Ko 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 reached Lipe for the second time only this February.

The first thing we saw when we landed on the island:

Oopsss, 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.

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.

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

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.
How long? I think no. 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 Trang or Hat Yai, then by minivan to Pakbara + boat to Ko Lipe island.
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 island of Koh Lipe is located in the Andaman Sea in the Satun province in southern Thailand, very close to the Malaysian island of Langkawi. In this article I talk in detail about how to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok, Phuket, other resorts in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as from Russia.

Ko Lipe how to get there

There is no airport on the island of Koh Lipe, there is no bridge leading to it (like, for example, in Malaysia 🙂), so you can only get to Koh Lipe by water:

1. By speedboat or ferry from Pakbara Pier
2. By boat (ferry) from Hat Yao Pier (Trang)
3. By speedboat from Koh Lanta, with stops on the islands of Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, Koh Kradarn, Koh Bulone
4. By speedboat from Phuket (via Lanta)
5. By fast ferry/boat from the Malaysian island of Langkawi

Boats that take tourists to Koh Lipe
Route map to Lipe Island Water transport scheme to Lipe Island

Previously, water communication with the island was only in the high season (from mid-October to April - May), Koh Lipe was “closed” from tourists in the summer 🙂 now, of all the above methods, in the low season (summer) speedboats/boats run from Pakbara, therefore, Koh Lipe can be reached all year round.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier

Speedboats/fast boats from various companies depart from Pakbara Pier several times a day.

Approximate boat schedule for Pakbara - Koh Lipe:

• 11:30
• 13:30
• 14:30
• 15:00
• 15:30.

Schedule may change! Even if you have purchased a ticket for a certain time, this does not mean that the boat will leave exactly on schedule. We had tickets for 11:30, and we sailed later than 12:00. IN low season(June – October) boats run 1-2 times a day, usually at 9:30 and 11:30.

The travel time from Pakbara to Lipe is one and a half hours; in rough seas it can increase to 2 hours or more. Along the way, all boats stop for 15 minutes at Tarutao Island. Those who wish can stay for a few days on this island; there are bungalows and tents here national park. Or just go to the island and walk along the shore while waiting for the boat to depart.

Entrance to the island of Tarutao is paid - 200 baht, more precisely, this is the fee for visiting the Tarutao National Park, the ticket is valid for 5 days, including for visiting the island of Koh Lipe and other national islands. parks that you can visit during one of the.

On the way to Lipe, all boats stop at Tarutao Island
Those who wish can go ashore (entrance to national park 200 baht) and even stay on the island for a few days
Near Tarutao Island
Centralized queue to board the boat at Tarutao Pier

Price

• Ticket price for speedboat/speedboat Pakbara – Koh Lipe: 650 baht
• Ticket price Pakbara - Koh Lipe - Pakbara - 1200 baht (return ticket with open date)
• Pakbara – Koh Tarutao – 400 baht
• Pakbara - Koh Tarutao - Koh Lipe - 650 baht, i.e. you can go to Koh Tarutao, live there for a couple of days and sail further using the same ticket :)

Prices are usually identical for all carriers, although sometimes there are specials. suggestions :) But the boats may differ!

Schedule and prices for boats on the route Pakbara - Tarutao - Koh Lipe and in the opposite direction
Speedboat to Koh Lipe from Pakbara Pier at 11:30, from Koh Lipe at 9:30
Schedule of another company that carries to Koh Lipe and Koh Bulon from Pakbara
Boat schedule and cost Pakbara - Koh Lipe

Pakbara Pier

The Pakbara pier is well equipped, with air-conditioned waiting areas, restrooms, and a shop with overpriced sundries. Entrance to the pier is paid (!) 20 baht :)

In front of the entrance to Pakbara Pier
Entrance to the pier 20 baht :)
There are a lot of people inside in the waiting room. Here you need to get tickets for the boat (if you have a complex ticket or you bought tickets in advance online) or buy tickets
At Pakbara Pier
Tourists waiting to board the boats
Boarding boats at Pakbara pier

But on Koh Lipe there is no pier; in the low season or when the sea is very rough, boats arrive at the shore at , and in the high season - at . Some speedboats (including ours) are parked near the shore, and some boats are further from the shore, and are transported to the beach on longtails for 50 baht per person.

Landing on Koh Lipe

Loading and unloading luggage is a circus: things are thrown right over the water and it seems that the suitcase is about to fall into the sea, so do not give valuables to be loaded onto the boat, but keep them with you! Luggage is packed at the stern, and in some places even on the roof of the boat, so the suitcase can arrive wet and dirty...

How to get to Pakbara Pier

Immediate big cities to the village of Pakbara:

• Trang (not to be confused with the city of Trat, which is near)
• Hat Yai

Both there is an airport, bus stations, and even in Hat Yai railroad station! You can get to Pakbara Pier by:

• Taxi. A car from these two cities to Pakbara Pier will cost 1800 - 2200 baht, the approximate travel time is one and a half hours
• Minibus. There is a mini bus from Hat Yai bus station, cost 150 baht, travel time one and a half to two hours
• By purchasing a comprehensive ticket. For example, upon arrival at Hat Yai airport, we bought a comprehensive ticket for a minibus + boat: airport - Pakbara Pier - Koh Lipe for 900 baht per person. It’s better to buy such a ticket in advance on this website, firstly it will be cheaper (~ 700 baht), and secondly you won’t have to wait long at the airport until tourists from other flights arrive.

The same complex ticket (mini bus + boat) can be bought at the Hat Yai railway station, at the bus station, at any travel agency and hotel.

Taxi counter at Hat Yai airport
Travel agency at the airport where you can buy a comprehensive ticket to Koh Lipe and other islands
Boat Schedule

Important: to get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to get to Hai Yat until 13:00, or better before! I would not count 100% on a boat that is scheduled at 15:30... You can spend the night in the city of Hat Yai, there are many inexpensive hotels there.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Trang

If you fly to Trang, the closest pier to the city is Trang Hat Yao Pier, from which Tiger Line Ferry boats depart daily at 13:00 during high season. Travel time is 2 hours. You can buy tickets on the carrier's website.

How to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok

To get to Koh Lipe from you must first get to one of the cities listed above: Trang or Hat Yai, then go to Pakbara Pier and buy a boat ticket to Koh Lipe. How to do this is described above in the article. And you can get to Trang or Hat Yai from Bangkok like this:

1. By plane from Bangkok: choose the best flight option that suits your time and cost to Hat Yai or Trang.

2. By bus. Buses Bangkok - Hat Yai depart from southern bus station in Bangkok (Sai ​​Tai Mai or Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal). Buses run quite frequently from 6 am to 8 pm, travel time is 13-14 hours.

The cost depends on the carrier and bus class: from 700 to 1000 baht.

3. By train Bangkok – Hat Yai. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok. Travel time is 13-17 hours (+ trains in Thailand tend to be late!). To get to Koh Lipe on the same day, you need to take trains that depart from Bangkok at 15:10 or 15:30.

Cost from 300 baht (in third class carriages), we usually take tickets to second class with air conditioning, cost from 850 baht.

You can view the train schedule for Thailand on the website of the Thai Railways, and buy tickets at the railway station.

Train timetable Bangkok - Hat Yai

4. By purchasing a complex ticket plane + minibus + boat

One of the most convenient ways How to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok is to buy a package ticket from Air Asia or Nok Air. The ticket includes flight Bangkok - Hat Yai, minibus travel to Pakbara Pier and boat/ferry to Koh Lipe. Flights are only in the morning.

Comprehensive ticket Bangkok - Koh Lipe from AirAsia

Important: do not forget that the planes of these low-cost companies fly from Don Mueang airport, and all flights are from Russia, Ukraine, etc. arrive in Suvarnabhumi airport. Read about how to get between airports and how much time to allow for transfers.

Phuket Koh Lipe how to get there

Option 1: by sea

IN high season You can get from Phuket to Koh Lipe by sea. Transportation is carried out by:

1. Tiger Line Ferry Company on quite large yellow boats (boats). Departure from Rassada Pier in Phuket (from the same place where ferries depart to) at 9:00, scheduled arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:00, i.e. 4 hours of travel (in fact, boats take much longer!). Along the way, change boats on Lanta Island. Cost Phuket - Koh Lipe ~ 2100 baht.

Tickets can be purchased in advance on their website: tigerlinetravel.com
Yellow big boats from Tiger Line Ferry

Timetables and prices for Tiger Line Ferry tickets from Koh Lipe to other islands and to the mainland 2. Satun Pakbara Speed ​​Boat Company

whose boats go along the route Phuket - Phi Phi - Lanta - Ngai - Muk - Kradan - Bulon - Lipe. Transportation by speedboat. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3400 baht (cheaper if purchased through the website!). You can find out the schedule and buy tickets on their website: spcthailand.com

Boat schedule Phuket - Lipe and Lipe - Phuket (via Koh Lanta) 3. Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat Company.

From Phuket (Rassada Pier) via Lanta to Koh Lipe. Carries on small speedboats. Departure from Phuket at 8:30, arrival in Lanta at 10:30, departure from Lanta at 10:30, arrival in Koh Lipe at 13:30. Cost ~ 3900 baht.

You can buy tickets on their website: bundhayaspeedboat.com

Routes and schedules of speedboats from the carrier Bundhaya Speed ​​Boat

You can also search for all the tickets listed above (maybe cheaper!).

We got to Koh Lipe right from I thought for a very long time about how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. I decided to choose the sea route 🙂 I rejected speedboats right away (I couldn’t stand 4-5 hours in such a high-speed boat, even an hour and a half was enough for me 🙂), I wanted to sail on the Tiger Line Ferry, for some reason I imagined such a big ferry , the same as or like us :)

But, after reading the reviews, I realized that it was better to choose another option on how to get to the island of Koh Lipe from Phuket :) In the reviews, people complained about the old boat and frequent long delays, they wrote that the boat takes not 4 hours, as stated, but almost twice as long longer! After reading the reviews, I decided to choose another way to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket, namely the more standard route through Hat Yai and Pakbara.

You can travel from Phuket to Hat Yat by bus. Buses run from 6 am to 21:45, travel time is about 8 hours, cost from 300 to 600 baht depending on the class of the bus. Tickets can be purchased at the bus station in Phuket Town or on the website.

The best way to travel is by night bus VIP 24, which departs at 21:45 and arrives in Hat Yai around 6 am. Then transfer to the pier and on the first boat at 9:30 to Koh Lipe. Then you will be on the island around 11:00 – 11:30 and still have a whole day ahead!

By plane

There is a direct flight from Phuket to Hat Yai with Bangkok Air. Departure at 7:25, arrival at 8:30. Just recently there was an evening flight at 19:25, but on this moment I don't see it on the schedule. The cost is about 1700 baht, luggage and even breakfast on board are included :) Check the cost and buy tickets Phuket - Hat Yai >>

We chose this option on how to get to Koh Lipe from Phuket. Everything went smoothly: at 5:30 in the morning we ordered a taxi to our condo, at 6:15 we were already at Phuket airport, checked in our luggage, drank coffee in a coffee shop, boarded a small plane, had breakfast :) We arrived in Hat Yai even before the time indicated in schedule.

A small Bangkok Air propeller plane on the route Phuket - Hat Yai
Breakfast on the plane

I wanted to buy tickets for the transfer airport - pier - Koh Lipe in advance online on the website (it was cheaper this way), but while I was thinking whether we would be able to catch the minibus, which leaves at 9 am (we would have time even with a large reserve), the sale of tickets stopped (tickets can be purchased online no later than three days in advance). Therefore, at the airport we found a travel agency, where we bought a combined mini-bass + speedboat ticket. But we had to wait for more than an hour for passengers from other flights.

We were at the Pakbara pier at 11:15, where the purchased tickets must be exchanged for numbers, which are used to board the boat (numbers are very convenient - there is no queue). We set sail at 12:00 instead of the promised 11:30, and arrived in Koh Lipe at 14:00 - due to the storm and rain that began along the way, the boat sailed more slowly and arrived at Sunrise Beach, and not at the opposite beach. It was even more convenient for us: our hotel was literally a few steps from the boat’s arrival point :)

Hurray, it’s our turn to load into the boat :)
In the boat waiting to depart for Koh Lipe

Lipe Island how to get from Krabi

From Krabi you can get to Koh Lipe via Hat Yai. There are no direct flights from Krabi to Hat Yai, and flying through Bangkok, in my opinion, is not advisable, so you can get there by bus, minibus or taxi. The distance to the pier is only about 300 km.

Tickets for a minibus to Hat Yai will cost 350 - 400 baht, a comprehensive ticket for Ao Nang (Krabi) - Koh Lipe - 1000 - 1200 baht. You can buy it at any travel agency or hotel.

Lipe Island how to get from Koh Samui or Koh Phangan

To get to Koh Lipe from / / you need to follow the path described above: first you need to get to Hat Yai, then to Pakbara, and then by boat to Lipe 🙂 The path is not short... Read about how to get to Hat Yai from Samui in

You can also buy a complex ticket Samui/Phangan/Tao - Koh Lipe:

Schedule and cost of transfer from the Gulf of Thailand islands to Koh Lipe
Transfer schedule from Koh Lipe to the Gulf of Thailand islands

Langkawi Koh Lipe how to get there

Despite the fact that Lipe is a Thai island, it is separated from the Malaysian island by only 30 km, and in clear weather it is clearly visible from the sky bridge observation deck in Langkawi :)

Direct route Langkawi - Lipe

During the high season, boats operate on the Langkawi-Lipe and Lipe-Langkawi routes. On the island of Koh Lipe there are even immigration offices where passport control takes place.

Immigration office on Koh Lipe in the center of Pattaya Beach

Boats from Langkawi arrive at Pattaya Beach on Lipe (read about all the beaches of Koh Lipe). They depart from two piers to Langkawi:

• from Kauh Jetty Pier (in the capital of Kuah island, near the city's eagle symbol)
• from Telaga Harbor Pier, which is located next to Oriental Village Park

We sailed in the opposite direction (i.e. from Lipe to Langkawi) and I specifically chose a carrier whose boats arrive at Telaga pier, because... First of all, in Langkawi I planned to check into the Geopark Hotel, visit the Oriental Village, Sky bridge and the neighboring waterfall, which are located a few minutes drive from this pier.

Carrier companies on the route Langkawi - Lipe - Langkawi

Additional Information

Schedule and cost of land transfer from Pakbara Pier and Hat Yai Boat schedule from Lipe Island
Boat and transfer schedule from Koh Lipe
Boat schedule from Lipe Island

Yesterday at 8 am we left the house and by lunchtime we were already in Krabi. We checked into a guest house in the town and, without wasting time showering and changing clothes, immediately went to Ao Nang. We walked along familiar streets, looked into the condo where we used to live, and in the evening we met our readers. Towards nightfall we met with friends from Hua Hin in the town. And this morning we all started together in Koh Lipe.

How to get from Phuket to Koh Lipe

Rassada pier in Phuket is located near Phuket Town. One of the pink city buses goes there. But since the departure time is at 8 am, the easiest way would be to take a taxi from your hotel in Phuket or from the bus station in the town. You can order a taxi to Rassada Pier online follow this link.

From Phuket to Koh Lipe by plane

Another convenient option. From Phuket you can take a direct flight from Bangkok Airways to Hat Yai, and from there take a minibus to Pak Bara Pier, then a speedboat to Koh Lipe. Here is the link to Phuket-Hat Yai air tickets.

How to get further? I don’t know for sure, but at the airport you may be immediately offered a comprehensive ticket for a minibus and boat to Ko Lipe. We ourselves took a different route, so I’m not sure that there will be an opportunity to buy such a ticket.

If there are no offers, go to Hat Yai Bus Station, from where you will take a bus to Pakbara Pier. Next take a speedboat to Lipe Island. You can order bus + boat tickets at 12goAsia website.

Bus Phuket - Trang, minibus to Pak Bara pier, boat to Koh Lipe

Go to Phuket Bus Terminal 2 and buy tickets for the Phuket - Trang bus. You cannot buy such tickets online anywhere, only at the station ticket office. Tickets will cost about 300 baht give or take. When you arrive in Trang, right at the station you can buy a minibus ticket to Pak Bara Pier. Here is a website where you can buy a comprehensive ticket for minibus and speedboat Trang - Koh Lipe.

If you need to stay overnight in Trang, book a hotel on Booking via this link.

How we got to Koh Lipe from Phuket

We were driving on land. Friends were waiting for us in Krabi in a car. We stopped for the night in Krabi town, and in the morning we left by car in the direction of Pakbar Pier. By car it takes about 3-4 hours to travel from Krabi. Next, I’ll tell you how we spent the evening in Krabi, visited Ao Nang beach, as well as our first impressions of Koh Lipe.

Evening in Krabi

We got to Krabi by minibus in 3 hours from the central bus station, 140 baht per person. The driver was apparently a former motorbike biker - he threw on energy drink all the way and drove quite aggressively. We noted for ourselves that in the future it is better to avoid traveling on minibuses.

Ao Nang is not the best beach in Thailand

What's new to tell you about Krabi? We walked around Ao Nang. We felt a little nostalgic. We wanted to give the beach a second chance, but... Ao Nang Beach is really disappointing! This is how we wrote an article 2 years ago, and it’s still the same! Dirty muddy brown water, sand that hurts to walk on, a muddy bottom... The noise from motor boats is as loud as if this is not a seashore, but a construction site with bulldozers... Only the unique mountains of Krabi save the situation. If there were no mountains, there would be nothing to do there at all. Who would have thought that at such a highly advertised resort with beautiful name, Krabi, one of the worst beaches in Thailand

We are in Krabi!

The guys are really screwed, someone will think... I don’t know, maybe that’s true, especially after. I hope fans of Ao Nang will forgive me, but the bottom in the Moscow River looks exactly the same

Dirty Ao Nang beach

By the way, in the far left corner a full-flowing stinking river flows into the sea. Very very smelly

Krabi is the most expensive mainland resort in Thailand

Prices in Krabi are a separate matter. There is a myth among travelers that Phuket is the most expensive island... Nonsense! Ao Nang is much more expensive than Phuket! Is transport expensive in Phuket? The most expensive route in Phuket costs 40 baht, and the songthaew from Ao Nang to Town costs 50.

Nepalese

Nepalese are everywhere! Nepalese is available in all stalls. They are very easy to identify by their displeased facial expression and Indian appearance. Katya forgot her glasses on the bus and needed to buy new ones. In Phuket, in any tent, sunglasses cost 100 baht. These impudent Nepalese mugs tell us 350. You just have to be indignant about why this is such a triple markup, and they wave their hand at you and defiantly leave. I’m not even saying that their etiquette doesn’t include a basic “Hello” and a smile to the buyer. They sit with dissatisfied faces, buried in the phone.

Sunset

We met some guys living in Krabi who, as it turned out, had been reading our blog for a long time. They are not even offended that we wrote about Krabi at one time not the most best reviews(the truth). We admired the wonderful sunset together.

Krabi town

Everything in the town is Thai. We had a hearty meal of soup for 80 baht and pancakes with banana for dessert. We met with friends from Hua Hin and drove to Makro. For the coming nap we decided to have a beer and go to bed.

The next morning we had to get up early. We snacked on sandwiches and coffee from 7-11 and drove further by car towards the Pakbar pier.

Koh Lipe Island - first impressions

We will definitely describe the island of Koh Lipe in more detail. For now I’m sharing my first impressions. The water is clean and clear. But not turquoise, like on the Similan Islands.

View of Koh Lipe from the floating jetty


Sunset Beach

First impressions of Koh Lipe

• You have to pay for every step - for a ticket to the speedboat, for passage to the pier, for the boat from the speedboat to the beach, for entry to the island
• There are no bounty beaches here
• The beaches are lined with boats
• There is a lot of garbage and devastation, you just need to get off the central Walking Street
• Products in stores are more expensive. Prices in tourist cafes are about the same as everywhere else - dishes cost 100-150 baht
• Many Russian tourists
• Many tourists of other nationalities
• In the evening there is music, fire shows and cozy bars on the beach, just like in Goa
• The island is a large market with restaurants, bars and hotels among the shopping arcades.

By the way, the main beach on Koh Lipe is called Pattaya Beach

We didn’t want to spend the night in cheap thatched bungalows; this is romantic only for those who have never been to the tropics. We checked into a decent hotel - . A day costs as much as 2000 baht ($55). Well, this is Koh Lipe, that's normal!! Everything is great, the hotel is new, the bed is clean, but... There is no hot water! Well, how is that possible, huh?? They rent out rooms for 2 thousand baht a day and cannot buy any cheap water heaters!

• Read:

Hotels on Koh Lipe

• AKIRA Lipe Resort
• Bundhaya Villas
• Lip Sunset Beach Resort
• Harmony Bed & Bakery
• The Reef

All hotels in Koh Lipe

Swimmed at Sunset Beach. Without much pleasure. The tide was low, very shallow, literally knee-deep, and there were a lot of stones at the bottom, and we didn’t take swimming shoes. Tomorrow we'll swim in Pattaya or go exploring to the third beach. For beach holidays on this island, see the new article.

• Read:

Ko Lipe is considered a national park. We paid 200 baht ($6) for entry. And the island itself is full of dirty places like this, where garbage, building materials, something has been dug up and then abandoned.

I understand that the Thais themselves put it into nature. But is it really so difficult to somehow improve everything, since they charge money for entry? Thousands of tourists from all over the world come here, but they are not ashamed to make a mess and not clean up anything afterwards.

Ko Lipe is no longer the same (c)

Our friends are not happy yet either. In the evening we ate in a cafe, took a trip around Chang and went to the beach. The mood improved, we liked the evening Pattaya Beach. So, so far the impressions of Koh Lipe are mixed.

PS: I’m already anticipating comments from smart people, like “what kind of attitude you drove with, that’s what you got” or “what you see inside is what you see outside” and similar philosophical nonsense. So, I’ll answer right away, we were driving in an excellent mood and expected to see the level of Similan :)

Added the next day: today we swam all morning at Pattaya Beach and the neighboring beach. Wonderful blue water that you don’t want to get out of! The mood and impressions of the island are improving!

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 in the afternoon from Bangkok Central Station (Hua Lamphong Railway Station) and arrived in 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. It carried out 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 way hours.

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:

. Phuket - Lipe = 3400 baht;
. Phi - Phi - Lipe = 2600 baht;
. Lanta - Lipe = 1900 baht;
. Ngai - Lipe = 1600 baht;
. Kradan - Lipe = 1400 baht;
. Muk - Lipe = 1400 baht

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.

Koh Lipe Island is located in close proximity to the water border between Malaysia and Thailand. You can get to it from both Thailand and Malaysia. There is no airport on the island, so the only way to Lipe is by water.

The island's water communication with the mainland depends on the season. During the high season, from November to May, the island can be reached from the Thai side (mainland: Pak Barra, Satun, Trang and many surrounding islands: Koh Tarutao, Koh Bulon, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Muk, Koh Kradang, Koh Laoliang, koh Ngai) and from the Malay side (Langkawi island). During low season, from May to November, only from Pak Barra pier. Also, in any season, you should check the status of the flight the day before departure, as it may be canceled due to bad weather. You can view the boat schedule and book tickets.

When planning a trip to Malaysia, we could not decide on the island that we wanted to add to our visit to Kuala Lumpur. Quite by accident, I came across the “top best holiday destinations 2012 according to NG”, where there was a note about the pearl of the Andaman Sea, Koh Lipe, which has not yet been visited by tourists. And when it turned out that you can get there from the Malay island of Langkawi, to which low-cost AirAsia flies from Kuala Lumpur, it became finally clear that “we have to take it!” Now I will tell you how we got to Koh Lipe from Malaysia.

Malayan rupee to ruble exchange rate for the duration of the trip: 1 Malaysian ringgit ~ 10 rubles

From Kuala Lumpur to LCCT

From Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi we flew by regular flight low-cost airline AirAsia. Air Asia is one of the best low-cost airlines in the world and its routes cover almost all of Southeast Asia. The company is Malayan, so its main base is also its own airport(!) Low Cost Carrier Terminal, located near Kuala Lumpur. Plane tickets were purchased in advance through the company's website. They cost about 500RM (5 thousand rubles) for two in both directions.

Boarding a plane at LCCT

Before Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) from the center Kuala Lumpur You can get there in several ways:

• Taxi

The simplest and most expensive option. It will cost about 60RM (~600 rubles). You can read more about taxis and tariffs to LCCT

• KLIA Ekspres + Shuttle Bus

The second option is to use the KLIA Ekspres express train, which runs to international airport Kuala Lumpur KLIA, and from there take a special bus (shuttle bus) to LCCT. Bus fare is 1.50RM () The train departs from Sentral Central Station and takes about half an hour. One way fare costs 35RM.

• KLIA Transit + Shuttle Bus

• KTM Komuter + Bus from Nilai station

From the same Sentral station or any other KTM Komuter station, you can get to Nilai station. Travel from Sentral to Nilai will cost 4.70RM. There is a bus from this station to LCCT for 1.50RM ()

• Shuttle Bus from Sentral to LCCT

Several companies operate on this route. Prices differ slightly 8RM-10RM. Tickets can be purchased at central station Sentral, as well as when boarding the bus. Follow the link to see the schedule and details for each company. There are buses to LCCT from other locations in Kuala Lumpur.

We enjoyed last option, since the departure was early and the trains were not running yet. We got to Sentral from the Traders Hotel (KLCC) by taxi. The night rate was something like 13RM. The taxi driver drove us to the bus boarding point, as we called it “a nook under the bridge” :)

Initially, we planned to take the Skybus from AirAsia, but as soon as we approached the buses, we were surrounded by guys with tickets who were actively gesturing and saying something like: “get on quickly, departure now, here and there!” and so on. In general, by the time we realized it, it was already too late. We bought a ticket on Aerobus since their guy was the most prompt. From the outside, all the buses looked decent. Inside, the Aerobus turned out to be quite shabby and old. The air conditioners blew terribly all the way and did not turn off. But it's cheaper)

Apart from us, there were only locals in the cabin, and they were sleeping. We drove in the dark, through a strong thunderstorm (epic), but we arrived on time. The journey took about an hour. We boarded the same one back because it left faster. So what if it’s old, we’re not picky. It looked something like this:

Bus to LCCT

At LCCT airport

Buses stop almost near the entrance to the terminal. It's hard to get lost. Here we had breakfast and went to look for our flight. The LCCT terminal is not like traditional airports, it is more like a train station. Air only. Everything here is simple and functional. Baggage security check is quite funny. Only large bags are scanned, and only selectively. A “security check” sticker is simply placed on checked luggage. After this, you can safely exit the registration area back :)

The registration hall was filled with huge queues, which was a bit stressful. We stood at the end of the line at one of the counters, above which P.Langkawi was burning. But besides our island, another direction was also burning there. All the neighbors took turns claiming that they were not flying to Langkawi... Later it turned out that one counter registered several flights. Keep this in mind and be on time!

After a short wait, we were invited to board. Landing is also fun: walking across the airfield! Fortunately it is small. Special covered “sleeves” are laid to aircraft located far from the exit. From one sleeve you can get to several planes, the main thing is not to confuse them! :) The workers help to navigate, but apparently there were cases. After boarding the plane, we were told for 10-15 minutes where the plane was flying. On the return flight we simply walked to the plane; it was standing almost near the exit. The flight to Langkawi is about an hour.

On the island of Langkawi

Boats to Lipe Island depart twice a day (only in season, from November to May!) from the Telaga boat terminal. Since it was difficult for us to estimate the travel time from the airport to the terminal, we took a late boat. Tickets were purchased in advance via the Internet. It cost about 500RM (~ 5000 rubles) for two round-trip.

There was 4 hours of time left. At the exit from the airport, taxi drivers briskly grabbed tourists, most were in the opposite direction, “towards civilization.” We were seated by the last remaining grandfather, dressed in a Muslim style in a long white robe and a knitted skullcap. We got to the terminal very quickly, in about 15 minutes, good luck. They paid around 10RM for a taxi, unfortunately I don’t remember exactly. The island of Langkawi is large, green and very beautiful. If we weren't going to stop here on the way back, I would definitely regret it.

Landing on Langkawi Island

At Telaga port on Langkawi island

We arrived at a small building, around which there were many tourists sitting on backpacks and bags waiting for the boat. Under the canopy behind the “counter” the girl was collecting passports. We arrived shortly before the departure of the first boat, but we had tickets for the second. We were already mentally prepared to hang around in the port for 4 hours, but the girl suggested that we quickly check in for the first flight, registration for which was about to close. We gave printouts of tickets and passports.

With passport interesting point. Since the boat crosses the border, it is necessary to go through border control and obtain entry/exit stamps. This concern is taken over by the company ferrying tourists. Before leaving, they collect their passports, get stamps on the Malay side and hand them over to the border guards on Lipe Island. After arrival, within about 15 minutes, the border guards put stamps and the girl from the travel agency issues the passports back.

To be honest, it was scary to give up my passport to someone unknown. But everything ended well and without any hiccups. I can’t say where and how you can get a stamp yourself. It seemed to me that a passport is required condition boarding. But perhaps there are other ways.

Speed ​​boat to Koh Lipe

The speed boat takes about an hour to Lipe Island. This is a ride along the emerald sea surface at high speed, with wind, sun and spray. We got great pleasure from it, despite the fact that we slept only 2 hours that day and were on the road since late at night.

Boat from Langkawi to Lipe Island

The boat stopped about 100 meters from the shore. Long, traditional wooden boats set out from the shore to pick us up, driven by a small motor attached to a long pole. First, all the tourists were taken to the shore, and the second round was the luggage. By the way, disembarking from the boat straight into the azure warm water up to your shins. There is no pier, you immediately find yourself in the sea and sand on the cleanest and most beautiful Pattaya Beach. I was also a little worried about my luggage, but nothing was wet and nothing was stolen. Boats moor near the border post (check point). After arrival, you need to wait for the return of your passports, which will be brought from the border guards by a travel agency employee and distributed to tourists.

15 minutes later we were walking along the white sand to our hotel, Sita Beach Resort. The entrance from the beach can be considered the main one, five meters from the sand and ten from the water, the hotel reception is located under a beautiful canopy. Sita Beach Resort is one of several hotels on the entire island that can really be considered hotels in the sense of vacationers; the rest of the accommodation is at the level of simple bungalows. If we had not booked a hotel in advance or were trying to save a lot, then choosing modest and nice accommodation on the spot would not have been any problem.

We got there!