DIY Travel Guide Series: 4 Days in Koh Lipe, Thailand

There are three major beaches in Koh Lipe: Pattaya Beach, Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach. Pattaya Beach is the busiest beach among the three beaches especially in High Season. The area gets crowded the whole day, as tourist lined up for their ferry boats, and tourist swimming and sun bathing in the white sands to get tanned. Nightlife in Pattaya beach is set in front of the resorts and most of the restaurants and bars are open until 2PM.

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Sunrise beach is more reclusive, less crowded but the turquoise water and pristine white sand and long sand bar are the best attraction here.

For sunset lovers, Sunset beach is the best area, but with the shortest sand bar and rocky beach front in the both corners of the beach. Tourist like me who loves the sunset sits in the beach front and waited for the stunning sunset.

Visa Requirements:

The immigration office in Koh Lipe from tourist coming from Malaysia near the Bundhaya Beach Resort during High Season (November to April) and the speed boat arrival is in Pattaya Beach. During Low Season, immigration will be thru Satun province and the arrival of speed boat will be in Sunrise Beach near the Baan Koh Adang School.

Travel Tips/ Things to Remember/ Things to Bring during your trip:

From Langkawi, Malaysia: Buy a ferry ticket at Kuah Jetty Pier or in Telaga Harbor Park. There are ferry’s going to Koh Lipe in the morning and in the afternoon, usually at 9AM, 11AM and 2PM. You have to be at the ticket office 1 hour ahead for Visa processing.

From Krabi, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi: There are regular ferry boats from Krabi, Phuket and Koh Phi Phi going to Koh Lipe.

There’s no pier in Koh Lipe, the speed boats will stop near the beach area, and long tail boats will transfer passengers to get to the beach front. There are no cars or taxis in Koh Lipe. There are motorbikes taxi with side car in the Walking Street (the main street) and Taxi Boat station in the beach if you want to transfer to the different area in the island. The best way is also on foot on the small concrete roads.

Recommended Accommodation: I stayed at Seaside Resort at the heart of Pattaya Beach. I booked thru Agoda earlier. There are so many resorts but you should book ahead especially during high season, because they said that finding an accommodation is not easy if you don’t do it in advance. Seaside Resort has a beach feeling because of the bungalow with a veranda and a hammock outside.

You can also check our list of cheap backpacker hostels in Thailand including Koh Lipe here.

Daily Budget:

Itinerary Details:

DAY 1:  

I arrived in Kuah Jetty Port, Langkawi Malaysia at 8AM. At 9AM, I rode a speed boat one and half hours travel to Koh Lipe. Upon arrival to Koh Lipe, we were transferred to a long tail boat to reach the shores of Pattaya Beach.

After immigration I checked-in at Seaside Resort. I explored Walking Street and had lunch. I ate the street foods found in the area. I also checked the small roads going to the Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach. For the rest of the afternoon I stayed at Pattaya Beach.

I was craving for pasta so I looked for an Italian Restaurant called Capriccio during dinner along Walking Street.

DAY 2:  

I went to Walking Street and entered a private resort going to Sunrise Beach after breakfast. I went to the far end of the sand bar going right to Kathalee Beach Resort. The far end of the beach has rock formations. I went back and stayed for 2 hours in Sea La Vie Beach Bar and enjoyed the fruit shakes and scenery. Then I walked again and found different resorts along the beach including the taxi boat station at the middle of Sunrise beach. I stopped and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the wide and long beach of Sunrise Beach going in the Mountain Resort. I had a late lunch in Thai Lady Pancake and rested for awhile in the resort. Before the sun goes down I went to Sunset beach.

DAY 3:

I had a Thai massage on the third day. Since I love the Sunrise Beach, I went back to the Sea La Vie Beach Resort, enjoyed swimming and the fruit shakes during a hot afternoon. I had a late lunch again in Pooh Restaurant. I enjoyed the Pattaya Beach for the rest of the afternoon. I had dinner with Family Song Beach resort near Seaside and enjoyed the evening with other foreigners in the area.

DAY 4:

I checked-out at the resort. I waited for the immigration in Bundhaya before going back to Langkawi. I had coffee at Harmony Café in buddha Beach Resort. while waiting for the Speed boat.

Transportation Tip: If you’re looking for the cheapest way to book the Trains, Buses, Ferries, Transfers on this route, we use 12Go.Asia to compare the prices!

About the Contributor:

Name of the Contributor: KRISTINE AGUSTIN

I am Kristine Agustin, 36 years old a graduate of University of Santo Tomas and a Licensed Chemist. I am a freelance writer; a poet and novelist; a scientist. I love Italian cuisine, a bacon and potato addict; a beach bum; loves the moon, the stars, catching sunrise and chasing sunset. I’d been travelling since 2001 – 46 provinces in the Philippines and 7 countries in Asia.

Name of the Country: Thailand

Date/s of your Travel: March 21 – 24, 2016

City / Places Visited and Number of Days: Koh Lipe, Satun, Thailand

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