ABOUT KOH LIPE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Koh Lipe is a small travellers paradise tucked away in the furthest southern point of Thailand. Not so much of a party island, Lipe is the best place to go for chilled-out fun, beautiful white sand beaches and pristine coral reefs.
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TRAVEL
Getting to Koh Lipe is super easy now, and is (contrary to many online sources) in fact open all year round! You can reach Koh Lipe by boat from Mainland Thailand, Langkawi in Malaysia, and also from all the islands further north in the Andaman Sea. In Green Season (June-September) you can only reach Lipe from the mainland, but there are still 3 departures per day. Check out our Travel page for further info.
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SLEEP
Accommodation on Koh Lipe is definitely a lot more developed than it used to be. With huge numbers of hotels and hostels having popped up over the past 3 years, you have a lot more choice and price range too. We have 2 properties on Koh Lipe, on Sunrise and Sunset Beach, both being budget and eco-friendly traveller options. Adang Sea Eco-Lodge Sunrise features 6 fan rooms. and 5 AirCon, perfect for divers as it is based in same location as our SSI Blue Ocean Dive Centre. Our advice is to check out Booking.com and TripAdvisor to find the perfect spot for you, and we strongly recommend booking well in advance during Peak Season (October-May) to avoid disappointment.
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DIVE
Koh Lipe and the Tarutao National park are of course most famed for their vibrant and lively coral reefs and marine life, and we think definitely one of the best ways to witness this first hand is to Scuba Dive during your visit here! Don’t worry if you have never tried it before, you can jump straight in with a SSI Try Scuba Dive, or getting your SSI Open Water license only takes 4 days. For experienced and certified divers, Dive Sites around Koh Lipe are hands down the best in Thailand, and not to be missed!
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SNORKEL
Another ‘must do’ activity on Koh Lipe is most definitely Snorkel! You can do this just off one of the beaches, join a guided Snorkel Tour, or even hire your own private Longtail Boat and explore the National Marine Park. We have many options with regards to route and price range through our Snorkel Eco-Tours, and snorkel gear to rent for the day at both our Sunrise and Sunset locations.
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EAT AND DRINK
Koh Lipe is home to such a great variety of places to eat and drink, with new places opening still each year! Walking Street is lined with beautiful restaurants and bars, and you can also find some stunning spots to enjoy dinner and a cocktail on the beach. In front of our Dive Centre, we have Sunrise Restaurant where we serve Vegan and Veggie Thai Food and Breakfast from 7am-9pm each day. On Cozy Cove Beach, Benny’s On The Beach is the best spot to watch the Sunset on Koh Lipe, and serves Vegan and Veggie International dishes, along with cocktails and fresh fruit smoothies, daily from 8am-8pm. Check out more info on our Koh Lipe foodie dream here.
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BUDGETING
Koh Lipe is super remote and beautiful. It is also privatised when it comes to electricity and water and does not have a pier. These factors contribute hugely to the cost of visiting and staying on the island.
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In High Season (October-May) you can get a Bamboo Bungalow with fan and cold water shower for between 700-1000THB per night, in Green Season (June-September) the same would cost 400-600THB per night. A bed in a mixed dormitory with AC and hot water are priced at between 900-1300THB per night in High Season
Rates for Snorkel Tours cost from 550THB for a 5hr tour starting in the morning, and 900THB for a 7hr tour starting at midday. Private Boat hire starts from 2000THB for your own Longtail boat for 4-6hrs. You can expect these prices to be discounted in Green Season.
Scuba Diving rates start from 1600THB for a dive if your are already certified, and 2500THB if you don’t have a license. If you visit during Green Season (June-September) you can receive 10% discount from all diving prices and a FREE ROOM on the day you dive!
Boat tickets from Pak Bara on the mainland cost 550THB per person, oneway, and from Langkawi to Lipe tickets are 1000THB per person oneway. You can get return travel at a discounted rate if you book in advance.
Everyone has to pay a Marine Park Entry Fee of 220THB when they come to Koh Lipe, and then there is a 50THB charge per person to get from the floating platform to the beach by Longtail boat. On Lipe you should also expect to pay ATM fees of 220THB per cash withdrawal, and all payments by card will incur a 5% charge. There is currency exchange facilities on the island, but you should expect pretty bad rates compared to the mainland.
As there is so much variety on Koh Lipe, this is quite a tough question! If you are on a tight budget, you can eat noodle soup and a Thai Iced Tea for 100THB. For a Thai sit-down meal shared with beers, you would be expecting to pay 300-600THB per person.
A beer in a bar costs 80-100THB, or you can pick up a few in one of the local convenience stores for 40THB per bottle. Coffee costs between 80-100THB in a cafe or for those on a budget, you can get a 7-11 takeaway coffee for 30THB.
Motorbike taxis cost 50THB per person to anywhere on the island, and most high end resorts will provide free transfers to and from the beach or town centre.
We would definitely advise all tourists visiting Koh Lipe to come with their own good quality Travel/Medical Insurance, however should you not have your own, you can expect to pay 1000THB minimum for a consultation with a doctor and 3000THB minimum for medicine and aftercare products.
As everything has to be imported to the island, there are huge mark-ups on all retail items, so prices are nearly double what they would be on the mainland. Suncream would set you back 700THB in a pharmacy, deodorant 200THB, and shampoo/conditioner 300THB.
