22 Jan The Ko Lipe Satun Thailand Island Guide
Walk on white sandy beaches with a fresh coconut in your hand. You will arrive at a picture-perfect tropical island where you want to stay forever! An unbelievable exotic destination that has everything you need to have the perfect holiday. This is Ko Lipe Satun Thailand.
Ko Lipe Satun is a paradise island in the south of Thailand’s Satun Province near the Thailand/Malaysia border. The three main beaches of Ko Lipe are Sunset Beach (west), Sunrise Beach (east), and Pattaya Beach (south). The island is famous for its white sandy beaches, turquoise blue waters, coconut trees, snorkeling and scuba diving, and its relaxed atmosphere!
Map of Koh Lipe: Source: http://www.thailand-guide.com/koh-lipe
How to get to Ko Lipe Satun Thailand
There are several options to go to Ko Lipe Satun Thailand, but we arrived from Langkawi by boat which takes around 1.5 hours. Tip: bring something warm to wear, because sometimes the air-condition is turned up high which makes it freezing. Also, bring some travel sickness tablets, you may need them when the sea is rough. Book your boat ticket in advance, there is no need to print the ticket, as long as you have your QR code on your phone. You need to register before entering the boat and you should do this at the departure gate at least 1,5 hours before departure from Langkawi. Upon arrival, you need to pay 200 baths per person as an island fee, this is normal and you need to pay in cash. It’s a bit of a hassle to get there, but once you have arrived, it will be worth your time.
Where to stay in Ko Lipe Satun Thailand
Ko Lipe Satun Thailand has become very popular over the years, so, therefore, we advise you to book your accommodation in advance to avoid disappointment, especially during the high season (Nov – feb). Unfortunately, prices are quite expensive compared to other destinations in Thailand. A hut on the beach for €20,- a night? Forget it. During Christmas, we paid at least 100 euros per night. But we don’t want to discourage you, Koh Lipe offers a variety of accommodations, with not many big resorts, yet. Here are some of our recommendations:
- Cast Away Beach Resort Ko Lipe Satun Thailand (sunrise beach, mid-range)
- Andaman Resort (sunrise beach, midrange)
- Serendipity Resort (sunrise beach, high end)
- Bundahya Beach Resort (pattaya beach, mid-range)
- The Box Resort (walking street, mid-range)
Tip: Also check on Airbnb, a lot of guesthouses and hotels also sell their rooms there.
Sea la Vie beach bar at Sunrise Beach
Things to do in Ko Lipe Satun Thailand
Koh Lipe Satun in Thailand is famous for snorkeling and diving! The incredibly clear water and excellent visibility make snorkeling very famous on this island. There are many shops on the island that offer snorkeling trips and a full range of PADI and SSI courses. Koh Lipe is surrounded by over 30 islands and hundreds of reefs. You will find a lot of small colorful fish at Koh Lipe, but keep in mind that the coral isn’t what it used to be. Most of the coral is dead because of global warming and the suncreams people use. Ingredients like oxybenzone can harm the oceans. Tip: We use Dermalogica or Badger Sunscreens.
Where to eat & drink
From Thai green curry, Phad Thai, Tom Kha kai (spicy soup) to Som Tam (Papaya salad), it’s all so delicious, healthy, and fresh! They always use fresh herbs and lots of greens. There’s something for everyone, it doesn’t matter if you are vegetarian or vegan, enough options. There’s s a great variety of food on the island: From tasty Thai street food to fresh fish, you will find right at the beach.
Tip! Learn these words to save you from a chilli pepper disaster! Spicy = mai pet, A little bit spicy = pet noi, Very spicy = pet mak
Best Breakfast & Coffee in Ko Lipe Satun Thailand
- Elephant Koh Lipe
- Bloom cafe (amazing coffee!)
- Tropicana (healthy/vegan options)
Great coffee at Elephant Café
Best cocktails
- Maya Bar (walking street, great music and cocktails!)
- Sea la Vie beach bar (Sunrise beach, the food is not so good, but at night the music and vibe is amazing)
- Reggae bar (Pattaya beach)
Street food at the Koh Lipe Walking Street
Best Western food
- The Box (walking street)
- La Luna Italian Restaurant
Best Thai Food
- On The Rocks Restaurant at Serendipity Resort (perfect for a romantic dinner!)
- Cast Away Restaurant (great for lunch!)
- Elephant Beach Bar (Sunrise beach, great Pad Thai!)
Beaches at K0h Lipe Satun Thailand
Koh Lipe Satun has three beaches and because the weather doesn’t change much throughout the year, it’s perfect to lay on the beach..but which one is the best?
- Sunrise Beach
This is the best beach, hands down. The water is crystal clear, the sand is white and you can find a lot of quiet spots. All parts of this beach are good, but we relaxed in the middle a lot, next to the Elephant Beach Bar. There is some shade from the trees so great if you have small children. If you walk to the left side of Sunrise beach, you will find yourself a sandbank in the water, great for taking those tropical photo’s! And if you walk towards the right end of the beach (towards Ten Moons Resort), you have a small beach cove, that not everybody knows about. Here you can chill in hammocks and drink fresh coconuts. An amazing beach on Koh Lipe Satun Thailand!
In front of 10 Moons Resort, Sunrise Beach
- Sunset Beach
This beach has the sunset (hence the name) but it’s smaller doesn’t have many beach bars to chill. Because of this, the beach is more quiet and popular with the older crowd. Worth taking a look at during your trip to Ko Lipe Satun in Thailand!
- Pattaya Beach
This is the beach where all the boats arrive and depart to/from, which makes it the busiest and less attractive beach. At night you can find some bars here with loud(er) music, but there are some restaurants at the end that are nice enough to eat.
At the sand bank Sunrise Beach
Our advise is to stay on Koh Lipe Satun for at least 4 to 6 days in order to enjoy the island to the fullest. Take in account that it rains more from April through September, but that doesn’t mean you should skip this magical island. Apparently the average temperature is always around 26 degrees, so no matter what time you visit Koh Lipe Satun, the weather will typically be the same. Yes, it takes some time to get there, but once you step on the white sand, you will feel right at home.
Are you visiting more of Thailand besides Koh Lipe Satun island? Make sure to take a look at our other Thailand guides!
Love,
Wander-Lust
Yvonne
Posted at 20:46h, 22 SeptemberNumber 1 would be my number 1 reason too. From all the Thai islands we visited I loved the least touristy the most, even though this meant there’s not much more to do than swim, snorkel and enjoy coconuts and beaches 🙂 Will keep this one in mind!
Yola
Posted at 20:25h, 06 SeptemberHi!
I will be visiting Thailand and plan to spend time in Bangkok and the Khao Sok Rainforest prior to heading to the Islands. I have reservations on Kho Phi Phi – besides that I am debating whether to visit Kho Lanta or Koh Lipe or both. I am not a big party girl, and I absolutely love being active and doing anything outdoors. Would you be able to provide some advice to assist in terms of would I have similar experiences on both Kho Lanta and Koh Lipe? Should I spend a shorter time on both, or pick one and have a full week there, etc.?
Any input would be appreciated.
Best,
Yola
Wander-lust
Posted at 13:14h, 07 SeptemberHi Yola! Kho PhiPhi was our least favorite island due to the extreme tourism. Ko Lanta is wonderful, and we advise you to stay at Long Beach. Koh Lipe is also nice and I would spend at least 3 or 4 days on each island. Kho Phi Phi is enough for 2 nights max. Have fun!
Agnes
Posted at 20:10h, 27 JanuaryHi, koh lipe in juli/augustus? Ondanks regen seizoen wel of niet doen? Incl. Koh adang? Iemand al eens gedaan in deze maanden?
Wander-lust
Posted at 21:43h, 27 JanuaryHi Agnes,
Koh Lipe should be fine all year round. Yes, it may rain more often but mostly for a few hours with nice temperatures of about 25 to 27 degrees. Enjoy!