Koh Lipe: Best Things to Do and Tips for First-Timers

Koh Lipe is a small island in the south of Thailand known for its pristine white sands, crystal-clear blue waters and great snorkeling spots—it is many times referred to as the “Maldives of Thailand”. This is a great place to add to your Thailand island hopping itinerary. In this Koh Lipe Travel guide we’ll share useful information about the island, how to get there, the best things to do and much more.

Travelling in Southeast Asia? Check our two-month itinerary: Two Months Traveling in Southeast Asia: Our Itinerary.

Recommended reading: One-Month Thailand Itinerary

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What is Included in This Guide?

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Where is Koh Lipe?

Koh Lipe is a small island located in the southern part of Thailand in the Andaman sea. It’s a bit far away from most popular destination like Phuket or Krabi and takes quite some time to get there. It is located approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Koh Lanta and 30 kilometers north of Langkawi (Malaysia).

How to Get To Koh Lipe

Depending on where you are in Thailand, getting to Koh Lipe might take some time.

From Bangkok: you can get a flight to Hat Yai airport, then get on a speedboat from the Pakbara Pier in Satun to Koh Lipe. You can get combo tickets with van + ferry from the airport.

From Phuket: you can get a speedboat or ferry from Phuket to Koh Lipe, but the journey can take five to seven hours, which is not pleasant on a boat. You may consider making a quick or long stop in Koh Lanta.

Speedboat from Koh Lanta: from Koh Lanta, it only takes three hours by speedboat to get there. This was what we did.

Ferry from Langkawi: if you’re in Langkawi, Malaysia, getting to Koh Lipe will only take around one and a half hours.

You may also like: How to Spend Four Days in Langkawi, Malaysia

You can check the journey to get there from different places and available options on 12GoAsia.

National Park Fee

Koh Lipe is part of the Tarutao National Park. When you arrive at Koh Lipe you have to pay the National Park fee. At the time of our visit it was 200 baht per person.

Quick Introduction to Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe, often called the Maldives of Thailand, was our favorite place on the whole trip around Southeast Asia. The Island is quite small, but the beaches, the color of the water, and the whole vibe are so good that you won’t want to leave. There are not a ton of things to do in Koh Lipe, so our initial idea was to spend only two days, but we ended up spending almost one week.

If your ideal getaway includes pristine white sands, crystal-clear blue waters perfect for snorkeling right off the beach, and a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, then Koh Lipe is the destination for you. We loved the snorkeling here. We ended up seeing Nemo almost every day during our time in Koh Lipe just swimming right off the beach.

Additionally, there are so many good restaurants selling local food for a very reasonable price. The fish here is just delicious. We ate fresh fish almost every night during our time in Koh Lipe.

You may also like: Koh Phi Phi: Things to Do and Tips for First-Timers

I’ve read some blogs complaining about how crowded Koh Lipe was. But at the time of our visit, there were not many tourists. We went at the end of November. Other two things that many people might not like or get disappointed is that most of the beaches, except the beach at the North point, are filled with long tail boats; additionally, there are some places in the interior of the island under construction.

Best Things to Do in Koh Lipe

Now that you’ve gotten a quick introduction to Koh Lipe, let’s see the best things to do once you get there.

1. Spend Time at the Beach

Being famous for its crystal clear blue water and white sand beaches, the most obvious thing to do is to spend some time at the beach. The color of the water in Koh Lipe is really that blue, and the sand is really that white and soft. The scenery is beautiful even on cloudy days.

There are four main beaches in Koh Lipe: Pattaya beach, Sunset beach, Sunrise beach and North Point beach. Our favorites where the Sunrise and North Point beaches.

2. Have Lunch at the Sunrise Beach

At the Sunrise beach, there’s a little restaurant/bar that serves delicious and affordable meals. The restaurant is located right on the beach, so you can have lunch with a wonderful view with your feet on the sand.

The name of the place is “Jaekun Boat rental and Restaurant”. They also rent kayaks and long-tail boats for private tours. We liked this place so much, that we ended up coming here almost every day during our time in Koh Lipe.

3. Rent a Kayak at the Sunrise Beach

Right in front of the Sunrise Beach, there is a little island that you can reach by kayak or long tail boat. When the tide is low you can stop at the island and snorkel from there. I’ve read that it’s a great place for snorkeling.

You can rent the kayak at the restaurant we mentioned previously. Unfortunately, during our time in Koh Lipe, the sea was too rough to go kayaking.

You may also like: Ao Nang Travel Guide for First-Timers (Krabi, Thailand)

4. Snorkeling From the Beach

Koh Lipe is known for its great snorkeling spots. You can see corals and vibrant marine life just swimming right off its beaches. If you don’t have snorkeling equipment, you can buy or rent in several places on the island.

We really enjoyed the snorkeling in the North Point beach on our way swimming to the sandbar. We also saw anemones and clownfish at the swimming spots at the Sunrise beach. There was also a great variety of fish and marine life at the Pattaya beach, but this is where the pier is located, so it’s not as good as the other spots. Be careful if you’re snorkeling on low tide and make sure you don’t step on the corals.

5. Swim to the Sandbar

At the North Point beach, when the tide is low, it reveals a beautiful sandbar. You can walk there if the tide is very low, you can swim, rent a kayak or ask a taxi to get you there.

We swam to the sandbar three times during our time in Koh Lipe. Getting there is easy, but make sure you don’t step on the corals. Additionally, it’s also a good idea to have water shoes or sandals so that you don’t hurt yourself if you accidentally step on sharp corals, sea cucumbers or black sea urchins.

Use snorkeling equipment or swimming googles to see the corals and marine life on your way there. After the sandbank there is even more vibrant marine life with more variety of fish.

The sand at the sandbar is some of the softest I’ve ever felt. The place is undoubtedly very beautiful. Unfortunately, my pictures are not the best because I was using waterproof case with my smartphone.

6. Hike the Viewpoints at Ko Adang

Right in front of the North Point Beach, there’s the Ko Adang island, the second largest island of the Tarutao National Park. From there you can hike to three viewpoints that will give great panoramic views of Koh Lipe.

Once you arrive at Ko Adang walk to your right until you see the signs to the Chado cliff and follow the trail all the way up. It took us around 10 minutes to reach viewpoint 1, about half an hour to viewpoint 2, and approximately 45 minutes to the last viewpoint.

The hike is not difficult but might be a bit demanding because it goes through the hot humid forest and it’s always uphill. You don’t need specialized hiking shoes, but don’t come with flip flops. Don’t forget to bring water and insect repellent.

If you have the time, there’s another hiking trail that will take you to a waterfall. Instead of turning right when you arrive at Ko Adang, turn left.

You can also spend some time on Ko Adang beautiful beach and snorkel right from the beach. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, the water was a bit rough, so we ended up not trying the snorkeling here.

7. Snorkeling Day Trips

The whole area around Koh Lipe is abundant in corals and vibrant marine life. It’s a great place for diving or snorkeling. There are two popular snorkeling day trips from Koh Lipe, usually referred to as program A and program B.

We did Program B, and even though the weather was not on our side and the sea was a bit rough that day, the snorkeling spots were great, with good visibility.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t snorkel at the site I wanted to visit the most, Jabang, due to strong currents. There, you can see colorful soft corals.

Besides the snorkeling spots, we also stopped on three different beautiful islands, including a peculiar pebble beach on Hin Ngam Island. We had lunch at the Monkey beach at Ko Batong.

8. Relax at the Sunset Beach

There is a great bar made out of wood with swings and hammocks on the sunset beach. It’s a great place to relax with a drink. However, I don’t think this is the best place to go into the water. For that, I much prefer the North Point beach.

9. See the Sunset at the North Point

One of the best places to see the sunset in Koh Lipe is at the North Point beach. While this place is not facing directly at the sun, the colors of the horizon and the whole vibe is great around sunset time.

10. Koh Lipe Walking Street

Koh Lipe walking street is filled with restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. It’s a great place to go after 6 PM to find a good restaurant for dinner. One restaurant that we particularly liked for its fresh fish was the “Tiger Thai restaurant”, we ended up going there twice.

Several restaurants are also opened during the day and smaller shops selling drinks, including Thai Milk Tea, my favorite drink ever.

How Many Days in Koh Lipe?

There are not a ton of things to do in Koh Lipe. So, three days should be enough if you’re just interested in seeing the highlights and checking places. However, if you want to slow down a bit, enjoy the beach, go snorkeling multiple times at your own pace and enjoy delicious food, I recommend staying five days to one week.

Best Time to Visit Koh Lipe

The best time to visit Koh Lipe is during the dry season to avoid rain. The dry season, which is also the peak season, is from mid-December until mid-April.

We went at the end of November, and we were not very lucky with the weather. We only got a few days of sun and clear skies; on the other days, it was mostly overcast. It also rained during the night, and we were caught in bad weather during our snorkeling trip. Nonetheless, we still had a great time.

How to Get Around Koh Lipe

To get around Koh Lipe, you need to walk. The island is small, and you can go from one point of the island to the other in less than 20 minutes. You can also get taxi boats from one part of the island to the other. Some hotels have their own tuk-tuk/sidecars to take visitors to their hotels and carry their luggage.

Where to Stay in Koh Lipe

The island is small, so no matter where you’re based, you’ll be within walking distance of everything. We stayed near the walking street. In Koh Lipe, I recommend choosing accommodation run by local people to support them. Here’s a list of some of them:

• Gipsy Resort (available on Agoda)
• Family Song (Booking)
• Daya Beach Resort (Booking)
• Glory Sunshine Bungalow
• Zanom Sunrise Beach Resort (Agoda)
• Coco Beach Bungalows (Booking)
• Koh Lipe Homestay (available on Agoda)
• Sanom Beach Resort

Where to Go From Koh Lipe?

Due to its proximity, some of the best places to head up next are Koh Lanta, or Langkawi, Malaysia. If this is your last stop on your Thailand island hopping itinerary, you might consider getting to Krabi, Phuket or Hat Yai International airport.

If you’re heading to the North of Thailand, make sure you read our Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai travel guides.

More Thailand Travel Guides

We hope you found our Koh Lipe Travel Guide useful and that it helps you plan your Thailand itinerary. We have other Thailand travel guides you may like:

Preparing a Trip o Thailand? Take a look at our One-Month Thailand Itinerary:

• One-Month Thailand Itinerary

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