Looking for the best things to do in Koh Lipe? You just found them!
Located in the Andaman Sea in Southern Thailand, Koh Lipe is one of the less touristy Thai islands. Not as many travellers visit it, which is exactly what makes it special.
Here you will find white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, a huge variety of marine life and a chill island vibe. It’s the ultimate paradise island and once you arrive here, you’ll never want to leave.
In this article I have outlined all of the best activities to do in Koh Lipe, as well as useful travel advice like how to get there, where to stay, the best time to visit, and how many days you should spend in Koh Lipe.
So what are you waiting for? Read on, and discover all the best things to do in Koh Lipe, Thailand!
Table of Contents
Useful things to know about Koh Lipe
Before we dive into the best things to do in Koh Lipe, I want to go over some useful logistics information, which will ensure you have the best experience in Koh Lipe.
When to visit Koh Lipe
The best time to visit Koh Lipe in Thailand is definitely the dry season, which runs from November to March.
This is the high season, which means you’ll pay a bit more for things like accommodation, ferries will be busier and beaches will have more people on them. But I’d say it’s worth it.
Personally, I would avoid the low season and shoulder season (even if it’s cheaper during rainy season), since Koh Lipe is obviously an island where you do mainly beach and outdoor activities.
If it rains the whole day, there’s little else to do. Plus, the colour of the water and beach isn’t the same with an overcast sky.
When the sun is out it makes all the difference; the water sparkles and gives that unique pool-like effect.
How to get to Koh Lipe
Travelling to Koh Lipe can be a bit of a trek, or it can be fairly easy, depending on where you’re travelling from.
We visited Koh Lipe on the tail end of Malaysia trip, so for us getting to Koh Lipe was pretty easy, we just jumped on a 1.5 hour ferry from Langkawi (a beautiful Malaysian island we were visiting anyway) and that was it.
If you’re travelling to Koh Lipe from Bangkok,Chiang Mai,Chiang Rai or any other Thai city, it’s going to be considerably longer. Koh Lipe is located at the very end of Southern Thailand, right next to Malaysia.
You have to fly to Hat Yai Airport first (1.5 – 2 hour flight depending on where you fly from) then drive 2 hours to Pak Bara Pier, then take a 1.5 – 2 hour ferry to Koh Lipe.
Regardless of where you’re setting off from, I suggest you check 12Go to find the best deal on your transfers and ferries. It’s a great platform as you can compare companies, times and reviews.
Click here to purchase your transfer to Koh Lipe!
How to get around Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is a very small island, so you can really get around on foot. Most places you can just walk between. The island doesn’t have a public transport system, but there are tuk-tuks that you can take for longer distances.
From our experience, tuk-tuks had a set 50 THB price per person, regardless of the distance you were travelling or how many people were in the tuk-tuk.
And when you want to go beach hopping to see some of Koh Lipe’s attractions, there are always longtail boats or kayaks. If you want, you could also hire a motorbike to get around, but I don’t think it would be that necessary.
How many days in Koh Lipe
This is a small island, so how long you stay depends really on how much you love beaches. I would recommend that you spend at least 3 days to see the essentials, chill on the beach, and get a good idea of the Koh Lipe vibe.
That said, you could easily spend a week or more. There are a lot of beaches, islands, snorkelling spots etc, so even if it’s a small island, you wouldn’t get bored if you stay here a while.
However, if you’re visiting Koh Lipe as part of a wider Thailand itinerary, and from here will head off to see more islands and more beaches (like Maya Bay,Phi Phi,Railay Beach, the Surin or Similan Islands), there’s no need to stay much longer than three days.
Where to stay in Koh Lipe
Even though it’s a fairly small island, there are still some areas that are distinctly nicer than others. Personally, I would suggest staying on the side of North Point Beach or Sunrise Beach, as it’s quieter and the beach is nicer.
Here are some great places to stay in Koh Lipe for every budget.
Budget: The Chic Lipe– Located close to Walking Street and the beaches, this hostel has a modern feel, spacious common areas, and offers both dorms and private rooms.
Check out prices & availability at The Chic Lipe here!
Mid-range: Forra Pattaya Beach Front Bungalow– This is where we stayed, and while I loved the cute wooden bungalows directly on the beach, there was no AC and some of the services were quite run down.
Click here to book your stay at Forra Pattaya Beach Front Bungalow in Koh Lipe!
Luxury: Bulow Casa Grand View Resort– I saw this hotel while walking on North Point beach and wished this is what I’d booked instead. Here you’ll find gorgeous beach front villas with direct pool access, what more do you need?
Click here to book your stay at Bulow Casa Grand View Resort in Koh Lipe!
What to pack for your Koh Lipe trip
For a full breakdown of what you should pack for Thailand, check out my Thailand packing list. Here I just included a few essentials that are always useful when visiting tropical islands.
Waterproof jacket – If you visit in rainy season, you’ll be glad to have one of these!
Fast drying towel – There’s a lot of swimming and lounging on beaches involved in Koh Lipe, so make sure to have one of these! I love these because they dry quickly and they don’t take up much space.
Power bank – You don’t want your phone to die on you just as you’re about to snap a gorgeous photo of the beautiful beaches in Koh Lipe!
Dry bag – To keep your valuables safe and dry from any rogue water splashes during your boat trips.
Do you need travel insurance for Koh Lipe
After my personal experience spending two nights in a private hospital in Tenerife, and having to pay for it out of pocket (it wasn’t cheap), I always recommend getting travel insurance.
You might not end up needing it, but for a small fee you can travel without worries. Personally, I suggest getting your travel insurance with Heymondo.
Heymondo offers tailor made travel insurance, providing the best value for money for your specific trip. You can also buy it once you’re already abroad and have forgotten about it before flying (which, if you’re anything like me, is quite likely).
Besides the usual cancellation, medical expenses, luggage coverage and general travel insurance services, Heymondo also has a 24/7 doctor chat and instant assistance through their app.
Plus, as a Greta’s Travels reader, you get 5% off your Heymondo travel insurance!
Click here to get your 5% off Heymondo travel insurance!
Best things to do in Koh Lipe
Go to the beach!
No Koh Lipe guide would be complete without a round-up of this paradise island’s best beaches.
Pattaya Beach
If you’re looking for beaches in Koh Lipe, the first one you will visit is Pattaya Beach. Situated on the south coast, this crescent-shaped beach is the longest on the island (around a kilometre in length).
It’s a pretty vibrant spot with a collection of beach bars playing music, restaurants serving up good seafood (among other things), cafes and longtail boats coming and going all day.
The sand is powdery soft and the water is crystal clear. It may not be the most serene spot, but it’s definitely got a lot going on.
Pattaya Beach is where ferries arrive, so during the day you will see long tail boats ferrying tourists back and forth from the beach to the ferries that wait out in the bay. Hence why it’s not super serene, but it’s still beautiful.
Sunrise Beach
Sunrise Beach is Koh Lipe’s “other” main beach. It’s also big and beautiful, and has often been touted as one of the best beaches that Thailand has to offer.
It’s a bit more relaxing than Pattaya Beach, with high-end resorts edging the sand on the southern end. It’s a bit more sophisticated, but still has lots of bars and restaurants to choose from.
We spent a whole day chilling here, and I must say it’s pretty beautiful and more relaxing than Pattaya Beach.
North Point Beach
This one is my personal favourite. You’ll find it at the northern end of Sunrise Beach. Not only is the water here super clear, but you also get some fantastic views out across the sea to Ko Adang island.
The sandbar here is really cool – swim out from the front of Zodiac Bar towards Ko Adang and you’ll get to a spot where the water is super shallow and incredibly clear. Just Beautiful!
Sunset Beach
True to its name, Sunset Beach is famous for sunset, obviously. Set on the western side of the island on the Adang Strait, it’s a quiet spot where you can enjoy a little bit of solace from the more crowded beaches elsewhere.
People like to come here as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, complete with super nice views of the sea and coast.
Lipe Secret Beach
It’s not really a “secret” beach, it’s just hard to get to. The small and beautiful beach can only be accessed by kayak or by walking through a forest area.
Either way, it’s a more natural spot than other beaches on the island, and cool to explore for a while – think soft sand, turquoise sea and craggy rocks. Don’t expect any facilities at all.
Go scuba diving
Koh Lipe is one of the best scuba diving spots in Thailand. It’s famous for its marine life, so one of the best things to do in Koh Lipe, of course, is to go scuba diving.
The coral reefs around the island are protected by a nature reserve, so they are teeming with tropical fish and other marine life.
One famous diving spot is Stonehenge, named for its cool and colourful underwater rock formations. There are also loads of other unique diving opportunities in the islands surrounding Koh Lipe.
Setting off from Koh Lipe, there are loads of different scuba companies you can go with. Once you get to Koh Lipe you can see what diving school gives you the best vibes, or book online beforehand to save time.
Click here to book your scuba diving experience in Koh Lipe, Thailand!
Or snorkelling
If you don’t fancy scuba diving, you can still see loads of cool marine life by snorkelling – another one of the quintessential Koh Lipe activities. There are plenty of snorkelling tours that you could join, such as this one.
The tour sees you heading out on a longtail boat for a 6-hour adventure exploring Koh Lipe’s underwater worlds. You’ll begin at Pattaya Beach where you’ll be whisked to a host of different islands dotted in the vicinity.
Spot coral reefs brimming with fish and explore unique underwater landscapes. This tour includes food, drink and snorkelling equipment. An all-round amazing experience and great value for money.
Click here to book your snorkelling tour in Koh Lipe!
Go on a boat trip to the surrounding islands
There are islands in easy reach of Koh Lipe that allow for some pretty easy exploration.
Boat trip tours abound, with various options depending on what you want to focus on – beaches or snorkelling, or a combination tour that does a bit of everything (similarly to Four Island boat tours in Krabi).
One option is this boat tour. You’ll get taken to a handful of snorkelling sites across 6 hours, with visits to various beaches including Ko Dong, Ko Phi and Ko Yang.
It’s not the exact tour we did, but it’s pretty similar. We rented out a private long tail boat just for our group, and had it take us out to the best beaches, snorkelling spots and islands around Koh Lipe.
The boat picked us up directly from Pattaya Beach in front of our hotel, included lunch and was one of the best experiences of our trip.
Click here to book your Koh Lipe boat tour!
Get a massage on the beach
Make your day at the beach even more blissed out by treating yourself to an indulgent massage. These are not only super relaxing and a great way to get out of the sun for a while, but also really affordable.
While in Koh Lipe I got daily massages on the beach for as little as 300 THB per hour.
You’ll feel completely rejuvenated and relaxed, while also being able to soak up the beach views and the sea breeze.
Explore Walking Street in the evening
Walking Street is the main street on Koh Lipe, but despite the name, it only becomes pedestrian after 6PM. Once evening kicks in, the street becomes lively and its bars and restaurants begin to fill up.
There are a whole host of fun spots to hit up along the street – take your pick!
We spent our evenings wandering up and down Walking Street, trying different restaurants each night, and shopping for souvenirs at the local shops.
For the last minute planners, along Walking Street you can also find quite a few travel kiosks, so you can book yourself onto last minute tours if need be.
Enjoy the nightlife
Despite the liveliness of Walking Street, I wouldn’t say that Koh Lipe was a party island (like Phuket, for example), but there’s still a bit of nightlife going on.
For one thing, you can simply watch fire-dancing shows on the beach at night, or if you want something more energetic head over to Maya Bar for house music and cocktails.
Go kayaking!
Kayaking is a great way to explore Koh Lipe. You can rent a kayak from pretty much any beach, after which the coast around the island will be your oyster. Kayaks cost around 200 THB for an hour, or 500 THB for a day.
Having a kayak means you can get to Lipe Secret Beach easily if you rent one from Pattaya Beach.
Alternatively, if you get your kayak from Sunrise Beach, you can get to Kla Island instead. The little beaches on this island are gorgeous and the water is super clear – I highly recommend doing this!
See the view over Koh Lipe from Koh Adang
Mostly you’ll be looking at Ko Adang from Koh Lipe, but you can actually see the view from Ko Adang instead by getting a taxi boat to the island. This costs 100 THB per person (one way) and can be caught from Sunrise Beach.
Once you arrive, hike up to the viewpoint (the hiking trail takes around 45 minutes to an hour) and lap up the vista of the uniquely shaped Koh Lipe.
Unfortunately we didn’t get the opportunity to do this (mainly as we didn’t know it was a thing), but after seeing photos when we left Koh Lipe, I really wish we’d had time to!
You can combine the hike to this viewpoint with a little trip over to Koh Adang. You can take the water taxi over, hike up to the viewpoint, and then chill at the beach in Koh Adang after, enjoying a refreshing dip in the sea.
Enjoy sunset on the beach, maybe with sunset drinks
You don’t have to stay at Koh Lipe’s best resort to soak up an amazing sunset.
A lot of bars on the island have happy hour around the time of sunset, so you can enjoy your tipple of choice as you watch the sun sink below the horizon, maybe also with a little live music.
Enjoy the local cuisine
Food on Koh Lipe runs from Western food to traditional Thai cuisine. The island is particularly known for its seafood dishes, which you’ll find loads of on Pattaya Beach.
Street food is a big deal here, with satay easily procurable from streetside stalls. Nee Papaya on Sunrise Beach is a fun place filled with BBQ options and traditional Thai snacks.
For Western cafe snacks by day and cocktails by night, head to Elephant – a hotspot along Walking Street.
Final thoughts on Koh Lipe what to do
There you have it, the ultimate guide about the best things to do in Koh Lipe! Have you been to Koh Lipe in Thailand before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!
Personally, I really enjoyed my time in Koh Lipe, and it quickly became one of my favorite places in Thailand. It’s easy to see why they call it the Maldives of Thailand.
Those pristine white sand beaches, lined with palm trees and turquoise water, are simply magical. Koh Lipe Island is truly a beauty, and the perfect place if you’re looking for a chill island getaway.
I’d head plenty about Koh Lipe before, but since it’s so far from everywhere else in Thailand, I didn’t actually get round to visiting it until my latest trip to Malaysia. Once I saw how close it was to Langkawi, we knew we just had to hop over with the ferry!
I hope you found my Koh Lipe travel guide useful, and that it will help you make the most of this little island and its beautiful beaches. If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!
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