longtail boat at Sunrise Beach, Koh Lipe Hero photo · longtail boat at Sunrise Beach, Koh Lipe
A guide · Tarutao National Marine Park · Satun, Thailand

The Best guide to Koh Lipe.

An independent, ad-light guide to Koh Lipe — the quickest way to plan what to do, where to stay, and how to get here. Translated into seven languages by the people who live here.

How to get hereSnorkeling 101Island mapEmergency info
On island—
Local time— ICT
Weather— °C
Tide—
01 · The guide

Explore nine parts of the island.

Pick a thread. Each section is a guide in itself — handwritten, locally checked, and kept up to date by the volunteers who run this site.

02 · Featured dive sites

Twenty-five reefs, pinnacles and wrecks in the Adang-Rawi archipelago.

Advanced
8 Mile Rock
25–35 mPinnaclePelagics
All levels
Stonehenge
14–28 mBouldersNudibranchs
Intermediate
Yong Hua Shipwreck
16–26 mWreckSchooling fish
Easy
Hin Ngam
8–20 mReefFamily-safe
All levels
Sarang Christmas Tree Pinnacle
10–22 mPinnacleMacro
Intermediate
Koh Usen
12–24 mReef wallTurtles
03 · Orientation

A two-kilometre island with three beaches.

Sunrise Beach in the east, Pattaya Beach on the south, Sunset Beach on the west. Walking Street crosses the middle. You can walk from one side to the other in about twenty minutes.

Looping · Aerial footage
  • 1 Sunrise Beach · east coast, snorkeling EAST
  • 2 Pattaya Beach · main pier, shops, bars SOUTH
  • 3 Sunset Beach · quiet, viewpoint nearby WEST
  • 4 Walking Street · food, cafés, night market CORE
  • 5 Chao Leh village · Urak Lawoi community CORE
  • 6 Bundhaya Pier · ferry arrivals/departures SOUTH
04 · On-island

Emergency & useful numbers.

The nearest full hospital is on the mainland in Satun — plan for a 90-minute speedboat transfer in a serious emergency. For most things, the on-island clinic is the first stop.

All information pages
Emergency Rescue 1669 Tourist Police 24 / 7 1155 Clinic Koh Lipe +66 74 750 104 Hospital Satun Hospital +66 74 711 028 Immigration Bundhaya Pier Visa on arrival Dentist Walking Street +66 95 000 0000 Dive insurance DAN Asia-Pacific Recompression Park HQ Tarutao NMP Hours 08–17
05 · Plan your trip

How to get to Koh Lipe.

There is no airport on Koh Lipe. Fly into Hat Yai, Trang, Krabi or Langkawi, then take a ferry or speedboat. Connections run during high season roughly November through April.

~24 hrsBus + Boat From Bangkok

Overnight train or flight to Hat Yai, shared van to Pakbara pier, ferry to Lipe. Easiest in a single booking.
~9 hrsSpeedboat From Phuket

A single long-run speedboat hops Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Ngai, Koh Muk and Koh Bulone before arriving.
~1.5 hrsFerry From Langkawi

The fastest entry from abroad. Immigration happens on a floating platform at Bundhaya Pier.
06 · Where to stay

Places to sleep — sorted by budget.

Pick the side of the island that suits the trip, or jump straight to the price band you're working with. Each guide lists every place we'd happily send a friend.

By budget฿฿฿฿ Luxury & resorts

Pool villas, beachfront suites and adults-only retreats. The high end of what the island has to offer.
By budget฿฿ – ฿฿฿ Bungalows & mid-range

Sea-view rooms, garden bungalows and small boutique places. The sweet spot of value on Koh Lipe.
By budget฿ Hostels & budget

Dorm beds, fan rooms and the cheapest huts on the island — clean, friendly, and within walking distance of everything.

References

  1. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (Thailand) portal.dnp.go.th
    Tarutao National Marine Park — park rules, fees, operating season.
  2. Tourism Authority of Thailand tourismthailand.org
    Official guidance on travel to Satun and the Andaman coast.
  3. ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity — Heritage Parks programme aseanbiodiversity.org
    Designation and conservation status of Tarutao.
  4. Thai Meteorological Department tmd.go.th
    Seasonal weather norms for the lower Andaman region.
  5. Hydrographic Department, Royal Thai Navy hydro.navy.mi.th
    Authoritative tide predictions for Satun waters.
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