Ko Lipe

Boat

Ko Lipe is usually reached by speedboat from the town of Pakbara. Speedboats depart Pakbara pier at 11:30, 14:00 and 15:30, taking 90 minutes and costing 650 baht.

A ferry also runs for the same price during peak season, leaving Pakbara at 16:00 and taking four hours. Speedboats return to Pakbara from Lipe at 9:30, 12:30 and 1:30. You can potentially charter a longtail for around 4,000 baht, but this four-hour voyage in open seas is not considered altogether safe for a longtail.

Travel companies in Pakbara try to sell roundtrip or open tickets for 1,200 baht or less, but we don't advise these because finding the return boat on Lipe can be a pain.

In low season a single speedboat makes the run everyday from Pakbara to Lipe at 12:00, and from Lipe to Pakbara at 9:00. When we asked if this is weather dependent we were told the boat runs no matter what, so if it's monsoon conditions do use common sense before getting on board!

Speedboats also run daily in high season (October 20-April 30) from Langkawi in Malaysia, departing at 8:00, 9:30 and 14:30, costing 1,100 baht and taking one hour. Boats return to Langkawi from Lipe at 10:30 and 16:30.

There is no regular boat service between Langkawi and Lipe during low season.

There is also a daily ferry from Satun to Lipe that runs from November 26 to April 15. It departs Satun at 12:30 and returns from Lipe at 9:30, costing 650 baht and taking three hours.

There is no regular boat service between Satun and Lipe during low season.

From October 20 to April 30 speedboats run an island-hopping route that includes Lipe as the southernmost stop. From Ko Lipe, these boats depart at 9:00.

Ko Bulon Lae is 600 baht and takes one hour; from Ko Bulon Lae to Lipe departs at 11:00.
Ko Muk costs 1,400 baht and takes two hours; from Ko Muk to Lipe departs at 10:00.
Ko Ngai costs 1,600 baht and takes two and a half hours; from Ko Ngai to Lipe departs at 9:30.
Ko Lanta costs 1,900 baht and takes three hours; from Ko Lanta to Lipe departs at 9:00.

From Ko Lanta it's possible to connect to speedboats headed for Ko Phi Phi and Phuket.

Ko Lipe has no pier, so upon arrival you'll be dropped right on Sunrise or Pattaya beaches and will have to walk through ankle deep water, so it's best to wear flip flops.

Lipe's not a large island, but motorbike taxis are available to bring you to any resort for 50 baht. When you're ready to leaave Ko Lipe, you can get boat tickets from almost any guesthouse, or from the local tourist offices. We recommend Koh Lipe Thailand Travel Shop (aka Boi's Travel Shop) on Walking Street near Pattaya beach, which also has an excellent website on Ko Lipe info, including updated boat schedules: www.kohlipethailand.com.

Travel shops can also book boat tickets along with minibus transfers to popular destinations. Trang costs 850 baht; Krabi: 1,050 baht; Phuket: 1,250 baht; Surat Thani: 1,300 baht; Bangkok: 1,500 baht.

It's worth noting that except during peak season most of the above going rates are negotiable, so if you do some bartering with the travel companies you'll be sure to save some baht.