Koh Lipe Things to Do: 13 Tips and Activities

Koh Lipe is located on the west coast of Thailand, right at the southern border with Malaysia. When one thinks of Koh Lipe, they inevitably picture white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. It’s no wonder that the island carries the unofficial nickname The Maldives of Thailand.

Koh Lipe – Beaches, Activities, and More

However, the island offers more than just beaches. You can also engage in a variety of other activities on Koh Lipe. Even though the island is quite small, and you can explore it on foot in a short time, you won’t get bored quickly while you’re there. Find out what you can do on Koh Lipe here.

How to get to Koh Lipe

The small island of Koh Lipe doesn’t have an airport, but you can travel to it by plane via Trang or Hat Yai on the Thai mainland. These are the airports closest to the Pakbara Pier, from which you’ll embark to Koh Lipe. You can find tickets, connections, and flight prices on Skyscanner.

You can also travel to Trang or Hat Yai within Thailand by train or bus. From both cities, it’s approximately 1 ½ hours to the Pakbara Pier, where the boats to Koh Lipe depart. The speedboats take another 1 ½ hours to reach the island. A combination package of bus and boat costs around 850 Baht and can be booked online, for example, on 12go.asia.

In the high season, there are two additional options. First, you can take the Tigerline company’s boat from Koh Lanta via Koh Mook etc. to Koh Lipe. Alternatively, there are direct boat connections from the Malaysian island of Langkawi.

Accommodation on Koh Lipe – Our hotel tip

For us, it was definitely worth visiting Koh Lipe during the off-season! The island is less crowded, and the prices drop significantly, so you pay almost half the price for fantastic accommodation. For example, at the Cabana Lipe Beach Resort, located right on Sunrise Beach. The accommodation is a dream, especially the rooms with sea views.

You can find more accommodations on Koh Lipe here. It’s noticeably cheaper, for instance, in the central part of the island near the Walking Street.

1. Beaches

The beaches are obviously the first highlight when you arrive on Koh Lipe. Since the island can only be reached by boat, you will be dropped off at either Pattaya Beach or Sunrise Beach.

If you’re expecting palm trees, white sandy beaches, and clear turquoise waters on Koh Lipe, then you’re in the right place! Koh Lipe’s beaches are truly splendid. Even when we arrived on the island in the rain, the sand was still relatively white, and the water was still turquoise.

In addition to the aforementioned Pattaya Beach and Sunrise Beach, there are a few more beaches on the island. One of the most famous ones is Sunset Beach in the north, which is perfect for watching a sunset (see below).

But even after visiting these three main beaches, you haven’t seen all of Koh Lipe’s beaches yet. You’ll soon find out which beaches there are in our Koh Lipe beach guide (coming soon).

2. Snorkeling

In a paradise-like setting like Koh Lipe, snorkeling is, of course, very popular among travelers and vacationers. At some spots, you can even go snorkeling right from the beach. For example, in the south of Sunrise Beach, around the area of the Serendipity Resorts, where you’ll find some rocks in the water with clownfish (Nemos) and other fish.

You can also go snorkeling right from the beach at some spots on the northwest coast of Koh Lipe. However, in general, you shouldn’t expect the most fish-rich underwater world when snorkeling directly from the beach.

The underwater world in the vicinity of Koh Lipe, however, has a lot to offer. The best way to explore it is by joining one of the snorkeling trips offered everywhere for about 650 Baht. These trips take you from one snorkeling spot to another on a longtail boat.

3. Koh Adang Viewpoint

There is a lot to do not only on Koh Lipe itself, despite its small size. A trip to Koh Adang is also worth it. From Sunrise or Sunset Beach, which is only a 10-minute boat ride away, you can already see the large island.

The highlight of Koh Adang is undoubtedly the viewpoint, or rather, the three viewpoints that you can hike to on the mountain. While the trail is relatively easy to overcome thanks to the ropes, it can be quite strenuous in the heat of Thailand, so be sure to bring water. Your reward will be a stunning view of Koh Lipe.

The best way to get to Koh Adang is by longtail boat from Sunrise Beach on Koh Lipe. The price is 100 Baht per person for a tour, so a round trip is 200 Baht per person. You can arrange a time with the driver for your return.

Note: During the high season, you may need to purchase a national park ticket on Koh Adang (200 Baht per person). However, during the low season, there may be no one on-site to collect this fee.

4. Island Hopping

Koh Lipe is also an excellent starting point for island hopping, as there are many other fantastic islands in the vicinity that you can explore. One of them I mentioned earlier is Koh Adang, but there are many more.

For example, there’s the Koh Tarutao National Park, where you can even camp on the island. Additionally, there are Koh Rawi, Koh Batong, Koh Khai, Koh Yang, and many other small islands nearby. Some of them you can visit with a rented longtail boat, while others have their own island hopping tours.

During the high season, there are also direct ferry connections to Koh Mook or Koh Lanta, so you could incorporate these islands into your island hopping adventure in the Andaman Sea. As you can see, the possibilities are diverse.

5. Kayaking Tour

Kayaking is a popular activity on Koh Lipe. Many resorts offer kayak rentals for a few hours, allowing you to paddle around the island’s usually calm waters. With some practice, a tour around Koh Lipe should take no more than 3-4 hours.

But beware: Remember to protect yourself from the sun while kayaking, as this is often overlooked on the water. Prices for kayaks naturally vary but are generally around 150-200 Baht per hour. It’s a great alternative to explore Koh Lipe from the water.

6. Stand Up Paddling

In addition to kayaking, SUP (Stand Up Paddling) is a great way to explore the island actively and from the water. The Castaway Resort on the southern Sunrise Beach, for example, rents out boards right on the beach. But other bars or hotels also offer this.

It does require a bit of practice if you’ve never done SUP before because standing on the board at the beginning is not the easiest. But with a little training, you should master it relatively quickly, and then it’s a lot of fun.

The prices for SUP vary depending on the rental provider, but they are similar to those of kayaks and are usually around 150-200 Baht per hour.

7. Walking Street

You can’t avoid the Walking Street on Koh Lipe because many of the island’s restaurants are located right there. You can also find some souvenir shops, dive shops, or bars along Koh Lipe’s Walking Street.

The Walking Street runs almost completely through Koh Lipe from Pattaya Beach to near Sunrise Beach. The street is, so to speak, the center of the island, and not only during the high season but also in the low season, you will encounter most visitors here.

For Koh Lipe standards, you can eat relatively cheaply on Walking Street, especially in the small shops. Nevertheless, Koh Lipe is one of the most expensive islands we have visited in Thailand so far, whether it’s for accommodation or food.

By the way, you will also find a few massages on Walking Street as well as a 7-Eleven that has an ATM. Until a few years ago, there were no ATMs here, but now there are several in or near Walking Street.

8. Massage

Not only on Walking Street, but also on the beaches you can find some massage shops. If you want to relax, you’ve come to the right place. You can get a Thai or foot massage starting at 300 Baht per hour.

However, we didn’t see any luxurious spas on Koh Lipe. Especially on a rainy day, a massage would be a good option.

9. Temples

On the way to Sunset Beach, on a hill, you’ll find Wat Hantalay, the Buddhist temple of Koh Lipe. However, if you’re expecting large pagodas and impressive buildings, you’re in the wrong place. The temple is more like a small hut in the jungle with a golden Buddha statue.

Nevertheless, the grounds are very beautifully nestled in the forest with rock paintings and small signs. In the twilight, the whole area has a mystical atmosphere. A completely different temple than you’re probably used to seeing in Thailand.

10. Beach Cleanup

Especially in Southeast Asia, litter is often a big problem. Plastic waste, cigarette butts, and the like can be found everywhere on the beaches. Trash Hero is one of the organizations that regularly organize beach cleanups in many different locations, including Koh Lipe.

You can join other travelers and locals in collecting litter and making the island a bit cleaner. Every bit of help is needed because not only on the island itself but also from the ocean, trash is often washed ashore. You can check the website to find out when the next beach cleanup is scheduled.

11. Diving

Koh Lipe is also particularly known for diving. There are various dive schools scattered around the island where you can take courses or, if you already have a diving license, simply head out to sea and explore the underwater world.

Turtles, octopuses, manta rays – all of this is hidden in the underwater world around Koh Lipe. There are even dive spots that go as deep as 30 meters. Two fun dives on a day trip usually start at around 2,800 Baht per person.

If you want to learn diving, it’s best to check out some dive schools on site and talk to the staff. There always needs to be a good student-teacher ratio so that the dive instructors can focus well on the students. Koh Lipe truly has a lot to offer in this regard, as the island is equally well-known and popular among divers.

12. Sunset

Even the sunset is worth it on Koh Lipe. The Sunset Beach is the best choice, as the name suggests. While the beach is quite empty during the day, some visitors come for the sunset.

There are a few bars on Sunset Beach, but we recommend simply buying a beer or another drink at one of the shops on Koh Lipe, bringing a blanket or towel, and sitting on the sand to enjoy the sunset.

But be careful! Especially when the sun sets, the beach can be teeming with mosquitoes, and a good mosquito spray can protect you from a few bites. There are also many stray dogs, but they are generally very friendly. Don’t be afraid of them, they are probably more afraid of you.

In addition to Sunset Beach, all accommodations or other bays facing north are suitable for watching the sunset. Definitely a must-do on Koh Lipe.

13. Bars

For the afternoon or evening, Koh Lipe also offers plenty of fantastic bars. Whether it’s right on the beach or in the Walking Street, there are truly unique bars that invite you for a drink from afar.

At Sunrise Beach, we can recommend the Happy Vibe Beach Bar, or further south, the bar of the Serendipity Resorts with a great view of the sea and even as far as Langkawi. Furthermore, you can find freshly brewed beer here at relatively reasonable prices.

Our two favorite bars on the Walking Street were Rainforest – The Gallery Bar, where every evening a dog named “Maa” (in Thai, that means both dog and horse, depending on the emphasis) sits at the bar. He has secured his regular spot at the bar and insists on it every evening.

But the Maya Bar is also a great alternative. Very stylishly decorated, you’ll definitely notice it while strolling through the Walking Street.

Koh Lipe: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Koh Lipe in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Koh Lipe.

Have you ever been to Koh Lipe? Do you have any activities or tips for Koh Lipe? We look forward to your feedback in the comments.