Koh Lipe is known as the Maldives of Thailand because of its crystal clear water and white soft sand beaches.
Located on the very south of Thailand just across from the Malaysian border this small L-shaped island has some of the best beaches in Thailand.
With many spots to snorkel and dive, Koh Lipe is a real Thai paradise.
Since getting to Koh Lipe is more challenging than to other Thai islands, it tends to have fewer tourists which makes it a perfect spot for people who want to avoid the big crowds.
The closest city to Koh Lipe with an airport is Hat Yai.
What is the Best Time to Visit Koh Lipe?
Like the rest of Thailand, Koh Lipe has wet and dry seasons.
The best time to visit Koh Lipe is during the dry season which spans from November till May. That’s also the busiest time of the year in Koh Lipe.
If you want to avoid the crowds and get cheaper accommodations, you can look into going during the wet or shoulder season however be aware that some hotels and restaurants will be closed.
How to Get to Koh Lipe From Bangkok?
I will talk about the way I got to Koh Lipe that was actually pretty easy and relatively affordable.
If you fly into Thailand you will most likely end up in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Depending on your plans you can either spend a few days in Bangkok or take a flight to Hat Yai on the same day. If you decide to stay in Bangkok depending on the time of your arrival you can either take a taxi or a sky train.
If you arrive when the BTS Skytrain is working, I would suggest using it.
Not only it’s cheaper but it also most of the time faster than taking a taxi because you don’t have to sit in traffic.
Flight from Bangkok to Hat Yai
I purchased the flight from Bangkok to Hat Yai through Expedia for just 40 USD one way. Not a bad deal considering that the flight to Phuket was around 65 USD.
After you get to Hat Yai which is a little more than one hour away from Bangkok you can either take a bus or taxi to Pak Bara pier.
Since I arrived late I stayed one day at Hat Yai. There are several malls around Lee Gardens Plaza where you can find numerous food spots.
While I was there I didn’t see many tourists because most people go directly from Hat Yai Airport to Koh Lipe. That’s what I would recommend as well.
Traveling From Hat Yai Airport to Pak Bara Pier and Then Taking Ferry to Koh Lipe
You can either book the travel from Hat Yai Airport to Pak Bara Pier and then the ferry to Koh Lipe separately or book it all together. I booked my entire trip from Hat Yai to Koh Lipe through Asia12.
I don’t think that booking a taxi or taking a taxi from Hat Yai Airport to Pak Bara and then getting ferry separately will save you a lot of money and it will definitely not save you time.
When you get to the pier you will need to purchase Tarutao National Marine Park pass for 200 baht.
The ferry from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe will usually stop on a few islands on the way to Koh Lipe.
In my case, we first stopped at Ko Tarutao island and then on Koh Khai (Egg Island). Both islands were stunning and great for taking photos.
When you get to Koh Lipe, you will arrive at Pattaya Beach.
From there you can either walk to your lodging or take a motorbike taxi for 50 baht per person.
How to Get to Koh Lipe From Phuket or Phi Phi Islands?
If you are traveling from Phuket, you can take a ferry from there to Koh Lipe but it will be a long and quite expensive trip.
There is also a ferry between Koh Lipe and Koh Phi Phi which might be convenient if you want to visit both Koh Lipe and Phi Phi on the same trip.
In my case, after flying from Bangkok to Hat Yai and then arriving at Koh Lipe, I spent 3 days there and later took a ferry to Phi Phi Islands.
After spending a couple of days at Phi Phi, I took another ferry to Phuket and spent a couple of days there as well before flying back from Phuket Airport to Bangkok.
What are the Best Places to Stay in Koh Lipe?
Even though I stayed at Sunset Beach, I would recommend staying closer to Walking Street and Sunrise Beach.
Most restaurants, bars and convenience stores are located in that area.
It takes 15-20 minutes to walk from Sunset Beach to Walking Street which is not bad during the day but it gets pretty sketchy when you do this at night due to poor lighting along some of the roads.
Besides that Sunrise Beach is the most beautiful beach in Koh Lipe.
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How is Koh Lipe Nightlife?
Koh Lipe is not a party island like Koh Phi Phi and you will not find crazy beach parties or wild loud clubs and bars here.
Most bars on Koh Lipe are really laidback like the island itself. Most of the nightlife spots are concentrated around Walking Street where you will find many bars and restaurants.
Is Koh Lipe Safe?
Koh Lipe is a pretty safe island and I never felt scared when walking around the island however some areas of the island have poor lightning so it is worth bringing a flashlight with you if you are not staying close to Walking Street.
I also noticed that there were a lot of stray dogs on the island but they didn’t look aggressive.
How to Get Around on Koh Lipe?
The easiest way to get around Koh Lipe is on foot. The island is pretty small and most locations are just 10-20 minutes away.
If you don’t want to walk much, try to stay closer to Walking Street or Sunrise Beach.
There are also motorbike taxis available that will take you around the island for 50 baht per person.
What are the Best Beaches on Koh Lipe?
There are three main beaches on Koh Lipe: Pattaya Beach, Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach.
Sunrise Beach – this is arguably the best and the most beautiful beach on Koh Lipe located on the east side of the island.
It is about 800 m long and has white sand and crystal clear water.
Sunset Beach – this is a smaller beach located on the west side of the island.
It is more laidback than Sunrise or Pattaya Beaches.
Here you can see some of the most gorgeous sunsets on Koh Lipe.
Pattaya Beach – the busiest place on Koh Lipe.
This is the first beach that you will see when you arrive at Koh Lipe via ferry.
The ferry pier is located directly on Pattaya Beach.
How Expensive is Koh Lipe?
Koh Lipe is not a cheap island and prices for food, lodging and drinks are higher than in Bangkok or northern Thailand.
Dinner will cost you around 250 baht, beers in 7-11 are around 90 baht each and a modest (hotel) is around 1500-2000 baht per night.
What to Do in Koh Lipe?
- Relax on one of Koh Lipe’s gorgeous beaches – I mean isn’t the reason why you came all the way here?
- Walk around the island – Koh Lipe is a small island and you can easily walk around the island and visit all the beaches.
- Watch a sunset at Sunset Beach – You definitely don’t want to miss gorgeous sunsets on this beach.
- Take a day trip from Koh Lipe – There are several tours available from Koh Lipe. Most of the tour boats go to nearby islands and various snorkeling spots around Koh Lipe. The prices are pretty reasonable (600-800 baht) and I definitely recommend taking a tour if you have time. I would also recommend bringing your own snorkeling gear.
- Visit Koh Adang Island – This bigger neighbor of Koh Lipe is located a short boat ride away.
- Rent a kayak – A great way to explore the area around Koh Lipe at your own pace.
- Snorkel from the beach – There are numerous spots around Koh Lipe where you can snorkel directly from the beach. One of them is located at Sunset Beach.
- Get a massage – There are dozens of massage salons along the Walking Street where you can get a great massage for around 400 baht. Many places also offer aloe massage in case you get a sunburn.
- Visit Koh Lipe Walking Street – This street gets pretty busy at night and is a great place to get a few drinks.
- Go try diving – there are several diving shops on Koh Lipe where you can rent diving equipment or even get your diving certification if you have enough time.
Are There Any ATMs on Koh Lipe?
Koh Lipe has several ATMs located along Walking Street.
One is located just at the beginning of the walking street (West Entrance). There is another one close to 7-11 and one more is located by the entrance of Walking Street if you are coming from Pattaya Beach.
It is recommended to bring cash with you to avoid any issues in case of ATMs run out of money.
Where I Can Do Laundry on Koh Lipe?
There are quite a few places where you can do your laundry for around 70 baht per kg.
Most of them are located around the Walking Street area but you will also find some throughout the island.
What to Bring to Koh Lipe?
- Bring sunscreen and after-sun – the sun is extremely strong in southern Thailand and it doesn’t take much time to get burned. You can buy sunscreen on Koh Lipe but the prices will usually be higher than in your home country.
- Snorkeling gear – most tours will provide snorkeling gear for free but in most cases, the equipment provided will be old. Additionally to that, do you really want to breathe through the tube that was used by hundreds of other people before you?
- Bring your GoPro to record all your snorkeling adventures.
- Bring cash – even though there are a few ATMs on the island it is wise to bring enough cash so that you don’t have to rely on ATMs that might not work.
- Bring a SIM card with enough data – Wi-Fi is hit and miss in most hotels on Koh Lipe
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