Koh Lipe from Koh Lanta: Boat, Travel Time and Is It Worth It

How to get from Koh Lanta to Koh Lipe

The direct route is a passenger boat from Saladan Pier on Koh Lanta to Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe, where the speedboats tie up at a floating pontoon built in January 2024. Bundhaya Speed Boat and Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club take about 3 hours; Tigerline Ferry takes about 5 hours. Around 20 crossings a week are listed, with the first departure around 10:30 am and the last around 12:30 pm. Be at the pier 30 to 45 minutes before departure.

Fares start from about 1,700 THB per adult one way, and about 1,400 THB for children. Operators change their timetables from season to season, so check the current departure times when you book rather than relying on last year's.

When to go, and what happens off season

The direct boat is a high-season service: it runs until about mid-May and restarts in late October or November. That matches the dry season on Koh Lanta, November to April, when the sea is calmest; see the best time to visit Koh Lanta.

Off season, there is no direct boat. The alternative is an entirely overland journey of about 6 h 30, with a boat for the last leg to the island. Weather can also cancel crossings in any month, so keep a spare day before an onward flight, and read our plan B if you miss a boat.

What to do on Koh Lipe

• Beaches: white sand on every side of a small island, with Pattaya Beach where the boats arrive and Sunrise Beach on the east side, near the Urak Lawoi village.
• Snorkelling: one of the island's main draws, with clear water around a small island; ask locally which spots suit the day's conditions.
• Diving: Koh Lipe is known as a diving island in the Butang and Adang archipelago, with the islands of Tarutao National Park all around it.
• Walking Street: the island's pedestrian lane of restaurants, bars and shops, with a 7-Eleven and one of the island's three ATMs.
• Cash: with only three ATMs on the island, bring enough Thai baht from Koh Lanta; see paying on Koh Lanta.

Koh Lanta or Koh Lipe: is it worth the trip?

Koh Lipe is worth it if white sand and clear water for snorkelling and diving are what you came for, and if you have a few nights to give it: a crossing of 3 to 5 hours each way does not suit a short stay. Koh Lanta is larger, has roads and is easier to explore by scooter, with more beaches to choose from; Koh Lipe is small, car-free and reached only by boat.

If you are short on time, the island day trips from Koh Lanta give you snorkelling and white sand without the long crossing: see Koh Rok, Koh Haa and Koh Kradan day trips. For a side-by-side view of the islands, read Koh Lanta vs other Thai islands.