Where Monkey Beach sits on Phi Phi Don

The beach lies on the southern coast of Phi Phi Don, the larger of the two Phi Phi islands, and one source places it just a short boat ride from Tonsai Bay, the main town and pier area. The name comes from the jungle behind the sand, which holds a resident population of monkeys. That combination of a photogenic cove backed by forest is why it became one of the standard stops on Phi Phi boat routes.

The usual departure points are the two bays that flank the village isthmus. Loh Dalum Beach faces north and is the shallow, calm side where kayaks and longtail boats are rented; Tonsai Bay faces south and handles the ferry traffic and town amenities. Either way, once you round the headland the beach appears quickly, which is why the trip works as a short outing rather than a half-day excursion in itself.

Why there is no walking route

You cannot walk or hike in to Monkey Beach, and swimming across from the main island beaches is not a practical option either. The cove sits below steep cliffs, and travel writers who have made the trip describe walking there as difficult for exactly that reason. The only realistic access is by water, which narrows your choice to a private longtail, a kayak, or a boat tour.

Option 1: Private longtail boat from Loh Dalum Beach

Hiring a longtail from Loh Dalum Beach is the most flexible route. Drivers there sell short trips, including the hop to Monkey Beach and back, and the rate is negotiated rather than posted, so agree on the price and the return plan before you step aboard. One source notes you can charter a boat by the hour for this run, which suits travelers who want a quick look at the beach and the monkeys without committing to a full day.

Prices for these boat trips are not published anywhere consistent, so ask at the beach on the day and confirm whether the quoted figure is per boat or per person. The advantage over a group tour is timing: you decide when you leave, which lets you get there well before the afternoon fleet. The trade-off is that you handle the negotiation and any tide-related delays yourself.

Option 2: Kayaking from Loh Dalum Beach

Kayaking from Loh Dalum Beach works well if the water is up, because the beach is a shallow bay that empties at low tide and becomes impossible to paddle. Anyone renting a kayak should ask the beach vendors about tidal timing for that day before setting out, and should plan the crossing for high water. The paddle itself is short, around the headland, but the tide dictates whether it is an option at all.

Morning is the better window by most accounts: the water is calmer, the sun is less punishing, and you arrive before the tour boats. Sources that have kayaked this route carry snorkeling gear, since the same cove has coral and reef fish a few meters off the sand. If you go this way, do not leave the kayak unattended, because the macaques are known to rummage through bags and gear left on the beach.

Option 3: Group island tours that stop at Monkey Beach

Most Phi Phi island-hopping tours include a Monkey Beach stop on their itinerary, usually bundled with Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh, Phi Phi Don and the Pileh Lagoon. Tours operate from both Phuket and Krabi as well as from Phi Phi itself, and the boats range from speedboats and speed catamarans to larger slow boats. If the beach is a priority, check the itinerary before booking rather than assuming every tour stops there.

Prices for these tours are set by individual operators and vary widely by boat type, departure point and what else is included. Any quote you see online is that company's own package rather than a market benchmark, so ask what the fee covers before you commit. Confirm whether the listed stop at Monkey Beach is a landing or just a slow pass offshore.

Timing your visit: early morning versus afternoon

Early morning is decisively better. One traveler who arrived around 9:30 a.m. counted only three longtail boats on the sand, in contrast to an earlier afternoon visit so crowded that their boat had to wait for a space to open up. The pattern is consistent: larger tour boats tend to hit Monkey Beach at the same point in the afternoon, so the beach fills fast.

If you are coming from Phuket or Krabi, that timing is largely out of your hands, since the group tour schedule sets it. Staying on Phi Phi Don for a night or two puts you in control, since you can take a longtail out first thing and be back for breakfast. It is the strongest argument for treating Monkey Beach as an accommodation-based outing rather than a day trip.

What the beach itself is like

The beach is a compact strip of soft white sand with clear turquoise water, and it is small enough to take in at a glance. Reef fish and coral sit just a few meters off the shore, so people bring snorkeling masks; the water is shallow and generally easy. Outside the crowd hours, the setting stands up to the photos.

Not every review is glowing. Some visitors report the sand littered with snack wrappers and bottles left by earlier groups, which is a direct consequence of the food culture around the monkeys. If a pristine beach is your priority, Loh Moo Dee Beach, Koh Phi Phi Don on the island's quieter side is the better comparison to make before you commit a morning.

The long-tailed macaques: what to expect

The monkeys here are long-tailed macaques, omnivores that eat fruit, leaves, insects and small animals, which is part of why they adapt so easily to beach life. They are wild, not tame, and they have learned that bags mean food. One account describes a mother and child walking straight up to a Monkey only for it to jump toward them, a reminder that the beach's main practical hazard is proximity, not the animals themselves.

The practical rules are simple and posted around the site: do not carry food in open bags, do not feed the animals, keep a distance, and bin your trash. Macaques have a keen sense of smell and will go for a bag or snatch one outright. Watch from a few meters back, swim to cool off, and leave the selfie-with-monkey moment alone.

How much time to allow and what to pair it with

Budget about an hour to ninety minutes on the sand, plus transit each way. That is enough for a swim, a snorkel over the near-shore reef and a look at the monkeys from a respectful distance. Longer than that and the crowds, and the heat, make the case for moving on.

The obvious pairing is a wider Phi Phi Leh circuit, where Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon sit on the same boat route. Both frequently appear on the same tours, so it rarely makes sense to book Monkey Beach as a standalone trip when you are already paying for the boat. Decide first whether Maya Bay is a must, then pick a route that includes the beach rather than adding a dedicated charter.

What's nearby back on Phi Phi Don

Back on the island, Tonsai Bay is the hub for food, boat tickets and lodging, with the village isthmus connecting it to Loh Dalum Bay in a short walk. Both are where you sort out the boat in the first place, so it makes sense to arrange the Monkey Beach trip the afternoon before rather than on the morning itself. If you are staying longer, Laem Tong Beach in the north is the alternative base for a quieter side of the island.

Is Monkey Beach worth the boat ride?

Yes, if you go early and go for the setting rather than the monkeys. The beach is small, the monkeys are wild, and the worst version of the trip is a packed afternoon stop with food in your bag. The best version is a first-thing longtail from Loh Dalum, an hour on the sand, and back before the tour fleet arrives.