Loh Moo Dee Beach, Koh Phi Phi Don: Getting There, the Walk and What's on the Sand
Loh Moo Dee Beach is worth a half day if you want a wide, quiet bay without leaving Koh Phi Phi Don. It is a roughly 300-meter white-sand beach on the island's east coast, and the appeal is simple: calm mornings, a short walk or boat ride from Tonsai, and far fewer people than the west-coast strips. This page covers where the bay sits, the walking routes from Tonsai East and Phi Phi Viewpoint, the longtail option from Tonsai Pier, and how to time a visit so the sand is still quiet when you arrive.
What Loh Moo Dee Beach is and why people go
Locally written as Loh Moo Dee or Loh Modee, this is a broad white-sand bay with emerald water on the east side of Koh Phi Phi Don. It sits in Ao Nang district of Krabi province, the same administrative area listed for the island's resorts. The draw is contrast: Tonsai's piers and bars are a short trip away, but the bay itself has no town behind it, just vegetation and a handful of resorts.
The quiet is a morning phenomenon rather than a permanent condition. Day trips from Phuket and Krabi commonly include the bay, and travel guides note the beach losing its secluded feel in the afternoon until about 3:30pm, when the boats move on. If solitude is the point, plan to be on the sand before midday rather than in the late afternoon.
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Where the bay sits on Phi Phi Don
Loh Moo Dee occupies the east coast of Phi Phi Don, the larger and inhabited half of the Phi Phi pair. The most useful landmark references are Bayview Resort, which backs onto the start of the main walking path, and Phi Phi Viewpoint, whose trailhead gives a second approach from above Tonsai. Neither the viewpoint nor the resort is the beach itself; both are simply where the routes begin.
Because the bay faces east, it opens toward the water between Phi Phi Don and the mainland side rather than toward the Phi Phi Leh cliffs. That geography explains the boat traffic: longtails running between Tonsai and the eastern coves pass close by, and tour boats can drop passengers directly onto the sand. Treat the bay as a beach stop, not a destination with facilities, and the layout makes sense.
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Walking to Loh Moo Dee from Tonsai East
The on-foot route starts in Tonsai East and runs about 1 kilometer to the beach along a path that begins behind Bayview Resort. It is the option most travelers use because it needs no negotiation and no boat schedule. Wear shoes with grip rather than flip-flops, since the trail crosses uneven ground and rises and falls with the terrain.
A second approach begins at the bottom of the Phi Phi Viewpoint path. That version lets you combine the viewpoint climb with the beach in one outing, but it adds the viewpoint's own ascent and steps to your day. If heat is your main concern, do the climb early and walk down to the bay before the sun is high.
Getting there by longtail boat
Longtails can be hired near Tonsai Pier for the run to Loh Moo Dee, and the trip takes roughly 15 minutes. The fare is a negotiated rate rather than a posted ticket, so agree on the price and the return pickup before you step aboard. A one-way boat with a walk back is a sensible compromise when you want to save your legs for the beach and still avoid paying for a round trip.
Access to Phi Phi's coves shifts with the weather, and boat operators adjust routes when seas are rough. Ask the boatman on the day whether the east side is running and whether a pickup time at the beach is realistic, rather than assuming a schedule holds all season.
Timing your visit around the day-trip boats
The beach has two moods. Before the tour boats arrive it is a wide, open bay where you can pick a spot without competition; from midday until mid-afternoon it fills with day-trippers dropped off from Phuket and Krabi. Aim to arrive in the morning and leave as the boats build, or accept the crowd and stay for the afternoon shade.
Season matters less for this bay than for Phi Phi Leh's west-facing coves, but it still affects how pleasant the crossing is. In the rainy season, winds can make small-boat runs on exposed stretches of Phi Phi Don difficult, and local operators advise checking conditions before booking. A walk is the fallback when the water is up.
What's on the sand: swimming, snorkeling and the beach shack
Expect sand and water with little in the way of infrastructure. Snorkeling is pleasant mostly at both ends of the bay, so bring your own mask if you want to get in. Otherwise the appeal here is simply a wide, open stretch of sand a short trip from Tonsai.
A single beach shack sells food and drinks, and the guide warns that prices there can be very steep by Thai standards. The practical move is to carry your own water and snacks from Tonsai and treat the shack as a backup, not a plan. That also keeps you independent if the shack is busy when the tour boats land.
How long to allow and whether to walk or take a boat
Budget two to three hours on the sand plus travel, which works out to roughly half a day from Tonsai. Walkers should add about 30 to 40 minutes each way on the 1-kilometer path, more in heat. Boaters can cut the journey to about 15 minutes each way but lose the flexibility of leaving whenever they like.
Walking one way and boating the other is the best of both: you see the coast path on the way out and skip the return slog when the afternoon heat peaks. Travelers who want a pure beach day, with towels and no sweat, should take the longtail both ways and confirm a return time with the boatman.
Nearby options to combine with a Loh Moo Dee stop
The Phi Phi Viewpoint trailhead sits at the Tonsai end of the walking route, so pairing the climb with a morning beach visit makes a natural half day. Farther afield, Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh is the island group's headline cove and is generally visited by boat rather than on foot.
Monkey Beach is another short longtail hop from Tonsai and fits a boat-based day alongside Loh Moo Dee. If you would rather string together several coves, the broader things to do in Phi Phi list is the place to compare them before booking a boat.
Is Loh Moo Dee worth the walk?
Yes, if you go in the morning and treat it as a beach stop rather than a full itinerary. The walk from Tonsai East is short, the sand is wide, and the water at the ends of the bay rewards anyone who brings a mask. Go after lunch and you will meet the day-trip boats instead of the quiet.
Decide with the heat in mind: walk one way and ride the longtail back, or boat both ways and agree on the fare and pickup up front. Carry water, skip the shack unless you need it, and keep the afternoon free for Tonsai or a viewpoint climb.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you walk to Loh Moo Dee Beach from Tonsai?
Yes. A path of about 1 kilometer runs from Tonsai East, starting behind Bayview Resort, and another approach begins at the bottom of the Phi Phi Viewpoint trail. The walk is uneven and hot, so allow 30 to 40 minutes each way and wear shoes with grip.
Are there restaurants or shops at Loh Moo Dee Beach?
Facilities are minimal. A single beach shack sells food and drinks, and its prices can run high, so many visitors carry water and snacks from Tonsai. Beyond that, Don't count on shops or rental gear on the sand.
Is Loh Moo Dee Beach quiet?
It is quiet in the morning but busy from midday until about 3:30pm, when day trips from Phuket and Krabi drop passengers on the sand. Arrive before noon if you want the secluded version.