 15 minutes from Phuket’s east coast. People go there to soak in the sun and play in the clear water for a few hours. Just remember that feeding the many hungry fish is illegal and could get you in trouble!

8. Coral Island

(About 1,200 baht – 15 mn speedboat – Full day)

Coral Island, or Koh Hae, is one of the few islands you can reach within fifteen minutes by speedboat and spend the day playing on the beach, even during the low season. The only accommodation is the small but welcoming Coral Island Resort offering small bungalows right on the beach with two beautiful beaches.

9. Koh Panyi

(1,600 baht with James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay + hotel transfer – Full Day)

Koh Panyee in the bay of Phang Nga near Phuket is quite a touristic fishermen’s village almost entirely built on stilts. This village is still a very unusual and exciting place to visit, but the trick is to go there early to be the only visitor in town! Read more

10. James Bond Island

(1,600 baht with Koh Panyee and Phang Nga Bay + hotel transfer – Full Day)

Not really an island as you imagine it, but definitely surprising and very popular since that old James Bond movie; usually, people visit it together with Koh Panyi and the rest of Phang Nga Bay.

11. Koh Hong

(Only available as a full-day island hopping tour)

Koh Hong is one of the four tiny Hong islands in Phang Nga Bay, belonging to the National Marine Park. The most beautiful part of the island is the inside lagoon with its white sand and excellent blue water where many fish swim around visitors. The island is near Krabi and can therefore get busy.

12. Koh Yao Noi

(1,700 Baht with hotel transfer – 30 minutes by longtail boat)

Koh Yao consists of two large islands located halfway between Phuket and Krabi. Koh Yao Noi, the smallest of the two, has several hotels, such as the beautiful Six Senses Hideaway Resort and 9 Hornbills Tented Camp. These islands can be reached from Bang Rong Pier on the east coast of Phuket or Krabi. The island has no majestic sights but is a favourite mountain bike day trip. The east coast has rice fields, a small village on stilts, and a few rubber plantations.

13. Koh Kaeo

Koh Kaeo, facing the famous Promthep Cape, is just a tiny island you can visit by longtail boat from Rawai. Apart from a small beach, the only particular signs of this island are the two large golden Buddhas, one sitting and one standing, and a small temple on top of the hill.

14. Koh Maphrao

Koh Maphrao or Coconut Island is quite a large but unknown island close to Phuket. The luxurious Coconut Village is almost the only reason to go there. If you happen to eat at Laem Hin or Kru Suwit Floating Restaurant, you will see the island on the other side of the bay.

15. Koh Sirey

Koh Sirey is indeed an island, but you would never guess it from a map, and many probably have never heard of it. Connected to Phuket town by a very short bridge, this small piece of land doesn’t have any particular signs, but this is where you will find the beautiful Westin Siray Bay Resort.