Lipe island thailand how to get there. Koh Lipe: a territory free from worries. How to get to Pakbara Pier

Koh Lipe, Thailand: independent travel reviews, how to get there, weather, accommodation, beaches

Travel date: January 2015

Koh Lipe - how to get there?

Koh Lipe is a small Thai island located on the border with Malaysia. That is why a trip to the island of Langkawi is often combined with a holiday on Koh Lipe. There is no airport on the island, you can only get there by water transport. There is a ferry from Langkawi and back, the journey time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased in advance on this site. www.bundhayaspeedboat.com.

Departure to Langkawi comes from the capital of the island - the city of Kuah, the port is called Jetty and is located in the city center behind the main attraction - the eagle statue. At the port, you go through passport control, a stamp is stamped on your passport to leave the country. Upon arrival in Ko Lipe, you will also go through passport control, so be careful if you are a citizen of a country that requires a visa to Thailand (including a visa on arrival), you will need to apply for it in advance, visas are not issued on Ko Lipe. You will have to sail to Satun, put a visa there, after which you can enter the territory of Thailand. The only problem is that there is no message from Satun to Koh Lipe. Therefore, you will have to think over the route, but in any case there is no convenient one here.

Accommodation in Koh Lipe

We went on New Year's holidays, peak dates, so we booked accommodation in advance. But on the spot it turned out that there were quite a lot of options for free housing, apparently this was due to the economic situation and a large number of cancellations. Therefore, I can’t say for sure whether it’s worth the risk and go to Koh Lipe without booking a hotel.

In general, there are a lot of accommodation options, despite the small size of the island. Price category - from cheap housing to luxurious expensive hotels.

If you want a quiet and relaxing holiday, choose a hotel further from the main street - Walking Street, where all the cafes and bars with music and crowds of tourists are concentrated. The quietest place on the island is near Sunset Beach.

We lived in exotic thatched bungalows, jungle on site, and crazy birdsong every dawn.

Weather in Koh Lipe in January

January is one of the best months to visit the island. The air temperature is very comfortable, +30 during the day, +22 at night. Rains are rare and mostly short-lived. And the bad weather on Koh Lipe looks very bewitching!

Beaches on Koh Lipe

There are 3 beaches in total on the island. Beach Pattaya Beach is a port. Tourists arrive here and here is the point of departure. Therefore, there are always a large number of boats on this beach. If you like to swim among the boats, you might like this beach. Although you can find more secluded corners if you step aside.

Sunrise Beach- the largest in length. The beach is beautiful, the water is clear, but the water leaves before lunch, it’s too small for swimming, the tide is in the afternoon. There is not enough shade on the beach, there is nowhere to hide from the scorching sun.

Sunrise beach

On the right side of the beach there is a hotel, if you go through its territory, you can get into a small beautiful bay.

Cove on Sunrise Beach

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach is the most secluded beach, it is also good because here you can hide from the sun in the shade of trees and go snorkeling.

Right on the beach (on the left side) you can rent snorkel masks. The corals are mostly dead, but not a large variety of fish can be seen. A little further from the coast there are a lot of sea urchins, you need to be careful.

Sunset beach

Island trip around Koh Lipe

Here, where they give out masks for snorkeling, they offer a one-day trip around Koh Lipe, which includes snorkeling and fishing. Duration from 9 am to 4 pm. The snorkeling is really worth it. For lovers of the underwater world, it's worth the trip. But you don’t need to count on fishing, from the equipment - one fishing line, and of course, it all depends on luck. We caught 8 small fish and in the evening they cooked them on the grill for us. You will also visit Monkey Island with a beautiful beach.

The island of Ko Lipe is amazing, it combines the possibility of secluded relaxation and noisy parties in colorful bars. Everything in it is cute, if not for one BUT. The only negative impression of the island is that beautiful beaches are bordered by dirty construction sites, trash cans and destroyed buildings that have not been able to be restored for 10 years after the tsunami in 2004. Local residents are not very clean and are in no hurry to take out the garbage from the island, which, unfortunately, entails many negative consequences. Perhaps now there is still a little time to see all the beauty of the nature surrounding the island, but in 5-10 years this place will no longer be possible for a tourist holiday.

Koh Lipe is the southernmost island of Thailand, a resort that is little known among our tourists. However, on the first day on Koh Lipe we met a lot of Russian speakers. However, the very next day and until the end of our "vacation" we no longer heard our native language. What is interesting about this island, how does it differ from other islands in Thailand?

Koh Lipe, Thailand

Sea and beaches

The most important thing that now distinguishes Koh Lipe from other destinations is that the island has stunning beaches, one might even say one of the best in Thailand. Better only for . It is for the sake of paradise beaches and the sea that tourists from all over the world come here. Some 20 years ago, the beaches were deserted and semi-wild, but now civilization has reached here. But despite the abundance of tourists and hotels, the beaches of Lipe are still beautiful. Thanks to the beaches, you can close your eyes to the other shortcomings of the island. We made our rating of the best beaches in Ko Lipe, gave the first place to a completely different beach that the guidebooks recommend.

Read:

Hotels in Koh Lipe

AKIRA Lipe Resort
Bundhaya Villas
Lipe Sunset Beach Resort
Harmony Bed & Bakery
The Reef

All hotels on Ko Lipe

That feeling when swimming in the sea is perfect

If someone else has not seen in the last article, watch our video review of the best beaches on the island.

Nature

Not to say that Koh Lipe has some particularly outstanding nature, but the views of the eye are pleasing to the eye in some parts of the island. For example, when you cross the bridge from Pattaya Beach to the secret beach. Large stones, greenery, clear turquoise water…

My favorite place on Lipe

Sand spit on Karma beach

Atmosphere of relaxation and carelessness

The third thing we noticed is the atmosphere atypical for Thailand. With the onset of darkness, everything changes on the beach, music is heard from dozens of cozy cafes, fire shows are held, kind half-drunk people of all nationalities walk along the coast, intoxicated by tropical nature and the sea breeze, there are bright stars in the sky, and glowing plankton can be seen under your feet in the waves.

We came to the beach every evening and enjoyed the moment. Very reminiscent of the evening beaches of Goa. So, if you find yourself on Ko Lipe, be sure to go to Pattaya Beach after 8 pm. Feel the awareness that you are at the end of the world, on a tiny tropical island in the open sea, enjoy the warm breeze and bright stars without thinking about anything else.

Here and now

Such an atmosphere is very well conveyed, you instantly become infected with it and you yourself are already loitering along the beach with a slight smile, as if stoned. You smile oncoming tourists, just like you. I don't want to think about anything bad, I don't want to do anything. For all the time on Ko Lipe we were not engaged in work or blogging, but simply rested, we didn’t have enough strength for anything else.

walking street

The first place where everyone who stays on Koh Lipe finds themselves is Walking Street. The street stretches across the entire island from Pattaya Beach and almost to the opposite Sunrise Beach. On the first day, you may get the wrong impression that the whole island looks like a street - cafes, massage parlors and shops. But it's not.

Walking Street is the liveliest and most fun street on Koh Lipe, I don’t even know what we would do if this street didn’t exist. All shops and inexpensive cafes are concentrated here. The rest of the restaurants and bars are located on the beach, and we did not see any shops in other parts of the island at all. Here you can buy souvenirs and stock up a little, order transfers to other regions of Thailand and Malaysia, and also find inexpensive accommodation.

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - KiwiTaxi
Ordered a taxi online, paid by card. We were greeted at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You have already talked about your experience In this article.

What distinguishes Walking Street in Koh Lipe from its counterpart in Pattaya is that there are no prostitutes, lady fights, go-go bars and other debauchery. I am sure that you can find entertainment here if you search carefully or ask one of the locals, but there is nothing like that in the open.

Welcome to Koh Lipe

Walking street during the day

Poohs bar Ko Lipe Island

Bar-cinema

Koh Lipe branded T-shirts (250 baht)

Cons of Koh Lipe

A large number of boats on all beaches

The island cannot be called paradise. There are no bounty beaches on Ko Lipe. The beaches are good, of course, but not heavenly. There are many boats on all beaches. They create inconvenience with their noise, pollute the water, and also pose a danger if you swim outside of fenced areas.

Boat parking at Pattaya Beach

Longtail boats in the lagoon at Karma Beach

low tide

In the afternoon, low tide begins on all beaches. At low tide it becomes very shallow, at the bottom there are stones that used to be at depth. On our first day we went swimming on and were very disappointed. But when they came 2 days later in the morning, they could not believe their eyes, how everything looks different here in the morning. The main thing is to go to the sea in the morning. Low tides start in the afternoon and swimming at this time will not be so pleasant.

Low tide on Sunrise beach. knee depth

Evening low tide on Pattaya beach

High housing prices

Housing prices are overpriced by about 2 times. The cheapest options are tents in campsites for 500 baht per night. Average rooms in guesthouses with a fan - 1000 baht, average hotels offering rooms with air conditioning and hot water - from 1500 baht. Such prices for accommodation here in the season from November to March. In the low season, the price tag is lower, but who needs to go to Koh Lipe during the rainy season, when the waves and cloudy skies intensify on the sea.

Most of the hotels on Koh Lipe are built in the form of bungalows. There are so many options right on the beach. But if you booked a hotel not on the beach, don't worry, you can walk to the sea from the center of the island in 5-10 minutes.

Housing on Koh Lipe (2000 baht per day)

Bungalow on the beach (7000 baht per night)

Overpriced products

Well, as if we understand that this is an island, everything is imported here, but for some reason on other islands of Thailand, such as Koh Lanta, Koh Chang and even Koh Lan, prices are not too high. And here most of the products are exactly 2 times more expensive than on the mainland. Especially at 7-Eleven. But on the other hand, in a cafe, prices do not differ from ordinary tourist restaurants in other Thai resorts.

7-eleven on Walking street Koh Lipe

Motobikes and tuk-tuks

Their presence and movement along all pedestrian streets is very infuriating. Wherever you go, every minute someone will drive behind or in front, and you need to move away, dodge, and then breathe dust and exhaust fumes. It is impossible to move normally along Walking Street during the day, mopeds constantly go back and forth. It is especially annoying when a tuk-tuker rides along a narrow street on a motorcycle with a sidecar, as it occupies the entire width of the street. Well, at least from 6 pm they are forbidden to ride the Walking and they do not go to the beach.

I remember that motorcyclists on the next "paradise" beach in Sri Lanka had already caused such irritation in us.

Rubbish and litter everywhere

This circumstance surprised me the most on the first day. Ko Lipe is part of the Tarutao National Park, everyone pays 200 baht to enter the island. But then why did the locals make their island so dirty? This is a national park, is there really no control at all? The fact that tourists litter, somewhere they throw a goby or leave a bottle - these are all trifles. It is the locals who cause the greatest harm to the island, that is, the Thais and Burmese themselves who live here.

Ko Lipe is not the same (c)

Such landscapes are everywhere, you just have to move 20 meters from Walking Street. You don't have to go far to see all this garbage, devastation, abandoned building materials. So the island is littered, as you understand, not at all by tourists, but by the Thais themselves. Or the Burmese, for whom this is the norm, but then why don't the Thais do anything?

I'm enjoying your NATIONAL PARK

The motto of the inhabitants of Ko Lipe: where I live, there I cru!

Garbage and general filthiness is the biggest disappointment and culture shock on Koh Lipe. Well, the filthy island of Koh Lan near Pattaya, where the situation is exactly the same, but at least there is not a national park there. I do not know if any of the tourists paid attention to this, but I have never seen such "national parks". In the park, after all, the pristine nature should be maintained and preserved as far as possible. I really hope that there will never be such horror in the Similan Islands National Park, although there are already prerequisites.

Garbage barge on Ko Lipe

And this is how they take out the garbage from the island. Well done, of course, that they take out, although not all, but why is a garbage barge placed in the very center of one of the best beaches? And it stands here not for 5 minutes, but for several days, until it is full. Moored exactly 50 meters from the bungalow of the Lipe Power Beach Resort. How great it is for the guests of this hotel to go out on the porch early in the morning, admiring the sea, breathe in the fresh smell of garbage ...

I would like to start my review of Koh Lipe with brief information characterizing this island. Lies in the Andaman Sea, on the southern border of Thailand. The island is very small and cozy - you can get around it in a couple of hours. It is simply created for a calm, leisurely beach holiday and romantic adventures. There is no motor transport here, but only a couple or three motorcycles that act as taxis, which almost no one uses. You should know, in addition to cars, there are no ATMs on Koh Lipe (in 2012 there were none for sure)! You need to come here only with cash and preferably with Thai baht, because. the local exchange rate is simply pirated.
But the rest of the benefits of tourist civilization - comfortable hotels, spas, cafes and restaurants are present in abundance. For such a tiny island, there are even plenty of them here.
There are many vacationers, but they are somehow dispersed so that they do not interfere with each other much. There are no crowds on the beaches.
Getting to Koh Lipe is not easy. To do this, you need to change several modes of transport. If anyone needs, then how to get to this piece of paradise, read .

Pattaya Beach

There are only three beaches on the island. The central one is called Pattaya Beach - this is the most densely populated area. Most of the hotels, including the most comfortable ones, are concentrated here. Note that the entrance to the water is clean and smooth, the beach is the best suited for families with children.

Popular hotels in Pattaya Beach:

Hotel AKIRA Lipe - for those who appreciate increased comfort on vacation
Hotel Mali Koh Lipe - wonderful bungalows, perhaps the best hotel in Koh Lipe in terms of price / quality combination
Seaside Resort and Family Restaurant - one of the most budget options on the island, bamboo bungalows with a fan from about 800 rubles.

The pier where boats arrive from the mainland and other islands is also located here.

The main and by and large the only shopping street of Koh Lipe - Walking Street, ran from Pattaya Beach to the calmer Sunrise Beach.

Sunrise Beach

This beach is the second most popular on the island. Housing is different. From expensive resorts and duplex bungalows to bamboo houses for 300 baht per night. True, such houses cannot be booked via the Internet, only on the spot, but they are almost always sold out, because. this is the only such resort on Lipa.
Sunrise Beach is a calm and quiet place, perfect for a leisurely vacation.

Popular hotels in Sunrise Beach:

Idyllic Concept - for those who appreciate comfort
Anda Resort Lipe - excellent bungalows with glass walls and sea views, hammocks on the balconies and plush beds

Sunset Beach

The third beach on Lipa is the most remote, smallest and least crowded Sunset Beach. The beach is not large and little built up, there is little housing and it is relatively inexpensive. There are almost no tourists in this part of the island.

Popular hotels in Sunset Beach:

Smile Sunset - nice bungalows in a quiet location with great sunset views
Phuritra Resort - pleasant bungalows on the rocks with a pleasant panorama of the uninhabited islands of the reserve
Mountain Resort Koh Lipe - an excellent combination of price / quality, magnificent views from excellent bungalows and simply gorgeous territory, one of the best hotels in Koh Lipe

The beach bears the name Sunset for a reason; you can watch beautiful sunsets from it.

All Koh Lipe hotels on the map

To go to the hotel view, simply click on the marker, to change the display of the number of hotels, change the scale (+/-), to sort by cost, use the price range scale.

In the depths of Ko Lipe, closer to Sunset Beach, there is a simple Buddhist temple, but with a wonderful atmosphere and energy.

What to do on Koh Lipe besides a beach holiday

Of course trips to nearby uninhabited islands
and snorkeling.
The underwater world here is one of the best in Thailand. In order to make such a trip, you can contact one of the many agencies and buy a mini-tour, or you can negotiate directly with local boaters. By the way, newlyweds, and just lovers, can organize an unforgettable romantic adventure in this way ...
Those who dream of feeling like a Robinson can go on a trip to the islands on their own. See an example of such a trip.

And of course, kayak rentals are at your service, on which it is very interesting to walk around Koh Lipe or to the ranger station on the island of Koh Adang. The ranger station is a place for those who are looking for solitude, silence and a little rest from the problems of civilization. You can stay in one of several bungalows or in a tent, including your own.
But be careful, do not leave things unattended! Monkeys live here - thieves hiding in the branches of trees.
Almost all restaurants, cafes, shops are concentrated on Walking Street, which is also the center of the island's nightlife. Travel agencies, exchange offices and diving centers are also to be found here.

Well, in the evening, after hard travel work, a well-deserved rest awaits you - a cocktail
and dinner by the sea.
However, it should be noted that the prices on Koh Lipe, compared to other resorts in Thailand, are very high. So, if you go to this piece of paradise with white sand beaches, crystal clear water and the reserved beauty of the uninhabited islands in the neighborhood, be prepared to spend a lot. And do not forget about the lack of ATMs.

Have a nice holiday!

»»» () »»» Beaches and hotels of Lipe island. How to get to Lipe. neighboring islands.

Koh Lipe and neighboring islands in Satun Province

Koh Lipe, one of the most beautiful Thai islands, is located in the extreme south of Thailand, a few kilometers from the border with Malaysia.

The popularity of the island of Lipe came relatively recently, and 30 years ago no one knew about the existence of the island of Lipe, with the exception of sea gypsies and local residents.

The first European tourists appeared on the island of Lipe at the turn of the 80s and 90s of the last century, and were amazed by the unearthly beauty of the beach located in the southern part of the island, the beach that later received the name.

Despite the fabulous beauty of this place, the mass pilgrimage of tourists to Lipe Island had to wait quite a long time. Only in the early 2000s, with the development of cheap air travel and low-cost sea transport, did Lipe become a truly popular tourist destination.

With the beginning of mass tourism, the mass development of the island of Lipe began, which, according to many vacationers, hit hard on the beauty of the island. This sad fact really takes place, but you need to understand that not only Lipe Island is being built up, but the whole of Thailand as a whole. And against the backdrop of such places as Phuket and Pattaya, Lipe Island, as it was a fabulous island ten years ago, remains so now, despite the massive development.

Location of Lipe Island. How to get to Lipe island.

Below are two maps: a map of the Adang archipelago (it includes the island of Lipe), and a map of the islands of the southern Andaman Sea, indicating the routes of the ships.

Click on the preview to get a high resolution image of the map you need.

Lipe Island is located 70 kilometers from the coastline of the Thai province of Satun and 20 kilometers. from the Malaysian border.

The nearest airport to Lipe Island, which receives planes from Bangkok, is located near the city of Hat Yai. Several airlines fly on the Bangkok - Hat Yai route, including low cost carriers AirAsia and Nok Air. The cost of tickets for this route varies widely, and starts from 1200 baht. This price can be obtained if you pay for the ticket a few months before departure. When buying a ticket a few days before departure, the price can significantly exceed 2000 baht.

At Hat Yai Airport, you can buy a combined transfer to Lipe Island, which includes a trip by minibus to Pakbara Pier and then, by speedboat, to Lipe Island. The cost of such a transfer is 900 baht (at the beginning of 2019). Travel time is ~2 hours from the airport to Pakbara Pier, and ~2 hours from the pier to Lipe Island.

If the cost of air tickets seems excessive to you, you can go from Bangkok to Hat Yai by train. The cost of train tickets, as of January 2019, started at 149 baht for a seat in an unair-conditioned 3rd class carriage. Tickets for more comfortable 2nd and 1st class carriages cost 345 baht and 734 baht, respectively.

Trips to Lipe Island from the neighboring islands of the Andaman Sea

It is easy to combine a visit to Lipe Island with a tour of the rest of the islands of the southern Andaman Sea.

All the islands listed here are worth not only to look at them from the ship, but also to spend some time on them. On all the islands, except for, there are hotels, quality beaches are everywhere, and, importantly, all these islands are very different from each other. So, if you have the time, it's a good idea to spend a day or two on each of the islands and see their unique beauty with your own eyes.

The best beaches of Lipe Island

On the island of Lipe there are two long, more than one kilometer long beaches, Sunrise Beach and Pattaya Beach, as well as many small beaches, with a characteristic length of 100 - 200 meters, most of which are located in the north of the island.

Of the two largest and most famous beaches, the beach is in the best condition, and, despite the fact that it is quite densely built up along its entire length, it does not give the impression of an overly congested place.

Unlike Sunrise Beach, the beach, which was once considered the most beautiful beach on Lipe Island, suffered greatly from developers and local boaters who privatized a good half of the beach for boat parking, and as a result, no one is perceived as the best beach on Lipe Island.

The small beaches of Lipe Island are not yet as heavily built up as Sunrise and Pattaya Beach, and not as popular as these two beaches. Many of the smaller beaches do not even have established names, and this leads to rather curious situations. In particular, on the island of Lipe there are two beaches with the same name, which, however, is not surprising to anyone, since most of the tourists simply do not reach the beaches of Sunset. And it doesn’t come out of laziness, but because the small beaches of the northern part of the island (namely, both Sunset beaches are located there) have never been considered a particularly beautiful place, and attracted tourists with exceptionally low housing prices, one and a half to two times lower, than on the two main beaches of the island of Lipe.

Lipe island hotels. Choosing a hotel on the island of Lipe.

Almost all residential buildings on the island of Lipe are detached bungalows and cottages.

There are no multi-storey hotels on the island of Lipe, and this is a big plus of the island, because, unlike large buildings, small bungalows and cottages can be placed right at the water's edge.

It is in such beach-front bungalows and cottages, located just a few meters from the surf line, that it is worth living on the island of Lipe.

The prices for such housing are high, but in this case it is worth forking out, especially since, despite all its high cost, this housing will not punch a tangible hole in your budget.

This thesis seems paradoxical, however, there is no paradox here, and everything is explained by the fact that Lipe Island is not one of those places where people live for weeks. And if you, like most tourists, come to Lipe Island for 3-4 days, then the total surcharge for a good location of housing will be from a thousand to several thousand baht. Moreover, these several thousand can arise only in one case, if you settle in housing of the highest price category.

Cost of living on Lipe Island

Even 15 years ago, Lipe Island was one of the cheapest places in Thailand, a place where you could easily settle for 100 - 200 baht a day, however, those days have long since sunk into oblivion.

At the moment, the island of Lipe is not cheap, the cost of accommodation in most hotels on the island exceeds 1000 baht per day, but at the same time, the remnants of the former cheapness are still present.

Firstly, if you are not too attached to comfort, you can still find housing on Lipe Island in the price range of ~ 500 baht per day. For this money, you can rent a traditional Thai bungalow made of bamboo and palm branches on Lipe Island. There will be practically nothing inside such a bungalow, but electricity and a bathroom, at the same time, will be present.

Secondly, the cost of food and drinks in bars and restaurants, as well as prices in stores, on the island of Lipe do not go beyond reasonable. In particular, it is not the slightest difficulty to find restaurants where the cost of dishes will be noticeably lower than 100 baht. Prices in the shops and stores of Lipe Island are also moderate and do not differ much from the prices of the well-known 7/11 chain, whose stores are also present on the island.

Thirdly, the prices for boat trips and transfers on the island of Lipe are low, and in some cases, frankly cheap. For example, a trip from Lipe Island to the neighboring one will cost you only 100 baht per person.

It is worth noting that the high cost of Lipe Island relates mainly to the cost of staying in hotels, and if you are not ready to live in a shed of palm branches, then it is safe to say that accommodation costs will be the main item of your expenses.

Snorkeling on Lipe Island. Underwater world of Lipe island.

Snorkeling in the vicinity of Lipe Island can be estimated at a solid 4 points.

Langkawi Island is the largest Malaysian resort, and this status is confirmed by more than 200 hotels located on the island, an airport and a developed network of high-quality roads.

The main attractions of the island of Langkawi are several good (but not great) beaches, an impressive cable car that can climb cliffs 700 meters high, and mangroves with an abundance of various living creatures, which you can and should ride on a sightseeing boat.

Trips from Lipe to Langkawi and back are not fraught with the slightest difficulty. In the high season, boats run regularly between the islands, the trip takes about an hour, Russians do not need to apply for visas in advance, and border formalities are not tiring and do not take much time.

The island (, less often -) is located in the extreme south of Thailand, 20 km. from the coastline of Satun Province and 50 km. from Lipe Island.

There are four islands of Boulogne in total. In addition to the island of Bulon Lae, these are the islands of Bulon Rang, Bulon Don and Bulon Maipai. The islands of Boulogne are located quite compactly, and the distance between them does not exceed 10 km. from each other.

Of all the four islands, the tourism industry has mastered only one island, the island of Boulogne Lae, and when they simply talk about the island of Boulogne, without specifying which one, they mean this particular island.

Despite its relatively small size, 1.5 km. x 1 km., the island of Boulogne Lae is quite densely populated. The island has about 10 hotels and guesthouses, as well as a village of local residents, with a mosque, a school, and other rural infrastructure.

The island of Bulon Lae has become popular quite recently, and its popularity was a direct consequence of the changes that have occurred on the island of Lipe. The massive and uncontrolled development of Lipe Island has led to the fact that those tourists who visited Lipe Island for the sake of the amazingly beautiful and untouched nature of civilization began to avoid this island and look for new places where there are no crowds of people and nature is still in its original state. And located near the island of Lipe, the island of Boulogne Lae, with its wooden huts and a patriarchal lifestyle, turned out to be very useful, and quite consistent with their tastes.

Tarutao Island and Tarutao National Park Islands

(Koh) - the largest and highest island of the national park of the same name, with dimensions exceeding 25 x 10 km., And a mountain height of about 700 meters.

Tarutao Island is a regular stop for ships sailing from Pakbara Pier to Lipe Island, and all those numerous tourists who get to Lipe Island through the city of Hat Yai have the opportunity to see Tarutao Island with their own eyes.

At the same time, there are not so many who want not only to look at the island of Tarutao from the ship, but also to get to know it better and spend several days on the island, and the reasons for this state of affairs are quite clear.

On the island of Tarutao, unlike the island of Lipe, there is no commercial housing (hotels, resorts and guesthouses), but only a tent city and a few spartan-looking cottages owned by the national park administration. There are also no bars, restaurants or nightlife on Tarutao Island, and those tourists who go to Lipe Island for entertainment avoid Tarutao Island.

However, if you are not afraid of everyday inconveniences and the lack of evening life, a couple of days spent on the island of Tarutao may well give you pleasure. The nature on the island of Tarutao is gorgeous, the beaches are deserted, there are no cities and villages on the island, but at the same time, there are several high-quality roads, and you can move around the island both on foot and along the coast by boat. In addition, the island has waterfalls, caves and viewpoints that offer impressive views of the beaches, hills, mountains, and islands located in the distance. So the question of what to do on the island of Tarutao, none of the tourists who came there, will not arise.

Brief description of the most notable islands of Tarutao National Park (Tarutao)

Below are brief descriptions of the most interesting islands of the Tarutao National Park, with the exception of the islands of Lipe, Adang and Tarutao, which are written in much more detail.

Kai Island (Koh Khai) is a small island located halfway between the islands of Lipe and Tarutao. It is known, first of all, thanks to the unusual stone arch, which has become a symbol of the Tarutao National Park. The snow-white beaches of Kai Island are also good, as are the coral reefs located next to the island in shallow water.

There are at least two islands with the name "Koh Khai" in Thailand. The second one is located next to Phuket Island, and is a standard stop for excursions from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands. Obviously, these two islands should not be confused.

Ravi Island (Koh Rawi) is the twin brother of Adang Island, just as vast and just as high, but at the same time, located at some distance from Lipe Island (the distance between the islands is about 7 kilometers). Like Adang Island, Ravi Island is almost devoid of flat areas, however, despite this, Ravi Island has some very decent beaches.

It can also be noted that the coral reefs in the area of Ravi Island are located just a few meters from the beaches, and Ravi Island is popular with snorkelers.

Dong Island (Koh Dong, sometimes Koh Tong) is the third largest island of the Adang archipelago, the farthest island of the archipelago from Lipe Island, located at a distance of 10 km. from Lipe Island. Unlike the two largest islands of the archipelago, Adang Island and Ravi Island, Dong Island is flatter and rather densely populated by local residents.

Dong Island is a standard stop for island tours around Lipe Island and its main attraction is the countless monkeys (long-tailed macaques) living on the island.

Hin Son Island

Hin Son Island is a small island located at a distance of about 8 km. from Lipe Island. It is a heap of stone blocks of a rather unusual shape. If you have ever seen with your own eyes, then looking at the island of Hin Son, you will surely remember Sail Rock, Similan's visiting card.

Hin Son Island is almost never a travel destination on its own, and is usually visited along with 5-6 other islands, including the nearby large islands of Ravi and Dong.

Lugoi island

Lugoi Island is another small island among the many smaller islands south of Dong Island. It is notable for clear light blue water, a tiny pretty beach and excellent snorkeling in coastal waters.

It should be noted that snorkeling in the area of Lugoi Island, as well as in the area of other small islands of the Adang archipelago, is noticeably better than near Lipe Island. The water here is clearer, corals are more diverse, including such hits of the underwater world as gorgonians (sea fans) and soft corals.

Hin Ngam Island

Hin Ngam Island is a small island located 3 kilometers north of Lipe Island. Hin Ngam Island is quite different from the rest of the islands in the Adang archipelago, and this difference lies in the fact that the beaches on Hin Ngam Island are pebbly, not sandy, as on all other islands. These pebbles, large, perfectly polished and pitch black, are the main attraction of this island.

Like other smaller islands, Hin Ngam is rarely a travel destination in its own right, and is usually visited in conjunction with several neighboring islands.

Updated: 17 Sep, 2018

The Adang archipelago, located in the southern part of the Andaman Sea, not far from the mainland of Thailand and Malaysia, is often called the "Thai Maldives", primarily for its white sand. Koh Lipe (Thailand) is the only inhabited island in this archipelago. Tourists come here to enjoy the serenity and tranquility. In addition, the island attracts divers, because many marine inhabitants live off the coast - almost a quarter of all that exist in nature. The island is the southernmost point of Thailand and many tourists are afraid of the question - how to get to Koh Lipe. However, the number of travelers is increasing every year. We have prepared detailed information for those who are planning a trip to the island.

general information

The island of Koh Lipe in Thailand is located in the southern part of the Andaman Sea and belongs to the province of Satun. This is the most southern point of the country. On a sunny, cloudless day, you can see the coast of Malaysia from the island, namely the Langkawi archipelago, located at a distance of 30 km.

The distance to Phuket is 250 km, to Krabi - about 220 km, and to the mainland of Thailand - 70 km.

The length of the island is only 3 km, it is easy to get around on foot, there are about 800 indigenous people on Koh Lipe. The main source of income is fishing and tourism.

Interesting fact! The indigenous population belongs to the sea gypsies - people from Malaysia who arrived on the island about a century ago.

Koh Lipe is home to the Tarutao Marine Theme Park, which was given the status of a national one, at the end of the 20th century it was called the second largest in Thailand.

Tourist infrastructure and recreation features

Every year the number of tourists on the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand is increasing, despite the fact that you can only get here by water. The infrastructure is accordingly developing rapidly - the resort is flourishing and attracting more and more vacationers. The first and main reason why tourists come here is the beaches, where you can enjoy a relaxing holiday or make an exciting dive, go snorkeling.

Interesting fact! Not far from Ko Lipe there are several uninhabited islands where they go on a sightseeing tour or stay for a few days in a tent.

Walking Street

The island of Koh Lipe in Thailand boasts a walking street - Walking Street, where souvenir shops, a pharmacy, travel agencies, cafes and an exchange office operate. Prices on the main street of the island are quite high, and the exchange rate is unfavorable, so it is better to stock up on the mainland with everything you need. The local attraction starts at Pattaya Beach and stretches to Sunrise Beach. The signs indicate that the street is open from 6-00 to midnight, but Walking Street does not close, many cafes, restaurants and bars open in the afternoon. Of course, most of the establishments are empty and close by midnight, but still, you can find a few bars that invite tourists.

Relatively recently, there were no bank branches and banks on the island, but today it will not be difficult to withdraw money. It should be noted that you will have to pay a commission for withdrawing money, and the exchange rate is unprofitable. Also in some hotels you can pay for the room and services with a plastic card, but a commission is charged for this. In exchange offices, you can exchange dollars and the Malaysian currency - ringgit.

There is Wi-Fi on Koh Lipe in Thailand, Internet access points are presented in hotels and Internet cafes.

Most cafes and bars are located on the coastline, the maximum distance to the sea is 200 meters. Discos and other places of entertainment, however, as well as sights, are not on the island.

Interesting fact! The maximum distance between the beaches on the island is 1 km, so during your vacation you can easily visit all of them. The walk from one to the other will take about a quarter of an hour. If you don't like walking, rent a bike.

Why go to Koh Lipe

Seascapes. Already on the way to the island, on the ferry, you can take beautiful photos.
Bright underwater world. There are a lot of fish and marine life off the coast of the island. Even tourists who cannot swim can take beautiful photos. You do not need to wear special equipment for this, just a mask and snorkel will suffice.
Large selection of tours. Most of them are on deserted islands, it is easy to stay here for a few days. There are tours with night swimming, which shimmers with an abundance of plankton, a trip with a barbecue against the backdrop of a sea sunset. The cost of the tour is about $17-19.
White sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters. Despite the fact that getting to the island is not so easy, and there are minor drawbacks on Koh Lipe in Thailand, the beaches attract with beauty and allow you to ignore minor inconveniences. Here you can meet fabulous sunrises and sunsets, numerous bars offer drinks, delicious treats right on the beach.
Large selection of seafood dishes. Every restaurant and bar offers delicious treats from marine life that you have never even heard of. Some dishes are prepared right in front of tourists.

Good to know! In addition to traditional restaurants on Walking Street, there are buffets; for a certain amount, you can try at least the entire range of dishes. The cost is about $15-17.

It would be wrong to talk only about the positive aspects of the island in Thailand. If you decide to make a trip and get to Koh Lipe, be prepared for the following unpleasant surprises:

garbage, the island authorities simply do not have time to take it out;
boats are the real scourge of the island, they are moored on all the beaches;
cats and dogs, some of them annoying;
food prices are higher than in stores on the mainland of Thailand.

Natural disadvantage - strong ebbs and flows. At high tide, the shore is under water, there is simply no place for sunbathing. At low tide, the sea is so shallow that only children can swim in the sea.

Interesting fact! The only place on the island where there are no tides is the northern edge of Sunrise Beach.

There are no large stores on the island, only small grocery stores operate. Be sure to try the pancakes - they are sold in street stalls.

Transport

Getting to the island is not so easy, but on Koh Lipe we solve the issue of movement. There are no cars here, few bikes, public transport does not run. Travelers are offered several ways to move around the island:

on foot;
motorbike taxi;
bike rental;
Boats run regularly between the beaches.

Accommodation on the island

New hotels open every year on Koh Lipe in Thailand, however, it is not so easy to find free accommodation during the high tourist season, so it is better to book a room a few months before the trip. Most of the hotels are built right on the beach, many look like bungalows, but you can also find a traditional hotel.

During the tourist season, prices for accommodation in a three-star hotel are about 3,000 baht, and a bungalow can be rented for 1,000 baht. In the low season, prices are halved.

Features of hotels in Koh Lipe (Thailand):

Good to know! In addition to hotels on the island, there is also a budget accommodation option - tents in campsites. Most of them are located on Sunset Beach.

Find out the RATES or book any accommodation using this form

Island beaches

The first and main advantage of Koh Lipe is the beaches, which are considered the best in Thailand. The coastline is only better on the Similans. A few decades ago, the beaches of the island were deserted, but today the situation has changed - infrastructure has appeared, but exotic nature has been preserved. It is for the sake of the beaches that many tourists decide to get to Koh Lipe. We have compiled for you a selection of the best places to stay on the island.

Pattaya Beach is located in the south of Koh Lipe and is a long coastline with a length of almost 1.5 km. The coast is covered with white and very fine sand. In sunny weather, the water takes on a turquoise hue, but in the low season, strong waves form due to the wind, which bring debris to the shore. The descent into the water is gentle and smooth. Pattaya Beach has strong ebbs and flows, and given the smooth entrance to the sea, it is difficult to find a place to swim.

There is a reef near the shore, so be sure to take a mask and snorkel with you. Unfortunately, there are many boats near the shore, but they moor in an orderly manner, leaving areas for swimming. In the evening, a fire show is held on the shore. There are a lot of hotels, cafes and restaurants on the first line.

Good to know! Pattaya Beach has a tourist office for visitors from Malaysia and mainland Thailand. In addition, there are representative offices of all shipping companies.

The eastern coast of the island is Sunrise Beach, there is large and rather loose sand, and the descent into the sea is sharp. On the right side there are corals and many different fish.

The coastline stretches for 1.5 km, and the width varies depending on the tides. The widest part is in the northern part, and the narrowest part is in the central part.

Good to know! There are no entertainment establishments and discos here, by 22-00 the coast is empty. To get to Walking Street, you need to pass by the local slums.

There are hotels, cafes and restaurants on the coast, you can buy an excursion to the mainland of Thailand, to the uninhabited islands of the archipelago and rent a kayak. There are also diving schools.

The only thing that overshadows the rest on Sairaz Beach is randomly moored boats.

Interesting fact! It is believed that the beach has the most beautiful sunrises, which is why the place is called Sunrise Beach.

Western part of Koh Lipe. This is a small, cozy beach, where the most beautiful sunsets are, that's why they called the beach - Sunset Beach. The coast is covered with stones, in some places there are large stones in the water. The sand is coarse, heterogeneous in color - white with patches of gray and dark color. The sea is quite shallow, there are fish in the water, but there are not so many of them. This place is calm, not crowded, there are many boats in the central part of the beach.

Good to know! The sand is unpleasant to the touch due to fragments of shells, so bring shoes with you.

On the left side of the beach there are cafes and sunbeds. Hotels are on the first line. The distance to Walking Street can be covered on foot in a quarter of an hour.

Sheltered, quiet beach, it is often called secret. To get here, you need to go to the right along Pattaya Beach, get to the wooden bridge and cross it. Not all tourists come to this part of the island, so not everyone knows about the beach.

Good to know! A single bungalow was built on the shore.

Cross the bridge with caution, it seems fragile, creaking boards do not give confidence. Huge boulders lie under the bridge, and turquoise water quietly splashes.

A peaceful, relaxing atmosphere reigns on the shore - someone swims in a calm sea, someone drinks a cocktail on the shore, and someone photographs beautiful views.

The beach is perfect for swimming - the water is clean, the sea is calm, the descent is gentle. The seabed is soft, covered with sand, without stones.

Weather and climate, when is the best time to visit

Koh Lipe is an island of two seasons:

dry - begins in late autumn and lasts until mid-spring;
rainy - begins in mid-spring and lasts until the second half of autumn.

Today, the connection of the island with the mainland of Thailand remains open throughout the year. Earlier in the summer, in the low season, when the sea was stormy, Ko Lipe was closed, hotel employees went on vacation. In recent years, the climate on the island is so changeable that even in the low season there is good, sunny and clear weather.

As for the pricing policy in hotels, there are three seasons:

low - three summer months;
high season - two autumn months - October and November, two spring months - March and April;
the peak is from December to February.

To get to the island, you must:

come to Trang or Hat Yai;
get to Pakbara Pier;
purchase a boat ticket to Koh Lipe.

There are several ways to get to Trang or Hat Yai.

by plane;
by bus - flights depart from the southern bus station, the schedule is from 6-00 to 20-00, the journey takes 13-14 hours, the ticket price is about 1000 baht;
by train - flights from Bangkok depart to Hat Yai, the route is designed for 13-17 hours, to get to the island on the day of departure from Bangkok, you need to leave no later than 15-30, the fare is from 400 to 900 baht;
complex ticket - provides travel by plane, minibus (to the pier) and boat (to Koh Lipe), flights are provided only in the morning.

Koh Lipe (Thailand) - how to get yourself from Phuket.

By sea.

In the high season, it is most convenient to get to the island by water. Yellow boats run regularly between Phuket and Koh Lipe. Departure from Rassada Pier. Travelers spend 4 hours on the road. The fare is about 2100 baht.

The first route is by bus. The algorithm is as follows - to get from Phuket to Hat Yai by bus. It is most comfortable to travel by night flight VIP 24. Departure at 21-45, the transport arrives at the destination at 06-00. Then you need to get to the pier and from there by boat to the island - departure at 9-30, and arrival at 11-30.

Another route is by plane. From Phuket there are direct flights to Hat Yai - departure at 7-25, arrival at 8-30. Ticket price is about 1700 baht. You can purchase a transfer online - from the airport to the pier, then to the island. The sale of transfer tickets ends three days before the trip. Also, a complex ticket is sold by travel agencies.

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How to get to Koh Lipe in Thailand from Krabi

The only way to get from Krabi (Ao Nang) to the island is via Hat Yai. There is no direct air connection, so you can choose the following method:

by bus;
minibus;
Taxi.

The cost of a complex ticket is about 1200 baht

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

The lack of attractions in Koh Lipe (Thailand) is more than compensated by the beautiful beaches. To fully enjoy nature and spend your vacation in a bungalow by the sea, prepare for your trip in advance - choose a hotel, book tickets.


Sunrise Beach is the most beautiful beach of Lipe Island, the main advantages of which are a surprisingly calm and relaxing atmosphere, perfect white coral sand and very high-quality snorkeling in coastal waters. Sunrise Beach is located in the eastern part of Lipe Island; The length of the beach is almost 2 km.; the distance from Sunrise Beach to Pattaya Beach, another popular beach on Lipe Island, is just under one kilometer. The main attraction of Sunrise Beach is the amazingly beautiful sandy spit, .....	Pattaya Beach - 10 years ago it was considered the most beautiful beach on the island of Lipe, but at the present moment it is more correct to call it simply the center of the evening life of the island. Regrettably, the same thing happened to Pattaya Beach that happened to other beautiful places in Thailand not so long ago, for example, what happened at the end of the first decade of our century with Tonsai and Lo Dalam beaches on the Phi Phi islands. If you try to describe in one word the misfortune that happened to Pattaya Beach, then for this it is best to use the English term overdeveloped. And if you try to describe the situation in more detail, you have to say that on the beach .....	In the north of the island of Lipe there are several small, 100 - 200 meters long beaches, which have not yet been fully developed by the tourism business. These beaches do not have a definitive name, and they are usually called Sunset Beaches. It can be said for sure that there are at least two beaches with the name Sunset on the island of Lipe, the one that is located immediately behind the Sunrise Beach, and is separated from it by a small rocky ridge, and the one where the hotel with the strange name Porn Resort is located . Of all the northern beaches, these two beaches are the most densely built up with guesthouses and resorts, while the rest of the northern beaches are still in.....