Private Speed Boat "Phi Phi Islands"

Made famous by the film "The Beach", Maya Bay is a curved white sand beach closed in by towering limestone cliffs. To protect the recovering reef, boats are no longer allowed inside the bay and swimming is not permitted. Your speedboat drops you at the floating pier in Loh Sama Bay on the other side of Phi Phi Leh, and you walk a short boardwalk through the forest to the beach. The national park limits how many visitors are on the beach at once and how long they stay, so expect company. Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September to let nature recover; on those dates the rest of the route runs as normal.

An emerald lagoon enclosed by sheer limestone walls on Phi Phi Leh. Boats can enter, and this is the main swimming stop of the day: the water is calm, clear and deep green. It is popular with every boat in the area, so your captain will try to time the visit for a quieter moment.

A tall sea cave in the cliffs of Phi Phi Leh, named after old paintings of boats on its walls. Swiftlets nest inside, and local collectors still harvest the edible nests from bamboo scaffolding. Visitors cannot enter the cave: you see it from the boat as you cruise past.

A small beach on Phi Phi Don where wild long-tailed macaques come down to the shore. Watch them from the boat or from a distance on the sand. Please do not feed or touch them, and keep food and bags closed: they grab belongings and can bite.

A low, flat island north of Phi Phi Don with fine white sand and clear shallow water, good for a last swim and some snorkeling off the beach before heading back to Phuket. It belongs to the same national park and is often busy around midday. Landing is not possible when the sea is rough.