KOH LIPE ( KOK LIPE )

Koh Lipe is immediately south of Koh Adang and is inhabited by about 500 chao naam who are said to have originated on Koh Lanta in Krabi Province. They subsist on fishing and some cultivation of vegetables and rice on the flatter parts of the island.

Located in southwest Thailand, Koh Lipe is a crescent shaped island at the mouth of the Malacca Strait, part of the extensive archipelago that composes the Koh Tarutao National Marine Park. Originally settled by the Chao Lay people ("sea gypsies"), Lipe has retained its pristine beauty and easy vibe, far removed from the exhausted tourist scenes of more popular islands.

Koh Lipe is outside of the Tarutao National Park jurisdiction, and as such is exempt from the laws and legislation that protects the rest of the national park. The island is rapidly growing to meet the demands of increase in tourism, and is facing quite a few issues with rubbish and animal conservation.  One reasons of the rising numbers of tourists here is "Tarutao Survivor"on reality TV show.

Koh Lipe is not under park control, and has thus become the main place to stay in this part of the park, given the limited facilities on Koh Adang. Several bungalow operations have been set up in the main village along the east coast and on Pattaya Beach, on the southern side of this island. There are also one or two simple restaurants and shops in the main village. You can walk overland between the village and Hat Pattaya in around 20 to 30 minutes, or take a long-tail passenger boat for 30B.

There is a coral reef along the southern side of the small island and several small beach coves. The chao naam can provide boat hire to nearby islets ringed by coral reefs.

Pattaya Beach is the nicest of the two main beaches, as the one in front of the chao lay village is partially covered with boat moorings and some litter. However, the little island just opposite the village, Koh Kra, has some well-preserved coral and makes for fine snorkeling. You can easily swim there from the village beach.

One can camp here, or rent a hut from the chao naam for 200B to 300B a night at any of several bungalow operations in or near the main village along both the east and west coasts.

Places to Stay & Eat

Officially, Koh Tarutao National Park is only open from November to May, visitors who show up on the islands during the monsoon season can stay in park accommodation, but they must bring their own food from the mainland unless staying with the chao naam on Koh Lipe.

Bungalows may be booked here or email to karlisahalim@gmail.com
Communication in English,Thai or Malay. 

Where is Koh Lipe?

Koh Lipe is a small island in the Andaman Sea (that’s the Phuket side of Thailand) in the South near the Thai-Malay border. Koh Lipe is part of the Tarutao National Marine Park, Thailand’s largest marine park. When we say small, we mean really small. Koh Lipe is about 3.5km by 2.5km and there are only a couple of thousand rooms on the whole island. This of course is part of its attraction, small, remote, surrounded by uninhabited islands and breathtaking beauty. There aren’t many places in Thailand which offer the same attractions.
Getting To Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is 60km from the nearest Thai port, Pak Bara, and 40km from Langkawi.. The easiest way to get to Koh Lipe is from either Pak Bara or Langkawi, but during the high season these are not the only ways to get here. The high season is from early November to late April and there are speed boats and ferries connecting Koh Lipe with all the islands and areas up and down the coast including Koh Lanta, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket.

During the low season, from May to the end of October, the only direct boats to Koh Lipe are from Pak Bara. To get to Koh Lipe from Langkawi you can travel via Satun to Pak Bara and catch a speed boat to Koh Lipe.
The journey between Pak Bara and Koh Lipe takes about 90 minutes direct, but during the season some boats stop at Tarutao or other islands along the way making for a longer journey. Make sure you take some bottled water with you.

LOCATION: The west of Mu Koh Tarutao, Ban Koh Lipe, Tambon Koh Sarai, Amphoe Muang
HOW TO GET THERE:
From Satun town to Pak Bara Pier: take highway 4078 at Chalung Junction to La-Ngu district for 37 km. Then go on to Pak Bara Pier for another  9 km.
From Pak Bara Pier to Koh Lipe: Take a speedboat from Pak Bara Pier to Koh Tarutao and Koh Lipe. The boat will leave the pier twice a day at 11.00 am and 02.00 pm. and return from Koh Lipe at 11.00 am and 03.00 pm. The journey takes about 3 hours and the boat fare is 1,000 baht/person (round-trip ticket.)