Short answer
A Similan Islands day trip from Khao Lak is the shorter way in because the boats leave from Thap Lamu pier, about 20 km and 30 minutes by road from Khao Lak but about 105 km and 2 to 2.5 hours from Phuket. On our tour, from $105 per person, Phuket hotels are collected between about 5:30 and 7:30 am and Khao Lak hotels later. The speedboat leaves at about 9:00 am and is back at the pier at about 4:30 pm. The park fee, breakfast and lunch are included.
Why Khao Lak is the shorter way in
Every Similan day trip starts at the same place: Thap Lamu pier, south of Khao Lak. Wikipedia says access to the islands is primarily through this port. The independent guide Thai National Parks puts the pier about 20 kilometres from Khao Lak, a drive of about 30 minutes, and about 65 kilometres from the main islands. The park office and the main visitor centre are on the mainland near the pier.
From Phuket the same pier is about 105 kilometres away, a drive of 2 to 2.5 hours, according to the same guide. Wikipedia places Khao Lak about 60 kilometres north of Phuket and calls it a departure point for diving trips to the Similans. So the short way in is simple: the closer your bed is to Thap Lamu, the later your alarm.
How long is the boat ride from Thap Lamu?
Sources give different times, because boats and seas differ. Wikipedia says trips take around three hours on standard boats and approximately 70 minutes by speedboat. Pattaya Mail's report on the 2026 opening day described boat journeys of about 90 minutes from the pier. Wikivoyage's Khao Lak guide says 1 to 2 hours by speedboat. On our tour the first snorkelling stop is about an hour and a quarter from the pier, depending on the sea.
From Phuket by boat the trip is longer. Wikivoyage's Phuket guide lists speedboats from Phuket to the Similan Islands taking about three hours. Our tour does not sail from Phuket: the minibus takes you to Thap Lamu and the speedboat leaves from there. Pattaya Mail also reported that all boat passengers must wear life jackets on the way, and a life jacket is included in our price.
Pickup times from Khao Lak and from Phuket
On our tour the minibus collects Phuket guests between about 5:30 and 7:30 am, depending on the hotel, for the drive to Thap Lamu. Khao Lak hotels are collected later, and pickup in Khao Lak is included in the price. At the pier there is a light breakfast and the speedboat leaves at about 9:00 am. We confirm your exact pickup time on WhatsApp before you pay.
Khao Lak is not a single place. Wikipedia explains that tour operators use the name for a series of nearby villages, mostly in Takua Pa District, and says the beaches together stretch for some 25 kilometres. The pickup time therefore depends on which part of the coast your hotel is in, so we need the hotel name, not just "Khao Lak". The return to the pier is at about 4:30 pm. Phuket hotels are reached at about 6 to 7 pm; ask us for the Khao Lak drop-off time when you book.
Stay the night in Khao Lak or leave from Phuket?
If your holiday is in Phuket, leave from Phuket. The transfer is in the price, nothing about the tour changes and you do not need to move hotels. The cost is the early start: a pickup between about 5:30 and 7:30 am and a day of 12 to 13 hours door to door, with Phuket hotels reached at about 6 to 7 pm.
A night in Khao Lak buys a later pickup, because the pier is about 30 minutes away by road. It also costs an extra night and a change of hotel, so it makes most sense if you already plan to spend time on that coast or if the early start worries you. We do not recommend hotels. Because the beaches stretch about 25 kilometres, check where your hotel sits before you count on a 30-minute drive.
What the day includes
The price, from $105 per person, includes the round-trip hotel transfer from most areas of Phuket and Khao Lak; a speedboat with up to 35 guests and an English-speaking guide; a light breakfast, lunch and refreshments on board; mask, snorkel, fins and life jacket; the Similan Islands national park fee; and accident insurance. The independent guide Thai National Parks lists the park fee at 500 baht for foreign adults. On our tour you do not pay it.
The route has four island stops: snorkelling at Koh Bangu, Donald Duck Bay on Koh Similan with the walk to Sail Rock, snorkelling at Koh Payu and a walk or swim at Koh Miang. We leave the detail to the travel guide and the tour schedule. One condition applies to everyone: a passport copy for every guest, sent by email no later than the day before.
The park's rules that shape the day
The park sets the shape of the day. The independent guide Thai National Parks says visitors may not arrive at the islands before 8:00 am and must leave by 4:00 pm. The season runs from 15 October to 15 May, and our tour runs until 14 May. The quota, the dates and the rules are in our guide to the Similan season, so we do not repeat them here.
Weather can still change a day. If the sea is unsafe, the park or the operator cancels and the trip is moved or refunded. This is a long day on a fast boat in the open sea, so take seasickness tablets if you need them. Bring swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag; towels are not included.
Who it suits and who should skip it
The day suits people who want clear water and snorkelling and can manage an early start. Life jackets and fins are provided, and you can stay on the beach at Donald Duck Bay and Koh Miang, so a strong swimmer is not required. It is not suitable for pregnant women, infants under 1 year or guests over 70.
Skip it if the early start, the open sea or a day of 12 to 13 hours sounds like too much. A shorter day in Phang Nga Bay is the alternative, for example our James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay tour, which takes about 8.5 hours. If you are choosing between the Similans and Phi Phi, read our guide on Similan or Phi Phi.
How to book from Khao Lak
Send us the date, the name of your hotel in Khao Lak or Phuket, the number of guests and a passport copy for each guest on WhatsApp. We confirm availability, the pickup time and the total before you pay, and how and when to pay is agreed with your booking. Khao Lak pickup is included; transfers from Ao Po, Cape Panwa, Nai Harn, Nai Thon and Rawai cost 200 baht per person extra, paid in cash.
For the full price breakdown and how our price compares with a Phi Phi day, see our Similan Islands tour price guide. It covers the park fee, the one extra we list and the questions to ask when you compare other offers. That guide does not change the booking steps above: the hotel name, the guest count and the passport copies come first.
Practical checklist
- Send the name of your hotel, not just "Khao Lak", when you ask for a pickup time.
- Email a passport copy for every guest no later than the day before the tour.
- Decide whether to sleep in Khao Lak: a later pickup against an extra night and a hotel move.
- Pack swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag; towels are not included.
- Take seasickness tablets if you need them: it is a long day on a fast boat.
Questions and answers
Is it better to do the Similan Islands from Khao Lak or from Phuket?
Khao Lak is shorter: the pier is about 20 km and 30 minutes by road, against about 105 km and 2 to 2.5 hours from Phuket. On our tour both pickups are included in the price.
Where is the Similan boat pier?
Thap Lamu pier, south of Khao Lak. The independent guide Thai National Parks puts it about 20 km from Khao Lak, and our speedboat leaves from there at about 9:00 am.
How early is pickup from Khao Lak?
Later than from Phuket, where it is between about 5:30 and 7:30 am. We confirm your exact time on WhatsApp once we know your hotel.
How long is the boat ride from Khao Lak?
Sources give about 70 to 90 minutes by speedboat. On our tour the first snorkelling stop is about an hour and a quarter from Thap Lamu pier, depending on the sea.
Can I stay overnight on the Similan Islands?
No. Wikipedia says all overnight accommodation on the islands has been removed; multi-day stays are on liveaboard dive boats. For everyone else the Similans are a day trip from Khao Lak or Phuket.