Laem Thong Beach

Laem Thong is reachable only by boat — there are no roads and no vehicles on this part of the island. From Ton Sai Bay on Phi Phi Don, longtail or speedboat transfers take around 45 minutes and run daily; ferries from Krabi Town and from Phuket each take roughly 90 minutes and also operate daily. Guests staying at the resorts arrive directly at private resort jetties, stepping straight onto the sand. There is no parking of any kind — plan your journey around boat schedules.

Snorkelling directly off the beach is the main draw — the turquoise water is clear and the seabed offers enough to keep you busy for an hour or two. A short 0.5 km boat or fin-swim away, Ao Tong Bay is an undeveloped adjacent bay with a coral bommie and zero commercial infrastructure, ideal if you want reef without the resort backdrop. Ao Lo Bay, about 1 km out, is a sheltered northwest-facing bay with a small coral reef accessible by fin-swimming. For a different perspective at the end of the day, the Private Sunset Viewpoint is 0.7 km from the beach.

A cluster of small restaurants sits within 0.1 km of the beach — Sawasdee, Male Seafood, Jasmin, and Benjarung cover Thai and seafood options, while La Casetta Della Casa brings Italian and pizza to the lineup. Options are limited compared to Ton Sai Bay, so if you're day-tripping rather than staying at a resort, it's worth eating before you arrive or packing snacks for the boat ride back.

The OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort and P.P. Erawan Palms Dive Resort are the closest options, both within 0.2 km of the waterline and oriented toward the beach. Phi Phi Natural Resort sits 0.4 km away for a slightly quieter setting, while Phu Chalet Resort is 1.8 km out if you want more distance from the resort cluster. Book well ahead for the November-to-April high season — availability tightens fast.

The best light hits the white sand and turquoise water in the early morning, when the beach is at its quietest and the Andaman Sea glows before the midday haze sets in — position yourself at the southern end looking north for the full sweep of the bay. At dusk, the Private Sunset Viewpoint 0.7 km away frames the horizon cleanly and is worth the short walk.

The Chao Ley village at the northern tip is a residential community, not a tourist attraction — do not photograph residents without their explicit permission, and keep your distance from homes and fishing equipment. Because access is boat-only, there is no emergency road access to the beach; if you have a serious medical condition, factor that into your planning. The southwest monsoon runs from June through September, when some resorts close and boat services reduce significantly — skip those months. Arrive early in the morning for the calmest water and the best snorkelling visibility before the afternoon breeze picks up.