About Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is a small island in the Southern part of the Andaman sea. It is located in Satun Province, close to Langkawi island (Malaysia).
Welcome to paper island
Koh Lipe (sometimes referred to as Ko LeePay or Koh Lipeh) is part of the Tarutao National Marine Park, a large group of over 70 islands. Koh Lipe is part of a smaller cluster of islands called the Butang Islands, about 60 kilometres / 38 miles off shore. The name "Koh Lipe" means paper Island in the local Chao Ley language.
3 Beaches: Pattaya, Sunrise & Sunset Beach
There are 3 main beaches on Koh Lipe: Pattaya Beach, Sunset Beach and Sunrise Beach. The first one is the most popular and has a wide variety of places to stay, drink and eat. Sunrise Beach has quite a few resorts as well as a small Chao Ley (Sea Gypsies) Village with some basic shops and small eateries. Sunset beach is the smallest beach and has only has a couple of places to stay. Take a look at our island map to get a better picture.
There are dozens of resorts and places to stay all over the island, and because of Koh Lipe's small size, it's easy to stay anywhere and go to any beach in less than 15 minutes.
Low Season - High Season - Peak Season
High Season is from November until May, when the seas are calm and it's sunny most of the time. Daily ferries connect Koh Lipe to several destinations. From December until February is considered Peak Season: most places fill up quickly and reservations are recommended. During the weeks around Christmas and New Year reservations are absolutely essential as most places are fully booked months in advance.
From May to November is Low Season, or as the locals like to call it: Green Season. Most small places will close down but the bigger places stay open all year. There are daily ferries from Pak Barra only. Although the seas tend to be a bit rougher, and it definitely rains regularly, there is still plenty of sunshine and nice weather too. It's a great time to visit: you will have the beach to your self and the places that are open offer up to 50% discount on their normal rates. Low Season is also great for snorkeling as the visibility is usually a lot better.
Baan Koh Adang School
Chao Ley - Urak Lawoi - Sea Gypsies
Chao Ley or Urak Lawoi (Malay: Orang Laut) are an ethnic group residing on the islands of Phuket, Phi Phi, Jum, Lanta, Bulon and on Koh Lipe , Koh Adang and Koh Rawi. They are known by various names, including Orak Lawoi, Lawta, Chaw Talay, Chaw Nam, and Lawoi. Although historically Chao Ley have led a nomadic lifestyle, the community on Koh Lipe has settled there decades ago. Due to the every increasing tourism the island and community have changed dramatically over the last few years, not always for the better. Please support Chao Ley businesses whenever you have the chance.
Things To Do
Koh Lipe has some great snorkeling straight off the beach, but the best things can be seen on a snorkel trip to the surrounding islands. There are also some great dive sites and unlike other places in Thailand, diving around Koh lipe is still quite peaceful and relaxed.
Koh Lipe has several beach bars where you can relax after swimming and enjoy a fruit shake or cocktail. For those who wander off the beaten track there are great rewards as some of the nicer bars are located of the main strip. Besides the restaurant from your resort there are plenty of other options. There are enough restaurants within a short walking distance, so explore. If you want you never have to eat in the same place twice.
