74points · on 10 of 14 lists: Curious Goose Travel, Tania Travel Stories, Phuket101, Marcie in Mommyland, Fan Club Thailand, Shipped Away, Global Gallivanting, Travel Guides Tip, Phuket Expat Guide and Сайт Винского (awd.is)
Phi Phi Don is two limestone ridges joined by a sandy isthmus barely two meters above the sea, with Ton Sai village on the sand and a curved bay on either side. Across the water, the sheer cliffs of Phi Phi Leh enclose Pileh Lagoon, the Viking Cave and Maya Bay, where The Beach was filmed in 2000. Maya Bay reopened in 2022 after nearly four years of rest, and swimming there now stops at knee depth so the young blacktip reef sharks using its shallows as a nursery are left alone.
“The Phi Phi Islands are simply surreal.”
a Google reviewer
“Monkey beach was nice, it was a first experience to see monkeys in a beach.”
a Google reviewer
70points · on 9 of 14 lists: Curious Goose Travel, Yoga Wine Travel, Tania Travel Stories, Phuket101, Marcie in Mommyland, Fan Club Thailand, Shipped Away, Global Gallivanting and Travel Guides Tip
Phang Nga Bay is a marine national park of sheer limestone islands rising out of calm green water, the best known being the narrow pillar off Khao Phing Kan that appeared in The Man with the Golden Gun and is now called James Bond Island. The still water has earned the bay a name as the best canoeing in Thailand, and at Koh Hong a cave at sea level opens into a hidden lagoon in the middle of the island. Along the mainland shore grow the largest native mangrove forests in the country, and the park around them is home to smooth-coated otters, dusky leaf monkeys and seven kinds of kingfisher.
“It’s the Thailand you see in the travel brochures.”
Google review
“The boat is new and spacious. Drinks and snacks are served on board.”
a Google reviewer
55points · on 10 of 14 lists: Curious Goose Travel, Tania Travel Stories, Phuket101, Marcie in Mommyland, Fan Club Thailand, Shipped Away, Global Gallivanting, Travel Guides Tip, Phuket Expat Guide and Сайт Винского (awd.is)
Eleven islands out in the Andaman Sea make up the Similans, a national park that opens to visitors only from mid-October to mid-May, with a daily cap on how many can land. From the rocks above Donald Duck Bay on Island 8, the view takes in Sail Rock and water that travelers rank among the clearest in Thailand. Nicobar pigeons are a common sight on Island 4, and the waters around Island 7 are known for sea turtles.
“some of the clearest blue water around Phuket.”
Google review
“It is a worthwhile one day trip from phuket.”
a Google reviewer
Google ratings from Google on 3 October 2026. Quotes are from the published lists and reviews named beside each one.
Honorable mentions
Fourth, with 37 points from 6 lists.
Fifth, with 30 points from 5 lists.
Named on 2 lists, but outside the top 10 on each, so it scores no points.
The lists we counted
- Curious Goose Travel · February 2026
- Yoga Wine Travel · August 2026
- Tania Travel Stories · June 2025
- Phuket101 · September 2026
- Marcie in Mommyland · May 2024
- Fan Club Thailand · February 2023
- Shipped Away · January 2026
- Global Gallivanting · March 2026
- Travel Guides Tip · October 2026
- Nomado Travel
- Phuket Insider (Пхукет Инсайдер) · October 2026
- Phuket Expat Guide
- Villa Finder (villa-phuket.com magazine) · July 2025
- Сайт Винского (awd.is)
How the points work
We read every independent published best-of list we can find for the question. Each list gives 10 points for first place, 9 for second, down to 1 for tenth, and 5 points to each place on a list with no order. Points are added up. A business must be in the top 10 of at least two lists to be ranked. Rankings are never sold. Full method.
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