josequiroscr, Mar 2025

My rating for this tour depends on different factors: • Breakfast upon arrival: 4/5 • Lunch (options & quality): 3/5 • Hydration & snacks: 2/5 – No fruit, only water in cups and a local soda. If you needed a zero-calorie option, only water was available. They did offer packaged cakes. • Coffee, tea & cookies at the pier upon return: 5/5 – A nice touch. • Bag with towel, beach mat & snorkeling mask: A thoughtful detail, but the mask’s mouthpiece was used. A new one cost $7. • Minivan driver: 1/5 – Unprofessional, reckless, and slow. Now the review: First, nowhere does it mention that the transfer from Phuket hotels to the pier takes 1.5 hours. On the way back, it took over 2.5 hours due to traffic. This is essential information for planning. Had I known, I would have stayed near the airport the night before instead of wasting nearly 4 exhausting hours on transfers—especially since the airport is halfway to the pier from my hotel. Upon arrival at the pier, breakfast is provided, and groups are divided by color. Each person receives a bag matching their assigned group. The boat ride takes another 1.5 hours, which is also not mentioned anywhere. Each boat carries 66 passengers plus crew, and only two people know the scripted tour information. No one else speaks proper English, and if you ask anything beyond the script, they simply don’t understand. There were two snorkeling sessions, but all four boats from the company—plus other boats—arrived at the same time. That meant around 300 people in the water simultaneously, turning it into a chaotic and unsafe experience. I decided to get out and sit at the front of the boat to dry off. Surprise: this was the crew’s smoking area. They were putting cigarette butts in cups of water while continuing to smoke, without considering whether it bothered passengers. The Driver – A Nightmare End to the Tour The worst part of my experience was the minivan ride back. The driver had a terrible attitude and was completely distracted. For the last 30 minutes of my ride, he was on the phone the entire time, laughing and slowing down, clearly more focused on his conversation than on driving. After 2.5 hours in the van, I asked him how much longer it would take to reach my hotel. His answer? “30 more minutes.” Are you kidding me? My hotel was only 2 km away at that point, yet he was still driving so badly and slowly that I had no choice but to get out and call a Bolt (local Uber). That decision saved me unnecessary frustration and another half hour trapped in that minivan. Final Thoughts On the way back, I reflected on the experience. Maybe, as a solo traveler who values high-quality service, I was more critical. Perhaps groups, families, or couples would enjoy it differently. If service quality isn’t a concern for you, this tour might work. For me, it wasn’t a great experience. Before arriving back at the pier, the English-speaking staff announced a tip collection. The issue? They passed the tip box around like in a church, making people feel pressured to give, even if they weren’t satisfied with the service. I fully respect the logistical challenge of handling so many people and the hard work of the staff. However, if all this information had been disclosed upfront, I could have made an informed decision about whether this tour was right for me—and avoided writing this review.

Andrew_S, Mar 2025

Awful. 2 hours on a speed boat both ways. One island missed out because one nation 2432 didn't want to go. Crowded when you get there and the food was awful

BEATRICE L, Feb 2025

The most beautiful island!!! The sand, the beach really beautiful. Too bad that cannot stay on the island. It's definitely worth a visit.

Global42558817965, Feb 2025

Guide was relly good she spotted turtle when we snorled and had relly fun time. We were among your first groups so we avoided the worst crowds.