Can Non-Swimmers Do Island Tours in Phuket?

Plenty of people who visit Phuket cannot swim, or can only just keep themselves afloat. You can still enjoy an island day. Every tour and charter we sell provides life jackets, many stops are about beaches, views and villages rather than deep water, and with a life jacket on you can even snorkel. The key is picking the right trip and knowing what to expect at each stop.

The Short Answer

• Yes, non-swimmers can join island tours. Life jackets are included on all our day tours and private charters.
• The easiest choices are James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay (calm water, sightseeing, a canoe you sit in) and Raya and Coral Island (short boat rides, gentle beaches).
• You never have to get in the water. You can stay on the boat or the beach at any stop.
• Tell the guide at the start of the day that you cannot swim.

How a Life Jacket Changes Things

A properly fitted life jacket keeps your head above water even if you do nothing. With one on, you can:

• Wade and float in shallow water off a beach.
• Climb down the boat ladder and float next to the boat.
• Snorkel face down on the surface, looking at the fish below.

Fit matters. Fasten every strap and buckle and pull it snug, so it does not ride up over your chin in the water. Ask the crew for a smaller size if it feels loose. For children, see our guide to kids' life jackets on island tours.

Best Tours for Non-Swimmers

1. James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay

The most relaxed choice. Phang Nga Bay is sheltered, and the water is usually calm. The day is mostly about scenery: James Bond Island, the Koh Panyee stilt village where you have a Thai buffet lunch, and a sea canoe into the lagoon at Hong Island (or Talu Island, depending on the tide). You sit in the canoe while a local guide paddles, so no swimming is involved. At the beach stop on Naka Island you can simply relax on the sand. See the James Bond Island tour. Children aged 3 to 11 pay the child price, and the national park fee is paid on the day.

2. Raya and Coral Island

The Raya and Coral Island tour has short boat rides from Chalong Pier. Coral Island has shallow water that slopes gently from the beach, so you can wade and float comfortably. At Racha Yai the snorkeling bay is chosen on the day based on conditions, and there is free time on the beach at Patok Bay after lunch. Mask, snorkel and life jacket are included, and your guide is licensed. Children aged 4 to 11 pay the child price. Pregnant guests cannot join this trip.

3. Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai Island

Phi Phi works for non-swimmers, with a few things to know. Khai Nai has shallow water off the beach. At Maya Bay swimming is not allowed for anyone: you walk in on a boardwalk from Loh Sama Bay. Pileh Lagoon is usually a swim from the boat in water too deep to stand in, so either stay on board or get in with your life jacket on. The stand-up paddle board is included, but only try it wearing a life jacket. See the Phi Phi tour.

4. A private speedboat

On a private charter the boat is only for your group, so you can ask the captain to favor beach stops and calm bays, and spend longer where everyone is comfortable. Life jackets are included, and snorkel gear is included on every route except Phang Nga Bay.

Tours to Think About Carefully

• Jet Ski 7 Islands: you wear a life jacket, but falling off is always possible. If being in deep water makes you panic, this is not the best choice. Drivers must be at least 15.
• White water rafting: you wear a helmet and life jacket and a rafting guide steers. Swimming is not the point, but you can end up in the river if the raft tips, so you need to be comfortable with that. It is not for pregnant women or guests with back, neck or heart problems.
• Similan Islands: we do not sell this trip. It involves a long open-sea crossing, and many snorkel stops are in deeper water, so weak swimmers often find it less relaxing.

How to Snorkel as a Non-Swimmer

1. Test the mask on the boat. Press it to your face without the strap and breathe in gently through your nose. If it stays on, it fits.
2. Practise breathing through the snorkel on the boat, through your mouth only.
3. Put on and fasten your life jacket before you go near the ladder.
4. Go down the ladder slowly and hold on while you get used to the water.
5. Lean forward, put your face in the water and breathe slowly. The life jacket keeps you floating.
6. Move gently with small hand strokes or fin kicks, and stay close to the boat or your buddy.
7. If water gets into the snorkel, lift your head, take the snorkel out and breathe normally. The life jacket holds you up.

A life jacket stops you from diving down, and that is fine: much of the reef life near Phuket can be seen from the surface. Our list of the best snorkeling spots near Phuket shows where the easy, shallow reefs are.

Safety Tips for Non-Swimmers

• Tell your guide as soon as you board.
• Wear the life jacket whenever you are in the water, even in the shallows. Beaches can drop off suddenly.
• Stay with a buddy and close to the boat or the shore.
• Watch for currents. If you feel yourself drifting, raise an arm and call out.
• Skip any stop you are not comfortable with. Nobody has to get in.
• No alcohol before getting in the water.
• Choose the calm months if you can. November to April usually has the calmest seas.

Browse all tours, or contact us if you want help choosing a trip that suits everyone in your group.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know how to swim for island tours in Phuket?

No. Life jackets are included on all our tours, and you can stay on the boat or the beach at any stop.

Can I snorkel if I cannot swim?

Yes, with a life jacket. You float face down on the surface and breathe through the snorkel. Stay close to the boat and a buddy.

Which Phuket island tour is best for non-swimmers?

James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay for calm water and sightseeing, or Raya and Coral Island for short boat rides and gentle beaches.

Can I swim at Maya Bay?

No one can. Swimming at Maya Bay is not allowed. Visitors walk in on a boardwalk from Loh Sama Bay.