The island of Koh Lipe is truly a piece of paradise on the edge of Thailand. Ko Lipe in Thailand

Koh Lipe is a tiny island in the Andaman Sea in the very south of Thailand.
I visited it for the first time at the end of 2006.
And I realized that I had found a place for which I have only one definition - it’s paradise!
There are perhaps more beautiful places in Thailand, for example, the postcard Pi-Pi Don.

But Lipa had a unique combination of beauty, a special atmosphere, nature almost untouched by man, and what was especially pleasing was a very small number of people.

I was constantly being pulled back.
But as often happens, when something is close to you and easily achievable, you choose it last.
So, having traveled almost all of Southeast Asia over the past 5 years, I got to Lipe for the second time only this February.

We flew from Bangkok. First we watched the planes landing for a bit.

airport

and here is our plane

Then a taxi, a boat and the first thing we see when we land on the island:

Oopss, we're late, there's no more heaven...
There are now many hotels on the island, most of the beaches have turned into piers for boats and there are people, people, people everywhere.

Fortunately, it turned out that not everything is so sad! And pieces of the former paradise can still be found.

Fantastic water color.
Snow-white, fine sand.

It was my sister’s first time on the island; she didn’t suffer from comparisons with what had happened before.
So her verdict is the best place in Thailand.

Every day we had dinner at the Daya Resort restaurant, on the seashore, by candlelight.
Freshly caught fish is brought to them right before dinner. Cooked on the grill.
We ordered a grouper there - it was great!

In the mornings we went for a walk around the island, you can walk around it all in a few hours

Clear, clear water with vibrant underwater life
It's interesting to snorkel. Watching the fish.
During the week we saw several moray eels, stingrays, boxfish, schools of fish... But we saw the most interesting living creatures from the shore. Fortunately!!!

The meeting was unforgettable. We walked from the restaurant along the shore in the evening. The water was well illuminated by the lanterns of one of the hotels. At the same time, my sister and I saw some multi-meter hose swaying in the surf near the shore. As a joke (since this does not happen) they suggested that it was a snake. We managed to agree with each other that it was probably a loose cable from one of the boats. We came almost close to the shore and then the “cable” floated out into the sea with several smooth, sliding movements. Fantastic! It was a snake after all. At least 4-5 meters long.

With all my love for photography and dislike of being photographed.
A rare photo of my sister and I together.
I'm reflected in my glasses)))

Local wildlife

The island is inhabited by sea gypsies

Cheerful chorus girls sat and proudly drank their soda.
And only the girl on the far right thought that life was not fair and for some reason she didn’t get soda.
The decision took about five minutes to mature. All the fun ended in a fight with a massacre)))

Beggar. Literally begged me to eat something)

A farewell look at your favorite island

The only photo left from the day in Hat Yai. A small pleasant Thai town.
No special attractions. But the lanterns were impressive

And lastly a couple of orchids from the airport in Hat Yai

Is it worth going to the island now? For me the answer is clear. Yes!
Lipe still remains one of the best and most beautiful places in Thailand.
You can still find deserted beaches there. And in some places amazing views.
For how long? I think not. Another couple of years and the last pieces of paradise will be swallowed up by more hotels, bars and boat moorings.
So we need to seize the moment now. There are not many places like this island in the world.

Practical information.

Ko Lipe on the map:

How to get to Koh Lipe:

1. Evening train to the city of Hat Yai, then by minivan to Pakbara + boat to the island of Ko Lipe.
On the train it is better to take second class with a fan (with air conditioning - this is death from icing). Costs approximately 900 baht one way.
Minivan + boat 450-700 baht depending on the company where you buy the transfer.

2. You can also get to Hat Yai by plane. The cheapest tickets can be purchased from AirAsia.
If you buy in advance and at a promotion, you can get it almost free :)
My tickets, purchased 8 months before the flight, cost 400 baht for the flight Bangkok - Hat Yai - Bangkok.
My sister’s tickets, which were purchased about a month before departure, cost 3 thousand baht
To get to Lipe on the same day, choose the first morning flights.

From the airport by minivan to the bus station (80 baht per person). From the bastion as in the first option to Pakbara, etc.
You can get to Pakbara by taxi. Price 2-2.5 thousand baht.

Where to live in Lipa:
My choice is Mountain Resort - great beach, beautiful location.
If you want to save money, then there is Andaman Resort nearby.
You can make a reservation here.

The Adang archipelago on the border of Thailand and Malaysia is often called the “Thai Maldives” for its snow-white sand. Lipe is the only inhabited island in this archipelago. Lovers of serene bliss come here, as well as divers, since representatives of almost a quarter of species are found in the coastal waters of Ko Lipe sea ​​creatures existing in nature.

Lovers of serene bliss come here, as well as divers, since representatives of almost a quarter of the species of marine life that exist in nature are found in the coastal waters of Ko Lipe.

The island does not have its own pier; boats arriving at Koh Lipe moor at a special floating platform on which tourists transfer to small boats local residents, which in turn deliver them to the shore. This pleasure costs only 50 THB per person. The return trip from the island to the platform with boats will also cost 50 THB.

How to get to Lipe Island

It’s easier to get to the island in high season: ferry services are organized from many popular resorts in the Andaman Sea: from Lanta, Phuket, Phi Phi, etc. In the low season, boats operate only from the Pak Bara pier, which is most conveniently accessible from the town of Hat Yai.

From Bangkok

1. Most quick way- air travel. Flights to Hat Yai depart from Don Mueang Airport, which is a 40-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi, where planes fly from Russia. Then you can take a taxi to the pier in Pakbara (about 1000 THB) or buy a comprehensive ticket to Koh Lipe at the airport for the same money. Or get to bus terminal to Hat Yai (150 THB by tuk-tuk or 400 THB by taxi), where you take a bus to the pier. From Hat Yai to Pakbar it takes about 2 hours.
2. In addition, at the capital's Don Muang Airport you can immediately buy a comprehensive ticket to Ko Lipe, which includes a flight, transfer to the pier and a ferry ticket. In terms of cost, such a route is comparable to an independent one, and there are no worries about changing transport: you will be met and escorted everywhere.
3. You can also get to Hat Yai from Bangkok by train. An evening train departs from Hua Lamphong Station and arrives in Hat Yai early in the morning.
4. Another budget option is a bus. They depart to Hat Yai from the capital's southern terminal and travel all night (10-12 hours). The cost of a bus trip is comparable to a train ticket, and the bus travels several times. faster than a train, moreover, it arrives immediately at the bus station.

From the pier in Pakbara you can sail to the island either by speedboat or on the so-called ferries. They take a full hour longer (2.5 hours), but sailing on them is much more comfortable than on a speedboat, which shakes from being hit by waves (and the seats are hard and uncomfortable), and the spray often hits passengers. Ticket prices for speedboats and ferries do not differ in price.

It's also worth considering that boats only operate between the mainland and the island during the day, so it's best to arrive in Pakbara as early as possible.

Search for flights to Phuket (the nearest airport to Koh Lipe)

From the southern resorts of Thailand

In the case of Lipe, islands such as Phuket and Lanta can be called “southern” only conditionally, since they are located north of the country’s southernmost archipelago. In high season, boats run from most of these southern resorts to Ko Lipe. The ticket costs about 1000-1200 THB, it will be much cheaper (but also longer) to take a bus to the pier in Pakbara and from there swim to the island.

From Malaysia

Since the island is located on the border with Malaysia, Ko Lipe can also be reached from this country. The closest to it - just 30 km - is the Malaysian island of Langkawi, from where boats depart towards Thai Lipe. Guests from Malaysia go through border control upon arrival on the island, however, the checkpoint on Koh Lipe is only open in the high season; in the low season, you will have to cross the border on the mainland, in the Thai city of Satun, from there get to Pakbar and cross to Lipe.

Next to the Adang Archipelago is the Tarutao Island Nature Reserve. This is a fairly large island, most of which is occupied by tropical jungle. There is no tourist infrastructure or full-fledged hotels here - only small guesthouses and private bungalows that are rented out to tourists.

You can get to Tarutao in the same way as to Lipe, since boats going to it from the Pakbara pier make a stop off the coast of Tarutao. The cost of a ticket to it is about a hundred baht cheaper than to Ko Lipe.

The island of Koh Lipe is located in the south of Thailand, on the border of the territorial waters of Thailand and Malaysia.
There are several options for getting to Koh Lipe

1) Any airport in Thailand-> Hat Yai (air) -> taxi to Pakbara (1800 baht). Pakbara -> Koh Lipe by high-speed ferry or speedboat 3 times a day.

For example, from Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Hat Yai Lion Air flight at 7:45.
At 9:15 in Hat Yai. Receiving luggage.
Exit and select a transfer (group by minibus or individual by taxi) to Pakbara. Travel time 1:30.
Pakbara: buying speedboat tickets 11:30 to Koh Lipe (450 baht) + 20 baht fi pier.
Travel time to Koh Lipe is 1:30.
Disembarkation either directly onto the shore or onto a floating platform (depending on the tide).
If disembarking on the platform, then +50 baht for delivery ashore by boat at 13:00

2) Malaysia. From the island Langkawi(Langkawi), Malaysia on the ferry Langkawi - Koh Lipe ().
3) Koh Lanta. From Koh Lanta island (Krabi province) by speedboat.
4) Trang. From the pier Hat Yao Pier(Trang) by high speed ferry yellow http://www.tigerlinetravel.com/
5) Phuket. From the pier Rassada(Phuket) by high speed ferry with two stops Phi Phi and Hat Yao (Trang):

I described in detail how we got to Koh Lipe from Phuket
Transfer connection: morning (7:15) flight Phuket - Hat Yai + taxi to Pakbara + a speedboat to Koh Lipe allows you to be on Koh Lipe by lunchtime on the same day.

There are several more exotic options, but due to their exotic nature and time-consuming nature, I will not consider them here.
However, option 3 is also not interesting to describe since the transfer is on a speedboat - therefore it is very seasonal and depends on the weather (cancelled if there is a lot of bumpiness).
The most common option: a trip by speedboat or ferry (from November to May) to Koh Lipe from the pier of the village of Pakbara, Satun Province (the nearest airports are Hat Yai and Trang).

What is the village of Pakbara famous for?

It used to be a terrible hole
When I first came to Pakbara, there was not a single hotel in the fishermen's village, except for 4 rooms on the second floor of a grocery store with one toilet in the corridor for everyone. And the ship that brought tourists from Pakbara to Koh Lipe was made of wood and resembled a Spanish galleon of the 15th century (it broke down twice per voyage)

Now you won’t recognize Pakbara: a 7/11 store, ATMs, seafood restaurants (though Muslim ones with menus in Thai)
The port in Pakbar is a building made of stone and glass
It’s a pity I don’t have any photographs of the port of Pakbara-2002 at hand: on the river bank there are sandbags on which 2 boards are thrown

How to get to Pakbara

Airports closest to Pakbara:
— Trang(Trang)
— Hat Yai(Hat Yai)
Trang Airport is slightly closer to Pak Bara than Hat Yai Airport.

For example: you flew to Trang from Bangkok ()
Exit to the arrivals hall and go to the transfer counter (left side of the hall).
A taxi to Pakbara costs 2,200 baht and takes an hour and a half to travel. The price is fixed and written on the board in front of the counter.
If you have high speed ferry tickets Tigerline, then you need to take a taxi to the pier Hat Yao— it’s 50 minutes from Trang airport)

You can team up with someone and split the cost of a taxi.
You can go out onto the main road and try to find a ride or negotiate with a taxi directly.
But the fact remains: a taxi from Trang airport to Pakbara costs 2,200 baht.
Taxi ride from Trang Airport to Pakbara Pier: 1 hour 30 minutes.

Speedboat schedule from Pakbara to Koh Lipe

The schedule varies depending on the season, the weather and the number of tourists going to Koh Lipe.
In general, it is better to clarify the information on the spot.
As of August 2016, the schedule looked like this:

You can see something on the website http://kohlipethailand.com/koh-lipe/transport/boat-timetable/
Speedboats depart from Pakbara at 9:30, 11:30 and 15:30 during low season.
The best option would be to take the first speedboat at 9:30 so that you can be there (in Koh Lipe) at 11-11:30
To do this, you need to arrive in Pakbara the day before leaving for Koh Lipe.

See what flights arrive to Trang or Hat Yai at
Add 20 minutes to collect your luggage and find a taxi.
Add 1.30 for the road to Pakbara and 10 minutes for buying tickets and figure out which speedboat you have time for.

Where to stay in Pakbar

There was a simple hotel near the pier - Best House.
But in August it looked like this, although it was offered by Agoda.

.
If you want more comfort, it is better to stay in the city Langu 7 km from Pakbara.
For example, they praise Farmsuk residence and resort or Bara Resort 3 km from the pier (on the right) - not in the booking, but the houses are good.

Everything stated below is relevant for the high season, from early November to mid-April. During the low season, the number of ships traveling to Lipe Island is sharply reduced, and on some routes, such as Phuket - Lipe and Langkawi - Lipe, flights are canceled altogether.

Most tourists arrive to Lipe either from Bangkok or from the islands and tourist centers of the southern Andaman Sea closest to Lipe. It is these routes that will be described below.

From Bangkok to Koh Lipe

The closest airport to Lipa, receiving flights from Bangkok, is located near the city of Hat Yai.

Several airlines operate flights from Bangkok to Hat Yai Airport, including low-cost carriers AirAsia and Nok Air.

Ticket prices for this route vary widely, starting from 1,200 baht. This price can be obtained if you pay for the ticket several months before departure. If you buy a ticket a few days before departure, the price can significantly exceed 2000 baht.

At Hat Yai Airport you can buy a transfer (joint ticket) to Lipe Island, which includes a minibus ride to Pakbara Pier and then by speedboat to Lipe Island.

Similarly, from Bangkok you can get to Lipe Island via. Such a trip takes approximately the same time as a trip through Hat Yai Airport, but usually costs a little more.

If you prefer to travel by taxi, a trip from Hat Yai Airport to Pakbara Pier will cost you 1800 - 2000 baht, from Trang Airport - 2200 baht. All prices for taxis, minibuses and speedboats are indicated as of the beginning of 2019. Over the past 10 years, they have changed slightly, all that has happened over the years is that a minibus transfer has risen in price by 100 baht.

Note. The last ship from Pakbara pier usually leaves at 15-30. Accordingly, if you do not want to spend the night on the pier, it makes sense to arrive at Hat Yai Airport no later than 12 noon.

Cheap from Bangkok to Koh Lipe

If the cost of air tickets seems excessive to you, or there simply won’t be any tickets, because... planes fly to Hat Yai packed to capacity; you can get from Bangkok to Hat Yai either by train or by bus.

Train ticket prices, as of March 2018, started at 149 baht for a seat in a non-air-conditioned 3rd class carriage. Tickets for more comfortable 2nd and 1st class carriages cost 345 baht and 734 baht, respectively. Travel time from Bangkok to Hat Yai was 16–17 hours, trains departed during the day from central station Bangkok (Hua Lamphong Railway Station) and arrived in the city of Hat Yai in the morning. The current train schedule and prices can be found on the official website of Thai Railways; tickets can be purchased directly at the station.

Bus tickets from Bangkok to Hat Yai, as of March 2018, start from 643 baht for a second class bus seat. A ticket for a more spacious and comfortable first class bus cost, at the same time, exactly 1000 baht, transportation was carried out by a state transport company. She performed 13 flights per day, buses departed from (Southern Bus Terminal, another name is Sai Tai), the departure time of all buses was in the range of 16-30 - 19-30, buses arrived in Hat Yai the next morning, spending 14 hours on the road.

From the islands of southern Thailand to Lipe Island

During the high season, the route - - - - - - is served by ships and speedboats from several carriers, including Tigerline Travel, Bundhaya Speedboat, Satun Pakbara Speedboat and Andaman Inter Line (no website).

Ticket prices for all carriers are approximately the same, and, as of the beginning of 2019, prices for transfers from neighboring islands were as follows:

From the islands of southern Thailand to Lipe Island cheaply

If you go from the islands of Phuket and Lanta to Lipe not by a short road (by sea), but by land, along the shore of the Andaman Sea to the Pakbara pier and only from there by sea to the island of Lipe, then you can save more than 2 thousand baht and 800 baht, respectively.

Such transfers, by minibus to Pakbara Pier, can be easily purchased both in Phuket and Lanta; their cost can be found here:.

From Langkawi to Lipe Island

Lipe Island is located on the border with Malaysia, and Lipe is about 30 km from the nearest Malaysian resort. There are no difficulties in crossing the Thai-Malaysian border, Russian citizens do not need to obtain visas, and if you have time, it would be a good idea to visit both Lipe Island and Langkawi Island. Such a trip between the islands costs 1,200 baht, and takes about an hour, not counting the time for passport control and other formalities.

If you are planning a trip along this route, do not forget that boats operate between Lipe and Langkawi only in high season, from early November to mid-April. In the low season, you can also get to Lipe from the island of Langkawi, but not directly, but by a roundabout road through land (Langkawi - mainland Malaysia - crossing the border on the mainland - trip to Pakbara pier - and only from there by sea to Lipe island). According to Malaysian travel agents, this road can be covered in 5 hours. This thesis, however, does not need to be taken quite literally.

The southern border of Thailand, the Andaman Sea, is where the marine national park Tarutao. It contains several quite large islands and many small ones, but almost all of them are uninhabited. Koh Lipe is an exception in this archipelago.

Not only do people live here, but there is also a tourist infrastructure. Unfortunately, she's for recent years has developed so rapidly that it has practically destroyed this wonderful piece of land. It was ruined in the sense that the island lost its zest and almost turned into an ordinary resort, completely dotted with tourists and hotels. For a brief description of Koh Lipe beaches, hotels and what to do on the island, read Koh Lipe Island - a cozy corner in the Andaman Sea. But, even despite this fact, Koh Lipe still remains one of those places that are worth visiting in Thailand, and having been here you probably will not regret it, unless of course you are looking for an enchanting nightlife, then you should go to Koh Phangan during the Full Moon Party or to Pattaya. Here there is a beautiful warm sea, snow-white beaches, palm trees, clean air, beautiful scenery, the opportunity to visit and live on a desert island, and of course a magnificent underwater world(in our opinion this is one of best places for scorching in Thailand).

In Russia there are very few offers of package tours to Koh Lipe, but if someone finds and buys it, a travel agency will take him to the island. But in our opinion, you have to go here on your own. Precisely for those who want to visit this paradise we will tell you how to do this.

Best time to visit the island - from November to April; in other periods, its communication with the mainland may be unstable due to rough seas.

How to get to Koh Lipe

Let's make a reservation right away, the story is long, with lyrical digressions and explanations, if anyone is not interested in all this, then read the dry, informational version.

We recommend buying tickets, the site provides various options allowing you to purchase tickets online at very attractive prices. The cost of a full transfer Bangkok - Koh Lipe (bus + speedboat) starts from approximately 2,500 rubles ($39)! In general, we recommend this service, where you can find and buy tickets throughout Southeast Asia - trains, buses, ferries, charters, etc., etc. Very convenient!

There are several ways - plane, bus, train, or even by water from Phuket.

1. Airplane– Air Asia and Nok Air provide a combined plane-bus-boat ticket Departure from Don Muang Airport. In Hat Yai they will meet you and put you on a minibus; in Pak Bar you will be placed on a boat - quickly and without stress. This is probably the most optimal way. Everything is simple here, for an example of such a transfer, read Transfer - fast, profitable, convenient
2. Bus- long, in in this case it's not best option, but by far the most budget-friendly. Buses run from the South Bus Station (Sai ​​Tai Mai) to Hat Yai. Further – see below in the text.
3. Train– from Hua Lamphong Station, take the evening train to Hat Yai, and by lunchtime you can be in Lipa.

But for our taste last option(train) is the most interesting and romantic (the two of you, in a double compartment, the sound of wheels, night, dinner from a restaurant in the compartment...). And all this for a fairly small amount. Let's dwell on it in more detail.

The general route will look like this: Bangkok – Hat Yai – Pak Bara – Koh Lipe.
Attention! When planning your move, keep in mind that the last ship to Koh Lipe from Pakbara leaves at 13:30. You can see the schedule

Having arrived in Bangkok, if time permits, we advise you not to rush, but to stay here for a couple of days and take a walk around the city. What to see and where to go for so much short term can be read in the Bangkok section. If you don’t want this, we recommend heading straight from the airport to Hua Lamphong Station, from which trains depart for Hat Yai.

We do not recommend leaving on the same day (for various reasons); it is better to postpone departure until the next day after arrival. You can stay overnight at the good hotel SK Boutique Mahanakhon, located directly opposite the railway station. Go buy a ticket (it’s better to buy an express ticket, it will be a little more expensive, but much more comfortable and faster). Deal with your luggage. We recommend leaving things you don’t need in Thailand (warm clothes, shoes, etc.) at the hotel, it’s free.

If you have time, take a walk. The Temple of the Golden Buddha and Chinatown are a 10-minute leisurely walk from the hotel.

Right next to the entrance to the hotel is the Hua Lamphong metro station - you can quickly and comfortably get to the new city with its skyscrapers, shopping malls, a bunch of restaurants, an inexpensive market, etc. things. If you decide to go to old town, then it’s better to do it by taxi, the cost to Koasan Road according to the meter is approximately 60 - 70 baht. But let’s return to the question of how to get to Koh Lipe. So, by train you will arrive in the city of Hat Yai. From here you will move to the coast to the village of Pak Bara. You can get to it:

• by public transport
• purchasing a transfer from an agency
• by taxi

Travel time from Hat Yai to Pak Bara Pier is from 1.5 to 2 hours.
Public minibuses depart from the bus station, cost 60 - 100 baht, travel time is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. You can get to the bus station by Tuk-Tuk, but be prepared for the fact that their drivers, for some inexplicable reason, will not understand for a long time where you need to go, and you need: “bus station to pakbara”.

Another option is that right opposite the entrance there are several agencies that provide transfers to Koh Lipe (minibus + ferry). The option is more expensive than the public minibus, but it has several significant advantages:

1. Fast and easy (after a certain time you are guaranteed to find yourself in Koh Lipe)
2. You will not need to purchase a ticket for the spitboat yourself (again, not surprisingly, this simple step can cause some confusion and anxiety)

If you decide to use the services of such an agency (don’t forget to bargain, the price can be significantly reduced), be sure to take a return ticket with an open date. Those who decide to go public transport, we warn you - plan your return trip with a good amount of time!

The fact is that the minibuses go back on a very flexible schedule, and buying tickets and getting into the car you need, even with a good knowledge of English, can be another task. It’s not worth counting, as a last resort, on a taxi or on the possibility of leaving by minibus from numerous agencies. There will most likely be no taxis there at all, as well as no seats in the agents’ minibuses.

By purchasing tickets for water transport to Koh Lipe, keep in mind that there are small, fast spitboats (travel time up to 2 hours) and larger and slightly slower fairies (travel time up to 4 hours). Both have their pros and cons. The difference in cost is not high, about 180 - 200 baht.

• Spitboat- faster, but when the sea is rough, it “sausages” very harshly, a rather unpleasant sensation, both for the body as a whole and for the fifth point in particular. Online tickets for Speed ​​Boat are available Which of these transports to choose - decide for yourself, based on preferences, tastes and characteristics of the body. But in both cases, you will be on Koh Lipe after a short time, and along the way you will make a stop on the island of Tarutao. If you are traveling on your own, you can go out and spend a couple of days here (your ticket is valid to Koh Lipe and you can continue your trip on any day). But know that the living conditions here are spartan - there are several simple bungalows (roof and bed) and tents.

Well, you have reached the destination of your journey - Koh Lipe! The pier is located a couple of hundred meters from Pattayabeach beach. Arriving passengers are disembarked on a floating platform and then transported along the beaches of the island on a local boat. Cost from 50 baht. There are no piers on the island itself, so be prepared to jump off the boat into the water.


In conclusion, we note that the island of Koh Lipe itself is quite expensive, but it provides the opportunity to make a fascinating and super-budget trip around uninhabited islands, for example, a kayak trip, or for little money you can stay at a ranger station on the island of Koh Adang.

• Kayaking in Thailand. Part I - read
• Kayaking in Thailand. Part II - read
• Kayaking in Thailand. Part III - read

Have a nice holiday and exciting adventures!

updated: April 10, 2017 by: Sergei