Short answer
The islands near Phuket fall into three groups by travel time. Coral Island and the Khai Islands are about 15 minutes by speedboat, Racha Yai about 30 minutes, and James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay about 45 minutes. Phi Phi, 46 km south-east of Phuket, is about an hour away, and the Similan Islands are a long day: the park is open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027. Maya Bay on Phi Phi closes every year from 1 August to 30 September.
The near islands: Coral Island, Khai and Koh Bon, about 15 minutes away
Phuket 101's island guide, updated on 4 October 2026, puts Coral Island (Koh Hae) and the Khai Islands about 15 minutes by speedboat, and Koh Bon 15 minutes by longtail from Rawai. Wikivoyage says Coral Island is about 5 km offshore, and its Phuket page calls it accessible all year. The guide calls Coral Island the easiest island to visit, with two beaches: Long Beach and the busier Banana Beach.
The Khai Islands, usually reached from Boat Lagoon or Laem Hin Pier, are small, with white sand and shallow water full of fish, but the guide calls them commercial and crowded at times. It suggests Coral Island or Koh Bon as the shorter and easier trip that leaves you the rest of the afternoon back in Phuket. Our snorkelling guide has the underwater side.
Racha Yai: 30 minutes for clear water and a beach
Racha Yai lies about 8 km due south of Promthep Cape, Wikivoyage says, and Phuket 101 gives about 30 minutes by speedboat from Chalong Pier. The guide says most boats arrive at Patok Bay, with white sand and clear water, that snorkelling is easy from Siam Bay or Ter Bay, and that the island gets busy with day-trippers but is peaceful if you stay overnight.
The season matters here. Wikivoyage says Racha Yai is a tour option all year but boats cancel when seas and winds are too strong, and that Racha Noi is often inaccessible during the peak monsoon, from May to October. Phuket 101 puts a day tour at about 1,100 to 2,400 baht. Treat any price as a starting point, since agents change it with the season.
Phi Phi: the most famous day, about an hour away
Wikipedia places the Phi Phi Islands 46 kilometres south-east of Phuket, in Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, and Phuket 101 gives about an hour by speedboat. Our Phi Phi and Maya Bay speedboat tour is from $75 per person. It visits Maya Bay on foot, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave from the boat, Monkey Beach and Bamboo Island, with lunch on Phi Phi Don, in about 8.5 hours.
Check the season. Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September, and swimming there is not allowed. On our tour the national park fee is 400 baht per adult and 200 per child, paid in cash, as what the operator collects; Phuket 101 also gives 400 baht as the current foreign-visitor fee. The ride can be bumpy, and the tour is not suitable for pregnant women, infants under 1 year or guests over 70.
James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay: 45 minutes and calmer in the monsoon
Wikipedia says James Bond Island, Khao Phing Kan, lies in Phang Nga Bay about 6 km from the mainland and has been part of Ao Phang Nga National Park since 1981. Since 1998, tourist boats have been banned from approaching the 20-metre islet Ko Tapu too closely. Phuket 101 gives 45 minutes by speedboat and says foreign visitors pay 300 baht for Ao Phang Nga.
The bay is the better wet-season choice. Phuket 101 says Phang Nga Bay stays calm in the monsoon because the cliffs protect it, and that day trips run all year. Our James Bond Island and Phang Nga canoe tour is from $85 per person and adds sea canoeing at Hong Island, lunch at Koh Panyee floating village and a swim at Khai Island. Our Phi Phi or James Bond Island guide compares the two days.
The Similan Islands: the clearest water, a long day, open only part of the year
Pattaya Mail reported that the 2026–2027 Similan season runs from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027, after a closure from 16 May to 14 October. Wikipedia places the islands 70 kilometres off the coast of Phang Nga, with access mainly from Tab Lamu near Khao Lak and a daily visitor limit of 3,850. Phuket 101 gives a 2-hour drive plus a 1.5-hour boat from Phuket and a park fee of 500 baht.
Phuket 101 calls the water among the clearest in Thailand. Our Similan Islands speedboat day trip is from $105 per person, with pickup at about 5:30 to 7:30 am in Phuket. If you are choosing between the two big days, read Similan or Phi Phi, and for the season details our Similan season guide.
Which island in which month
Phuket 101 says the best time for island trips is November to April, when the sea is calm and visibility is best, and the Similans are closed from mid-May to mid-October. Other islands stay open all year, though some operators reduce schedules in the low season. It warns that the ride to Phi Phi or the Similans can be rough from May to October, while closer east-coast islands such as Koh Bon are calmer year-round.
So a rough guide is: November to April, any island, with the Similans at their best; May to October, Coral Island, Khai, Koh Bon and Phang Nga Bay, with Phi Phi still running but on a rougher sea. The World Meteorological Organization's 1991–2020 normals give September and October 18.9 and 19.4 rainy days at Phuket, so allow for weather. Our August and September Phi Phi guide covers that closure.
How to choose, and who should skip the big days
For one free afternoon, take Coral Island, Khai or Koh Bon. For a half-day with clearer water, Racha Yai. For one full day with the most to see, Phuket 101 says Phi Phi, although it is a long day. For limestone scenery and a canoe, Phang Nga Bay. For the best snorkelling, the Similans, if you travel between 15 October and 15 May and accept an early start.
The big days are not for everyone. Our Phi Phi speedboat takes children from 1 year old and is not suitable for pregnant women, infants under 1 year or guests over 70. For the other choices, our best boat tour from Phuket guide puts Phi Phi, James Bond Island and the Similans side by side, and our private or shared boat tour guide covers group size.
Practical checklist
- Choose your island by travel time: 15 minutes for Coral Island and Khai, 30 for Racha, about an hour for Phi Phi.
- Check the Similan season: open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027.
- Remember Maya Bay is closed from 1 August to 30 September.
- From May to October, favour short east-coast islands and Phang Nga Bay for a calmer sea.
- Keep cash for national park fees; they are usually extra.
- Take seasickness tablets before the boat if you need them.
Questions and answers
What are the closest islands to Phuket?
Phuket 101 gives Koh Bon (15 minutes by longtail from Rawai), Koh Maphrao, Rang Yai, and Coral Island and the Khai Islands (about 15 minutes by speedboat) as the closest.
How far is Phi Phi from Phuket?
Wikipedia gives 46 kilometres south-east of Phuket. By speedboat it takes about an hour, according to Phuket 101, and our tour's crossing is also about an hour, depending on the sea.
When are the Similan Islands open?
Pattaya Mail reported that the 2026–2027 season runs from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027. The park is closed for the monsoon for the rest of the year.
Which island is best in the rainy season?
Phuket 101 says Phang Nga Bay is calm in the monsoon, and east-coast islands such as Koh Bon are calmer year-round. The Similans are closed, and the Phi Phi ride can be rougher.
Do the islands charge a national park fee?
Often yes, and usually in cash. Phuket 101 gives foreign-visitor fees of 300 baht for Ao Phang Nga, 400 for Phi Phi and 500 for the Similans. On our Phi Phi tour the operator collects 400 baht per adult and 200 per child.