Most Phi Phi island tours from Phuket leave around 8am. They arrive at Maya Bay between 9 and 10am, the same window as the day-trip fleet from Krabi, Koh Lanta, and Phi Phi Don. The beach is crowded before most people have finished their breakfast. That is not a bad tour company. That is just how the schedule works when everyone runs the same departure time.
Simba Sea Trips leaves Boat Lagoon Marina at 6am.
The sunrise happens at sea
The roughly one-hour-ten-minute speedboat crossing from Boat Lagoon Marina to the Phi Phi islands is not dead time. It is the best part of the morning. The Andaman sunrise breaks over open water during the transit south-east, with colour across the sky while the islands are still quiet. Guests are watching it from the boat, not from a beach car park.
The tour arrives at Maya Bay around 7.15am. That is about an hour ahead of the main day-tripper fleet. The beach is empty. The water is clear. The group is a maximum of 18 adults, at a time when other operators on the same route regularly carry 30 to 60 passengers per boat.
By 8.30am, when the first day-tripper boats are pulling in, Simba’s group is already leaving for the next stop.
What the day actually looks like
The Phi Phi Sunrise Tour runs for eight hours across seven stops, with meaningful time at each rather than a drift-by. After Maya Bay: the emerald-water Pileh Lagoon, two snorkel reefs chosen on the day for conditions, a drift past the Viking Cave and Monkey Beach, and a final beach stop at either Bamboo Island or Koh Rang Yai depending on sea state. Lunch is back at Soho Pool Club at Boat Lagoon Marina — a proper sit-down buffet, not a boxed meal on the boat.
Everything is included in the price: hotel transfers from anywhere on the Phuket tourist coast, a light breakfast on arrival, the buffet lunch, soft drinks, coffee, fruit, snacks, snorkelling gear, life jackets, and national park fees. There is nothing to pay on the day beyond optional alcohol at the pool club after.
Maya Bay closes each August and September for ecosystem restoration, as part of the national park’s annual conservation period. The closure has been a regular part of the Phi Phi calendar since the bay’s rehabilitation programme began, and during those months, Simba substitutes Bamboo Island, adjusting the itinerary without changing the structure of the day.
Why the group size matters
The Join-In tours cap at a maximum of 18 adults. That is not marketing language for a medium-sized group. On the water, it means a boat where the captain can slow down if someone spots a turtle, where there is no scramble for snorkel gear, and where the guide knows your name.
Most shared tours in Phuket run on vessels built for 30, 40, or significantly more passengers. The economics make sense for the operator. The experience is different for the guest.
Who runs the operation?
Phuket boat tours at this scale depend on the standard set at the top. Simba Sea Trips was founded in 2005 and is owner-operated by Paul Chappell, a 23-year professional airline captain who brought the same safety culture to marine operations that applies in commercial aviation. The marine safety standards the crews run on today were built by Chappell. Thai-licensed captains crew every boat. The company holds TAT Licence 34/02111.
Nearly 6,000 verified reviews across TripAdvisor, Google, and GetYourGuide reflect two decades of that standard being applied consistently. More than 4,300 of those are on TripAdvisor alone, at a 4.9-star average. Simba has also won the Viator Experience Award in both 2024 and 2025.
When is the best season?
The Andaman coast runs best between November and April. The window for calm seas and reliable visibility at sites like Pileh Lagoon and the snorkel reefs around Phi Phi is firmly inside that dry season, which is also when demand for Phi Phi island tours from Phuket is highest. Booking ahead is worth doing during this period. The 18-adult cap fills faster than most guests expect.
The Phi Phi Sunset and Shark Tour is a second option running from November to April only, for those who prefer an afternoon departure and a different atmosphere on the water.
Book or enquire
Tours run year-round. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure.
Contact: sales@simbaseatrips.com | +66 81 787 7702
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