Phuket: Phi Phi, Bamboo & Maiton Speed Catamaran Tour

Phuket’s best island day comes with a busy schedule. The Sweetie high-speed catamaran packs Bamboo Island, Phi Phi, Maya Bay, and Maiton Island into about eight hours, with leather seats, sea-view decks, snorkeling, lunch, and hotel pickup. I like the mix of famous sights and water activities, especially the transparent kayaks and floating slide. I also like that towels, mats, drinks, snacks, and snorkeling gear are included.

The main catch is organization. Hotel pickup can begin as early as 8:30 a.m., traffic around Phuket can be rough, and one rating describes a chaotic check-in, a 30-minute late departure, and English explanations that were difficult to follow. At $90.99 per person, this is a fair price for a full day on the water, but you should be comfortable with a large group and a tightly packed schedule.

Key things to know before booking

• Four famous island stops in one day: Bamboo Island, Phi Phi, Maya Bay, and Maiton Island are all included, though the timing at each place is limited.
• Two snorkeling sessions: One takes place around Phi Phi, and another is scheduled near Maiton Island.
• More than a sightseeing boat: Paddleboards, transparent kayaks, a water slide, and a floating platform are included.
• Lunch is served on Phi Phi Don: You get a Thai buffet, fruit, soft drinks, snacks, and drinks during the return journey.
• A large-capacity catamaran: The maximum group size is 75 people, so this is not a private island trip.
• Maya Bay access can change: The schedule notes a closure from August 1, making it important to confirm whether the beach landing operates on your date.

The Sweetie catamaran: comfort before the islands

This tour is built around the Sweetie, a 2025 high-speed catamaran designed to be more comfortable than a basic speedboat. Leather seating, sea-view decks, onboard facilities, and a wide layout make the boat itself part of the appeal.

That matters on a full island day. You are not simply making a short crossing, then spending the rest of the time ashore. You will return to the boat between stops, change from sightseeing to snorkeling, eat lunch, collect snacks, and travel back to Phuket. A little extra room and a smoother ride can make a noticeable difference.

Still, do not mistake luxury features for a private cruise. The boat can carry up to 75 people. You may find plenty of space to sit, but boarding, registration, and water activities can feel busy when the whole group moves at once.

The catamaran is a good middle ground for people who do not want a slow day boat but also do not want the harder, more exposed ride often associated with small speedboats. The high-speed format lets the tour cover several islands in one day, although the timetable leaves little room for delays.

Pickup from Phuket and the morning start

Hotel pickup is offered across Phuket, which is one of the most useful parts of the package. You do not need to arrange a separate taxi to Chalong Pier, and transfers are included in the price.

The published schedule gives pickup times from about 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., depending on your hotel location. The pier portion begins around 10 a.m. Your exact pickup time is supplied after booking, so check that confirmation carefully rather than relying on the general start time.

This is also where Phuket traffic can affect your mood. The road journey from Patong and other busy resort areas may take longer than expected, especially when traffic is heavy. One rating specifically called the trip from Phuket or Patong a long one because of constant traffic. If you are staying far from Chalong, keep the morning flexible and do not schedule anything important immediately after returning.

Registration at the pier deserves patience. A rating described the office as disorganized, with a late departure and a long wait before the boat left. That may not happen every day, but it is a useful warning: the advertised eight-hour duration describes the tour itself, not every minute from hotel pickup to hotel return.

Bamboo Island: white sand and shallow water

Bamboo Island is the first major stop, with about 50 minutes scheduled there. Its appeal is simple: pale sand, clear shallows, and a chance to begin the day with an easy beach stop before the busier Phi Phi portion.

You can use this time for photos, a short walk, or a swim if conditions allow. The stop is not long enough for a slow beach day. I would treat it as a scenic introduction rather than a place where you can settle in for hours.

The early timing can work in your favor. You are getting your first island views before the full itinerary has taken over, and the short visit helps keep the day moving. On the other hand, anyone hoping for long, quiet stretches on the sand may find the stop too brief.

Bring only what you need from the boat. The tour includes beach mats and towels, but your personal items still need to be kept organized during the move from boat to beach and back again.

Phi Phi Don: buffet lunch and the first snorkeling stop

The schedule takes you to Phi Phi Don around 12:50 p.m. for a Thai-style buffet lunch. This is a practical pause in the middle of a busy day, and it saves you from buying a separate meal at an island restaurant.

Lunch is included with seasonal fruit and soft drinks. Snacks and drinks are also provided on the return journey, so the $90.99 cost covers more than transport and sightseeing. For a full-day boat outing, those inclusions help keep extra spending down.

Do not expect a leisurely restaurant meal. The tour has to move on to the snorkeling session, and the itinerary leaves about an hour and ten minutes for the Phi Phi portion, including lunch and the first snorkeling activity. Eat at a comfortable pace, then be ready to return to the boat when instructed.

The first snorkeling session takes place around Phi Phi at about 2 p.m. Snorkeling equipment, life jackets, disposable mouthpieces, and towels are supplied. The stated aim is to see colorful fish around the reef, though underwater visibility depends on weather and sea conditions.

This is one of the tour’s strongest features. You are not only looking at Phi Phi from a boat or taking beach photographs. You get time in the water, with equipment already arranged. If you are new to snorkeling, the life jacket and supplied gear make the activity easier to approach.

The tradeoff is time. A group of up to 75 people cannot enter and leave the water at exactly the same moment, so you should expect some coordination. If snorkeling is your main reason for booking, ask how much water time is planned on your date. The published schedule gives the overall Phi Phi block, not a precise number of minutes in the sea.

Maya Bay and Viking Cave: famous views with a seasonal limit

After Phi Phi, the boat passes Viking Cave on the way to Maya Bay. The famous bay is the visual centerpiece for many people booking this excursion, and the schedule allows about an hour for the stop, including the onward journey to Honeymoon Island.

When access is operating, you can land and spend free time on the beach. Maya Bay is known for the movie The Beach, so the setting carries a certain fame before you even arrive. The practical point is that this is a short visit, not a private beach afternoon. Expect to share the setting with other island boats and follow local access rules.

The schedule specifically notes that Maya Bay will be closed from August 1. It does not give a reopening date in the supplied information, so confirm the beach landing before you pay or before your departure date. The boat may still pass the area, but a beach landing should not be assumed during the closure period.

This is a good example of why the tour works best for sightseers who want a broad taste of the Phi Phi area. You can see several headline locations in one day, but the timetable cannot guarantee long, peaceful visits at each one.

Maiton Island: snorkeling and water play

The final island stop is Maiton Island, also called Honeymoon Island in the schedule. Arrival is set for about 4:40 to 4:50 p.m., with roughly 50 minutes for the second snorkeling session and water activities.

This stop gives the day a more playful finish. You can use the transparent kayak, try a paddleboard, or take the floating water slide. A floating platform is also included. These extras make the tour more appealing to families and groups of friends who want more than beach photographs.

The second snorkeling session is valuable because sea conditions can vary. If the first stop has limited visibility or choppy water, another chance gives you a better shot at enjoying the underwater portion. As always, the actual experience depends on weather and water conditions.

Fifty minutes goes quickly once you include changing activities, safety instructions, and getting back aboard. Choose what matters most to you. If you want to snorkel, do that first. If you would rather use the kayak or slide, do not spend the whole stop waiting for the perfect photograph.

The return trip to Phuket

The catamaran leaves Maiton around 5:40 p.m. for the return journey. Snacks and soft drinks are provided, giving you something to eat after the water activities.

The return can be a pleasant time to sit on the sea-view deck, dry off, and look back at the islands. It can also feel long after a packed day, especially if the morning pickup began early. This is where the boat’s seating and onboard amenities earn their keep.

The tour ends back at the meeting point at Seven Plus Travel’s Chalong Pier, at 43/42 Tambon Chalong, Phuket. Hotel transfer is included, but the supplied information does not give a fixed hotel return time. Traffic and any late departure can affect when you reach your accommodation.

If you have an evening flight, a dinner booking, or a ferry connection, give yourself plenty of extra time. The day is scheduled tightly, and road traffic can be unpredictable.

What the $90.99 price really covers

At $90.99 per person, this is not the cheapest way to visit one Phuket island. It is more useful to compare it with the cost of arranging several separate services.

The price includes:

• Island-wide hotel transfers
• High-speed catamaran transport
• Thai buffet lunch
• Seasonal fruit and soft drinks
• Snacks and drinks on the way back
• Snorkeling equipment
• Life jackets and disposable mouthpieces
• Towels and beach mats
• Paddleboards and transparent kayaks
• Floating water slide and platform
• English and Chinese-speaking guides
• Accident medical insurance

That is a solid bundle for an eight-hour day. You are paying for transport between several islands, food, equipment, and activities rather than just a boat seat.

The value is strongest if you plan to use the included water gear and eat the provided lunch. It is weaker if you mainly want a quiet ride and one long beach stop. The maximum group size of 75 also matters. You receive a broad package, but not the personal attention or flexible timing of a private charter.

Tips and personal expenses are not included. The tour also depends on suitable weather and a minimum number of participants. If poor weather cancels the trip, you can be offered another date or a full refund. The same applies if the minimum number is not reached.

Language, group size, and the practical drawbacks

An English-speaking guide is included, along with a Chinese-speaking guide. However, one rating described the tour as mainly conducted in Chinese and found the English explanations difficult to understand.

That point is worth taking seriously if clear commentary is important to you. You may receive instructions for boarding, snorkeling, and meeting times without getting much detailed explanation in English. The supplied information does not identify the guides by name, so you cannot request a particular guide in advance.

The large group is another factor. A maximum of 75 people helps keep the price reasonable, but it can also mean lines, repeated instructions, and slower movement between the boat, beach, restaurant, and water activities.

The tour is best for people who want a full day of famous sights and included activities. It is less suited to anyone who dislikes fixed schedules, crowded stops, or waiting during group transfers.

Who should book the Sweetie tour?

I would recommend this tour to couples, families, and friends who want to see several major Phuket islands without arranging every detail themselves. It is especially useful if you value included equipment and want both snorkeling and non-snorkeling water activities.

It also suits first-time visitors who want a broad introduction to the Phi Phi area. In one day, you get beach time at Bamboo, lunch on Phi Phi Don, views around Phi Phi and Viking Cave, a possible Maya Bay landing, and water activities near Maiton.

I would think twice if you want a calm, private-feeling day. You should also reconsider if Maya Bay is your main reason for booking, since the landing is seasonal and the schedule notes a closure from August 1. Confirm that part before you commit.

The overall rating is 4.3 from 23 ratings, which fits the experience described here: strong appeal in the boat, scenery, activities, and food, balanced by possible delays, traffic, and communication issues.

Should you book this island-hopping day?

Book it if you want maximum sightseeing in one organized day and like having lunch, transfers, snorkeling gear, and water toys bundled together. The Sweetie catamaran offers more comfort than a bare-bones boat trip, and the itinerary gives you a generous sample of Phuket’s most famous island scenery.

Skip it if you want long beach visits, a small group, or a relaxed timetable. Before booking, check the Maya Bay situation, confirm your hotel pickup time, and leave your evening free. With those expectations in place, $90.99 is a reasonable price for a busy but well-filled day on the water.

FAQ

How long is the Phuket island tour?

The experience lasts approximately eight hours, although hotel pickup and return times can vary with your location and traffic.

What islands are included?

The tour visits Bamboo Island, the Phi Phi Islands, Maya Bay when open, and Maiton Island, also called Honeymoon Island in the schedule.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Phuket-wide hotel transfers are included. Pickup is scheduled according to your hotel location and may begin between about 8:30 and 9:30 a.m.

What time does the tour start?

The listed meeting-point start time is 10 a.m. Your actual pickup time can be earlier, so check the booking confirmation for the exact time.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A Thai-style buffet lunch is served on Phi Phi Don. Seasonal fruit, soft drinks, snacks, and drinks on the return journey are also included.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. The tour supplies snorkeling equipment, life jackets, disposable mouthpieces, and towels. Two snorkeling stops are scheduled.

Are kayaks and paddleboards included?

Yes. Transparent kayaks, paddleboards, a floating water slide, and a water platform are included.

Is Maya Bay always open?

No. The schedule states that Maya Bay will be closed from August 1. Confirm whether a beach landing is available for your travel date.

How many people can join the tour?

The activity has a maximum capacity of 75 people. It is a shared group tour rather than a private charter.