Krabi to Koh Lipe — High-Season Island-Hopping Speedboats via Lanta, or the Year-Round Land Route to Pak Bara Pier
Two very different ways to reach Koh Lipe from Krabi. The scenic speedboat chain through Koh Lanta, Koh Ngai and Koh Mook that runs only in the dry season, versus the road-and-boat route via Pak Bara that works in most months.
Koh Lipe is about 250 km south of Krabi as the boat travels, and the route you take depends almost entirely on the month. In the dry season you can island-hop all the way by speedboat; in the rainy season you go by road to Pak Bara and take the short boat from there.
Option 1: Speedboat chain (roughly November to April)
Several operators run a daily southbound service linking the Andaman islands:
- Route: Krabi (Klong Jilad pier) or Ao Nang → Koh Lanta (Saladan) → Koh Ngai → Koh Mook → Koh Kradan → Koh Bulon → Koh Lipe.
- Time: about 5–6 hours from Krabi, 3–4 hours from Koh Lanta, with brief stops at each island to drop and collect passengers.
- Character: open or canvas-covered speedboats, spectacular scenery, but tiring on a choppy day and hard on luggage. Bring a dry bag and sun protection.
- Booking: seats sell out around Christmas and New Year; buy ahead.
This is also how you break the journey: many travellers spend nights on Lanta or Koh Mook on the way south rather than doing it in one go.
- Check speedboat departures Krabi–Koh Lipe and the island stops: open 12Go
Option 2: Road to Pak Bara, then boat (most of the year)
When the speedboat chain is not running, or if you prefer solid ground:
- Minivan from Krabi to Pak Bara pier in Satun province, about 4–5 hours via Trang, usually with a change or a stop at Trang.
- Speedboat Pak Bara → Koh Lipe, about 1.5 hours.
Combined "van + boat" tickets exist and are worth buying so the boat waits for the van. In the deep monsoon months (roughly June to September) even the Pak Bara boats are reduced or suspended for days at a time, so confirm before you travel.
Arriving on Koh Lipe
There is no pier; boats stop at a floating platform and longtails take you the last stretch to the beach for a small fee. Expect to wade ashore, and expect a national park fee on arrival. Pattaya Beach is the arrival side and the liveliest; Sunrise Beach is quieter, a ten-minute walk across the island.
Onward from Lipe
In high season, boats continue to Langkawi (Malaysia) in about 1.5 hours, with immigration handled on the island, which makes Lipe a natural end point for a Thailand leg before Malaysia.
Common mistakes
- Expecting the island-hopping speedboat in July. It does not run; take the land route.
- Carrying a hard-shell suitcase. It has to go into a longtail and through the shallows.
- Assuming you can do Krabi to Lipe and a flight home on the same day. Even in high season, allow a night on the mainland before flying.
Summary
From November to April, take the speedboat chain and break the trip on Lanta or Koh Mook for a memorable route south. In other months, take the minivan to Pak Bara and the short boat across, and always confirm sailings during the monsoon.