Over 3200 5 Star Trip advisor reviews
Phuket's highest rated Boat Tours
At Simba Sea Trips, we pride ourselves on giving our guests the very best day we can. But don’t just take our word for it, our Simba reviews will convince you. Thousands of guests and tourists have trusted us with our Phuket boat tours and private tours and had fun exploring the beautiful sites around Phuket the right way!
Read what our customers have to say about our Phuket boat tours on TripAdvisor.
17th Oct 2022
‘’Surreal experience worth the early wake up call. Plan for naps after.’’
What a phenomenal experience! Definitely worth the early wake up call. Noi, our guide, and his team were incredibly informative and fun! They were dedicated to making sure we all had a good time. We went during the rainy season, so we were VERY lucky to have sun out on our day. The early start ensured that we had sites to ourselves and it was nice to enjoy the experience without crowds. The team was very attentive to making sure we had snacks and drinks throughout the experience.Between the sun and all the physical activities we did, my husband I were EXHAUSTED. If you do this tour, don’t plan anything else for the day. You’ll need the recovery time!
30th Sep 2022
‘’Wonderful tour company.’’
It was a cloudy day so my wife and I were mildly disappointed but that was a factor of when we came to Phuket, not on the tour company. If anything, they did their very best to avoid weather and crowds. The main tour guide Noi (sorry if my spelling is off, brother) was extremely informative, energetic, and pleasant to be around.Unfortunately, the weather prevented us from doing the Phi Phi island tour with Simba tours. The company was very responsible, notified us early, and tried to reschedule but the weather didn’t break until after we left Thailand. We opted for a refund and it came quickly, with no issues.
Our friends recommended Simba or ‘two sea tours’ to us and we will be sure to recommend to our friends in the future. When my wife and I make our way back to Phuket, Simba Tours will surely be on our itinerary!
27th Sep 2022
‘’If you’re after an adventure this is the tour for you!’’
This was our second trip booked with Simba and it was another fantastic day on the water! Marina, boat and facilities were all clean and our safety as the first priority. Jane is a wonderful tour guide, she’s extremely knowledgeable about the history of Phang Nga bay as well as each island’s occupants. From someone who suffers sea sickness the calm oceans in the bay was never a worry and with a busy schedule you’re never stopped bobbing in the ocean.James Bond Island was an incredible sight, canoeing and swimming through caves and hongs felt like we were in our own adventure movie (think Indians Jones!).
Lunch stop was good variety of Thai food and included a truck ride around the local island.
We’ve done Phi Phi and Phang Nga, both were incredible and have their own sights and styles so it’s well worth doing them both if you can fit them in to your vacation.
Congratulations to Paul and the team at Simba for running a fabulous tour company.
19th Aug 2022
‘’A must do tour’’
Absolutely PHENOMENAL! Jane and the crew are world class. My family and I were treated with such kindness and patience. My son and I aren’t swimmers but Jane made sure to help us so we could snorkel. They also accommodated my daughters allergies. They shared their insights on Phi Phi Island, made sure everyone was enjoying each stop and the food was authentically delicious.18th Aug 2022
‘’Perfect Phang Nga tour by speedboat and super convenient location’’
We have had the pleasure of touring Phang Nga Bay with Simba Sea trips on a few occasions, and while I have always been a big fan, I am humbled by how they manage to improve every single time we book an adventure with them. We were absolutely spoiled by the crew, always refreshing our drinks, feeding us fruit and snacks the entire day. They exhibited genuine enthusiasm as tour guides of Phang Nga's astounding beauties - always pointing out interesting facts and new discoveries around every corner. The staff showed true warmth and sincerity to me, my family and my friends visiting from overseas, and the overall experience was sublime. I am so grateful to have enjoyed another outing with this exceptional company and hope to try a few more. I would recommend Simba Sea Trips to anyone looking to experience an amazing Thai experience full of exquisite sites and superb hospitality. Thank you for always exceeding our expectations and taking good care of us. See you again soon Simba!15th Aug 2022
‘’Amazing trip’’
Loved the whole day, the guides were excellent!Mo Mo and team were very knowledgeable and made the day fun.
Food was very good at lunch.
On the last stop on the way home one of the guides was picking up empty bottles left by others and putting them on the boat, obviously caring for the area.
Keep up the good work guys
06th Aug 2022
‘’Great company. A lovely day out for the whole family’’
A Great tour. Good value for money. 5 stops: canoes, secluded beach swimming, mangrove cave, James bond island and ocean fish farm. You get to see it all. The kids had a blast too. Very knowledgeable kind and professional staff, very punctual , very good service over all.The boat is fast and perfectly sized. The sea is calm also during the rainy season. We enjoyed the trip immensely.
03rd Aug 2022
‘’10/10 - Hands down worth the extra few bucks for a far superior experience!’’
MIAMI, FL, 36 year old female, bringing mom 66, to Thailand for a mother-daughter trip. It’s our first time in Thailand and….The entire staff at Simba have been amazing. This excursion was definitely the HIGHLIGHT of our trip. I had spent a lot of time deciding which tour to join, this one in particular was a little bit pricier than the others, but I knew in my gut, that this would be worth the extra few dollars. I am SO GLAD, I went with them after all, for so MANY reasons…
No. 1: Momo, our tour guide and her accommodating staff were EXCELLENT!!!! So helpful, friendly, informative, hospitable, caring, flexible… and funny! They made sure everyone was taken care of and having a great time. Part of our snorkeling trip, one of the team members joined me and pointed out some fish and Coral I would have missed otherwise. He was so sweet and genuinely happy to show me a nice experience.
No. 2: The BOAT! While we were out, I got a glimpse of all the other boats that were doing the same excursion, and Simba’s boat is the FAR SUPERIOR option. It’s clean, comfortable, fast (really fast) and best of all, the sides of the boat is open to the water so your view in constantly open to the water and the beautiful surroundings. Sounds mundane right? But most of these other boats, the interior is completely closed off, meaning there are no openings to the sides of you. You sit in an in-closed boat, facing each other, your view is a bunch of strangers, versus facing the outside that we all intended to see. Considering that it takes an hour each way to get to your first and last stopping point, it makes all the difference. That alone was worth every additional dollar! The views you’d miss, the airiness and fresh air, you don’t want to compromise. Also, some of these boats had 30+ people on them. Ours was definitely more of an intimate setting with only 16 guests.
No. 3: They are one of the first boats to be out on the water, which means, you beat the crowd! We would be one of the first in, on our stops, and when we’d leave for the next, that’s when most of the other tours were coming in. Felt so nice to enjoy these hot spots without crowds of people.
No. 4: The Food! They do NOT stop feeding you on this tour. Consistently giving you snacks, fresh fruits, and drinks along the way. I was stuffed by the end of our excursion. The lunch on the beach was also delicious. Didn’t have high expectations but left impressed and satisfied.
Overall 10/10! This is definitely the way to do the Phi Phi tour!
31st Jul 2022
‘’11/10******’’
This tour is outstanding!!! High quality Food, snacks and drinks provided consistently throughout the day, a really knowledgable tour guide who helped us find as many species of fish as we could snorkelling, and the added bonus of reaching each location on Phi Phi before the rest of the tourists. It is 100% worth every penny! If you are trying to decide which tour is best, I’m telling you book the sunrise Phi phi tour .. absolutely phenomenal!29th Jul 2022
‘’6 out of 5 Stars....What a Trip !!!’’
This tour is the most memorable and highlight of our trip to Phuket. Booked Phi Phi Sunrise tour with Simba after a lot of research on the internet and must say, wasn't disappointed even a bit.At first, they might feel on a higher side compared to other tour operators, but that isn't the case at all because of the services they provide.
The itineary and timing is perfect so that you avoid large crowds at the main tourist places and reach before anyone does on the main islands. This gives you ample time to spend time in a silent environment without hustle and bustle of the crowds.
The speedboat is very very comfortable, the food they serve is amazing and you probably don't need to carry anything except for towels because they literally provide everything on the tour including sun mats for the beach.
However, something that is unbeatable is the kind of attention that is given to every passenger making it feel as if it's some kind of private tour.
Jane was our tour guide for the day and she personally helped my wife snorkel even though my wife didn't know swimming at all. Not only that, she was great at clicking pictures and making videos along with keeping everyone pumped up until the end of the tour with her Energy and jokes.
Thank you Simba for the wonderful memories !!!
26th Jul 2022
‘’ Excellent experience’’
The trip was very well curated and organised. The crew was friendly and made all the effort to make it special for me and my family. It was min number of people which was excellent as we could enjoy without too much noise and the crew could give special attention to all of us. Highly recommended28th Apr 2022
‘’Set your alarm for a perfect day!’’
An absolutely fantastic experience all around, from the hotel transfers to the breathtaking scenery and activities.The early start is immediately justified as you cruise out of the impressive Royal Phuket Marina to view the sun rising over the outline of the Thai Mainland and archipelago, before speeding off to Maya Bay. The pre-dawn wake up call is made even more worthwhile as you take in the crowd-free awe-inspiring view of the white sands and turquoise waters set to the magnificent limestone cliff background.
From here you get plenty of chances to swim and snorkel with some of the most beautiful tropical sea life while taking in the breathtaking scenery. There is plenty of food and drink on offer to keep you satisfied and hydrated throughout, and a nice Thai style lunch feels well deserved after the morning activities.
Head off to another island to sit back and relax, or take in a bit more snorkelling before setting off for home.
For us the pacing and timing of activities was exactly on-point and being back at our hotel for 3pm topped off a perfect day.
Last, and definitely not least, the tour guide and captains were terrific. Informative, fun, friendly, and attentive. They took care of all of our needs (they even made me a make-shift hat as I insisted on sitting at the front of the boat in the strong sun), and were clearly very conscious of the environment, making sure we left no rubbish or damaged our surroundings.
A 10/10 experience that I highly recommend.
07th Mar 2022
‘’Wunderschöner Sonnenaufgang / Phi Phi Island Maya Bay ohne Touristen’’
Super tolles Erlebnis!Buchung über die Internet Seite von Simba Sea Trips. Aufgrund der Sandbox Bestimmungen konnten wir erst einen Tag vor dem Trip buchen. Simba hat aber alles perfekt organisiert. Transfer war on time und Zahlung klappte bestens.
Simba ist wohl die Organisation die am frühesten am morgen abfährt! Aber ES LOHNT SICH! Wir wurden 05:00 im Hotel abgeholt. Fahrer war super pünktlich. 06:00 ca dann Abfahrt mit dem Boot in Richtung Phi Phi Islands. Nach ca 30 minütiger Fahrt ein Stop dem Meer und Fotos mit dem Sonnenaufgang. SO SCHOEN!
Dann weiter Richtung Phi Phi. Nach ca 60 Minuten Fahrt Ankunft am Anlegesteg für Maya Bay! Wer kennt dies schon nicht. Leonardo Di Caprio und der Film "The Beach" wurden dort gedreht. Die Bucht war für 3 Jahre geschlossen. Jetzt darf man sie wieder besuchen. Ein Traum, Sand wie Mehl. Da Simba so früh abfährt waren wir quasi die ersten am Beach, mega! Wir verbrachten ca 1 Stunde dort, kleines Frühstück wurde am Strand serviert, wir haben kleine Haie gesehen und einfach den Ausblick genossen. Schwimmen darf man nach wie vor nicht! Knietief ins Wasser ist jedoch ok!
Danach weiter in eine andere Bucht, wo wir baden konnten, dann weiter in eine Bucht, wo wir Schnorcheln konnten. Ein paar schöne Fische gesehen, jedoch sind die Korallen leider mehrheitlich beschädigt oder quasi tod. Clobal warming lässt grüssen. Hier ist ein Schnorchelgang im Roten Meer in Ägypten viel schöner!
Darauf nochmals ein Schnorchelgang an einem weiteren Ort, jedoch wieder ähnlich. Dies gefolgt von einem kurzen Lunch und darauf Bamboo Island, 1 Stunde relaxen am Strand.
Super aufgestellte Crew! Daling oder "Darling" Share hat unseren Trip geleitet. Coole Witze, Sprüche, super aufgestellte Dame. Sie hat überall von uns Fotos gemacht und diese nach dem Trip mit uns per WhattsApp geteilt. Insgesamt irgendwie sehr familiär und mega freundlich/natürlich!
WIR HABEN ES GENOSSEN! Und Phi Phi Island Maya Bay endlich zu sehen war ein Traum!
Wir würden jederzeit Simba Sea Trips empfehlen!
Auch dank an Jack Sparrow... unseren Bootsfahrer! Ebenfalls kleiner Witz von Daling...
01st Mar 2022
‘’Osez rendre votre voyage inoubliable!’’
Un sans faute qui rendra votre séjour exceptionnel. Une expérience qui ne se refuse pas. Tout était top ! Le bateau, le personnel , le déjeuner grand luxe et les petites attentions tout au long de la journée.Tout cela se justifie parce que vous réservez en direct, sans rétrocession aux hôtels donc la prestation est vraiment haut de gamme. Nous avons fait d'autres excursions pendant notre séjour avec des agences recommandées mais aucune n'a égalé Simba. Le seul choix pour nous pour passer un moment d'exception !!!
22nd Feb 2022
‘’Best tour I've ever been on’’
The tour was amazing and perfect from hotel pickup to hotel drop off. We were given so much food and drink from the moment we walked into the door. We made 8 stops around the Phi Phi islands including Maya Beach and snorkeling. The boat was really comfortable with plenty of shady seating for everyone to spread out. All in all, this is one of the best tours I've ever been on anywhere, and I travel a lot. Thank you so much for memories that will last forever!16th Feb 2022
‘’Highlight of Phuket trip’’
PRO:sA great experience which we would highly recommend for anyone struggling to decide amongst the available tours to choose from. Sunrise and Maya beach alone will blow your mind and are worth all the money - just stunning!
Although not the cheapest definitely a class above the others in terms of the quality of the boats and the service. The crew provided exceptional service and were a blast, fun, professional and engaging. Momo was a great guide!
The food provided was delicious, the facilities 1st class. There were two snorkeling spots - really nice!
Spend a little more, the benefit far outweighs the minor cost difference.
And as there were only 5 of us, it was literally a private trip!
CON:s
None, really. A really early wake-up perhaps, to see the sunrise on the sea ( 04:30 for us, to get on time to Royal Phuket Marina)
TIPS
Get enough sleep, it's a really intense trip.
CONCLUSION: Will recomment 10/10. If you have to pick one trip from the long list of trips to Maya Beach - go with Simba!
12th Feb 2022
‘’Excellent day trips’’
We had done a little research prior to booking and went with Simba Sea trips and this was definitely a very wise decision.I can not recommend these trips highly enough. We took both the Phang Nga and beyond tour and also the Phi phi sunrise tour and the sights and stops you make along the way are spectacular. The early start to the tours means you generally have every island to yourself without other tourists getting in your pictures.
Both were excellently organised with pick up and drop off from our hotel with very helpful staff. Numbers on the tour were limited so you had space on the boat and food and drink were constantly provided throughout the trip. There is also an excellent Thai lunch out on for each tour at a very scenic location.
This is the best organised trip I have been on and you will not be disappointed. Well worth the extra money over some of the other operators.
15th Dec 2021
‘’Highlight of our trip to Phuket’’
Fantastic day out - I can highly recommend. Thoroughly professional operation right from the moment we were picked up from our hotel. Its an early start which is great as you get to James Bond island before everyone else - we were in fact the only people on the island! The crew were very polite and helpful and our guide Harry was enthusiastic and keen to share his local knowledge with us. The lunch was also very enjoyable - tasty food in a fantastic waterside location.I've been on a few boat tours in Thailand and I can assure you they're not all made equal - think over-crowded boats, pushy 'up selling' and questionable food . If you're looking for a quality day out with small groups then look no further.
15th Dec 2021
‘’Best boat company in Phuket!’’
The boat was not over crowded. They limit numbers to 18 people and there was 16 on ours. All the points of interest were fantastic. The 3 man crew were great. Polite and super accommodating. Khun Patrick has perfect English which was our main guide. Lived in Los Angeles for 6 years. The food was great. We had a great breakfast on the beach of Bamboo island which was amazing and there was no other tour boats there. This was one of the benefits of leaving early (6am). You beat the most other boats going out and have most of the stops to yourself or mostly to yourself.My only feedback would be that the staff inform the passengers at the beginning of the trip there is a toilet onboard. Our first stop had toilets on the island and that was in until we got back. Let's just say I had about 1 hour of feeling very uncomfortable while expecting that each next stop 'must' have a toilet. Eventually I asked them would there not be a toilet stop somewhere soon for which they showed me the toilet on board. You would never have noticed it without them showing it to you. In fairness, partly my fault for not asking before but I was almost certain there was none on board. Everything else was absolutely perfect and I could not recommend this tour company or trip anymore. 5 star service all round!
10th Dec 2021
‘’The best experience possible around Phi Phi Island.’’
We had an incredible experience with the Simba Tour Company.We were welcomed by Harry who was our tour guide, very kind and helpful person.
We had the privilege to do this tour during the slow reopening for tourists so we were only 9 Persons and we met close to 0 other tourist during the tour (which is, as we understood, very rare).
The tour starts at the hotel where the driver comes for you at the lobby, very welcoming, he puts you in the car with the other people doing the tour with you. You then travel to the Royal Marina, which is a very fancy port with nice apartments and houses all around it.
You get to the office where you can eat some snacks, drink water/tea/coffee and go to the restroom with no additional fees.
After a while Harry explains the tour and how we will proceed during the day.
You then get on a very nice boat (pretty comfy compared to some speed boat you take on cheap tours), where you can enjoy the view no matter where you're seated.
Then the real tour begins, and it's exactly as described in the viator page (looking at you , 1 star reviewer... lol)
The tour feels very exclusive , you're really taken care of by the staff, and the whole staff is amazing.
You get to eat some very good food for breakfast (fruits/cake and local delicacies) and for lunch (seafood, chicken, soup, spring rolls and steamed rice).
Also Harry will make sure you have the most amazing day and will give you some anecdotes and explanations about all the places you visit.
The staff provides you with beach mats, towels, 'water noodles' and all the equipment needed to snorkel. You also have access to drinks whenever you want and you are often asked if you need anything.
We were wondering two things before choosing this tour :
- Is the price justified
- Is waking up this early justified
We cannot stress enough how much the answer is a BIG YES for both.
We spent the best day possible in the company of Harry and the whole staff.
Thank you all once again :)
RESPONSE
Wow! What a wonderful review. Thank you so much:-) We really appreciate reviewers highlighting our main differences from our competitors. As you have mentioned, there is a huge spectrum of tour operators in Thailand and we proudly sit a the top of the quality scale. Thank you once again for your very detailed review. We really appreciate your effort. Best regards, Paul
07th Dec 2021
‘’Clearly a right choice’’
Only positive to say about the tour, about the staff and about the company. We made our decision to go with Simba based on great reviews and I can assure you that they deserve these completely.The group was small enough, the staff very helpful and attentive throughout the trip. We had many stops during the day where we could snorkel, swim, walk on the beach or just enjoy the day. No rush whatsoever and we really got to experience the beauty of Phi Phi islands at an enjoyable pace.
All in all very happy with my choice to go with Simba! Cheers!
07th Dec 2021
‘’Small group, great experience’’
We really enjoyed the tour. Our guide Harry was friendly and accommodating. The mixture of activities was nice, the snacks on board were appreciated, and the beaches were beautiful.20th Nov 2021
‘’Stop looking, this is the one!’’
After reading reviews and deciding which tour operator to go with we decided to go with Simba and we’re glad we did. Yes this is a little more expensive though this is to make up for having a smaller tour group rather than being packed in like sardines on other boats (which in this new covid world a little more space is always welcome)The 5:00am pick up and 6:00am departure whilst on holidays is a little bit of a struggle in the end it is totally worth it as you get to the popular spots before everyone else which is great if you’re wanting to take photos and feel like you have the place to yourself.
After you’ve seen all the popular spots and done some snorkelling the last stop is Ko Phi Phi Don where you’ll get to have some Authentic Thai cuisine for lunch, which is delicious and included in the package and afterwards have some time to roam the island before heading back home.
After coming to Phi Phi back in 2007 it was a little sad to see the place so empty (due to covid) though I don’t think it will take long until this beautiful place is back in action.
Our tour guide Harry and the crew (I forgot their names - the bald one and the smiley one) were legends and made the day.
We would comfortably recommend Simba to anyone for a tour.
P.s- make sure you say hi to Michael the monkey!
09th Jun 2021
‘’Worth it - 5 Stars’’
Simba sea tours is fantastic. My girlfriend and I just completed the sunrise phi phi island tour and we thought it was an amazing experience. While you do wake up earlier than most tours (woke up @ 5am), after completing the tour it is totally worth it. The company takes you from island to island, and because you wake up earlier, you avoid other boats which is really nice. Our first stop @ bamboo island was empty and it was nice to relax on an empty island. Also, unlike other companies, simba keeps the number of people on its boats to a maximum of 16 participants. In comparison to other tour boats we saw, they had probably double the amount of participants on its boat. Staff was professional, organized and very accommodating! Would highly recommend paying the extra money for the convenience and comfort that Simba sea tours has provided! The many 5 star reviews is legit!22nd Nov 2020
‘’Our adventure was incredible’’
My wife and I spent a week in Phuket and we ended up doing two Simba Tours, after being thoroughly impressed by our first tour.We did the Phi Phi island tour, and the James Bond island tour. Both were amazing and I would recommend doing them both because they were very different from each other. The Phi Phi islands tour had snorkeling and a lot of pristine beach and lagoon locations, while the Jamea Bond island tour had no snorkeling but sea kayaking instead, as well as cave exploration.
Both times the driver showed up at our hotel in Karon beach early, and was very pleasant to deal with. He takes you directly to their office in the Royal Phuket Marina, where a light morning snack is waiting for you (boiled eggs, coffee, crackers, fruit, etc.). There's then a briefing of the tour on a large map that is very comprehensive so that everyone understands the days schedule and can ask questions. Both times the briefing was done by one of the tour guides named Harry who speaks perfect English. The tour guides themselves were amazing, we had Woody on our first tour and Harry on our second tour and I can guarantee that these guys are top notch. They really do avoid all of the masses, for example we were the first ones on the James Bond island, which apparently is very very busy normally. The tour guides know when the popular spots get busy and using the smaller boat (we had approximately 16 people on our first tour and 15 on the second), they are able to get in and out before the masses. The crew on the boat such as the captain and boat boy were always very friendly, often taking candid pictures of us, which they offer to email to you afterwards at no cost. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would! Highly recommend.