The island of Koh Lipe is located in the Andaman Sea in the Satun province in southern Thailand, very close to the Malaysian island of Langkawi. In this article I talk in detail about how to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok, Phuket, other resorts in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as from Russia.

Ko Lipe how to get there

There is no airport on the island of Koh Lipe, there is no bridge leading to it (like, for example, in Malaysia 🙂), so you can only get to Koh Lipe by water:

  1. By speedboat or ferry from Pakbara Pier
  2. By boat (ferry) from Hat Yao Pier (Trang)
  3. By speedboat from Koh Lanta, with stops on the islands of Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Kradarn, Koh Bulone
  4. By speedboat from Phuket (via Lanta)
  5. By fast ferry/boat from the Malaysian island of Langkawi
Boats that take tourists to Koh Lipe
Route map to Lipe Island Water transport scheme to Lipe Island

Previously, water communication with the island was only in the high season (from mid-October to April - May), Koh Lipe was “closed” from tourists in the summer 🙂 now, of all the above methods, in the low season (summer) speedboats/boats run from Pakbara, therefore, Koh Lipe can be reached all year round.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier

Speedboats/fast boats from various companies depart from Pakbara Pier several times a day.

Approximate boat schedule for Pakbara - Koh Lipe:

  • 11:30
  • 13:30
  • 14:30
  • 15:00
  • 15:30.

Schedule may change! Even if you have purchased a ticket for certain time, this does not mean that the boat will leave exactly on schedule. We had tickets for 11:30, and we sailed later than 12:00. IN low season(June – October) boats run 1-2 times a day, usually at 9:30 and 11:30.

The travel time from Pakbara to Lipe is one and a half hours; in rough seas it can increase to 2 hours or more. Along the way, all boats stop for 15 minutes at Tarutao Island. Those interested can stay for a few days on this island; there are bungalows and tents in the national park. Or just go to the island and walk along the shore while waiting for the boat to depart.

Entrance to the island of Tarutao is paid - 200 baht, more precisely, this is the fee for visiting the Tarutao National Park, the ticket is valid for 5 days, including for visiting the island of Koh Lipe and other national islands. parks that you can visit during one of the.


On the way to Lipe, all boats stop at Tarutao Island
Those who wish can go ashore (entrance to the national park is 200 baht) and even stay on the island for several days
Near Tarutao Island
Centralized queue to board the boat at Tarutao Pier

Price

  • Ticket price for speedboat/speedboat Pakbara – Koh Lipe: 650 baht
  • Ticket price Pakbara - Koh Lipe - Pakbara - 1200 baht (return ticket with open date)
  • Pakbara – Koh Tarutao – 400 baht
  • Pakbara - Koh Tarutao - Koh Lipe - 650 baht, i.e. you can go to Koh Tarutao, live there for a couple of days and sail further using the same ticket :)

Prices are usually identical for all carriers, although sometimes there are specials. suggestions :) But the boats may differ!


Schedule and prices for boats on the route Pakbara - Tarutao - Koh Lipe and in the opposite direction
Speedboat to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier at 11:30, from Koh Lipe at 9:30
Schedule of another company that carries to Koh Lipe and Koh Bulon from Pakbara
Boat schedule and cost Pakbara - Koh Lipe

Pakbara Pier

The Pakbara pier is well equipped, with air-conditioned waiting areas, restrooms, and a shop with overpriced sundries. Entrance to the pier is paid (!) 20 baht :)


In front of the entrance to Pakbara Pier
Entrance to the pier 20 baht :)
There are a lot of people inside in the waiting room. Here you need to get tickets for the boat (if you have a complex ticket or you bought tickets in advance online) or buy tickets
At Pakbara Pier
Tourists waiting to board the boats
Boarding boats at Pakbara pier

But on Koh Lipe there is no pier; in the low season or when the sea is very rough, boats arrive at the shore at , and in the high season - at . Some speedboats (including ours) are parked near the shore, and some boats are further from the shore, and are transported to the beach on longtails for 50 baht per person.


Landing on Koh Lipe

Loading and unloading luggage is a circus: things are thrown right over the water and it seems that the suitcase is about to fall into the sea, so do not give valuables to be loaded onto the boat, but keep them with you! Luggage is packed at the stern, and in some places even on the roof of the boat, so the suitcase can arrive wet and dirty...

How to get to Pakbara Pier

Immediate big cities to the village of Pakbara:

  • Trang (not to be confused with the city of Trat, which is near)
  • Hat Yai

Both there and there there is an airport, bus stations, and in Hat Yai even railroad station! You can get to Pakbara Pier by:

  • Taxi. A car from these two cities to Pakbara Pier will cost 1800 - 2200 baht, the approximate travel time is one and a half hours
  • Minibus. There is a mini bus from Hat Yai bus station, cost 150 baht, travel time is one and a half to two hours
  • By purchasing a comprehensive ticket. For example, upon arrival at Hat Yai airport, we bought a comprehensive ticket for a minibus + boat: airport - Pakbara Pier - Koh Lipe for 900 baht per person. It’s better to buy such a ticket in advance on this website, firstly it will be cheaper (~ 700 baht), and secondly you won’t have to wait long at the airport until tourists from other flights arrive.

The same complex ticket (mini bus + boat) can be bought at the Hat Yai railway station, at the bus station, at any travel agency and hotel.


Taxi counter at Hat Yai airport
Travel agency at the airport where you can buy a comprehensive ticket to Koh Lipe and other islands
Boat Schedule

Important: to get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to get to Hai Yat until 13:00, or better before! I would not count 100% on a boat that is scheduled at 15:30... You can spend the night in the city of Hat Yai, there are many inexpensive hotels there.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Trang

If you fly to Trang, the closest pier to the city is Trang Hat Yao Pier, from which Tiger Line Ferry boats depart daily at 13:00 during high season. Travel time is 2 hours. You can buy tickets on the carrier's website.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok

To get to Koh Lipe from you must first get to one of the cities listed above: Trang or Hat Yai, then go to Pakbara Pier and buy a boat ticket to Koh Lipe. How to do this is described above in the article. And you can get to Trang or Hat Yai from Bangkok like this:

1. By plane from Bangkok: choose the best flight option that suits your time and cost to Hat Yai or Trang.

2. By bus. Buses Bangkok - Hat Yai depart from the southern bus terminal in Bangkok (Sai ​​Tai Mai or Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal). Buses run quite frequently from 6 am to 8 pm, travel time is 13-14 hours.

The cost depends on the carrier and bus class: from 700 to 1000 baht.

3. By train Bangkok – Hat Yai. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok. Travel time is 13-17 hours (+ trains in Thailand tend to be late!). To get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to take trains that depart from Bangkok at 15:10 or 15:30.

Cost from 300 baht (in third class carriages), we usually take tickets to second class with air conditioning, cost from 850 baht.

You can view the train schedule for Thailand on the website of the Thai Railways, and buy tickets at the railway station.


Train timetable Bangkok - Hat Yai

4. By purchasing a complex ticket plane + minibus + boat

One of the most convenient ways to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok is to buy a package ticket from Air Asia or Nok Air. The ticket includes flight Bangkok - Hat Yai, minibus travel to Pakbara Pier and boat/ferry to Koh Lipe. Flights are only in the morning.


Comprehensive ticket Bangkok - Koh Lipe from AirAsia

Important: do not forget that the planes of these low-cost companies fly from Don Mueang airport, and all flights are from Russia, Ukraine, etc. arrive in Suvarnabhumi airport. Read about how to get between airports and how much time to allow for transfers.

Phuket Koh Lipe how to get there

Option 1: by sea

IN high season You can get from Phuket to Koh Lipe by sea. Transportation is carried out by:

1. Tiger Line Ferry Company on quite large yellow boats (boats). Departure from Rassada Pier in Phuket (from the same place where ferries depart to) at 9:00, scheduled arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:00, i.e. 4 hours of travel (in fact, boats take much longer!). Along the way, change boats on Lanta Island. Cost Phuket - Koh Lipe ~ 2100 baht. Tickets can be purchased in advance on their website: tigerlinetravel.com


Yellow big boats from Tiger Line Ferry
Timetables and prices for Tiger Line Ferry tickets from Koh Lipe to other islands and to the mainland

2. Satun Pakbara Speed ​​Boat Company whose boats go along the route Phuket - Phi Phi - Lanta - Ngai - Muk - Kradan - Bulon - Lipe. Transportation by speedboat. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3400 baht (cheaper if purchased through the website!). You can find out the schedule and buy tickets on their website: spcthailand.com


Boat schedule Phuket - Lipe and Lipe - Phuket (via Koh Lanta)

3. Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat Company. From Phuket (Rassada Pier) via Lanta to Koh Lipe. Carries on small speedboats. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Lanta at 10:30, departure from Lanta at 10:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3900 baht. You can buy tickets on their website: bundhayaspeedboat.com


Routes and schedules of speedboats from the carrier Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat

You can also search for all the tickets listed above (maybe cheaper!).

We got to Koh Lipe just in time. I thought for a very long time about how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. I decided to choose sea ​​route🙂 I rejected speedboats right away (after all, I couldn’t stand 4-5 hours in such a high-speed boat, even an hour and a half was enough for me during the time 🙂), I wanted to sail on the Tiger Line Ferry, for some reason I imagined such a big ferry, just like or like us :)

But, after reading the reviews, I realized that it was better to choose another option on how to get to the island of Koh Lipe from Phuket :) In the reviews, people complained about the old boat and frequent long delays, they wrote that the boat takes not 4 hours, as stated, but almost twice as long longer! After reading the reviews, I decided to choose another way to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket, namely the more standard route through Hat Yai and Pakbara.

Option 2: via Hat Yai and Pakbara

By bus

You can travel from Phuket to Hat Yat by bus. Buses run from 6 am to 21:45, travel time is about 8 hours, cost from 300 to 600 baht depending on the class of the bus. Tickets can be purchased at the bus station in Phuket Town or on the website.

The best way to travel is by night bus VIP 24, which departs at 21:45 and arrives in Hat Yai around 6 am. Then transfer to the pier and on the first boat at 9:30 to Koh Lipe. Then you will be on the island around 11:00 – 11:30 and still have the whole day ahead!

By plane

There is a direct flight from Phuket to Hat Yai with Bangkok Air. Departure at 7:25, arrival at 8:30. Just recently there was an evening flight at 19:25, but on this moment I don't see it on the schedule. The cost is about 1700 baht, luggage and even breakfast on board are included :) Check the cost and buy tickets Phuket - Hat Yai >>

We chose this option on how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. Everything went smoothly: at 5:30 in the morning we ordered a taxi to our condo, at 6:15 we were already at Phuket airport, checked in our luggage, drank coffee in a coffee shop, boarded a small plane, had breakfast :) We arrived in Hat Yai even before the time indicated in schedule.


A small Bangkok Air propeller plane on the route Phuket - Hat Yai
Breakfast on the plane

I wanted to buy tickets for the transfer airport - pier - Koh Lipe in advance online on the website (it was cheaper this way), but while I was wondering whether we would be in time for the minibus, which leaves at 9 am (we would have time, even with a large reserve), the sale of tickets stopped (tickets can be purchased online no later than three days in advance). Therefore, at the airport we found a travel agency, where we bought a combined mini-bass + speedboat ticket. But we had to wait for more than an hour for passengers from other flights.

We were at the Pakbara pier at 11:15, where the purchased tickets must be exchanged for numbers, which are used to board the boat (numbers are very convenient - there is no queue). We set sail at 12:00 instead of the promised 11:30, and arrived in Koh Lipe at 14:00 - due to the storm and rain that began along the way, the boat sailed more slowly and arrived at Sunrise Beach, and not at the opposite beach. It was even more convenient for us: our hotel was literally a few steps from the boat’s arrival point :)


Hurray, it’s our turn to load into the boat :)
In the boat waiting to depart for Koh Lipe

Lipe Island how to get from Krabi

From Krabi you can get to Koh Lipe via Hat Yai. There are no direct flights from Krabi to Hat Yai, and flying through Bangkok, in my opinion, is not advisable, so you can get there by bus, minibus or taxi. The distance to the pier is only about 300 km.

Tickets for a minibus to Hat Yai will cost 350 - 400 baht, a comprehensive ticket for Ao Nang (Krabi) - Koh Lipe - 1000 - 1200 baht. You can buy it at any travel agency or hotel.

Lipe Island how to get from Koh Samui or Koh Phangan

To get to Koh Lipe from / / you need to follow the path described above: first you need to get to Hat Yai, then to Pakbara, and then by boat to Lipe 🙂 The path is not short... Read about how to get to Hat Yai from Samui in

You can also buy a complex ticket Samui/Phangan/Tao - Koh Lipe:


Schedule and cost of transfer from the Gulf of Thailand islands to Koh Lipe
Transfer schedule from Koh Lipe to the Gulf of Thailand islands

Langkawi Koh Lipe how to get there

Despite the fact that Lipe is a Thai island, it is separated from the Malaysian island by only 30 km, and in clear weather it is clearly visible from observation deck sky bridge in Langkawi :)

Direct route Langkawi - Lipe

During the high season, boats operate on the Langkawi-Lipe and Lipe-Langkawi routes. On the island of Koh Lipe there are even immigration offices where passport control.


Immigration office on Koh Lipe in the center of Pattaya Beach

Boats from Langkawi arrive at Pattaya Beach on Lipe (read about all the beaches of Koh Lipe). They depart from two piers to Langkawi:

  • from Kauh Jetty Pier (in the capital of Kuah island, near the city's eagle symbol)
  • from Telaga Harbor Pier, which is located next to Oriental Village Park

We sailed in the opposite direction (i.e. from Lipe to Langkawi) and I specifically chose a carrier whose boats arrive at Telaga pier, because... First of all, in Langkawi I planned to check into the Geopark Hotel, visit the Oriental Village, Sky bridge and the neighboring waterfall, which are located a few minutes drive from this pier.

Carrier companies on the route Langkawi - Lipe - Langkawi

Additional Information


Schedule and cost of land transfer from Pakbara Pier and Hat Yai Boat schedule from Lipe Island
Boat and transfer schedule from Koh Lipe
Boat schedule from Lipe Island

Koh Lipe Island is part of the Adang Ravi archipelago, located in the Andaman Sea at a distance of 70 kilometers west of the coast of Satun province (borders Malaysia in the south). On the map its name can be indicated differently: Koh Lipe, Ko Lipe or Ko Lipey. Directly next to it is the island of Ko Adang, and Ko Tarutao, after which the Marine National Park is named, is located thirty-seven kilometers to the southeast. The island of Langkawi is forty kilometers to the east - but this is already Malaysian territory.

The island of Koh Lipe in Thailand, despite its small area (about two square kilometers), is truly a piece of paradise on the edge of Thailand. And just over 700 people live on it, all of them come from Malaysia and are members of one tribe, Chao Lei, which is often called sea gypsies.

Koh Lipe island in Thailand practically unknown Russian tourist, and those who have visited there note the unusually clear sea and magnificent white sand beaches. This piece of sushi will be boring for those who love crowded parties and extreme entertainment. Daytime relaxation on the shore gives way to quiet gatherings in one of the many bars. By midnight, life on the island comes to a complete standstill. Adding to its attractiveness are the many uninhabited islands nearby, where you can spend the whole day in solitude - fishing, snorkeling, etc.

Despite the Andaman Sea teeming with life around you, you won’t find much variety in seafood dishes. But everything on the plates is guaranteed fresh. Moreover, at very affordable prices. If you are not tempted by a permanent fish day, you can go to a restaurant, and there are many of them, where they serve familiar European dishes. In general, the cost of a check in a restaurant is the same as at.

If you want to see something in Thailand that is not yet too trampled by tourists, you should hurry up and visit this island. Behind last years the pressure of civilization intensified. For example, electricity is provided 24 hours a day, there is even internet (though the speed is not so great). Bungalows on the shore are replaced by pretty decent hotels.

Beaches

Famous for its beaches. It has four sections of coastline - Karma Beach, Sunrise Beach, Sunset Beach and Pattaya Beach. For those who are unpretentious and seeking privacy, we can recommend Bila Beach and Sanom Beach. There are even wilder and smaller ones. All sections of the coast are connected by paths and it won’t be difficult to get around them in a few hours. You can stop wherever you like.

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach on Koh Lipe (also known as Hat Pramong) is the smallest beach compared to the two main ones - Sunrise and Pattaya. It is located in a secluded lagoon with large boulders sticking out of the sand and water. This place offers stunning sunsets that draw a crowd of onlookers.


Vacationers come here to relax and get away from the busy places on the island. The journey from Walking Street to Sunset Beach takes no more than 10 minutes. Near it you can find several restaurants and bars, so you won’t have to go far to satisfy your hunger.

Sunrise Beach

Sunrise Beach on Koh Lipe (also known as Hat Chao Ley Beach due to its proximity to the Chao Ley native village) has the longest coastline and a wonderful view of the nearby mountainous island of Koh Adang.


Despite the fact that Sunrise Beach is less visited than Pattaya Beach, it constantly attracts tourists who love diving at shallow depths. This beach is probably the best place for this type of activity. The large abundance of representatives of the underwater world swimming in this area will undoubtedly amaze vacationers.

Tourists visit it primarily to admire the beautiful sunrise (translated into Russian this beach is called “Sunrise”) and enjoy the cool breeze on hot days.

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach is called the “postcard of Koh Lipe” because of its beauty. This is the main beach of the island with 1.5 kilometers of absolutely white sand with turquoise water. In addition, this beach is crossed by Walking Street, which attracts tourists from all over the island.


Some tourists visit Pattaya Beach in order to taste the menu in dozens of restaurants, bars and cafes, others - to play volleyball, Frisbee, go kayaking, get a massage or spa treatment in one of the salons, or just take a nap in a hammock under the palm trees. .


In the evening, fishermen from Chao Lei village come here to catch crabs. This time is considered very interesting for visiting the beach.

Entertainment

The island of Koh Lipe in Southern Thailand is quiet and patriarchal. For entertainment, you will be offered fishing, diving and snorkeling, as well as excursions to the islands, of which Morskoe national park There are countless Tarutao - from uninhabited rocks to relatively large and well-inhabited ones.

In the evening, you can choose one of the many restaurants, focusing on your taste preferences (European or), level of service and prices. Most of them are located on Walking Street - a street stretching across the entire island from Pattaya Beach to Sunrise Beach (not to be confused with).

Climate

Koh Lipe is the closest to the equator in Thailand. Therefore, there is a pronounced tropical climate, in which there are only two seasons - rainy , from late April to November; and dry - the rest of the year. Best weather and the largest number of tourists stay on the island from December to January.

If you don't mind the occasional rain and want relative peace, go to Koh Lipe at the end or beginning of the high season - these are October and November, as well as February and March.

From April to September the most risky period: there is a storm at sea, and the rains are prolonged. However, miracles also happen when there is not a cloud in the sky for a whole week.

Hotels

Hotels on Koh Lipe island in Thailand very diverse in terms of comfort and price. You can find a very cheap guesthouse with only air conditioning or stay in a room with all imaginable European amenities. It is worth noting that during the low season most hotels are closed and the choice is significantly limited. The minimum price per night is 500 baht. A decent room at the beginning and end of the high season is from 1.5 to 2 thousand baht. At the peak of the tourist rush, prices soar – they are twice as high. However, due to the growing popularity of the island, you should take care of booking a hotel on websites or one and a half or two months in advance. Otherwise, you risk being left on the street.

How to get there

The answer to the question about how to get to Koh Lipe island in Thailand, is both complex and simple. not there, they come from the mainland. In (late April to November) the only departure point is Pak Bara pier. In other months you can get there from Langkawi Island (there is an airport), the Pier near Trang or from Phuket, visiting all the islands starting from Phi Phi. Airports are located in the cities of Trang and Hat Yai, the latter is more comfortable. For those who are not in a particular hurry, the ferry departure points can be reached by either. Preference should be given to state-owned companies. With private passengers, you will most likely make more than one transfer. Try looking for tickets on a Thai public transport booking service.


Koh Lipe island on maps of Thailand

Koh Lipe on Google Maps with hotels is the best way to explore the area from above, with choice and in the location that suits you best.

Map of boat and ferry routes

As we wrote above, you can get to the island of Koh Lipe exclusively by water transport, the route map of which is presented below. As you can see, ferries go all the way from Phuket itself, making stops in many provinces and islands.


Map with beaches and hotels

Koh Lipe is so small that you can't go there public transport, you can get from one point of the island to another in just a couple or three hours. There are more than enough hotels that compete with each other. The cheapest hotels are on Walking Street.

Walking Street Map

The island of Koh Lipe has acquired a pedestrian street, Walking Street, which houses drinking establishments, hotels and other entertainment. Well, why not - the one in? The only thing missing is sex entertainment (but it’s quite possible we’ve already reached this island).


There are many beautiful places in Thailand that are worth visiting at least once. Therefore, the question often arises of where exactly to go. Should you give preference to the islands in the south of Thailand or go to the waterfalls of the north? Surely, most people, having heard about the island of Ko Lipe, first of all asked the question “why go to Ko Lipe?” What is so attractive, interesting and beautiful about this tropical island Thailand?

Koh Lipe is not as crowded as Phi Phi. Lipa has much better infrastructure and is much easier to get to than the Similan Islands. Lipe is much more compact than Samui. If we talk about the size of Koh Lipe, then it is only 3 km long (half of these 3 km is an uninhabited mountain), the distance between the beaches is a maximum of 1 km. You can take a leisurely walk and walk from one beach to another in 15 - 20 minutes. For those who do not like to walk, there are motorcycle taxis (moped with sidecar) in Lipa.

Lipe Island is a kind of rising star of tourism in Thailand, which is only gaining popularity. You can rarely hear Russian speech on the island. The island of Koh Lipe is popular place holidays for residents of Thailand and their neighbors from Malaysia. Therefore, on weekends and holidays The number of vacationers on the island is significantly increasing. Why do these tourists go to Koh Lipe when there are so many alternatives in Thailand?

1 | Incredibly beautiful seascapes

The beauty begins already on the way to Koh Lipe; there is a lot you can do from board a speedboat or ferry beautiful photos and enjoy the endless sea with islands rising out of the water here and there.


Seascape (photographed from a speedboat on Koh Lipe)

2 | Rich underwater world

A variety of fish, corals, strange Marine life, which anyone can see (even those who can’t swim). No need to wear diving equipment to see the underwater beauty of the national marine park Tarutao (which includes the island of Koh Lipe) - just a mask with a snorkel is enough, which, if necessary, can be rented at the hotel or in travel agency. To the most interesting and beautiful points You can get there by purchasing a group excursion or ordering an individual tour.

Prices for excursions start from 650 baht (~$20) per person.

The most popular excursions on Koh Lipe:

  • sunset tour of the most beautiful places with snorkeling and a picnic on the beach,
  • morning tour with lunch on the beach and snorkeling in the most beautiful places,
  • tour with 2 scuba dives (experience not required),
  • a walk through the jungle of Ko Adang island with a visit to the observation deck and snorkeling.
Sea stars Clownfish and anemone

A short video clip (2 minutes), which contains sunsets, beaches, underwater beauties of Koh Lipe and neighboring islands:


Video clip from Koh Lipe and excursions to neighboring islands

3 | Snow-white fine sand and turquoise water of the beaches of Koh Lipe

Despite a number of shortcomings (which I will discuss later), the beaches of Koh Lipe delight with their natural beauty. First of all, we are talking about the snow-white and fine, like powdered sugar, sand on Pattaya beach. Please do not confuse it with the resort of the same name in Thailand, which is located near Bangkok, which is much north of Koh Lipe.


Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe is famous for its white sand

Good hotels for a holiday on Pattaya beach:

  • The Breeze Lipe Resort 3* (you can book the hotel on booking.com or agoda.com),
  • Bunbhaya Villas 4* (you can book the hotel on booking.com or agoda.com).

Sunrise beach is no less beautiful, especially Northern part:


Northern part of Sunrise beach

Good hotels to stay on Sunrise beach:

  • Salisa Resort 3* (you can book the hotel on booking.com or agoda.com),
  • Idyllic Concept Resort 4* (you can book the hotel on booking.com or agoda.com).

4 | Sunrises and sunsets within walking distance

In the morning you can meet the beginning of the day on one side of the island, and in the evening take a walk to the sunset point on the other side. Few islands can boast a beach where you can watch both sunrise and sunset. Ko Lipe can. This is Sunrise beach. Although it is customary to watch the sunset on the corresponding “sunset beach” - Sunset beach.


Sunset on Sunset beach

5 | Beach bars where the sea laps at your feet

Relaxing with a glass of your favorite cocktail or juice on the beach, in a comfortable sun lounger, enjoying the seascape and gentle waves at your feet - this is truly a heavenly holiday.


Beach bar on Sunrise beach

6 | Lunch or dinner in a restaurant with a gorgeous view of the sea and neighboring islands

In good weather, the Langkawi Islands belonging to Malaysia are visible from Koh Lipe. The most beautiful view of the sea opens from the restaurant on the cliff at the southern edge of Sunrise beach, at the Serendipity Resort hotel. The restaurant is open from 12 noon to 9:30 pm, drinks are served from 10:00 to 22:00 (the prices are not high, the food is delicious). If you want to wake up in a room with beautiful view by the sea, it's worth staying at Hotel Serendipity Beach Resort (you can book the hotel on booking.com or agoda.com).


Restaurant overlooking the sea and neighboring islands

7 | Wide range of seafood in restaurants

In the evening, feasting begins on the main street of the island, Walking street. Restaurants display trays of seafood, light barbecues and lure hungry tourists with the alluring smells of cooking food. There are so many temptations around that it’s not a sin to arrange a real belly celebration. In addition to the classic restaurant options, where you can choose a specific dish from the menu, on Walking street there are seafood buffets, where for a certain amount you can try everything that is in the establishment’s assortment (the price for such a buffet is from 490 baht ~ $15 per person).


Assortment of seafood in one of the restaurants on Koh Lipe

Disadvantages of Koh Lipe and what you should be prepared for

Holiday disappointments await those who are not aware of the shortcomings of the place where they are going. The island of Koh Lipe is rapidly gaining popularity and many disadvantages are associated with the growing tourist flow:

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  • too much garbage with which local authorities they don’t have time to fight;
  • a large number of boats, which are designed to satisfy the needs of tourists, filled the beaches (especially Sunrise and Pattaya beaches),
  • there are many quite large dogs that make a good living on restaurant waste (they can be annoying and unceremonious),
  • prices on Koh Lipe are higher than in other places in Thailand (even in the 7 Eleven store chain prices for all goods are 1.5 - 2 times higher),
  • The service in many hotels is lower than expected (due to the lack of experienced and qualified staff) and choosing a hotel on Koh Lipe should be approached with special care.

The natural disadvantage of the island of Koh Lipe is the pronounced ebb and flow of the tides. At high tide, most of the sandy edge of the beaches is under water and there is no place to sunbathe, and at low tide it becomes so shallow that it is impossible to swim. The only place on the island, where you can sunbathe and swim almost at any time - the northern part of Sunrise beach.

This one can be called one of the most beautiful. This article will tell you about one amazing corner of the Earth. This place is the island of Koh Lipe (Thailand). Sights, recreational features and reviews will be presented below in this article.

The presented island is developing quite quickly, due to the desire to meet the demands 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 reduction 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, pristine form.

Ko Lipe (Thailand): general information

This is a small island of the Adang Ravi archipelago, located in the Adaman Sea. Koh Lipe is located in Setun Province, 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 Tajutao (sea 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 Lay" and "Urak Lawoi".

Thailand is a great place for tourists to relax. Lipe is one of the most beautiful places. It is located approximately 50 kilometers from Koh 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 “L” was inhabited by those same sea gypsies (there are about 500 of them). They live in small villages, mainly in the east, near 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 among tourists. Small island, shaped like a triangle, is located 2 kilometers from the island. Ko Adang. The bulk of the local residents were resettled here between the wars from the island of Koh Lanta. The reason for the action was to preserve Thai territory from the invasion of the British who colonized Malaysia.

Koh Lipe, like its neighboring islands, also has excellent diving and snorkeling spots.

There are many diving centers and shops on the island that offer diving equipment for rent. necessary equipment for snorkeling (swimming with mask and fins). Interesting boat excursions on the sea are also organized here.

The water on Koh Lipe is amazingly clear and calm, making it ideal for snorkeling. Live in sea ​​waters this site contains a total of 25% of the world's tropical fish species. In coral reefs at great depths you can find fish of the largest species. Koh Lipe is beautiful and convenient for relaxation in all respects.

Reviews, advantages

There are a huge number of guest houses and hotels on the island for tourists, and almost all of them are located on the coast, especially in the eastern part of the island. These are four-star hotels and 3-star hotels. There are also more modest establishments. Below are the best, according to tourist reviews, hotels in Koh Lipe (Thailand). The reviews and impressions about holidays there are the most wonderful.

1. Sawan Resort 2* It is considered one of the most convenient and pleasant options for relaxation. We offer accommodation here in one of 5 villas, comfortably located on the northern coast of the island. It is located away from the noisier 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 holiday option. It represents 15 bungalows, built of wood, in the jungle, near a beach with snow-white clean sand. This place is also relatively calm and not heavily built up. The only small negative is the small beach, which gets crowded 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 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 is not like the usual other temples in Thailand - with luxurious roofs and impressive staircases with fairy-tale dragons. It looks like a shack with a couple of statues and multi-colored ribbons. In the center of the establishment stands big statue Golden Buddha. Local residents of Koh Lipe (Thailand) come to her to pray every day.

There are several monks living 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 incredibly strong energy. Being here, people receive peace and tranquility. Besides everything, centuries-old tradition here is that the monks from the temple go to alms in the morning. This exciting event can be seen every morning on the main promenade of the island at 7 o'clock.

How to get there?

There are always many people who want to go on holiday to Koh Lipe (Thailand). How to get there?

The closest airports are in Trang and Hat Yai districts. Both of them 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 Russians have to get on vacation with transfers, possibly two. Some flights include transfer and ferry to Koh Lipe (but this is only from Hat Yai). Otherwise, you can book 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. Two trains arrive daily from Bangkok. A train from Malaysia also arrives in Hat Yai.

On your own

Many travelers travel to Koh Lipe (Thailand) themselves. How to get there on your own? Once you arrive in Thailand, the simplest and easiest way to get to the island is through Pakbar Pier (twice daily). A songthaew runs hourly from Satun to Pak Bara ( public bus), which goes to final stop 50 minutes. It is also possible to get to Ferryboat, a ticket for which costs 100 baht less, but the journey takes 1.5 hours longer.

Many travelers use combination tickets: minibus plus ferry from Trang, Krabi or Hat Yai to Koh Lipe. And you can get to these places from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand by bus.

A little about the western part of the island

Many of the trees growing in eastern Koh Lipe have been uprooted in recent years. Their place was taken by modern concrete structures. But there is also a western part of this island that remains practically untouched by people. You can use it wild beaches and the jungle for those who like to retire from the hustle and bustle and merge with magnificent nature.

Here you can wander among the trees and clusters of dark gray boulders scattered along the slope. Climbing them, you can admire the amazing pure natural nature.

Conclusion

Koh Lipe (Thailand) is a unique combination of beauty with a special atmosphere with almost no untouched nature. This is one of the beautiful heavenly places in Thailand.

It is noteworthy that you can still find wild deserted beaches and places with amazing views and a great atmosphere.

However, how long will this last? A few more years and the last pristine areas of paradise will be built up with piers, hotels, bars and other buildings... So now we need to take advantage of the moment. After all, there are not many such places in the world.

Koh Lipe, Thailand reviews independent travel, how to get there, weather, accommodation, beaches

Date of trip: January 2015

Ko Lipe - how to get there?

Koh Lipe is a small Thai island located on the border with Malaysia. That is why a trip to the island of Langkawi is often combined with a holiday in Koh Lipe. There is no airport on the island, you can only get there by water transport. There is a ferry from Langkawi and back, the journey time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased in advance on this website www.bundhayaspeedboat.com.

Departure to Langkawi comes from the capital of the island - the city of Kuah, the port is called Jetty and is located in the city center behind the main attraction - the eagle statue. At the port you go through passport control and your passport is stamped with a stamp indicating you are leaving the country. Upon arrival in Koh Lipe, you will also go through passport control, so be careful, if you are a citizen of a country that requires a visa to Thailand (including a visa on arrival), you will need to apply for it in advance; visas are not issued on Koh Lipe. You will have to sail to Satun, apply for a visa there, after which you can enter the territory of Thailand. The only problem is that there is no connection between Satun and Koh Lipe. Therefore, you will have to think through the route, but in any case there is no convenient route.

Accommodation on Koh Lipe

We went on New Year's holidays, peak dates, so we booked accommodation in advance. But it turned out that there were quite a lot of available housing options, apparently this was due to the economic situation and a large number of cancellations. Therefore, I can’t say for sure whether it’s worth the risk and going to Koh Lipe without a hotel reservation.

In general, there are quite a lot of accommodation options, despite the small size of the island. Price category - from cheap housing to luxurious expensive hotels.

If you want a quiet and relaxing holiday, choose a hotel further from main street— Walking Street, where all the cafes and bars with music and crowds of vacationers are concentrated. The quietest place on the island is near Sunset Beach.

We lived in exotic bungalows - with a thatched roof, a jungle on the hotel grounds and crazy birdsong every sunrise.

Weather in Koh Lipe in January

January is one of best months for a holiday on the island. The air temperature is very comfortable, +30 during the day, +22 at night. Rains are rare and mostly short-lived. And the bad weather on Koh Lipe looks very fascinating!

Beaches on Koh Lipe

There are a total of 3 beaches on the island. Beach Pattaya Beach is a port. Tourists arrive here and this is also the departure point. Therefore, there are always a large number of boats on this beach. If you like swimming among boats, this beach might be for you. Although you can find more secluded corners if you step aside.

Sunrise Beach- the largest in length. The beach is beautiful, the water is clear, but before lunch the water goes away, it’s too shallow for swimming, the tide is high in the afternoon. There is not enough shade on the beach; there is nowhere to hide from the scorching sun.

Sunrise Beach

Sunrise Beach

Sunrise Beach

There is a hotel on the right side of the beach; if you walk through its territory, you can get into a small beautiful bay.

Cove at Sunrise Beach

Cove at Sunrise Beach

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach is the most secluded beach; it is also good because here you can hide from the sun in the shade of trees and go snorkeling.

You can rent snorkel masks right on the beach (on the left side). The corals are mostly dead, but not much fish can be seen. A little further from the coast sea ​​urchins, you need to be careful.

Sunset Beach

Island hopping around Koh Lipe

Here, where they provide snorkeling masks, they offer a one-day trip around Koh Lipe, which includes snorkeling and fishing. Duration from 9 am to 16 pm. Snorkeling is really worth it. For lovers of the underwater world, it's worth a trip. But you don’t need to count on fishing, the only equipment you have is fishing line, and of course, it all depends on luck. We caught 8 small fish and they grilled them for us in the evening. You will also visit Monkey Island with a beautiful beach.

The island of Koh Lipe is amazing; it combines the opportunity for secluded relaxation and noisy parties in colorful bars. Everything about it is cute, if not for one BUT. The only negative impression of the island is beautiful beaches bordered by dirty construction sites, garbage dumps and destroyed buildings that have not been restored for 10 years after the tsunami in 2004. Locals They are not particularly clean and are in no hurry to remove garbage from the island, which, unfortunately, entails many negative consequences. Perhaps now there is still a little time to see all the beauty of the nature surrounding the island, but in 5-10 years this place will no longer be possible for a tourist holiday.