Snorkeling is part of every Phi Phi day trip from Krabi. The tours are not dive trips: you snorkel from the boat or off a beach, two to four times in the day, in water that stays around 28 °C through the dry season. Where you go in, and for how long, varies more than the brochures suggest, from a quick 20-minute swim to more than an hour and a half. The Phi Phi Sunrise & Shark Nursery tour is one of the tours that builds the day around it, with a 45-minute reef stop off Phi Phi Leh where blacktip reef sharks raise their young, plus an hour at Bamboo Island.
Phi Phi Sunrise & Shark Nursery
Where you snorkel on a Phi Phi tour
The same few spots come up on almost every itinerary:
| Spot | What it is like | Time on the tours we review |
|---|---|---|
| Reef off Phi Phi Leh | Coral and reef fish below the cliffs, from the boat | 40 to 45 min |
| Pileh Lagoon | Calm, enclosed green water; mostly a swim | 30 to 45 min |
| Viking Cave area | Short snorkel near the cave on some tours | About 20 min |
| Bamboo Island | Beach entry, shallow reef off the sand | 45 min to 1 h 45 |
| A “secret” or extra stop | The operator’s own pick for the day | 45 min to 1 h 30 |
Maya Bay is not a snorkel stop. Swimming is not allowed at the front beach, only wading, and the bay is closed every year in August and September.
Blacktip reef sharks
Young blacktip reef sharks live in the shallows around Phi Phi Leh, and several tours mention them. The Phi Phi Sunrise & Shark Nursery names the shark nursery in its title and gives you 45 minutes of snorkeling off Phi Phi Leh. Reviewers on that tour write about seeing baby sharks and tropical fish. It rates 4.9 from 52 reviews and cost $74 per person on the first date available when we checked, 11 November 2026.
Sightings are not guaranteed. The Phi Phi Early Bird & 4 Islands puts it plainly: if it is your lucky day, you will see blacktip reef sharks. The sharks are small and timid, and the rule on every tour is the same: look, do not touch or chase.
A few tours list a stop called Shark Point. The Phi Phi Islands Speedboat Premium Tour with Lunch has a 30-minute snorkel there ($38 on the dates we checked, 4.4 from 73 reviews).
The reef off Phi Phi Leh
The longest snorkel stop on many tours is on the reef along Phi Phi Leh, close to Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave. The boat stops and you go in from the boat, with the guide nearby. On the Phi Phi, Maya Bay & Bamboo Island tour it lasts 40 minutes, and on the Phi Phi Sunset, BBQ & Plankton tour 45.
The Phi Phi Speedboat Tour with Lunch snorkels for about 20 minutes near Viking Cave instead. The Phi Phi Speedboat with Buffet Lunch makes two snorkel stops at quieter spots on the crossing, and another at a shallow reef after lunch.
Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island
Pileh Lagoon is more of a swim than a snorkel. The boat goes in, you jump off, and the water is calm and deep green between the cliffs. Snorkeling there is reported to be limited to a buoyed corner of the lagoon, so most people simply swim.
Bamboo Island is usually the easiest place to snorkel, because you can walk in from the beach, which suits children and nervous swimmers. Time there varies a lot: 45 minutes on the Speedboat Tour with Lunch, an hour on the Sunrise & Shark Nursery tour, and 105 minutes, including snorkeling, on the Phi Phi & 4 Islands Sunset Catamaran, which also adds a long “secret” snorkel stop.
The Phi Phi Small Group Speedboat Tour snorkels at Bamboo Island, Nui Bay (40 min) and Monkey Beach (25 min), with up to 12 guests on board.
Snorkel spots away from the main circuit
The Semi-Private Phi Phi & Early Maya Bay tour picks its snorkel spots each day by sea conditions and crowds, and names Bida Nok, Bida Noi and Palong among the places it uses. The guide snorkels with you, and there is a fish ID card on board. It costs $116 with the park fee included and rates 4.9 from 36 reviews. If snorkeling is the main reason for your trip, it is the one I would look at first, alongside the shark nursery tour. Our review →
Gear: what is included, and fins
A mask and snorkel are included on every tour we review, and a life jacket on nearly all of them. Fins are not: the Speedboat Tour with Lunch, the Sunrise & Shark Nursery, the Sunset, BBQ & Plankton and several others list fins as extra. If you like fins, bring a pair of short travel fins. If you wear glasses, a mask from home fits better than the shared ones. On the catamaran tour, a lost mask costs 1,500 THB.
Sunscreen matters here more than anywhere. Thai marine parks ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC or butylparaben, and the fines are steep. A long-sleeved swim shirt covers your back while you float face-down, and also protects you from jellyfish, which turn up in some seasons. Our packing list has the rest.
One reviewer on a standard tour reported an ear and skin infection after snorkeling. Rinse off with fresh water when you can, and use your own mask if you have one.
How well do you need to swim?
You do not need to be a strong swimmer for the beach entries or for the lagoon in a life jacket. Boat stops over the reef are different: you get in from the boat, in open water. The Sunset Catamaran and the Phi Phi Speedboat or Catamaran Day both say they are not suitable for non-swimmers. The operator of the Sunrise & Shark Nursery recommends wearing a life jacket while snorkeling, which is good advice on any tour.
The sea is clearer and calmer from about December to April. In the monsoon months the swell stirs up the water and some stops are skipped. Our best time guide goes month by month.
Which tour gives you the most snorkeling?
For the sharks and a long reef stop, the Phi Phi Sunrise & Shark Nursery tour is the one I would book; it starts with a hotel pickup from 06:00 and has no Railay pickup. For snorkeling away from the other boats, the Semi-Private Phi Phi & Early Maya Bay costs more and includes the park fee. On a budget, the Phi Phi, Maya Bay & Bamboo Island tour at $47 includes a 40-minute reef stop and an hour at Bamboo Island.
See our review → of the shark nursery tour, the itinerary guide for how the stops fit into the day, and the Phi Phi early bird page for the other early departures.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best snorkeling on a Phi Phi tour?
The reef off Phi Phi Leh and Bamboo Island, where you snorkel from the beach. Tours that go further afield also use spots such as Bida Nok and Bida Noi.
Can you see sharks snorkeling at Phi Phi?
Sometimes, but it is never guaranteed. Young blacktip reef sharks live around Phi Phi Leh, and one tour from Krabi is built around their nursery. Do not touch or chase them.
Is snorkel gear included on Phi Phi tours from Krabi?
A mask and snorkel are included on the tours we review, and life jackets are provided. Fins are usually extra, so bring your own if you want them.
Do I need to be able to swim to snorkel at Phi Phi?
Not for beach entries or floating in a life jacket. A couple of tours say they are not suitable for non-swimmers, and reef stops from the boat are in open water, so wear a life jacket if you are unsure.
Can you snorkel at Maya Bay?
No. Swimming at the front beach of Maya Bay is not allowed, and the bay is closed every year in August and September. The snorkeling happens at other stops around Phi Phi Leh.
Pick your Phi Phi day and check the boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on the tours we review. The national park fee (400 THB per adult) is usually paid in cash on the day.
Check Availability & Book
