Short answer
Yes, you can do a Phi Phi tour from Phuket without swimming, as long as you are comfortable on a speedboat and happy to stay in shallow water. In 2018 Thailand's Marine Department said every passenger on tour boats must wear a life jacket at all times, and our tour includes one for each guest. Swimming is banned at Maya Bay, so you miss nothing there. Our Phi Phi day is from $75 per person and lasts about 8.5 hours. Tell us on WhatsApp that someone cannot swim.
Yes, non-swimmers can go, with a life jacket and some care
The short answer is yes. After the Phuket boat accidents of 2018, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's newsroom reported that the Marine Department required all passengers and crew to wear life jackets at all times on the boat. Our Phi Phi day includes a mask, snorkel and life jacket for each guest, so a non-swimmer is not an exception on the boat: everyone wears one.
The World Health Organization says that travelling on water without appropriate safety equipment can raise the risk of drowning, which is why the jacket matters. It is not a licence to go into deep water, though. The day is a full one of about 8.5 hours, and the speedboat can be bumpy in the open sea, so be honest with yourself about whether the boat, not the water, is the hard part.
Maya Bay: nobody swims there, so you lose nothing
Maya Bay is the stop people worry about most, and it is the easiest for a non-swimmer. When the Department of National Parks reopened the bay in December 2021, it said the new Maya Bay does not allow swimming, for the safety of visitors and to protect the coral. Phuket 101 describes it as wading only, in knee-deep water, with about 30 to 45 minutes on the beach.
On our tour you reach the beach on foot from the boardwalk and take the photograph, exactly as every other guest does. The bay is closed to visitors every year from 1 August to 30 September, according to the national parks' 2026 closure list, and in those weeks the tour sees it from the boat. Our Maya Bay guide explains the rules.
Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island: the two swimming stops
The swimming on our Phi Phi day happens at Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island. Bangkok Airways' February 2026 guide describes Pileh Lagoon as about 600 metres long and sheltered by limestone cliffs of around 100 metres, with calm water that suits swimming and snorkelling. None of our sources gives the depth of the lagoon, so do not assume that you can stand; keep the life jacket on and stay close to the boat.
Bamboo Island is easier. Phuket 101 says the island is small and flat, with no restaurants or hotels, and that the water is shallow enough to wade out quite far. That makes it the stop where a non-swimmer can paddle, sit in the shallows and watch the others snorkel. Phuket 101 also warns that the beach gets crowded by midday, so the guide's timing matters more than the island.
Snorkelling in a life jacket: what it does and does not do
A life jacket keeps you at the surface, so you can float face down and watch fish in shallow water without kicking hard. Wikipedia describes the inflatable snorkelling vest as a buoyancy aid worn for safety, and notes that some commercial snorkelling organisers require one. It adds that such vests stop you diving to any depth, so a non-swimmer in a vest is a surface watcher, which is all a tour snorkel stop asks of you.
Do not snorkel alone. The World Health Organization lists swimming alone among the behaviours linked to higher drowning rates, and says the risk for children rises when they are in the water without active adult supervision. Agree a simple plan before you get in: stay within reach of a companion who swims, keep the boat or the beach in sight and get out when you tire.
If the sea worries you more than the water
Many people who cannot swim are really worried about the boat. Phuket 101 says speedboats reach Phi Phi in 45 minutes to an hour, can be rough in choppy weather, especially on the afternoon return, and suggests taking seasickness medication 30 minutes before departure. On our tour the crossing takes about an hour, depending on the sea, and the operator suggests tablets for those who need them.
Phuket 101 adds that big boats take about two hours but are far more stable, and our speedboat or big boat guide compares the two. The sea is calmer from November to April, according to Bangkok Airways, and Phuket 101 says some ferry departures are cancelled for rough seas in the monsoon from May to October. On our tour, if the sea is unsafe the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it.
Who should think twice, and who cannot join
Our speedboat is not suitable for pregnant women, infants under 1 year or guests over 70. Beyond those limits, think twice if open water frightens you, if you would not be able to stay calm on a fast boat, or if you want to swim. A non-swimmer who wants hours of free swimming is better served by a beach stay on Phi Phi Don than by a day that moves between stops.
Children who cannot swim need one adult within reach in the water at every stop, as the WHO advice above suggests. Our guide for families covers ages, fees and sun. If you are unsure, tell us the situation before you book: we confirm what the day involves before you pay, and we would rather tell you to choose a calmer day than sell a bad one.
How to plan the day if you cannot swim
Tell us on WhatsApp who cannot swim, together with your date and hotel. The day runs from about 7:00 to 8:30 am, when the minibus collects you, to a return at the marina at about 5:30 to 6 pm. It includes a buffet lunch on Phi Phi Don, refreshments, a guide and accident insurance, and the order of Bamboo Island, Monkey Beach, Viking Cave, Pileh Lagoon and Maya Bay changes with the tide and the crowds.
Bring cash for the national park fee. On our tour the operator collects 400 baht per adult and 200 per child; we give this as what the operator collects, not as an official rate, because we could not confirm a 2026 official schedule. Pack swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat and a dry bag. See the price guide for what else is extra.
Practical checklist
- Tell us on WhatsApp who cannot swim, with your date, hotel and each person's age.
- Keep the life jacket on in the water and stay where you can stand, with a swimmer beside you.
- Take a seasickness remedy 30 minutes before departure if you are prone to it.
- Check that nobody in your group is pregnant, over 70 or an infant under 1 year.
- Keep 400 baht per adult and 200 per child in cash for the park fee.
- Bring a dry bag, a towel, sunscreen and a hat.
Questions and answers
Can non-swimmers join a Phi Phi speedboat tour?
Yes. Our tour includes a mask, snorkel and life jacket for every guest, and in 2018 the Marine Department said all passengers must wear life jackets on the boat. Tell us before you book that someone cannot swim.
Do you need to swim at Maya Bay?
No. Swimming at Maya Bay has not been allowed since the bay reopened in January 2022. You walk in from the boardwalk and stand on the sand. The swimming stops are Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island.
Is Bamboo Island shallow?
Phuket 101 says the water at Bamboo Island is shallow enough to wade out quite far. Conditions change with the tide, so ask the guide where it is safe to stand before you get in.
Can you snorkel if you can't swim?
You can float at the surface in a life jacket in shallow water with a swimmer nearby. Wikipedia notes that snorkelling vests stop you diving, so you watch from the top. Never go alone.
Is a bigger boat better for someone nervous on the water?
Phuket 101 says big boats take about two hours but are far more stable than speedboats. Our tour is a speedboat, which can be bumpy in the open sea; our boat guide compares both.
Who cannot join your Phi Phi speedboat?
Pregnant women, infants under 1 year and guests over 70 cannot join. Guests with back problems should consider a bigger boat.