Speedboat vs Big Boat to Phi Phi: Which Should You Book?
We operate both — here's the honest answer from the dispatch desk
"Speedboat or big boat?" is the single most common question we get about Phi Phi — from direct guests and travel agents alike. We operate both, so here is the honest, operational answer.
The short version
- Choose the speedboat if you want to see the most in one day — Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach and a Khai island stop — and you're comfortable with a faster, bumpier ride.
- Choose the big boat if you value space, stability and a lower price, and you're happy trading a couple of stops for a far more relaxed day.
Crossing time & comfort
A speedboat covers Phuket → Phi Phi in roughly 45–60 minutes; a big boat takes about 2 hours each way. That sounds like the speedboat wins — but the ride matters. Speedboats slap through swell, and in shoulder-season chop the back rows feel every wave. Big boats barely notice the same sea, with shaded decks, toilets and room to walk around.
Prone to seasickness? Big boat, no contest — sit mid-deck, outside, eyes on the horizon. Traveling with young children or older guests? Also big boat.
What you'll actually see
Speedboat programs pack in more: the classic run loops Maya Bay (when the national park has it open), Pileh Lagoon, Loh Samah, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach and lunch, usually with a Khai Nok or Khai Nai beach stop on the way home. Big boat itineraries centre on Phi Phi Don with a swim/snorkel session and lunch — fewer boxes ticked, more time per stop.
Snorkeling quality is identical — same reefs, same fish. The difference is how many bays you visit, not what's under the surface.
Price & practicalities
Big-boat seats are consistently the budget-friendly option; speedboat seats cost more and private speedboat charters more again. On every program, check the product page's inclusions carefully: national park fees are typically excluded and paid in cash at the park on the day.
Both options include hotel pickup from the main Phuket beach zones. Speedboats board at the east-coast marinas; big boats sail from the Rassada Pier area. Pickups start earlier for speedboat programs (roughly 07:00–08:00 from Patong/Kata/Karon).
Weather notes from our operations team
In the November–April high season both run daily and the sea is usually kind. In the green season (May–October) speedboat departures take weather calls program-by-program; big boats tolerate more swell before cancelling. If your dates are locked in the rainy months and the day matters (a birthday, a proposal), have a sheltered Phang Nga Bay plan B — it runs when the west coast doesn't.
Compare the actual programs
Browse the current Phi Phi tours — speedboat, big boat and private charter options with live availability and instant e-vouchers.
Travel agents: every option above is bookable at your tier's net rates with instant vouchers — and our dispatch desk makes the weather calls so you don't have to.