The article contains all useful information about the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand: how to get to the island, what to do, Koh Lipe beaches, hotels and other infrastructure. And, of course, our review with photos and advice.

On the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand

Koh Lipe: general information

Koh Lipe Island – small island in the south of Thailand in the Andaman Sea in the province of Satun, located next to Malaysia (the nearest Malaysian island is only 30 km away). Koh Lipe island on the map

Koh Lipe is part of the sea national park Tarutao, for visiting which you need to pay 200 baht per person (don’t throw away your tickets, they will come in handy if you go on an excursion to the neighboring islands, and even before leaving the island we were required to show our tickets!).

The island of Koh Lipe became known among tourists relatively recently: some 40 years ago it was inhabited by sea gypsies from Malaysia, and the first European tourists appeared in the 90s of the last century.

Koh Lipe: Sunrise Beach

I was lucky enough to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand in 2006 and find a small piece of paradise :) At that time, the island was already equipped for tourists, but, of course, not on the same scale as now: on Koh Lipe there were only cheap wooden bungalows, almost deserted beaches, one store in the center of the island and Pooh Bar - the only place on Koh Lipe where there was internet :) And in general, all Europeans gathered in this bar every evening for dinner and beer :) There were no concrete roads on the island of Koh Lipe, everywhere there was sand, and before entering any room you had to take off your shoes, and in general you didn’t need shoes on the island - you walked around barefoot everywhere.

Ko Lipe in 2006

A couple of years later, the total development of the island began, the first large hotels appeared (some of them even with a swimming pool), old wooden bungalows were also reconstructed, and a little later Koh Lipe was connected by sea with Langkawi, an immigration office appeared on the beach for passing through passport control when arriving from Malaysia and departure from Thailand. A little later, the central street was concreted - this is how the walking street appeared.

Immigration office in Koh Lipe in the center of the beach Pattaya Beach
Entrance to the promenade from Sunset Beach
Volkin Street: the central street was concreted and a walking street with shops, cafes, bars appeared
Roads almost all over the island have been repaired
Although there are still clay and sandy roads on the island, and there are deposits of garbage on the way to Sunrise Beach
Signs in the center of the island
At home local residents
But there are also shacks of local residents that have not changed at all in 10 years... The funny thing is that in such houses there are huge plasma TVs hanging on the walls :)
Island locals
There are many well-groomed cats and dogs on the island

Of course, the development of the island’s tourism infrastructure could not but entail an increase in the flow of tourists, and crowds, huge crowds of vacationers flocked to Koh Lipe. For some reason, the island of Lipe is especially loved by the Chinese (every self-respecting Chinese wants to have a selfie with Koh Lipe and 🙂). And there are plenty of other Asians there now; Thais and Malaysians especially like to come to Lipe Island on holidays and weekends. There were times when there were so many tourists on the island that they couldn’t fit in the hotels, and people spent the night in tents on the beach!

According to rumors, travel agencies even tried to send our compatriots “package travelers” to the island of Koh Lipe and people were very unhappy with what hole they were sent to (where are the entertainment and shopping centers, as in? :)

But now, fortunately, the unhealthy excitement for the island has subsided, there are no our package travelers on Koh Lipe, but Chinese tourists They come in large numbers, especially in winter for Chinese New Year.

The bright colors of Koh Lipe

Sketch map of Koh Lipe island

Map of the island

Seasons and weather on Koh Lipe: when is the best time to go to the island

There are two main seasons on the island of Koh Lipe:

• Rainy and stormy season: April-May to October
• Dry season: November to April

Previously, the island was “closed” for the summer; due to strong storms at sea, sea communications with the mainland almost completely ceased, hotel workers went on vacation :) In recent years, communications with the island and the mainland of Thailand have not stopped all year round, only the number of flights has been reduced. And the weather and climate are now so changeable that even in the summer you can find good sunny weather, but during the peak season you can get caught in the rain.

But hotel prices usually differ according to the three seasons:

• Low season: summer
• High season: October – November and March – April
• Peak season: December - February

When is the best time to go to the island?

The most good weather on Koh Lipe in winter, in December - February, but during this period there are a lot of tourists on the island and prices for everything, especially accommodation, rise significantly. In summer there is a rainy season, but deserted beaches and low prices to hotels. In my opinion, the optimal time to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand is November and March-April.

The weather on the island depends on the seasons. Best season in winter, but at this time there are a lot of tourists

How to get to Koh Lipe

The island of Koh Lipe in Thailand is located in the Andaman Sea, the island is small, there is no airport here :) The airports closest to Koh Lipe are:

• Hat Yai (Thailand)
• Trang (Thailand)
• Langkawi (Malaysia)

You can only get to Lipe by water - on fast boats or speedboats by sea that go from the piers:

• Pakbara Pier, Thailand. You can say this is the main pier, the connection from Pakbar to Lipe is year-round
• Trang (Hat Yao Pier), Thailand
• Kuah Jetty, Malaysia, Langkawi
• Telaga Harbour, Malaysia, Langkawi

Direct boat connections between Langkawi and Koh Lipe are closed during the low season.

Also in the high season, sea communication opens between the islands of Lipe.

Many boats and boats take tourists to the island

Briefly, the algorithm for getting to Lipe Island is as follows:

• Flight to or. We are looking for air tickets
• Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, from Bangkok to Hat Yai or Trang, or you can get to Hat Yai by land - by bus or train
• Taxi/minibus/transfer to the pier
• Boat to Koh Lipe

A very detailed article with prices and tips on how to get to Koh Lipe from different places in Thailand, Malaysia and from Russia:

Transport on the island: what to use

On the island of Lipe there is no big roads, there are no cars and few bikes here (some locals ride bikes, but they don’t rent them to tourists :)

Ko Lipe is a small island and you can move around it:

• on foot
• if necessary, take a motorbike taxi (this is a bike with a trolley) for 50 baht per person one way, or ride around the island for 400 baht / hour
• bicycles for rent - 200 baht per day.
• You can also move between beaches by boat. But taxi boats on the island are not as common as, for example, on or in, because... You can easily walk between almost all the beaches of Koh Lipe

Prices for motorcycle taxis around the island

Koh Lipe hotels: where to stay on the island

Every year more and more new hotels open on the island, but despite this, finding accommodation on site can be a problem during peak season. Therefore, I advise you to book Koh Lipe hotels in advance.

Most hotels in Koh Lipe are located right on coastline, many hotels are of the bungalow type, although there are also hotels with rooms in buildings.

Air-conditioned bungalow right on the beach: Andaman Resort
A very popular hotel among Europeans
New villas on the green lawn of the Z-Touch Lipe Island Resort
Some of the hotels in the center of the island

Koh Lipe hotel prices are quite high:

• a double room in an average lousy hotel on the beach will cost +/- 3000 baht
• cheap bungalows on the beach – from 1000 baht

Prices are for high season; in summer, housing is half the price. Perhaps you can find huts for 500 baht, for example, the huts in the photo below are located right on the beach and belong to the Andaman Resort hotel. The cost was not known.

Very budget houses right on the beach

Example of prices for hotels in Koh Lipe

Detailed article about Koh Lipe hotels with their features, prices, recommendations:

Our review of the hotel where we stayed for several days:

All Koh Lipe hotels can be booked on the following booking sites:

Koh Lipe hotels on the map

Beaches of Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe island in Thailand is famous for its gorgeous beaches. The following main beaches are distinguished:

• Pattaya Beach ( Pattaya Beach)
• Sunrise Beach
• Sunset Beach
• Karma Beach or northern beach
• Beaches in bays

Pattaya beach

The most popular beach in Koh Lipe is Pattaya Beach. It is located in a bay in the south of the island. Snow-white sand, clear sea, living near the shore coral reef with fish. Good infrastructure, but can sometimes be noisy and crowded, especially when boats with tourists from the mainland and Langkawi arrive and in the evening before sunset. Details about Pattaya Beach:

Pattaya Beach in the south of Koh Lipe
View of a piece of Pattaya Beach from the sea
Long and quite wide Pattaya beach
The beach can get crowded before the boats leave
Before sunset, a crowd of vacationers also gathers here :)

Sunrise Beach

Sunrise Beach is the second most popular beach in Koh Lipe. I liked it for its silence and tranquility. The beach has snow-white coarse sand, a good sharp entry into the sea. More details about this beach here:

Sunrise Beach: southern part
Sunrise Beach: northern part
Central part of Sunrise Beach

Sunset Beach

Beach in the west of Koh Lipe. The sand is grayish, the entry into the sea is very smooth, there are many picturesque stones on the shore. To be honest, this beach did not impress me at all, perhaps we were there at the wrong time...

Sunset Beach in the west of the island

Karma beach

Karma Beach or the beach next to the Mountain Resort hotel is the northernmost beach of the island with a beautiful sand spit (the spit is washed closer to winter, it may not be there in summer). The sand is very coarse, white, the sea is bright turquoise, beautiful view to the neighboring island of Adang. This beach is often visited in winter strong winds. More details here:

The picturesque sand spit in the north of the island is the symbol of Koh Lipe :)
Karma Beach in the north of the island
Beach in the north of the island

What is the best beach on Koh Lipe? – it’s hard for me to answer this question, I like both Pattaya Beach and Sunrise Beach :) Detailed description all beaches of Koh Lipe:

Almost all Koh Lipe beaches are good :)

Infrastructure

The tourist infrastructure on the island is well developed. Of course, there are no large stores like Tesco and Big C on Lipe Island, but there are:

• two 7-eleven (which for some reason have eternal queues)
• small shops with water and food
• shops with souvenirs and beachwear
• a huge variety of cafes and restaurants, which offer not only Thai cuisine and seafood, but also Indian and European food
• bars and coffee shops
• stalls with pancakes, fruit shakes, ice cream
• massage parlors
• and even a beach club on Pattaya beach :)
• several ATMs, currency exchange (the rate at exchange offices is not favorable, it is better to come to Koh Lipe with cash in baht)
• travel agencies where you can buy excursions, tickets, exchange money, etc. and so on.
• pharmacies
• hospital

There are two 7-elevans on the island
Several pharmacies
Shops with souvenirs and beachwear
Cozy bars
Cafe with delicious ice cream
Pancakes, baguettes, croissants, fruit shakes, smoothies
Walking along Volkin Street
Evening relaxation on the beach

Basically all the infrastructure is located in the center of the island on the walking street. More details here:

Prices for Koh Lipe

The following can be said about prices in Koh Lipe: here expensive hotels, prices at 7 eleven are higher than on the mainland, fruits are expensive, but the prices in the cafe are quite reasonable, I would say even low for such quality food.

This is not the first time I have noticed a strange feature: on small islands in Thailand everything is usually more expensive, except for food in a cafe. This was the case, for example, on Phi Phi - the island is not cheap, but the food in the cafe is not only tasty, but also inexpensive!

For example, our average bill for a beer dinner in Koh Lipe never exceeded 500 baht (except for one evening when we went to the Progress restaurant for an unlimited buffet dinner).

Some prices for Koh Lipe:

• Water 1.5 liters at 7 elven – 26 baht
• Yogurt – 21 baht
• Coffee in seven – 60 – 65 baht
• Prepared food in boxes at 7 eleven (for example, rice + meat) – 70 – 80 baht
• Beer Chang 0.6 in seven - 90 baht, in a small shop - 65 baht
• Packaging of water 6 bottles of 1.5 liters in a store - 100 baht
• Pancakes with different fillings ~ 40 – 70 baht
• Fish in a cafe ~ 240 baht
• Squid, shrimp in a cafe ~ 150 baht
• Tom yam ~ 120 – 150 baht
• Rice with meat or seafood ~ 80 baht
• Beef steak at Steakhouse – 450 baht
• Coffee in a cafe ~ 70 – 90 baht
• Breakfast in a cafe – 200 – 300 baht

One of our dinners
Seafood buffet at Progress restaurant on Walking Street 490 baht per person
Around 6 pm, restaurants and cafes begin to put fish on display. Prices for photos
Cocktails in bars average 200 baht, beer 100 baht

Things to do in Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe - an island for relaxation beach holiday, there are no noisy parties, nightclubs or attractions here :) The main attraction of Koh Lipe is its beaches, the neighboring islands of the national park and the underwater world. Therefore, the list of things to do on Koh Lipe is not that long:

• Visit and swim at all the beaches of the island
• Go snorkeling. Koh Lipe island is the only place in Thailand where we have been where there is good snorkeling close to the shore
• Go to
• Swim to the neighboring Adang Island
• Take a course at a diving school - there are excellent diving spots near Koh Lipe
• Eat – drink – sleep – go for a massage – relax :)

Cost of diving in Koh Lipe
Cost and description excursion tours from Ko Lipe
Visit neighboring islands during one of the excursions
View of Adang Island, which can be visited by renting a boat
Adang: filmed with extreme zoom

Koh Lipe Island reviews

You know, there are such places on earth that at first sight sink into your soul. I had a similar situation with Koh Lipe :) I fell in love with the island not even at first sight, but even earlier, when I read about it on a forum (if I’m not mistaken, this was in 2003). Soon my dream came true: I flew to Thailand. But for the first time, the route was simpler and did not include the island of Koh Lipe, but included - -.

A little later, I finally ended up in Lipe and was completely delighted with this tropical paradise. Years passed, countries alternated and most beautiful islands(just look at the beauty in the Philippines or the islands of Saraya and Kanawa in Indonesia), but the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand always remained in my memory and I knew that someday I would definitely return there :) And I returned after more than 10 years!

Yes, the island has changed (but I read about it and this fact did not come as a shock to me), but I still like it just as much as before. Most likely for those who are looking for parties, shopping, etc. and so on. It will be boring in Lipa (in this case it’s better to go to Phuket), but it’s just right for us :)

Ko Lipe has been my love for many years :)))

How many days to spend on Koh Lipe?

Many people advise not to spend more than 3-4 days on the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand, but we spent almost a week on Lipe and didn’t want to leave at all. If you are traveling around Asia, then you can combine Koh Lipe with some more large island and city, for example the routes can be as follows:

• Bangkok – Phuket – Koh Lipe – – Bangkok
• Bangkok – Hat Yai – Koh Lipe – Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur
• Kuala Lumpur – – – Langkawi – Koh Lipe

And many other options :) Enjoy your holiday!

Ko Lipe is a remote island located in the south of Thailand, 20 km from the border with Malaysia. Washed by the waters Andaman Sea as part of the Adang Ravi archipelago - no longer wild island, but an actively developing global resort.

Today the island is one of the largest sea islands in all of Southeast Asia. national park Tarutao. Distance from the mainland is 70 km. The number of local residents hardly exceeds 800 people, these are the sea gypsies, Chao Lei (Chao Lei) or Urak Lawoi (Urak Lawoi), who came to Thailand on the island of Lipe, from Malaysia, about 100 years ago.

Ko Lipe on the map of Thailand

Very often the name of the island is interpreted differently: Ko Lipe, Koh Lipe, Koh Laip and Ko Lipei. At the beginning of the new century, since the 2000s, with the development of low-cost air travel and sea communications, the island of Koh Lipe has truly become a popular tourist center; it is also one of the protected islands where tourists visiting Thailand can freely relax.

As for the island as a whole, activity usually calms down around midnight. Main entertainment on Koh Lipe: trips to the islands of Tarutao National Park, diving, snorkeling, sea ​​activities, fishing and of course beach holidays.

It is worth considering that previously there were no ATMs on the island, but now you can find ATMs on the street, next to the 7/11 supermarket. As for exchangers, they are located almost every step, but the exchange rate is extremely unfavorable.

Take care of this in advance by exchanging currency in advance, for example in Bangkok.

Prices for food and drinks in shops, bars, and restaurants are absolutely affordable. Finding a restaurant where the cost of meals is very affordable, below 100 baht, is not difficult; most are located directly on the beaches. In retail stalls and shops on the island, prices do not differ from those on the mainland, within the prices of the 7/11 store chain.

How to get to the island

There is no airport on the island, the closest is in Hat Yai. Several airlines operate flights from Suvarnabhumi: Nok Air, Tiger Air and Air Asia. Ticket prices start from 1200 baht.

Transport routes

Arriving at Hat Yai Airport, you can take advantage of the transfer service to the island, which includes a trip by minivan to Pakbara Pier, then by boat to Koh Lipe. The cost of providing services is 800 baht per person. Travel time is 1.5-2 hours from the airport to Pakbara pier, and approximately 2 hours to Koh Lipe.

You can take a bus from the bus station in Sai Tai Mai (Southern Bus Terminal) to Hat Yai. You can purchase tickets in the terminal building. Travel time Bangkok - Hat Yai, 10 - 11 hours. Ticket prices depend on the class, from 700 baht per seat on an air-conditioned bus.

From Phuket, Krabi and other resorts you can get there by ship. The main carrier is Tigerline Travel. They provide good, fast boats.

Estimated cost of providing Tigerline Travel services:

• From the resorts of Phuket, Phi Phi, Koh Lanta from 1500 - 2000 baht;
• From the resorts of Ngai, Kradan and Koh Muk from 1000 - 1500 baht;
• From Hat Yao pier in Trang, approximately 750 baht.

Please note that high season is October - April. The rest of the time, ships go to the island much less often.

Transport

In general, the island is small, you can easily get around it on foot in a couple of hours. That's why public transport absent. There are few cars on the island; they are mainly used as freight transport.

Local taxi.

But at any time you can use the services of local taxis (TAXI) - a motorcycle with a sidecar that ply around the island, delivering tourists from beach to beach.

Taxi prices.

You can rent a bicycle for 200 baht per day. A fairly popular means of transportation - boats, are also the main link with neighboring uninhabited islands. You can rent them on the shore.

Weather

The resort has a tropical climate. The year is conventionally divided into two seasons, the first of which is dry, the second is wet. The low season, also known as the wet season, lasts from May to the end of November. At this time, the weather on the islands is quite gloomy and it often rains. The second season is dry, with little rainfall. This is the season that most tourists choose to go on holiday to Thailand. At this time, the sea is quite calm, the weather is not too hot, and beautiful photos are obtained against the backdrop of blooming nature.

Housing

There is a decent selection of accommodation on the island. You can stay in a bungalow, rent an apartment or rent a hotel room starting from 500 baht, photo below. Rooms and bungalows with air conditioning and hot water average 1000 - 1200 baht per day. There are enough such offers even during peak season, on the beaches of Sunrise, Sunset, Pattaya and the central part of the island.

Koh Lipe hotel prices vary depending on comfort and season. In order to get good accommodation, it is better to resolve the issue in advance by booking a room or bungalow a month before your trip. Because, as a rule, by the high season prices rise significantly by 1.5 - 2 times. On average, a night's stay in a decent hotel in high season will range from 1,500 - 2,000 baht.

Map of hotels on Koh Lipe

In addition to the fact that you can stay in hotels during your vacation, local hotels, as a rule, also offer a number of additional services. One of the most budget options for the traveler - a tent. There are campsites on the island, mostly on Sunset Beach.

Beaches

The resort island consists of four large beaches: Pattaya, Karma, Sunset and Sunrise. All beaches are connected by small paths through which you can quickly get from one place to another. Small and secluded beaches of the island: Sanom Beach and Bila Beach.

The main beach is Pattaya Beach. Located in the southern part of the island, it is the most popular among tourists; its shape resembles a small horseshoe. The entire length of the coast is covered with fine white sand, the sea is calm.

On the busy Walking Street, which should not be confused with the street of the same name in the resort of Pattaya, for which Thailand is so famous, there are many cafes, bars and restaurants with different cuisines.

Walking Street in Koh Lipe.

Many establishments have the Internet, and you can also pay by card.

Sunrise Beach, as its name suggests, is best suited for watching sunrises; you can often find similar photos on the Internet. Besides, pure water makes this place almost ideal for snorkeling and diving.

There are budget and luxury luxury hotels on the beach.

Sunset Beach is a cozy bay where you can take great photos of sunsets and relax with your loved one. The coast is quiet and peaceful, and there are some very interesting exotic restaurants on its territory.

The last of the large beaches on the island is Karma. In fact, this is just a continuation of the previous beach, which stretches far to the north. Calm sea - you can swim with children, a quiet cozy environment and the best panorama on the entire island, against which you can take great photos.

The beach infrastructure is constantly being improved, built good hotels, Internet is provided. You can buy fresh food right on the beaches. True, at the same time, you will not find a wide variety of products. Try different ones for which the country is so famous.

Koh Lipe is one of the best places for the holiday that Thailand gave the world. Good conditions for relaxation and beautiful landscapes are well suited for doing best photos as a souvenir of a heavenly holiday.

Koh Lipe Island is located in close proximity to the water border between Malaysia and Thailand. You can get to it from both Thailand and Malaysia. There is no airport on the island, so the only way to Lipe is by water.

The island's water communication with the mainland depends on the season. During the high season, from November to May, the island can be reached from the Thai side (mainland: Pak Barra, Satun, Trang and many surrounding islands: Koh Tarutao, Koh Bulon, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Muk, Koh Kradang, Koh Laoliang, koh Ngai) and from the Malay side (Langkawi island). During low season, from May to November, only from Pak Barra pier. Also, in any season, you should check the status of the flight the day before departure, as it may be canceled due to bad weather. You can view the boat schedule and book tickets.

When planning a trip to Malaysia, we could not decide on the island that we wanted to add to our visit to Kuala Lumpur. Quite by accident, I came across the “top best holiday destinations 2012 according to NG”, where there was a note about the pearl of the Andaman Sea, Koh Lipe, which has not yet been visited by tourists. And when it turned out that you can get there from the Malay island of Langkawi, to which budget AirAsia flies from Kuala Lumpur, it became finally clear that “we have to take it!” Now I will tell you how we got to Koh Lipe from Malaysia.

Malayan rupee to ruble exchange rate for the duration of the trip: 1 Malaysian ringgit ~ 10 rubles

From Kuala Lumpur to LCCT

From Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi we flew by regular flight low-cost airline AirAsia. Air Asia is one of the best low-cost airlines in the world and its routes cover almost all Southeast Asia. The company is Malay, so its main base, also known as its own airport(!) Low Cost Carrier Terminal, is located near Kuala Lumpur. Plane tickets were purchased in advance through the company's website. They cost about 500RM (5 thousand rubles) for two in both directions.

Boarding a plane at LCCT

Before Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) from the center Kuala Lumpur You can get there in several ways:

• Taxi

The simplest and most expensive option. It will cost about 60RM (~600 rubles). You can read more about taxis and tariffs to LCCT

• KLIA Ekspres + Shuttle Bus

The second option is to use the KLIA Ekspres express train, which runs to international airport Kuala Lumpur KLIA, and from there transfer to a special bus (shuttle bus) to LCCT. Bus fare 1.50RM () The train departs from central station Sentral and takes about half an hour. One way fare costs 35RM.

• KLIA Transit + Shuttle Bus

• KTM Komuter + Bus from Nilai station

From the same Sentral station or any other KTM Komuter station, you can get to Nilai station. Travel from Sentral to Nilai will cost 4.70RM. There is a bus from this station to LCCT for 1.50RM ()

• Shuttle Bus from Sentral to LCCT

Several companies operate on this route. Prices differ slightly 8RM-10RM. Tickets can be purchased at Sentral Central Station or when boarding the bus. Follow the link to see the schedule and details for each company. There are buses to LCCT from other locations in Kuala Lumpur.

We used the last option since the flight was early and the trains were not running yet. We got to Sentral from the Traders Hotel (KLCC) by taxi. The night rate was something like 13RM. The taxi driver drove us to the bus boarding point, as we called it “a nook under the bridge” :)

Initially, we planned to take the Skybus from AirAsia, but as soon as we approached the buses, we were surrounded by guys with tickets who were actively gesturing and saying something like: “get on quickly, departure now, here and there!” and so on. In general, by the time we realized it, it was already too late. We bought a ticket on Aerobus since their guy was the most prompt. From the outside, all the buses looked decent. Inside, the Aerobus turned out to be quite shabby and old. The air conditioners blew terribly all the way and did not turn off. But it's cheaper)

Apart from us, there were only locals in the cabin, and they were sleeping. We drove in the dark, through a strong thunderstorm (epic), but we arrived on time. The journey took about an hour. We boarded the same one back because it left faster. So what if it’s old, we’re not picky. It looked something like this:

Bus to LCCT

At LCCT airport

Buses stop almost near the entrance to the terminal. It's hard to get lost. Here we had breakfast and went to look for our flight. The LCCT terminal is not like traditional airports, it is more like a train station. Air only. Everything here is simple and functional. Baggage security check is quite funny. Only large bags are scanned, and only selectively. A “security check” sticker is simply placed on checked luggage. After this, you can safely exit the registration area back :)

The registration hall was filled with huge queues, which was a bit stressful. We stood at the end of the line at one of the counters, above which P.Langkawi was burning. But besides our island, another direction was also burning there. All the neighbors took turns claiming that they were not flying to Langkawi... Later it turned out that one counter registered several flights. Keep this in mind and be on time!

After a short wait, we were invited to board. Landing is also fun: walking across the airfield! Fortunately it is small. Special covered “sleeves” are laid to aircraft located far from the exit. From one sleeve you can get to several planes, the main thing is not to confuse them! :) The workers help to navigate, but apparently there were cases. After boarding the plane, we were told for 10-15 minutes where the plane was flying. On the return flight we simply walked to the plane; it was standing almost near the exit. The flight to Langkawi is about an hour.

On the island of Langkawi

Boats to Lipe Island depart twice a day (only in season, from November to May!) from the Telaga boat terminal. Since it was difficult for us to estimate the travel time from the airport to the terminal, we took a late boat. Tickets were purchased in advance via the Internet. It cost about 500RM (~ 5000 rubles) for two round-trip.

There was 4 hours of time left. At the exit from the airport, taxi drivers briskly grabbed tourists, most were in the opposite direction, “towards civilization.” We were seated by the last remaining grandfather, dressed in a Muslim style in a long white robe and a knitted skullcap. We got to the terminal very quickly, in about 15 minutes, good luck. They paid around 10RM for a taxi, unfortunately I don’t remember exactly. The island of Langkawi is large, green and very beautiful. If we weren't going to stop here on the way back, I would definitely regret it.

Landing on Langkawi Island

At Telaga port on Langkawi island

We arrived at a small building, around which there were many tourists sitting on backpacks and bags waiting for the boat. Under the canopy behind the “counter” the girl was collecting passports. We arrived shortly before the departure of the first boat, but we had tickets for the second. We were already mentally prepared to hang around in the port for 4 hours, but the girl suggested that we quickly check in for the first flight, registration for which was about to close. We gave printouts of tickets and passports.

There is an interesting point with the passport. Since the boat crosses the border, it is necessary to go through border control and obtain entry/exit stamps. This concern is taken over by the company ferrying tourists. Before leaving, they collect their passports, get stamps on the Malay side and hand them over to the border guards on Lipe Island. After arrival, within about 15 minutes, the border guards put stamps and the girl from the travel agency issues the passports back.

To be honest, it was scary to give up my passport to someone unknown. But everything ended well and without any hiccups. I can’t say where and how you can get a stamp yourself. It seemed to me that a passport was a prerequisite for boarding. But perhaps there are other ways.

Speed ​​boat to Koh Lipe

The speed boat takes about an hour to Lipe Island. This is a ride along the emerald sea surface at high speed, with wind, sun and spray. We got great pleasure from it, despite the fact that we slept only 2 hours that day and were on the road since late at night.

Boat from Langkawi to Lipe Island

The boat stopped about 100 meters from the shore. Long, traditional wooden boats set out from the shore to pick us up, driven by a small motor attached to a long pole. First, all the tourists were taken to the shore, and the second round was the luggage. By the way, disembarking from the boat straight into the azure warm water up to your shins. There is no pier, you immediately find yourself in the sea and sand in the cleanest and the most beautiful beach Pattaya Beach I was also a little worried about my luggage, but nothing was wet and nothing was stolen. Boats moor near the border post (check point). After arrival, you need to wait for the return of your passports, which will be brought from the border guards by a travel agency employee and distributed to tourists.

15 minutes later we were already walking along white sand to your Sita Hotel Beach Resort. The entrance from the beach can be considered the main one, five meters from the sand and ten from the water, the hotel reception is located under a beautiful canopy. Sita Beach Resort is one of several hotels on the entire island that can really be considered hotels in the sense of vacationers; the rest of the accommodation is at the level of simple bungalows. If we had not booked a hotel in advance or were trying to save a lot, then choosing modest and nice accommodation on the spot would not have been any problem.

We got there!

Everything stated below is relevant for the high season, from early November to mid-April. During the low season, the number of ships traveling to Lipe Island is sharply reduced, and on some routes, such as Phuket - Lipe and Langkawi - Lipe, flights are canceled altogether.

Most tourists arrive to Lipe Island either from Bangkok or from the islands closest to Lipe and tourist centers southern part of the Andaman Sea. It is these routes that will be described below.

From Bangkok to Koh Lipe

The closest airport to Lipa, receiving flights from Bangkok, is located near the city of Hat Yai.

Several airlines operate flights from Bangkok to Hat Yai Airport, including low-cost carriers AirAsia and Nok Air.

Ticket prices for this route vary widely, starting from 1,200 baht. This price can be obtained if you pay for the ticket several months before departure. If you buy a ticket a few days before departure, the price can significantly exceed 2000 baht.

At Hat Yai Airport you can buy a transfer (joint ticket) to Lipe Island, which includes a minibus ride to Pakbara Pier and then by speedboat to Lipe Island.

Similarly, from Bangkok you can get to Lipe Island via. Such a trip takes approximately the same time as a trip through Hat Yai Airport, but usually costs a little more.

If you prefer to travel by taxi, a trip from Hat Yai Airport to Pakbara Pier will cost you 1800 - 2000 baht, from Trang Airport - 2200 baht. All prices for taxis, minibuses and speedboats are indicated as of the beginning of 2020. Over the past 10 years, they have changed slightly, all that has happened over the years is that a minibus transfer has risen in price by 100 baht.

Note. The last ship from Pakbara pier usually leaves at 15-30. Accordingly, if you do not want to spend the night on the pier, it makes sense to arrive at Hat Yai Airport no later than 12 noon.

Cheap from Bangkok to Koh Lipe

If the cost of air tickets seems excessive to you, or there simply won’t be any tickets, because... planes fly to Hat Yai packed to capacity; you can get from Bangkok to Hat Yai either by train or by bus.

Train ticket prices, as of March 2018, started at 149 baht for a seat in a non-air-conditioned 3rd class carriage. Tickets for more comfortable 2nd and 1st class carriages cost 345 baht and 734 baht, respectively. Travel time from Bangkok to Hat Yai was 16–17 hours, trains departed during the day from Bangkok Central Station (Hua Lamphong Railway Station) and arrived in Hat Yai in the morning. The current train schedule and prices can be found on the official website of Thai Railways; tickets can be purchased directly at the station.

Bus tickets from Bangkok to Hat Yai, as of March 2018, start from 643 baht for a second class bus seat. A ticket for a more spacious and comfortable first class bus cost, at the same time, exactly 1000 baht, transportation was carried out by a state transport company. It carried out 13 flights per day, buses departed from (Southern Bus Terminal, another name is Sai Tai), the departure time of all buses was in the range of 16-30 - 19-30, buses arrived in Hat Yai the next morning, spending 14 hours on the way hours.

From the islands of southern Thailand to Lipe Island

During the high season, the route - - - - - - is served by ships and speedboats from several carriers, including Tigerline Travel, Bundhaya Speedboat, Satun Pakbara Speedboat and Andaman Inter Line (no website).

Ticket prices for all carriers are approximately the same, and, as of the beginning of 2020, prices for transfers from neighboring islands were as follows:

. Phuket - Lipe = 3400 baht;
. Phi - Phi - Lipe = 2600 baht;
. Lanta - Lipe = 1900 baht;
. Ngai - Lipe = 1600 baht;
. Kradan - Lipe = 1400 baht;
. Muk - Lipe = 1400 baht

From the islands of southern Thailand to Lipe Island cheaply

If you go from the islands of Phuket and Lanta to Lipe not by a short road (by sea), but by land, along the shore of the Andaman Sea to the Pakbara pier and only from there by sea to the island of Lipe, then you can save more than 2 thousand baht and 800 baht, respectively.

Such transfers, by minibus to Pakbara Pier, can be easily purchased both in Phuket and Lanta; their cost can be found here:.

From Langkawi to Lipe Island

Lipe Island is located on the border with Malaysia, and Lipe is about 30 km from the nearest Malaysian resort. There are no difficulties in crossing the Thai-Malaysian border, Russian citizens do not need to obtain visas, and if you have time, it would be a good idea to visit both the island of Lipe and the island of Langkawi. Such a trip between the islands costs 1200 baht, and takes about an hour, not counting the time for passport control and completing other formalities.

If you are planning a trip along this route, do not forget that boats operate between Lipe and Langkawi only in high season, from early November to mid-April. In the low season, you can also get to Lipe from the island of Langkawi, but not directly, but by a roundabout road through land (Langkawi - mainland Malaysia - crossing the border on the mainland - trip to Pakbara pier - and only from there by sea to Lipe island). According to Malaysian travel agents, this road can be covered in 5 hours. This thesis, however, does not need to be taken quite literally.

The island of Koh Lipe is located in the Andaman Sea in the Satun province in southern Thailand, very close to the Malaysian island of Langkawi. In this article I talk in detail about how to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok, Phuket, other resorts in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as from Russia.

Ko Lipe how to get there

There is no airport on the island of Koh Lipe, there is no bridge leading to it (like, for example, in Malaysia 🙂), so you can only get to Koh Lipe by water:

1. By speedboat or ferry from Pakbara Pier
2. By boat (ferry) from Hat Yao Pier (Trang)
3. By speedboat from Koh Lanta, with stops on the islands of Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Kradarn, Koh Bulone
4. By speedboat from Phuket (via Lanta)
5. By fast ferry/boat from the Malaysian island of Langkawi

Boats that take tourists to Koh Lipe
Route map to Lipe Island Scheme water transport to Lipe Island

Previously, water communication with the island was only in the high season (from mid-October to April - May), Koh Lipe was “closed” from tourists in the summer 🙂 now, of all the above methods, in the low season (summer) speedboats/boats run from Pakbara, therefore, Koh Lipe can be reached all year round.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier

Speedboats/fast boats from various companies depart from Pakbara Pier several times a day.

Approximate boat schedule for Pakbara - Koh Lipe:

• 11:30
• 13:30
• 14:30
• 15:00
• 15:30.

Schedule may change! Even if you have purchased a ticket for a certain time, this does not mean that the boat will leave exactly on schedule. We had tickets for 11:30, and we sailed later than 12:00. IN low season(June – October) boats run 1-2 times a day, usually at 9:30 and 11:30.

The travel time from Pakbara to Lipe is one and a half hours; in rough seas it can increase to 2 hours or more. Along the way, all boats stop for 15 minutes at Tarutao Island. Those interested can stay for a few days on this island; there are bungalows and tents in the national park. Or just go to the island and walk along the shore while waiting for the boat to depart.

Entrance to the island of Tarutao is paid - 200 baht, more precisely, this is the fee for visiting the Tarutao National Park, the ticket is valid for 5 days, including for visiting the island of Koh Lipe and other national islands. parks that you can visit during one of the.

On the way to Lipe, all boats stop at Tarutao Island
Those who wish can go ashore (entrance to the national park is 200 baht) and even stay on the island for several days
Near Tarutao Island
Centralized queue to board the boat at Tarutao Pier

Price

• Ticket price for speedboat/speedboat Pakbara – Koh Lipe: 650 baht
• Ticket price Pakbara - Koh Lipe - Pakbara - 1200 baht (return ticket with open date)
• Pakbara – Koh Tarutao – 400 baht
• Pakbara - Koh Tarutao - Koh Lipe - 650 baht, i.e. you can go to Koh Tarutao, live there for a couple of days and sail further using the same ticket :)

Prices are usually identical for all carriers, although sometimes there are specials. suggestions :) But the boats may differ!

Schedule and prices for boats on the route Pakbara - Tarutao - Koh Lipe and in the opposite direction
Speedboat to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier at 11:30, from Koh Lipe at 9:30
Schedule of another company that carries to Koh Lipe and Koh Bulon from Pakbara
Boat schedule and cost Pakbara - Koh Lipe

Pakbara Pier

The Pakbara pier is well equipped, with air-conditioned waiting areas, restrooms, and a shop with overpriced sundries. Entrance to the pier is paid (!) 20 baht :)

In front of the entrance to Pakbara Pier
Entrance to the pier 20 baht :)
There are a lot of people inside in the waiting room. Here you need to get tickets for the boat (if you have a complex ticket or you bought tickets in advance online) or buy tickets
At Pakbara Pier
Tourists waiting to board the boats
Boarding boats at Pakbara pier

But on Koh Lipe there is no pier; in the low season or when the sea is very rough, boats arrive at the shore at , and in the high season - at . Some speedboats (including ours) are parked near the shore, and some boats are further from the shore, and are transported to the beach on longtails for 50 baht per person.

Landing on Koh Lipe

Loading and unloading luggage is a circus: things are thrown right over the water and it seems that the suitcase is about to fall into the sea, so do not give valuables to be loaded onto the boat, but keep them with you! Luggage is packed at the stern, and in some places even on the roof of the boat, so the suitcase can arrive wet and dirty...

How to get to Pakbara Pier

Immediate big cities to the village of Pakbara:

• Trang (not to be confused with the city of Trat, which is near)
• Hat Yai

Both there is an airport, bus stations, and even in Hat Yai railroad station! You can get to Pakbara Pier by:

• Taxi. A car from these two cities to Pakbara Pier will cost 1800 - 2200 baht, the approximate travel time is one and a half hours
• Minibus. WITH bus station There is a mini bus to Hat Yai, cost 150 baht, travel time one and a half to two hours
• By purchasing a comprehensive ticket. For example, upon arrival at Hat Yai airport, we bought a comprehensive ticket for a minibus + boat: airport - Pakbara Pier - Koh Lipe for 900 baht per person. It’s better to buy such a ticket in advance on this website, firstly it will be cheaper (~ 750 baht), and secondly you won’t have to wait long at the airport until tourists from other flights arrive.

The same complex ticket (mini bus + boat) can be bought at the Hat Yai railway station, at the bus station, at any travel agency and hotel.

Taxi counter at Hat Yai airport
Travel agency at the airport where you can buy a comprehensive ticket to Koh Lipe and other islands
Boat Schedule

Important: to get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to get to Hai Yat until 13:00, or better before! I would not count 100% on a boat that is scheduled at 15:30... You can spend the night in the city of Hat Yai, there are many inexpensive hotels there.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Trang

If you fly to Trang, the closest pier to the city is Trang Hat Yao Pier, from which Tiger Line Ferry boats depart daily at 13:00 during high season. Travel time is 2 hours. You can buy tickets on the carrier's website.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok

To get to Koh Lipe from you must first get to one of the cities listed above: Trang or Hat Yai, then go to Pakbara Pier and buy a boat ticket to Koh Lipe. How to do this is described above in the article. And you can get to Trang or Hat Yai from Bangkok like this:

1. By plane from Bangkok: choose the best flight option that suits your time and cost to Hat Yai or Trang.

2. By bus. Buses Bangkok - Hat Yai depart from southern bus station in Bangkok (Sai ​​Tai Mai or Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal). Buses run quite frequently from 6 am to 8 pm, travel time is 13-14 hours.

The cost depends on the carrier and bus class: from 700 to 1000 baht.

3. By train Bangkok – Hat Yai. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok. Travel time is 13-17 hours (+ trains in Thailand tend to be late!). To get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to take trains that depart from Bangkok at 15:10 or 15:30.

Cost from 300 baht (in third class carriages), we usually take tickets to second class with air conditioning, cost from 850 baht.

You can view the train schedule for Thailand on the website of the Thai Railways, and buy tickets at the railway station.

Train timetable Bangkok - Hat Yai

4. By purchasing a complex ticket plane + minibus + boat

One of the most convenient ways to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok is to buy a package ticket from Air Asia or Nok Air. The ticket includes flight Bangkok - Hat Yai, minibus travel to Pakbara Pier and boat/ferry to Koh Lipe. Flights are only in the morning.

Comprehensive ticket Bangkok - Koh Lipe from AirAsia

Important: do not forget that the planes of these low-cost companies fly from Don Mueang airport, and all flights are from Russia, Ukraine, etc. arrive in Suvarnabhumi airport. Read about how to get between airports and how much time to allow for transfers.

Phuket Koh Lipe how to get there

Option 1: by sea

IN high season You can get to Koh Lipe by sea. Transportation is carried out by:

1. Tiger Line Ferry Company on quite large yellow boats (boats). Departure from Rassada Pier in Phuket (from the same place where ferries depart to) at 9:00, scheduled arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:00, i.e. 4 hours of travel (in fact, boats take much longer!). Along the way, change boats on Lanta Island. Cost Phuket - Koh Lipe ~ 2300 baht. Tickets can be purchased in advance on their website: tigerlinetravel.com

Yellow big boats from Tiger Line Ferry
Timetables and prices for Tiger Line Ferry tickets from Koh Lipe to other islands and to the mainland

2. Satun Pakbara Speed ​​Boat Company whose boats go along the route Phuket - Phi Phi - Lanta - Ngai - Muk - Kradan - Bulon - Lipe. Transportation by speedboat. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 2400 baht (cheaper if purchased through the website!). You can find out the schedule and buy tickets on their website: spcthailand.com

Boat schedule Phuket - Lipe and Lipe - Phuket (via Koh Lanta)

3. Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat Company. From Phuket (Rassada Pier) via Koh Lipe. Carries on small speedboats. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Lanta at 10:30, departure from Lanta at 10:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3000 baht. You can buy tickets on their website: bundhayaspeedboat.com

Routes and schedules of speedboats from the carrier Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat

You can also search for all the tickets listed above (maybe cheaper!).

We got to Koh Lipe just in time. I thought for a very long time about how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. I decided to choose sea ​​route🙂 I rejected speedboats right away (after all, I couldn’t stand 4-5 hours in such a high-speed boat, even an hour and a half was enough for me during the time 🙂), I wanted to sail on the Tiger Line Ferry, for some reason I imagined such a big ferry, just like or like us :)

But, after reading the reviews, I realized that it was better to choose another option on how to get to the island of Koh Lipe from Phuket :) In the reviews, people complained about the old boat and frequent long delays, they wrote that the boat takes not 4 hours, as stated, but almost twice as long longer! After reading the reviews, I decided to choose another way to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket, namely the more standard route through Hat Yai and Pakbara.

Option 2: via Hat Yai and Pakbara

By bus

You can travel from Phuket to Hat Yat by bus. Buses run from 6 am to 21:45, travel time is about 8 hours, cost from 300 to 600 baht depending on the class of the bus. Tickets can be purchased at the bus station in Phuket Town or on the website.

The best way to travel is by night bus VIP 24, which departs at 21:45 and arrives in Hat Yai around 6 am. Then transfer to the pier and on the first boat at 9:30 to Koh Lipe. Then you will be on the island around 11:00 – 11:30 and still have the whole day ahead!

By plane

There is a direct flight from Phuket to Hat Yai with Bangkok Air. Departure at 7:25, arrival at 8:30. Just recently there was an evening flight at 19:25, but on this moment I don't see it on the schedule. The cost is about 1700 baht, luggage and even breakfast on board are included :) Check the cost and buy tickets Phuket - Hat Yai >>

We chose this option on how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. Everything went smoothly: at 5:30 in the morning we ordered a taxi to our condo, at 6:15 we were already at Phuket airport, checked in our luggage, drank coffee in a coffee shop, boarded a small plane, had breakfast :) We arrived in Hat Yai even before the time indicated in schedule.

A small Bangkok Air propeller plane on the route Phuket - Hat Yai
Breakfast on the plane

I wanted to buy tickets for the transfer airport - pier - Koh Lipe in advance online on the website (it was cheaper this way), but while I was wondering whether we would be in time for the minibus, which leaves at 9 am (we would have time, even with a large reserve), the sale of tickets stopped (tickets can be purchased online no later than three days in advance). Therefore, at the airport we found a travel agency, where we bought a combined mini-bass + speedboat ticket. But we had to wait for more than an hour for passengers from other flights.

We were at the Pakbara pier at 11:15, where the purchased tickets must be exchanged for numbers, which are used to board the boat (numbers are very convenient - there is no queue). We set sail at 12:00 instead of the promised 11:30, and arrived in Koh Lipe at 14:00 - due to the storm and rain that began along the way, the boat sailed more slowly and arrived at Sunrise Beach, and not at the opposite beach. It was even more convenient for us: our hotel was literally a few steps from the boat’s arrival point :)

Hurray, it’s our turn to load into the boat :)
In the boat waiting to depart for Koh Lipe

Lipe Island how to get from Krabi

From Krabi you can get to Koh Lipe via Hat Yai. There are no direct flights from Krabi to Hat Yai, and flying through Bangkok, in my opinion, is not advisable, so you can get there by bus, minibus or taxi. The distance to the pier is only about 300 km.

Tickets for a minibus to Hat Yai will cost 350 - 400 baht, a comprehensive ticket for Ao Nang (Krabi) - Koh Lipe - 1000 - 1200 baht. You can buy it at any travel agency or hotel.

Lipe Island how to get from Koh Samui or Koh Phangan

To get to Koh Lipe from / / you need to follow the path described above: first you need to get to Hat Yai, then to Pakbara, and then by boat to Lipe 🙂 The path is not short... Read about how to get to Hat Yai from Samui in

You can also buy a complex ticket Samui/Phangan/Tao - Koh Lipe:

Schedule and cost of transfer from the Gulf of Thailand islands to Koh Lipe
Transfer schedule from Koh Lipe to the Gulf of Thailand islands

Langkawi Koh Lipe how to get there

Despite the fact that Lipe is a Thai island, it is separated from the Malaysian island by only 30 km, and in clear weather it is clearly visible from observation deck sky bridge in Langkawi :)

Direct route Langkawi - Lipe

During the high season, boats operate on the Langkawi-Lipe and Lipe-Langkawi routes. On the island of Koh Lipe there are even immigration offices where passport control takes place.

Immigration office on Koh Lipe in the center of Pattaya Beach

Boats from Langkawi arrive at Pattaya Beach on Lipe (read about all the beaches of Koh Lipe). They depart from two piers to Langkawi:

• from Kuah Jetty Pier (in the capital of Kuah Island, near the city's eagle symbol)
• from Telaga Harbor Pier, which is located next to Oriental Village Park

We sailed in the opposite direction (i.e. from Lipe to Langkawi) and I specifically chose a carrier whose boats arrive at Telaga pier, because... First of all, in Langkawi I planned to check into the Geopark Hotel, visit and, which are located a few minutes drive from this pier.

Carrier companies on the route Langkawi - Lipe - Langkawi

Additional Information

Schedule and cost of land transfer from Pakbara Pier and Hat Yai Boat schedule from Lipe Island
Boat and transfer schedule from Koh Lipe
Boat schedule from Lipe Island