Excursions on Koh Lipe: on the islands of Tarutao National Park, snorkeling tours. How to get to Koh Lipe. Koh Lipe on the map
This one can be called one of the most beautiful. This article will talk about one amazing corner of the Earth. This place is the island of Koh Lipe (Thailand). Attractions, holiday features and reviews will be presented below in this article.
The presented island is developing quite rapidly, in connection with the desire to meet the requirements of growing tourism in these amazingly beautiful and warm places. Therefore, certain global problems arise: an increase in the volume of garbage, the likelihood of a decrease in the diversity of animal populations. Today, serious projects are being developed, the main goal of which is to preserve the island of Koh Lipe in its pure original form.
Koh Lipe (Thailand): general information
This is a small island of the Adang Ravi archipelago, located in the Adaman Sea. Located in Koh Lipe in the province of Setun, located in the southwestern part of Thailand. This fabulous piece of paradise borders on Malaysia.
The name of the island sounds in completely different versions, the most common of which are the following: Koh Lipe, Koh Lipeh, Koh Laip and Koh Lipei. The location of the island is the border with Tazhutao (Marine National Park), next to the larger islands: Koh Ravi and Koh Adan. This place has long been inhabited by Malaysian sea gypsies, who are known as "Chao Lei" and "Urak Lavoy".
Thailand is great for tourists. Lipe is one of the most beautiful places. It is located about 50 kilometers from Ko Tarutao (island).
Koh Lipe is 2.5 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide. The widest territory of the island in the shape of the letter "G" was inhabited by the same sea gypsies (there are about 500 of them). They live in small villages, mostly in the east, close to Sunrise Beach. Therefore, their main occupation is the tourism business.
Tourism
Koh Lipe (Thailand) has three main beach areas: Pattaya, Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach. Compared to neighboring islands, this is the most popular holiday destination for tourists. A small island, shaped like a triangle, is located 2 kilometers from about. Ko Adang. Most of the locals were resettled here between the wars from the island of Koh Lanta. The reason for the action was the preservation of Thai territory from the invasion of the British, who colonized Malaysia.
In Koh Lipe, as well as in neighboring islands, there are also great places for diving and snorkelling.
On the territory of the island there are many diving centers and shops that rent the necessary equipment for snorkeling (swimming with a mask and fins). Also organized here interesting excursions on a ship by sea.
The water on Koh Lipe is amazingly clear and calm, making it ideal for snorkeling. A total of 25% of tropical fish species around the world live in sea waters at this place. In coral reefs at great depths, you can find fish of the largest species. Beautiful and convenient for recreation in all respects Koh Lipe.
Reviews, advantages
For tourists on the island, there are a huge number of guest houses and hotels, and almost all of them are located on the coast, especially in the eastern part of the island. These are four-star hotels, and hotels of the 3-star class. There are also more modest establishments. Below are the best, according to tourists, hotels in Koh Lipe (Thailand). Reviews and impressions about the rest in them are the most wonderful.
1. Sawan Resort 2* is considered one of the most comfortable and pleasant options for recreation. It offers accommodation in one of the 5 villas, comfortably arranged on the northern coast of the island. It is located away from the more noisy Koh Lipe. Sunset Beach is just a 3-minute walk and Pattaya Beach is a 10-minute walk. Accommodation prices here depend on the house, but almost all of them are quite cozy and comfortable.
2. Ten Moons Lipe Resort 2* represents the most romantic vacation option. It represents 15 bungalows built of wood, in the jungle, near the beach with white clean sand. This place is also relatively calm and not heavily built up. The only small minus is a small beach, overflowing with a large number of vacationers.
Attractions
There are practically no such remarkable places on Koh Lipe. Only in the center of the island is the Hantalai Buddhist temple, which can be reached from the pedestrian street along the road leading to Sunset Beach (i.e. between Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach). This temple is located in the jungle on a hill. It does not look like the usual other temples in Thailand - with luxurious roofs and impressive staircases with fabulous dragons. It represents a shack with a pair of statues and multi-colored ribbons. In the center of the institution stands a large statue of the Golden Buddha. They come to her to pray every day locals Ko Lipe (Thailand).
Several monks live in Khantalai, who take care of the large number of dogs and cats that live here with them. Although this temple does not look aesthetically pleasing, like many other more luxurious temples in Thailand, it is still a worthy attraction of this place. He also has an incredibly strong energy. Being here, people get peace and tranquility. In addition, the age-old tradition here is that the monks from the temple go in the morning to alms. This fascinating event can be seen every morning on the island's main walking street at 7 o'clock.
How to get there?
There are always many who want to go on vacation to Koh Lipe (Thailand). How to get there?
The closest airports are in the Trang and Hat Yai areas. Both are located about 100 kilometers from Pakbara Pier. Hat Yai receives daily flights from Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The plane arrives in Trang only from Bangkok. It turns out that the Russians have to get to rest with transfers, possibly with two. Some flights include a transfer and a ferry to Koh Lipe (but this is only from Hat Yai). Otherwise, you can book both a minibus and a minibus to the island at the tourist offices at any train station.
The nearest railway stations are also located in Hat Yai and Trang. Every day two trains arrive from Bangkok. A train from Malaysia also arrives in Hat Yai.
On your own
Many travelers themselves get to Koh Lipe (Thailand). How to get there on your own? After arriving in Thailand, the easiest and easiest way to get to the island is via Pakbar Pier (twice a day). There is an hourly songtheo service from Satun to Pak Bara ( public bus), which travels to the final stop for about 50 minutes. There is also an opportunity to get on the Ferryboat, the ticket for which costs 100 baht less, but the journey takes 1.5 hours longer.
Many travelers use the purchase of combined tickets: a minibus plus a ferry from Trang, Krabi or Hat Yai to Koh Lipe. And these places can be reached from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand by bus.
A bit about the western part of the island
Many of the trees growing in eastern Koh Lipe last years were uprooted. Their place was taken by modern concrete structures. But there is also a western part on this island, which remains almost untouched by people. On it you can take advantage of wild beaches and jungles for those who like to retire from the hustle and bustle and merge with magnificent nature.
Here you can wander among the trees and crowds of dark gray boulders scattered along the slope. Climbing on them, you can admire the amazing pure natural nature.
Conclusion
Koh Lipe (Thailand) is a unique combination of beauty with a special atmosphere of almost no touched nature. This is one of the beautiful paradise places in Thailand.
It is noteworthy that you can still find wild deserted beaches and places with amazing views and a great atmosphere on it.
However, is it for long? A few more years and the last pristine parts of the heavenly place will be built up with piers, hotels, bars and other facilities ... So, now we need to seize the moment. After all, there are not so many such places in the world.
Koh Lipe - one of the inhabited islands of Thailand in the Adang Ravi archipelago in the Andaman Sea, is located in the province of Satun, near the border with Malaysia. It is part of the National marine park Tarutao. The distance to the mainland is 70 km, in the immediate vicinity is the island of Koh Adang, 50 km - Koh Tarutao. The Thai name of the island in English has many spellings of Koh Lipe, Koh Lipeh, Ko Lipey and Ko Lipe.
More than a hundred years ago, the island was originally inhabited by sea gypsies, immigrants from Malaysia, known as the people of Chao Lei (Chao Lei) or Urak Lawoi (Urak Lavoy). They still live here, numbering about 800 people - this is the main labor force on the island. Some have been able to open small businesses.
Koh Lipe is famous for sandy beaches with white sand and clear sea. Nearby there are many islands where you can go for a secluded holiday, snorkeling, diving, and also try your luck on fishing. There is no special entertainment on Koh Lipe, mainly a beach holiday with a gradual spread of people to numerous bars after sunset. Life on the island calms down closer to midnight.
The food on Koh Lipe is quite diverse, in addition to seafood and Thai cuisine, there are many different establishments oriented towards Europeans. Low prices for seafood - everything is freshly caught, while there is not much variety. Prices for food and services are average for Thailand, at the level of Phuket.
In recent years, Koh Lipe has changed a lot in terms of infrastructure, it has become less "wild". Appeared good hotels, electricity (24 hours a day) and the Internet became available, but, in turn, there were fewer secluded corners. Although even on peak dates it is not very crowded. There are no supermarkets and chain stores like 7 Eleven here, but there are local mini-marts, the prices in them are different, but approximately the same.
The article contains all useful information about the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand: how to get to the island, what to do, the beaches of Koh Lipe, hotels and other infrastructure. And, of course, our review with photos and tips.
On the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand
Koh Lipe: general information
Koh Lipe island- a small island in southern Thailand in the Andaman Sea in the province of Satun, located near Malaysia (the nearest Malaysian island of Langkawi is only 30 km away). Koh Lipe on the map
Koh Lipe is part of the maritime national park Tarutao, for visiting which you have to pay 200 baht per person (do not throw away tickets, they will come in handy if you go on a tour of the neighboring islands, and even before leaving the island we were required to show tickets!).
The island of Koh Lipe became known among tourists relatively recently: some 40 years ago it was inhabited by sea gypsies from Malaysia, and the first European tourists appeared in the 90s of the last century.
Koh Lipe: Sunrise Beach I was lucky enough to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand in 2006 and find a small piece of paradise deserted beaches, one shop in the center of the island and Pooh Bar - the only place on Koh Lipe where there was Internet π And in general, all Europeans gathered every evening in this bar for dinner and beer π There were no concrete roads on Koh Lipe, everywhere there was sand, and before entering any room, you had to take off your shoes, and in general, shoes were not needed on the island - everyone went barefoot everywhere.
Koh Lipe in 2006 A couple of years later, the total development of the island began, the first large hotels appeared (some of them even with a pool), old wooden bungalows were also reconstructed, and a little later Koh Lipe was connected by sea to Langkawi, an immigration office appeared on the beach to go through passport control upon arrival from Malaysia and departure from Thailand. A little later, the central street was concreted - this is how the walking street appeared.
Immigration office on Koh Lipe in the center of Pattaya Beach 
Entrance to the promenade from Sunset Beach 
Volkin Street: the main street was concreted and a walking street appeared with shops, cafes, bars 
Roads almost all over the island were put in order 
Although there are still clay and sandy roads on the island, and on the way to Sunrise Beach there are deposits of garbage 
Pointers in the center of the island 
Houses of local residents 
But there are also such huts of local residents that have not changed at all in 10 years ... The funny thing is that huge plasma TVs hang on the walls in such houses π 
Island locals 
There are many well-groomed cats and dogs on the island. Of course, the development of the tourist infrastructure of the island could not but lead to an increase in the flow of tourists and crowds, huge crowds of vacationers, poured into Koh Lipe. For some reason, the Chinese especially fell in love with Lipe Island (every self-respecting Chinese wants to have a selfie with Koh Lipe and with π). Yes, and there are enough other Asians now, especially Thais and Malaysians like to come to Lipe Island for holidays and weekends. There were times when there were so many tourists on the island that they did not fit in hotels, and people spent the night in tents on the beach!
According to rumors, travel agencies even tried to send our compatriots βpackaged bagsβ to the island of Koh Lipe and people were very unhappy with what hole they were sent into (and where are the entertainment and shopping centers, as in? π)
But now, fortunately, the unhealthy hype for the island has subsided, there are no our packages on Koh Lipe, but Chinese tourists come in large numbers, especially in winter for the Chinese New Year.
Bright colors of Koh Lipe Schematic map of Koh Lipe
Map-outline of the island Seasons and weather on Koh Lipe: when is the best time to go to the island
There are two main seasons on Koh Lipe:
- Rainy and stormy season: from April-May to October
- Dry season: November to April
Previously, the island was βclosedβ for the summer, due to severe storms in the sea, sea communication with the mainland almost completely stopped, hotel workers went on vacation π In recent years, communication with the island and the mainland of Thailand has not stopped all year round, only the number of flights has been reduced. And the weather and climate are now so changeable that even in summer you can catch good sunny weather, and at the peak of the season get caught in the rain.
But hotel prices usually differ in three seasons:
- Low season: summer
- High season: October - November and March - April
- Peak season: December - February
When is the best time to go to the island?
The most good weather on Koh Lipe in winter, in December - February, but during this period there are a lot of tourists on the island and prices for everything, especially for accommodation, rise significantly. In summer, the rainy season, but deserted beaches and low prices to hotels. In my opinion, the best time to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand is November and March-April.
The weather on the island depends on the seasons. best season in winter, but at this time there are a lot of tourists How to get to Koh Lipe
The island of Koh Lipe in Thailand is located in the Andaman Sea, the island is small, there is no airport here π The nearest airports to Koh Lipe are:
- Hat Yai (Thailand)
- Trang (Thailand)
- Langkawi (Malaysia)
You can get to Lipa only by water - on fast boats or boats by sea that go from the piers:
- Pakbara Pier, Thailand. It can be said that this is the main pier, the connection between Pakbara and Lipe is year-round
- Trang (Hat Yao Pier), Thailand
- Kuah (Kuah Jetty), Malaysia, Langkawi
- Telaga Harbour, Malaysia, Langkawi
Direct water communication between Langkawi - Koh Lipe stops in the low season.
Also in the high season, sea communication between the islands opens - - Lanta - Lipe.
Many boats and boats bring tourists to the island In short, the algorithm for how to get to Lipe Island is as follows:
- Flight to or Kula Lumpur. We are looking for flights
- Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, from Bangkok to Hat Yai or Trang, or you can get to Hat Yai by land - by bus or train
- Taxi / minibus / transfer to the pier
- Boat/Boat to Koh Lipe
A very detailed article with prices and tips on how to get to Koh Lipe from various places in Thailand, Malaysia and Russia:
Transport on the island: how to move
There are no big roads on the island of Lipe, there are no cars and few bikes (some locals ride bikes, but they donβt rent them to tourists π)
Koh Lipe is a small island and you can move around it:
- on foot
- if necessary, take a motorbike taxi (this is a bike with a cart) for 50 baht per person one way or ride around the island for 400 baht / hour
- bicycles for rent - 200 baht per day.
- you can also move between the beaches by boat. But taxi boats on the island are not as common as, for example, on or in, because. almost all the beaches of the island of Koh Lipe can be easily walked
Moto taxi rates around the island Hotels Koh Lipe: where to stay on the island
Every year more and more new hotels open on the island, but despite this, finding accommodation on the spot during the peak season can be a problem. Therefore, I advise you to book Koh Lipe hotels in advance.
Most hotels in Ko Lipe are located right on the coastline, many bungalow-type hotels, although there are hotels with rooms in buildings.
Air-conditioned bungalow right on the beach: Andaman Resort 
A very popular hotel among Europeans 
New villas on the green lawn of the Z-Touch Lipe Island Resort 
One of the hotels in the center of the island Prices for hotels in Koh Lipe are quite high:
- a double room in an average hotel on the beach will cost +/- 3000 baht
- cheap beach bungalows - from 1000 baht
Prices are for the high season, in summer housing is half the price. Perhaps you can find huts for 500 baht, for example, the houses in the photo below are right on the beach and belong to the Andaman Resort hotel. The cost was not known.
Very budget houses right on the beach Sample prices for Koh Lipe hotels
A detailed article about Koh Lipe hotels with their features, prices, recommendations:
Our review of the hotel where we stayed for a few days:
All hotels in Koh Lipe can be booked on the following booking sites:
The beaches of Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe island in Thailand is famous for its gorgeous beaches. There are the following main beaches:
- Pattaya Beach
- Sunrise Beach
- Sunset Beach
- Karma Beach or north beach
- Beaches in the bays
Pattaya Beach
The most popular beach in Koh Lipe is Pattaya Beach. It is located in a bay in the south of the island. snow white White sand, clear sea, not far from the coast of a living coral reef with fish. Good infrastructure, but sometimes noisy and crowded, especially when boats arrive with tourists from the mainland and Langkawi and in the evening before sunset. Details about Pattaya Beach:
Pattaya beach in the south of Koh Lipe 
View of a piece of Pattaya Beach from the sea 
Long and rather wide Pattaya beach 
Before the boats leave, the beach can be crowded 
Before sunset, a crowd of vacationers also gather here π Sunrise Beach
Sunrise Beach is the second most popular beach on Koh Lipe. I loved it for its peace and quiet. The beach has white coarse sand, a good sharp entry into the sea. More about this beach here:
Sunrise Beach: South part
Sunrise Beach: North 
Central part of Sunrise Beach Sunset Beach
Beach in the west of Koh Lipe. The sand is grayish, the entry into the sea is very smooth, there are many picturesque stones on the shore. To be honest, this beach did not impress me at all, maybe we were on it at the wrong time ...
Sunset beach in the west of the island Karma beach
Karma Beach or the beach next to the Mountain Resort Hotel is the northernmost beach of the island with a beautiful sandy spit (the spit is washed closer to winter, it may not be there in summer). The sand is very large, white, the sea is bright turquoise, a beautiful view of the neighboring island of Adang. There are often strong winds on this beach in winter. Read more here:
The picturesque sandy spit in the north of the island is the symbol of Koh Lipe π 
Karma beach in the north of the island 
Beach in the north of the island What is the best beach in Koh Lipe? β itβs hard for me to answer this question, I like both Pattaya Beach and Sunrise Beach π Detailed description all the beaches of Koh Lipe:
Almost all beaches of Koh Lipe are good π Infrastructure
The tourist infrastructure on the island is well developed. Of course, there are no large stores like Tesco and Big C on Lipe Island, but there are:
- two 7 elevens (in which for some reason there are eternal queues)
- small food shops
- shops with souvenirs and beachwear
- a huge variety of cafes and restaurants, which offer not only Thai cuisine and seafood, but also Indian and European food
- bars and coffee houses
- tents with pancakes, fruit shakes, ice cream
- massage parlors
- and even a beach club on Pattaya Beach π
- several ATMs, currency exchange (the exchange rate is not favorable, it is better to come to Koh Lipe with baht in cash)
- tour agencies where you can buy a tour, tickets, exchange money, etc. and so on.
- pharmacies
- hospital
There are two 7-elevens on the island 
Several pharmacies 
Shops with souvenirs and beachwear 
Cozy bars 
Cafe with delicious ice cream 
Pancakes, baguettes, croissants, fruit shakes, smoothies 
Walking along Volkin Street 
Evening relaxation on the beach Basically, all the infrastructure is located in the center of the island on walking street. Read more here:
Prices for Koh Lipe
We can say the following about the prices on Koh Lipe: there are expensive hotels, prices are 7 levs higher than on the mainland, expensive fruits, but the prices in the cafe are quite adequate, I would say even low for such a quality of food.
This is not the first time I have noticed a strange feature for myself: on small islands in Thailand, everything is usually more expensive, except for food in a cafe. So it was, for example, on Phi Phi - the island is not cheap, and the food in the cafe is not only tasty, but also inexpensive!
For example, our average bill for a dinner with beer on Koh Lipe never exceeded 500 baht (except for one evening when we went to dinner at an unlimited buffet at the Progress restaurant).
Some prices on Koh Lipe:
- Water 1.5 l at 7 lev - 26 baht
- Yogurt - 21 baht
- Coffee in seven - 60 - 65 baht
- Ready meals in boxes at 7 leven (e.g. rice + meat) β 70 β 80 baht
- Beer Chang 0.6 in seven - 90 baht, in a small shop - 65 baht
- Packing of water 6 bottles of 1.5 liters in a shop - 100 baht
- Pancakes with different fillings ~ 40 - 70 baht
- Fish in a cafe ~ 240 baht
- Squid, shrimp in a cafe ~ 150 baht
- Tom yum ~ 120 - 150 baht
- Rice with meat or seafood ~ 80 baht
- Beef steak at the Steakhouse - 450 baht
- Coffee in a cafe ~ 70 - 90 baht
- Breakfast in a cafe - 200 - 300 baht
One of our dinners 
Seafood buffet at Progress restaurant on Walking Street 490 baht per person 
From 6 p.m. restaurants and cafes begin to put fish on display. Photo prices 
Cocktails in bars average 200 baht, beer 100 baht Things to do in Koh Lipe
Ko Lipe is an island for a relaxing beach holiday, there are no noisy parties, nightclubs or sights here π The main attraction of Ko Lipe is its beaches, neighboring islands of the national park and the underwater world. Therefore, the list of things to do on Koh Lipe is not so big:
- Visit and swim on all the beaches of the island
- Go snorkeling. Koh Lipe is the only place in Thailand where we have been where good snorkeling is near the shore
- go to
- Swim to the neighboring island of Adang
- Take a course at a diving school - excellent diving spots near Koh Lipe
- Eat - drink - sleep - go for a massage - relax π
Cost of diving in Koh Lipe 
Cost and description excursion tours with Koh Lipe 
Visiting neighboring islands during one of the excursions 
View of Adang Island, which you can swim to by renting a boat 
Adang: Taken at close zoom Koh Lipe reviews
You know, there are places on earth that sink into the soul at first sight. I had a similar situation with Ko Lipe π I fell in love with the island not even at first sight, but even earlier, when I read about it on the forum (if I'm not mistaken, it was in 2003). Soon my dream came true: I flew to Thailand. But for the first time, the route was simpler and did not include the island of Koh Lipe, but included - -.
A little later, I nevertheless got to Lipe and was completely delighted with this tropical paradise. Years passed, countries alternated and beautiful islands(what beauty is worth in the Philippines or the islands of Saraya and Kanawa in Indonesia), but the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand always remained in my memory and I knew that someday I would definitely return there π And I returned after more than 10 years!
Yes, the island has changed (but I read about it and this fact did not come as a shock to me), but I still like it the same way as before. Most likely for those who are looking for parties, shopping, etc. and so on. it will be boring on Lipa (in this case it is better to go to Phuket), but itβs just right for us π
Ko Lipe - my love for many years :))) How many days to spend in Koh Lipe?
Many advise not to spend more than 3-4 days on the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand, but we spent almost a week on Lipe and did not want to leave at all. If you are traveling in Asia, then you can combine Ko Lipe with some more major island and city, for example routes can be the following:
- Bangkok β Phuket β Koh Lipe β β Bangkok
- Bangkok - Hat Yai - Koh Lipe - Langkawi - Kuala Lumpur
- Kuala Lumpur β β β Langkawi β Koh Lipe
And many other options π Enjoy your holiday!
Iβm talking about what to do on Koh Lipe: about boat trips on Koh Lipe to the islands of the Tarutao National Park and snorkeling tours.
On one of the islands during a tour of the islands of Tarutao National Park
Excursions in Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is part of national park Tarutao (Tarutao), near Lipe there are quite large islands of Koh Adang, Koh Rawi, Koh Dong and many small islands, near which there is a rich underwater world.
Map of islands and points for snorkeling On Koh Lipe you can buy a boat tour (snorkeling tour) to these islands and snorkeling spots. The agencies offer several options for longtail (Thai boat) tours, which are indicated by letters: tour A, Tour B- just like in on π The tour program and prices for them are in the photo below:
Cost and description of tours with Koh Lipe What is included in the price of the tour of the islands of Tarutao National Park:
- A trip on a Thai boat as part of a group of 6-10 people along the chosen route
- Snorkeling equipment: mask, snorkel, fins
- Life jackets
- Lunch (usually rice with chicken or rice with seafood), fruit and a bottle of water.
Here on such boats (longtail) tourists are taken on excursions to neighboring islands The cost of visiting the Tarutao National Park is additionally paid - 200 baht per person. I want to note that Koh Lipe is also part of the national park and at the entrance to the island, tourists are charged 200 baht, tickets must be issued. Keep these tickets, firstly, they may be asked when leaving the island, and secondly, they are valid for visiting all the islands of the Tarutao National Park.
Where to buy a tour in Koh Lipe
You can buy an excursion at any hotel or travel agency, which are many on the island. Prices are the same everywhere. We bought in the tent closest to us on. We chose between tour A and tour B. We were told that tour A has more beaches, and tour B has better snorkeling, in the end we bought tour B.
In general, I wanted to go on two excursions to Koh Lipe or one snorkeling tour and on my own on an individual boat to the neighboring island of Adang, but, as always, there was not enough time π
On your own through the islands of Tarutao National Park
In addition to organized excursions to the islands of the Tarutao National Park, you can raft on your own, i.e. having rented an individual boat, he will first discuss the route with the boatman. Approximate cost:
- Individual boat to Koh Adang - 1500 baht for the whole day (by the way, there is only one Adang Resort hotel on the island)
- Individual boat to Koh Adang and Koh Dong - 2000 baht for the whole day
In this case, you will have to pay extra for snorkel masks and lunch separately. Or take everything with you π
Snorkeling tour in Koh Lipe: our review
According to the plan, our snorkeling tour began at 9:30 am, but, as is often the case in Thailand, we were told to come to the office by 9 am, which we did, and then we were taken back to where we expected other tourists and seating according to boats. While we were waiting, everyone was given snorkel masks and fins.
We are waiting for the seating on the boats on the beach We sailed strictly on schedule at 9:30. In addition to us, there were 6 more people on the boat + a boatman with a son of school age (the child was lucky - instead of boring lessons at school, dad took him to work with him π). There were only Europeans in our boat - there were no Chinese and Malaysians with us, yet the Thais are great and try to sort out tourists. And then along the way we saw boats with crowds of noisy Asians - I would not want to be among them π
Sailing off from Pattaya Beach 
There are many Asian tourists in nearby boats. They are so funny π Before the first stop near the rocks of the bizarre shape of the island of Koh Hin Sorn, we sailed for almost an hour. It was lucky that there was no excitement in the sea and did not get sick at all, it was possible to sleep π
Rocks of Koh Hin Sorn 
Koh Hin Sorn - bizarre rocks in the middle of the sea Another five minutes later was the first stop for scorkling. There were a lot of boats in this place and numerous Chinese swam in bright life jackets - almost like on π
We swim to the first stop for snorkeling 
First stop, you can jump into the sea and watch the fish and corals 
There are already a lot of Asians in life jackets in the water π 
Some boats land right on the shore on a small beach 
Here is such a clear water, it seems that the corals are very close 
The water is warm, warm, buzz! 
The underwater world of Tarutao National Park 
Undersea world 
Rest π Koh Rokroy (Koh Lugoi)
The next long stop was at Koh Rokroy, aka Koh Lugoi. Here they may be asked to show tickets to the national park, and if they are not there, they will force you to buy them. On our arrival, no one checked the tickets, so we calmly went ashore. At this parking lot, we were given our lunch (when buying a tour, they clarified who had rice with meat, and who with seafood). Because I donβt eat rice, so Lesha got our two lunches, and I dined with a pre-stored sandwich and cookies from 7 leven π
The island is very beautiful, but quite small. Unfortunately, there is almost nowhere to hide from the sun, there is little shade.
Sailing to the island of Koh Rokroy 
Near the island of Koh Rokroy 
The island can check and sell tickets to the national park 
I'm having lunch π 
Lunch: tourists hide in the shade 
After lunch, I went uphill to the view point, the climb is not difficult at all, and most importantly, it is short. There was no one on top except me and I rested in the shade of the trees and took a few photos of the surroundings. What a beauty!
View from viewpoint 
Awesome water color, vibrant scenery 
Very clear water We spent about an hour on the island of Koh Rokroy (Koh Lugoi).
The island of Koh Dong or Koh Tong, which is generally designated on Google maps as Ko Batong is a βmonkey islandβ, monkeys live here, which the Thais brought here for some reason. There is a monkey island literally 100 meters across the strait from Koh Rokroy, but we did not swim to its nearest beach in the bay, but to a long and very beautiful beach Ko Donga, so the journey took about 30 minutes.
As soon as we went ashore, we immediately saw the monkeys. At the same time, several more boats with tourists arrived and the monkeys quickly ran away from the beach into the jungle. I saw photos from this island, in which there are just crowds of monkeys, like on, but we only saw a couple of macaques.
Sailed to the island of Koh Dong 
And here are a few monkeys 
On the monkey island of Koh Dong, we did not meet as many monkeys as on Monkey Beach in Phi Phi Monkey Island and its central long beach are very beautiful, just perfect place for photo shoots. Perfect white fine sand, clear sea and almost no people! Opposite the island of Ravi, its visit is included in the program of tour A of the islands of the national park.
We spent 30-40 minutes on the monkey island of Koh Dong. There is no snorkeling near the shore, but it is a good place for relaxation, swimming and photography π
Back to Koh Lipe
After the island of Koh Dong sailed back to Koh Lipe. There were two more stops for snorkeling along the way, but the island of Hin Ngam (an island with a pebble beach), which was included in the tour program, we did not visit, we sailed past it. But to be honest, I didnβt really want to anymore π A year ago, while swimming in and from, I realized that the whole day on the boat is very tiring, four hours and 2-3 points for snorkeling and swimming would be quite enough for me π
We sail past the island of Hin Ngam with a pebble beach 
Another short stop for snorkeling. Undersea world 
Jabang
The last stop on our tour was a snorkeling stop near Jabang. Here you can see some rare and very beautiful corals. Unfortunately, due to the muddy water and the sun shining at the βwrongβ angle at this time of the day, the corals were very poorly visible, but I still saw bright lilac and bright red coral bushes.
Snorkeling point Jabang. They say that here the most beautiful corals. But due to the fact that by the evening the water became rather muddy, and the coral bushes are deep under water, we did not appreciate all the beauty of this place We returned home, to Lipe Island, at five o'clock in the evening, although according to the plan we had to return by four. The day went great: we had plenty of swimming, gained some impressions, took a bunch of photosβ¦ we were tired π
Koh Lipe is the most south island Thailand, a resort that is little known among our tourists. However, on the first day on Koh Lipe we met a lot of Russian speakers. However, the very next day and until the end of our "vacation" we no longer heard our native language. What is interesting about this island, how does it differ from other islands in Thailand?
Koh Lipe, Thailand
Sea and beaches
The most important thing that now distinguishes Koh Lipe from other destinations is that the island has stunning beaches, one might even say one of the best in Thailand. Better only for . It is for the sake of paradise beaches and the sea that tourists from all over the world come here. Some 20 years ago, the beaches were deserted and semi-wild, but now civilization has reached here. But despite the abundance of tourists and hotels, the beaches of Lipe are still beautiful. Thanks to the beaches, you can close your eyes to the other shortcomings of the island. We have made our rating the best beaches Ko Lipe, they gave the first place to the wrong beach, which guidebooks recommend.
- Read:
Hotels in Koh Lipe
- AKIRA Lipe Resort
- Bundhaya Villas
- Lipe Sunset Beach Resort
- Harmony Bed & Bakery
- The Reef
All hotels on Ko Lipe
That feeling when swimming in the sea is perfect
If someone else has not seen in the last article, watch our video review of the best beaches on the island.
Nature
Not to say that Koh Lipe has some particularly outstanding nature, but the views of the eye are pleasing to the eye in some parts of the island. For example, when you cross the bridge from Pattaya Beach to secret beach. Large stones, greenery, clear turquoise waterβ¦
My favorite place on Lipe 
Sand spit on Karma beach
Atmosphere of relaxation and carelessness
The third thing we noticed is the atmosphere atypical for Thailand. With the onset of darkness, everything changes on the beach, music is heard from dozens of cozy cafes, fire shows are held, kind half-drunk people of all nationalities walk along the coast, intoxicated by tropical nature and the sea breeze, there are bright stars in the sky, and glowing plankton can be seen under your feet in the waves.
We came to the beach every evening and enjoyed the moment. Very reminiscent of the evening beaches of Goa. So, if you find yourself on Ko Lipe, be sure to go to Pattaya Beach after 8 pm. Feel the awareness that you are at the end of the world, on a tiny tropical island in the open sea, enjoy the warm breeze and bright stars without thinking about anything else.
Here and now
Such an atmosphere is very well conveyed, you instantly become infected with it and you yourself are already loitering along the beach with a slight smile, as if stoned. You smile oncoming tourists, just like you. I don't want to think about anything bad, I don't want to do anything. For all the time on Ko Lipe we were not engaged in work or blogging, but simply rested, we didnβt have enough strength for anything else.
walking street
The first place where everyone who stays on Koh Lipe finds themselves is Walking Street. The street stretches across the entire island from Pattaya Beach and almost to the opposite Sunrise Beach. On the first day, you may get the wrong impression that the whole island looks like a street - cafes, massage parlors and shops. But it's not.
Walking Street is the liveliest and most fun street on Koh Lipe, I donβt even know what we would do if this street didnβt exist. All shops and inexpensive cafes are concentrated here. The rest of the restaurants and bars are located on the beach, and we did not see any shops in other parts of the island at all. Here you can buy souvenirs and stock up a little, order transfers to other regions of Thailand and Malaysia, and also find inexpensive accommodation.
What distinguishes Walking Street in Koh Lipe from its counterpart in Pattaya is that there are no prostitutes, lady fights, go-go bars and other debauchery. I am sure that you can find entertainment here if you search carefully or ask one of the locals, but there is nothing like that in the open.
Welcome to Koh Lipe 
Walking street during the day 
Poohs bar Ko Lipe Island 
Bar-cinema 
Koh Lipe branded T-shirts (250 baht)
Cons of Koh Lipe
A large number of boats on all beaches
The island cannot be called paradise. There are no bounty beaches on Ko Lipe. The beaches are good, of course, but not heavenly. There are many boats on all beaches. They create inconvenience with their noise, pollute the water, and also pose a danger if you swim outside of fenced areas.
Boat parking at Pattaya Beach 
Longtail boats in the lagoon at Karma Beach
low tides
In the afternoon, low tide begins on all beaches. At low tide it becomes very shallow, at the bottom there are stones that used to be at depth. On our first day we went swimming on and were very disappointed. But when they came 2 days later in the morning, they could not believe their eyes, how everything looks different here in the morning. The main thing is to go to the sea in the morning. Low tides start in the afternoon and swimming at this time will not be so pleasant.
Low tide on Sunrise beach. knee depth 
Evening low tide on Pattaya beach
High housing prices
Housing prices are overpriced by about 2 times. The cheapest options are tents in campsites for 500 baht per night. Average rooms in guesthouses with a fan - 1000 baht, average hotels offering rooms with air conditioning and hot water - from 1500 baht. Such prices for accommodation here in the season from November to March. In the low season, the price tag is lower, but who needs to go to Koh Lipe during the rainy season, when the waves and cloudy skies intensify on the sea.
Most of the hotels on Koh Lipe are built in the form of bungalows. There are so many options right on the beach. But if you booked a hotel not on the beach, don't worry, you can walk to the sea from the center of the island in 5-10 minutes.
Housing on Koh Lipe (2000 baht per day) 
Bungalow on the beach (7000 baht per night)
Overpriced products
Well, as if we understand that this is an island, everything is imported here, but for some reason on other islands of Thailand, such as Koh Lanta, Koh Chang and even Koh Lan, prices are not too high. And here most of the products are exactly 2 times more expensive than on the mainland. Especially at 7-Eleven. But on the other hand, in a cafe, prices do not differ from ordinary tourist restaurants in other Thai resorts.
7-eleven on Walking street Koh Lipe
Motobikes and tuk-tuks
Their presence and movement along all pedestrian streets is very infuriating. Wherever you go, every minute someone will drive behind or in front, and you need to move away, dodge, and then breathe dust and exhaust fumes. It is impossible to move normally along Walking Street during the day, mopeds constantly go back and forth. It is especially annoying when a tuk-tuker rides along a narrow street on a motorcycle with a sidecar, as it occupies the entire width of the street. Well, at least from 6 pm they are forbidden to ride the Walking and they do not go to the beach.
I remember that motorcyclists on the next "paradise" beach in Sri Lanka had already caused such irritation in us.
Rubbish and litter everywhere
This circumstance surprised me the most on the first day. Ko Lipe is part of the Tarutao National Park, everyone pays 200 baht to enter the island. But then why did the locals make their island so dirty? This is a national park, is there really no control at all? The fact that tourists litter, somewhere they throw a goby or leave a bottle - these are all trifles. It is the locals who cause the greatest harm to the island, that is, the Thais and Burmese themselves who live here.
Ko Lipe is not the same (c)
Such landscapes are everywhere, you just have to move 20 meters from Walking Street. You don't have to go far to see all this garbage, devastation, abandoned building materials. So the island is littered, as you understand, not at all by tourists, but by the Thais themselves. Or the Burmese, for whom this is the norm, but then why don't the Thais do anything?
I'm enjoying your NATIONAL PARK 
The motto of the inhabitants of Ko Lipe: where I live, there I cru!
Garbage and general filthiness is the biggest disappointment and culture shock on Koh Lipe. Well, the filthy island of Koh Lan near Pattaya, where the situation is exactly the same, but at least there is not a national park there. I do not know if any of the tourists paid attention to this, but I have never seen such "national parks". In the park, after all, the pristine nature should be maintained and preserved as far as possible. I really hope that there will never be such horror in the Similan Islands National Park, although there are already prerequisites.
Garbage barge on Ko Lipe
And this is how they take out the garbage from the island. Well done, of course, that they take out, although not all, but why is a garbage barge placed in the very center of one of the best beaches? And it stands here not for 5 minutes, but for several days, until it is full. Moored exactly 50 meters from the bungalow of the Lipe Power Beach Resort. How great it is for the guests of this hotel to go out on the porch early in the morning, admiring the sea, breathe in the fresh smell of garbage ...