Sunlit limestone cliffs reflected in emerald Andaman water near Krabi

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Phuket, Phi-Phi & Krabi in 7 Days

Phuket, Phi-Phi & Krabi in 7 Days

Two nights at each stop, with December ferry connections and costs for two.

Length: 7 days, 6 nights
Route: Phuket → Phi-Phi Islands → Krabi
Main transport: Two ferries; fly into Phuket, out of Krabi
Peak-season focus: Dec–Jan; worked example 8–14 Dec 2026

Loading stays for Krabi

A week with an overnight island stay

This route gives Phi-Phi two nights between Phuket and Krabi, so you can visit the islands without returning to Phuket after a day tour. It suits travellers arriving at Phuket Airport and leaving from Krabi Airport; a return flight from Phuket needs another road journey.

Plan for December or January within the broader November–April Andaman season. The 8–14 December example below uses six hotel nights, ferries on 10 and 12 December, and a departure on 14 December. Christmas and New Year are busier and can add hotel supplements or compulsory dinners. Daily marine warnings still govern sailings.

The week has three full sightseeing days: one for Phuket, one for Phi-Phi and one for Krabi. Choose your Phuket beach or Old Town walk on day two; there is no separate day for a Phang Nga Bay excursion. Add a night in Phuket if that boat trip is a priority.

Phuket beyond the beach

Thalang and Dibuk roads introduce Phuket’s shophouses and tin-trading past. A food walk adds Hokkien noodles and o-aew, a chilled jelly dessert. Stay in Old Town for that focus, or choose Kata for a full beach day.

Phi-Phi Don and Phi-Phi Leh

Sleep on Phi-Phi Don, where the ferry, village and hotels are. Maya Bay is on neighbouring Phi-Phi Leh and requires a separate excursion. Its swimming ban protects the recovering ecosystem; snorkelling stops belong elsewhere on the tour.

Railay or Krabi’s maritime history

Day six can be a boat trip to Railay’s limestone-backed beaches or a mainland visit to the Andaman Beads Museum. The latter explains how finds from Khlong Thom connect this coast with Indian, Chinese and Mediterranean trade.

Best for

Travellers with a week who want to sleep on Phi-Phi instead of making a return day trip from Phuket.
Couples or friends happy to change hotels twice and move luggage through ferry piers and smaller resort boats.

StartBooker answer

What is a realistic seven-day route from Phuket to Krabi through Phi-Phi?

Spend nights 1–2 in Phuket, 3–4 on Phi-Phi Don and 5–6 in Ao Nang or Krabi Town. Take ferries on days three and five, leaving a full day for each destination and a road journey to Krabi Airport on day seven. December–January suits this Andaman route; the worked example is 8–14 December 2026. Choose central Tonsai for walking access or a remote bay for a resort stay with an extra boat transfer.

Hotel nights: Phuket 2, Phi-Phi Don 2, mainland Krabi 2
Flight arrangement: Arrive at Phuket Airport; depart from Krabi Airport after two mainland nights.
Seasonal booking: Reserve the island room and both ferries together; Christmas and New Year rooms cost more.

Things to do in Phuket, Phi-Phi Islands, Krabi, Thailand

Explore tours, attractions and local experiences in Phuket, Phi-Phi Islands, Krabi along this route through Thailand.

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Three stops along the Andaman coast

Each stop has two hotel nights. Pick the accommodation area for its daily activities and access; the route pins identify the destination, rather than a particular hotel or ferry berth.

3 stops · swipe

1

Phuket
2 nights

Kata Beach, Old Town shophouses and Hokkien food

Kata has a sandy west-coast beach and nearby restaurants. Old Town has historic streets and local food, but no swimming beach. Either works for two nights; Rassada Pier is the departure point for the ferry used here.
Read the Phuket guide →
2

Phi-Phi Islands
2 nights

Twin-bay viewpoint, village meals and Phi-Phi Leh excursions

Tonsai puts the ferry pier, restaurants and village within walking distance; Loh Dalum is the livelier nightlife side. Phak Nam Bay offers a quieter resort stay, reached by longtail. The photo shows Maya Bay on Phi-Phi Leh.
Read the Phi-Phi Islands guide →
3

Krabi
2 nights

Railay’s cliffs and beaches, riverfront food and ancient beads

Ao Nang is the convenient choice for a Railay day and beachfront restaurants. Krabi Town suits the riverfront, food streets and museum. Both have road access to the airport; sleeping at Railay adds a boat to that journey.
Read the Krabi guide →

A week from Phuket through Phi-Phi to Krabi

The example runs 8–14 December 2026. Days three and five include ferry travel; the three intervening full days are yours to explore.

1 Day 1 Arrive in Phuket: town or beach Transfer

From Phuket Airport, travel to your chosen base: Old Town for its streets and food, or Kata for the beach. Old Town’s Thalang and Dibuk roads have colourful shophouses with Chinese and European architectural influences, reminders of the island’s tin-trading economy. If your flight arrives early, a short first walk gives context for tomorrow’s visit. From Kata, use the remaining daylight for the beach rather than driving across the island. Red swimming flags mean stay out of the water.

Old Town or Kata hotel
Thalang and Dibuk roads
First evening in Phuket

Base: Phuket

2 Day 2 Walk Old Town and taste Phuket’s food

For the town option, follow Thalang Road and the neighbouring streets around Dibuk, looking at the narrow shopfronts, decorated facades and covered entrances. Stop for Hokkien noodles: thick yellow noodles cooked with seafood are a substantial local lunch. Try o-aew later, a light jelly served with syrup and shaved ice. These dishes reflect Phuket’s Chinese and Peranakan connections alongside its Southern Thai food traditions. If you chose Kata for swimming, give the day to the beach and nearby restaurants instead. Travelling from Kata to town is possible, but reduces beach time. A separate Phang Nga Bay cruise needs another full day and is not included in this week.

Shophouses around Thalang Road
Hokkien noodles and o-aew
Alternative: a full Kata beach day

Base: Phuket

3 Day 3 10 December: ferry to Phi-Phi Don Ferry

Ao Nang Travel publishes an 08:30 ferry from Rassada Pier, reaching Tonsai at 10:30. Its ticket includes pickup from Kata, Karon, Patong and Phuket Town, among other listed areas; ask for your hotel’s pickup time. This is a two-hour crossing, not the complete hotel-to-hotel journey. At Tonsai, central accommodation is reached on foot. The budget’s Phi Phi Relax example is at Phak Nam Bay: the resort’s November–April shuttle includes an 11:30 departure and takes about 30 minutes. Staff meet guests near the pier; the resort has no landing pier, so arrival involves shallow water. Direct bookings include the check-in and check-out boats. Once there, the afternoon is for the resort beach; reaching Tonsai again requires another boat.

Rassada 08:30 → Tonsai 10:30
Central room or resort longtail
Phak Nam Bay beach

Base: Phi-Phi Islands

4 Day 4 Maya Bay, or Phi-Phi Don on foot

Choose a Phi-Phi Leh excursion for Maya Bay’s pale sand and surrounding limestone walls. Swimming in Maya Bay is prohibited to protect its recovering ecosystem; ask which other stops provide snorkelling and whether park entry is included. A tour starting at Tonsai needs an additional pickup arrangement from a remote resort. The 2026 park calendar lists an August–September closure, outside these December dates; check for later park notices. For a land day from central Tonsai, visit the village market, walk across to Loh Dalum and climb the viewpoint steps for the two-bay panorama. The climb is steep, so a village-and-beach day is the easier option. Garlic 1992 is one central option for Thai food. From Phak Nam Bay, choose a resort day or arrange a boat into the village rather than assuming the same walking route starts at your bungalow.

Phi-Phi Leh and Maya Bay
Or Tonsai market and twin-bay viewpoint
Garlic 1992 for a village meal

Base: Phi-Phi Islands

5 Day 5 12 December: ferry to mainland Krabi Ferry

For the route used in the budget, check in at Tonsai by 14:00 for Ao Nang Travel’s 14:30 departure and scheduled 16:30 arrival. The fare includes onward delivery to hotels in Ao Nang, Klong Muang, Tubkaek and Krabi Town. Phi Phi Relax’s published 12:30 return shuttle gives time to reach Tonsai before check-in; reconfirm it with reception. Andaman Wave Master is an alternative to Klong Jilad Pier, with land transport excluded. Stay in Ao Nang if Railay is tomorrow’s priority. For a town evening, Krabi’s central food streets cluster around Maharaj, Uttarakit and Chao Fah roads.

Tonsai check-in by 14:00
Ferry and included mainland delivery
Ao Nang or Krabi Town evening

Base: Krabi

6 Day 6 Railay beaches or the Andaman Beads Museum

From Ao Nang, arrange a return longtail trip to Railay in suitable sea conditions. Railay is a peninsula cut off by limestone cliffs, so it is reached by boat despite being on the mainland. Spend the day between Railay West and Phra Nang’s beach, with time for a meal, rather than adding another island tour. Agree the return landing and last departure with the boat service before leaving Ao Nang. For a day without sea travel, visit the Andaman Cultural Centre in Krabi Town when open. Its Beads Museum explains how animal materials, coloured stones and glass became ornaments, symbols and objects of trade. Finds at Khlong Thom link this region with merchants from India, China and the Mediterranean. Combine the museum with the town riverfront; it is a separate road outing if your hotel is in Ao Nang.

Railay West and Phra Nang
Or ancient beads and maritime trade
Krabi Town riverfront

Base: Krabi

7 Day 7 14 December: depart from Krabi Airport

Leave your Ao Nang or Krabi Town hotel by road for Krabi Airport. Book the pickup from your hotel to arrive at the airport by your airline’s check-in deadline, allowing extra road time before that. The route’s final ferry was two days earlier, so there is no sea crossing on this departure morning. If your flight home instead leaves from Phuket, book a separate road transfer and allow for that longer journey, or add a final Phuket night. It is not covered by the airport transfer in this budget.

Road transfer to Krabi Airport
Airline check-in allowance
Separate plan for a Phuket departure

Base: Krabi

Ferry times, transfers and ticket conditions

Published operator examples checked on 26 October 2026: reserve for 10 and 12 December in this itinerary. The times below exclude hotel pickup, check-in and onward delivery.

2 transfers

Phuket Phi-Phi Islands

Ferry Travel time: 08:30–10:30; two hours at sea

Ao Nang Travel: Rassada to Tonsai, THB 900 (≈ US$27) per adult one way. Kata and Phuket Town pickup is included; remote Phi-Phi bays need a separate hotel boat.
Phi-Phi Islands Krabi

Ferry Travel time: 14:30–16:30; two hours at sea

Ao Nang Travel: Tonsai to Ao Nang, THB 650 (≈ US$19) per adult one way, with listed mainland hotel delivery. Check in at Tonsai 30 minutes before departure.

December week for two: complete trip costs

For 8–14 December 2026, allow THB 44,000–58,850 (≈ US$1,310–1,750) for two adults sharing a room. Includes six nights, meals, ferries, airport/local rides, the boat outings and a 10% reserve; flights are extra. Room allowances include tax and service charges.

Phuket: one room, two nights 8–10 December: a planning allowance for a private room in Kata or Old Town, including tax/service. Breakfast is not assumed; choose the area before comparing rooms.: THB 6,000–10,000 (≈ US$180–300) per room, 2 nights
Phi-Phi: beachfront fan bungalow, two nights 10–12 December: Phi Phi Relax beachfront fan room for two, including breakfast, taxes, fees and check-in/out longtails. Phak Nam Bay needs a boat and wet landing.: THB 9,900 (≈ US$300)
Mainland Krabi: one room, two nights 12–14 December: allowance for a private room in Ao Nang or Krabi Town, including tax/service, without assumed breakfast. A Railay resort changes the airport approach.: THB 8,000–12,000 (≈ US$240–360)
Both ferries: two adults, one way each Two Rassada–Tonsai tickets at THB 900 (≈ US$27) and two Tonsai–Ao Nang tickets at THB 650 (≈ US$19). Listed Phuket pickup and Krabi hotel delivery are included.: THB 3,100 (≈ US$90)
Meals and drinking water: seven days for two Local meals and some restaurant dinners. The two Phi-Phi breakfasts are already in the room rate; other breakfasts are covered here. Alcohol and premium dining are extra.: THB 6,000–8,000 (≈ US$180–240)
Airport transfers and local rides: two people Allowance for Phuket Airport to the first hotel, local trips and the final Krabi Airport ride. Do not add ferry hotel transfers a second time when included in your ticket.: THB 3,000–4,500 (≈ US$90–130)
Phi-Phi Leh outing, Railay boats and entry: two adults Shared Phi-Phi Leh tour, Railay return boats, park entry and island charges. Request an inclusive price; extra resort-to-Tonsai trips use the local-rides allowance.: THB 4,000–6,000 (≈ US$120–180) for both adults
10% reserve, included in the total The planned costs above total THB 40,000–53,500 (≈ US$1,190–1,600). The reserve covers modest fare or transport changes; extended disruption can cost more.: THB 4,000–5,350 (≈ US$120–160)

Booking tips

The six-night calendar is Phuket 8–10 December, Phi-Phi 10–12 December and Krabi 12–14 December. Phuket and Krabi room figures are estimates, not held quotations. Obtain a final two-adult total including taxes and service charges within those allowances; add breakfast only if wanted. Christmas and New Year need a fresh budget, including any mandatory hotel dinners.
The Phi Phi Relax direct rate was checked on 27 October 2026 for 10–12 December: beachfront fan bungalow, breakfast for two and taxes/fees included. Free cancellation was shown before 19 November; read the exact rate terms before payment. The lower non-refundable price is not used here. Extra longtail trips to Tonsai are separate from the included check-in/out boats.
Ao Nang Travel lists non-refundable ferry tickets and a 20 kg luggage limit; an overweight bag costs THB 100 (≈ US$3). Confirm pickup and check-in instructions when reserving. Recheck the carrier and marine warnings before each crossing. A cancelled tour can become a local day; a cancelled inter-island ferry requires revised hotel and onward-travel arrangements.
The total excludes international and domestic flights, a return to Phuket, insurance, diving, private charters, alcohol, premium dining and added nights. Currency comparisons use the ECB rates of 15 October 2026, about US$0.0298 per baht. Rounded US-dollar amounts are comparisons; exchange and card fees are extra.

Find Krabi stays →

Locate the three stops and nearby stays

Pins mark Phuket Town, Phi-Phi Don and Krabi Town. Hotel results cover the wider region; use each property’s address to distinguish Ao Nang, town and boat-accessed Railay.

Planning a week through Phi-Phi

Is seven days enough for Phuket, Phi-Phi and Krabi?

Yes, if one full day in each destination is enough. Two nights per stop leave three full sightseeing days and two ferry days. For both Phuket’s Old Town and a separate Phang Nga cruise, add a Phuket night.

Which months should I choose?

December–January is the focus here, within the broader November–April Andaman season. Book ahead around Christmas and New Year and expect higher room costs. Seasonal suitability does not guarantee a particular sailing.

Can I run the itinerary from Krabi to Phuket?

Yes: spend nights 1–2 on the Krabi mainland, 3–4 on Phi-Phi Don and 5–6 in Phuket, then leave Phuket on day seven. Reserve the reverse ferry services rather than reusing the outbound times shown here. The two final Phuket nights keep the ferry away from your flight day.

Where should I stay on Phi-Phi for easy transfers?

Choose central Tonsai for walking access to the main ferry pier and village restaurants. A remote beach such as Phak Nam Bay gives a quieter resort stay but needs an additional boat and may have a wet landing. The budget uses that resort option.

Can I stay on Railay for the last two nights?

Yes, but the journey to Krabi Airport then starts with a boat to the mainland. Ao Nang or Krabi Town keeps the final transfer on the road. This itinerary budgets for those mainland bases and treats Railay as a day trip.

Where should I add an eighth day?

Add it to Phuket for a Phang Nga Bay excursion, or to Phi-Phi for a second full island day alongside Maya Bay. For more Railay beach time or another Krabi boat trip, add the night in Ao Nang. Each option makes seven hotel nights; keep the rest of the route in order.

Evidence behind 7-Day Phuket to Krabi Route via Phi-Phi

Editorial self-review StartBooker editorial Thailand itinerary self-review

Checked on 2026-10-27

Updated 2026-10-27

How the route was verified: Editorial self-review of the seven-day/six-night route, December–January season, 8–14 December budget, two ferry connections and hotel access. Checked operator fares and direct resort terms, retained valid park-calendar and coordinate research with their original dates, and reused verified Phuket food/history and dated ECB rates. Reviewed language, practical answers, distinct licensed photos and desktop/mobile rendering; this is self-review, not independent approval.

20 source records

Key official and independent sources