Short answer
Phuket has no single port. The public ferry to Phi Phi leaves from Rassada Pier by Phuket Town, Chalong Pier in the south is the base of many boat companies, and our tours use other piers: the Phi Phi speedboat leaves Royal Phuket Marina on the east coast at about 9:30, the James Bond Island tour leaves Laem Nga pier on Koh Siray at about 9:00, and the Similan boat leaves Thap Lamu pier in Khao Lak. On our tours a minibus takes you to the pier from your hotel.
Phuket has no single port: boats leave from three coasts
Visitors often ask for the pier, as if Phuket had one. It has several, each serving different boats. Wikivoyage's Phuket page lists the places from which boats and yachts can be chartered all year: Chalong Bay, Rawai Beach, the Boat Lagoon, the Yacht Haven and Royal Phuket Marina. The public ferries to the islands leave from Rassada, by Phuket Town, and our own tours use piers on the east and north-east coast, and on the mainland.
That matters for two reasons. The pier decides how early your pickup is, and it decides how long the drive is. On our tours the pickup windows differ because the piers do: about 7:00 to 8:30 am for the Phi Phi speedboat that leaves at about 9:30, about 7:00 to 8:00 am for the James Bond Island tour that leaves at about 9:00, and about 5:30 to 7:30 am for the Similan boat that leaves at about 9:00 from Khao Lak.
Rassada Pier is the public ferry terminal
The ferry company Andaman Wave Master describes Rassada Pier as Phuket's main ferry terminal, a few minutes from Phuket Town and the departure point for ferries and speedboats to Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Krabi. Its timetable, read on 29 October 2026, lists ferries to Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi at 08:30 and 13:45. Wikivoyage's Phuket page says ferry services connect Rassada Port with Phi Phi and the Krabi mainland. The company's FAQ says to check in at the pier point 30 minutes before departure.
This is the pier for people who want transport, not a tour. Our guide to going from Phuket to Phi Phi compares the public ferry with a day tour, with the fares and times. Wikivoyage's Phi Phi page gives the drive from Phuket airport to Rassada as about 30 km and 45 minutes, an undated figure, so ask your hotel how long it takes from where you stay.
Royal Phuket Marina is where our Phi Phi speedboat leaves
Royal Phuket Marina is on the east coast. Its own website says it is situated centrally on the east coast of Phuket and describes itself as the most convenient getaway to Phang Nga Bay and other islands in the Andaman Sea. On our Phi Phi and Maya Bay speedboat tour, from $75 per person, the minibus collects you from your hotel between about 7:00 and 8:30 am and the speedboat leaves the marina at about 9:30 with up to 35 guests.
Light refreshments, life jackets and snorkelling gear are handed out at the marina, and the boat is back at about 5:30 to 6 pm. Wikivoyage's Phi Phi page lists small-group trips departing from the marina, and Phuket 101 says speedboat day trips often leave from Royal Phuket Marina or a pier near Phuket Town. If you book elsewhere, ask for the pier by name.
Chalong Pier serves the southern islands
Chalong Bay is where many boat companies are based. Wikivoyage calls it Phuket's principal boat anchorage and the island's largest bay, 11 km south of the town, and says most of the island's speedboat, fishing and snorkelling companies and yacht charters are located there, with day trips to Coral Island, Phi Phi and Ko Racha. Chalong Pier is on Sunrise Road.
Wikivoyage's Phi Phi page lists small-group and private charter tours departing from Chalong Pier. If your hotel is in the south, for example near Chalong or Rawai, a tour from Chalong can mean a short transfer. Our tours do not leave from Chalong, so we cannot tell you its timings, but the advice is the same: ask which pier, and whether hotel pickup is included.
Laem Nga and Ao Po: the Phang Nga Bay piers
Our James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay canoe tour leaves from Laem Nga pier on Koh Siray. Wikivoyage describes Ko Sire as an island of about 20 square kilometres off Phuket, joined to the town by a causeway. On the tour, pickup from your hotel is between about 7:00 and 8:00 am, coffee and snacks are served at the pier while you check in, and the speedboat leaves at about 9:00 for Phang Nga Bay. You are back at the pier at about 5:00 pm.
Our evening sea canoe tour uses a different pier: Ao Por Pier, on the north-east coast of Phuket. Pickup is between about 10:00 and 11:15 am, and the escort boat leaves at about 12:00 to 12:30 pm. Phang Nga Bay lies between Phuket and the mainland, according to Wikipedia, and both of these piers are on Phuket's eastern side. They are not interchangeable: if you are told Ao Po, Laem Nga or Koh Siray, check which tour it is.
Thap Lamu and the Krabi piers are on the mainland
Some of our boats do not leave from Phuket at all. The Similan Islands speedboat leaves from Thap Lamu pier in Khao Lak. Thai National Parks, an independent guide, says the pier is about 105 km and 2 to 2.5 hours from Phuket, and notes that the name is spelled in various ways, such as Tab Lamu and Tap Lamu. A minibus takes Phuket guests there, with pickup between about 5:30 and 7:30 am.
Our Krabi tours leave from Ao Nang. The 4 Islands and Hong Islands speedboats leave from a private pier, and the 7 Islands sunset longtail leaves from Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang, where Wikivoyage says longtail boats and speedboats depart for Phuket and other islands. There is no pickup from Phuket on the Krabi tours; see our Phuket to Krabi guide for how to move.
Five questions to ask before you book a boat
Ask the pier by name, ask whether hotel pickup is included, ask what time you must be at the pier, ask how many guests the boat carries, and ask what happens if the sea is unsafe. On our tours the answers are in the booking: pickup is included, the pier is named, and if the sea is unsafe the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it.
If you go to a pier yourself, allow time for traffic. The ferry company asks passengers to be at the pier point 30 minutes before departure and says boarding can close 5 to 10 minutes before. For the James Bond Island day, from $85 per person, the national park fee is included in the price, which means there is nothing extra to pay at Laem Nga. Send us your hotel and we will confirm the pickup time.
Practical checklist
- Ask which pier your tour or ferry uses, by name, before you pay.
- Check whether hotel pickup is included, and the pickup window.
- For the public ferry, arrive at Rassada Pier at least 30 minutes before departure.
- On our James Bond Island tour, be ready for pickup between about 7:00 and 8:00 am for the 9:00 departure.
- Do not mix up Ao Po, Laem Nga and Royal Phuket Marina; they serve different tours.
- Keep the pier name and the booking confirmation on your phone.
Questions and answers
Which pier does the Phi Phi ferry leave from in Phuket?
Rassada Pier by Phuket Town. One ferry company lists departures at 08:30 and 13:45 to Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi, taking about 2 hours. The Phi Phi speedboat tour from us leaves from Royal Phuket Marina instead.
Where does the James Bond Island tour leave from?
From Laem Nga pier on Koh Siray. A minibus collects you from your hotel in Phuket between about 7:00 and 8:00 am, and the speedboat leaves at about 9:00. You are back at the pier at about 5:00 pm.
Is Chalong Pier the main pier in Phuket?
Wikivoyage calls Chalong Bay Phuket's principal boat anchorage, with most of the island's speedboat, fishing and snorkelling companies. Rassada is the main ferry terminal, and our tours use other piers.
Where is Royal Phuket Marina?
On the east coast of Phuket. Its website says it is situated centrally on the east coast. Our Phi Phi speedboat leaves from there at about 9:30, with hotel pickup between about 7:00 and 8:30 am.
Do I have to go to the pier myself?
Not on our tours. A minibus or car collects you from your hotel and takes you to the pier. If you book a boat without pickup, you must get to the named pier yourself.
Which pier do the Similan Islands boats use?
Thap Lamu pier south of Khao Lak, about 105 km and 2 to 2.5 hours from Phuket according to Thai National Parks. On our tour, Phuket guests are collected between about 5:30 and 7:30 am.