Loh Ba Gao, also known as Loh Ba Kao or Loh Bakao, is the beautiful quiet beach on the north eastern part of Koh Phi Phi Don. The beach has white sand, calm shallow water, good for swimming and sunbathing. Behind the beach, you’ll find a small, hippie village with some restaurants and shops.
In this article, I will show you the location of Loh Bakao Beach, how to get to Loh Bakao Bay, things to do on the beach, and where to stay on the beach.
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Where is Loh Ba Kao Bay, Koh Phi Phi?
Loh Bao Kao Bay is located on the far north eastern part of Koh Phi Phi, within walking distance to Laem Tong, Loh Lana, and Nui Beach. The beach is around a 30-40 minutes long tail boat ride from Tonsai Pier and the island’s main village.
You can walk from the main village to Loh Ba Kao Bay for around 45-60 minutes. At low tide, you can choose the easier trail along the coast north of Loh Dalum Beach. At high tide, you can hike via the viewpoints 1,2,3, which involve more steep stairs and jungle trails.
Loh Bao Kao is around 30 minutes walk south of Laem Tong Beach. You can get a motorbike taxi to travel between these two beaches for 100 baht and 10 minutes drive. Loh Bakao is around 10-15 minutes walk from Loh Lana Bay. At low tide, you Loh Lana, you can walk to Nui Beach.
What’s on Loh Ba Kao Bay, Koh Phi Phi?
Loh Bao Kao is around 600m long beach that is surrounded by hills on two ends of the beach. The beach has white fine sand, calm and shallow water, which is safe for swimming. You can walk up to around 50 meters out at low tide.
The large section of the bay is occupied by the SAii Phi Phi Island Village Resort and is primarily for resort guests. The southern end of the beach is Centara Villas Phi Phi Island resort. There is a small public section at the northern end of the beach.
At low tide, you can walk along the shore along the hill on the north part of the beach. This northern part of Loh Bakao is also connected to a small river with a mangrove forest and suspension bridge.
There are sunbeds, umbrellas, hammocks, and a restaurant, on the beach but it belongs to SAii Phi Phi Island Village Resort and seems to be for guests only. If you want to sunbathe, it’s best to bring your own beach towel. There isn’t any shade along the shore, it is just dotted with a few palm trees.
Things to do in Loh Ba Kao, Koh Phi Phi
Swim, relax at the beach
The beach has a quiet atmosphere which is ideal for relaxing. You can relax, and swim at this calm shallow and crystal clear water beach. At low tide, you can walk far out into the sea.
Check out bars/ restaurants at the village
Behind Loh Bao Kao Beach is the small, laid-back hippie village. You can find restaurants, cafes, bars, massage shops, convenience stores, and pharmacies. The village is tiny and is surrounded by mangrove forests. Some cool bars such as CamelRock Bar are located right next to the Suspension Bridge.
Visit the Mangrove Suspension Bridge
This beautiful Mangrove Suspension Bridge connected two sides of the small river in Loh Bao Kao. It also linked Loh Ba Kao with other nearby beaches such as Loh Lana, Nui Beach, and Laem Tong.
This is a lovely place to stop and take photos of the bridge, mangroves, clear river water, and colorful long-tail boats moored nearby.
Explore the Loh Bakao Viewpoint
Loh Bakao Viewpoint is located on the way from Loh Ba Kao to Laem Tong Beach, around 500m from the Mangrove Suspension Bridge. It’s another good stop for whole views of Loh Ba Kao Bay.
Walk to Laem Tong Beach
Laem Tong Beach is a 1km long beach located just 30 minutes walk north of Loh Ba Kao Bay. This beach, in my opinion, is better than Loh Ba Kao Beach. You can find shades, as well as independent restaurants, and bars along the beach. It’s a good spot for swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing.
Walking to Loh Lana and Nui beach
Loh Lana and Nui Beach are two secluded beaches located within 15-20 minutes walk from Loh Ba Kao Bay. Unlike Laem Tong Beach and Loh Ba Kao, Loh Lana and Nui Beach have no accommodations on it, which creates a more peaceful atmosphere.
Nui Beach is more secluded and beautiful than Loh Lana Bay. At low tide, you can walk along the western shore of Loh Nana to reach Nui Beach. Otherwise, you can always take long tail boats from Loh Lana to get to Nui Beach within 10 minutes.
Nui Beach is picture-postcard beach with fine white sand and crystal clear turquoise water and stunning views of the limestone cliffs. It’s an ideal place for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking.
Stay in and near Loh Ba Kao Beach
It’s a good idea to stay in Loh Bakao Beach if you want a quiet beach holiday away from the busy Tonsai and Loh Dalum Beaches in the southern part of the island. Since the resort occupies a large portion of Loh Bakao, staying here lets you experience the beach and facilities at their best.
At the southern end at Loh Ba Kao is Centara Villas Phi Phi Island. From Centara’s location, you can walk to Loh Bakao Beach at low tide. You can also consider staying at the Phi Phi Phu Chalet Resort, which is located around 500m north of Loh Bakao village.
Inside the village, you can find smaller resorts and hotels which are cheaper than the beachfront location such as PP Red Tuna Hut, Phi Phi Bakao Bay Resort, or The Hip Resort. This is a good base for those who want a budget stay in a quiet area, but that quality and services are not as good as bigger resorts.
Best Hotels in Loh Ba Kao Bay, Koh Phi Phi
SAii Phi Phi Island Village
This is a 5-star hotel and is one of the best places to stay in Koh Phi Phi for those who want luxury and peaceful beach holidays. It’s a big resort complex that occupies a large area of Loh Ba Kao Beach.
You can comfortably explore the secluded beach and enjoy the resort’s facilities such as sunbeds, umbrellas, hammocks, and beachfront restaurants and bars. The resort is also home to a large swimming pool located right next to the beach and spacious bungalows with sea views.
It’s a short walk from the Loh Ba Kao village, so you can access numerous restaurants, bars, and shops. You can also easily walk to other beautiful beaches such as Laem Tong, Loh Lana, and Nui Beach.
Phi Phi Phu Chalet Resort
This 4-star resort is located in a quiet area midway between Laem Tong Beach and Loh Ba Kao Beach. You can easily walk to Loh Ba Kao Beach and Village for around 10 minutes. If you want peace and quiet holiday, this is a good choice.
Centara Villas Phi Phi Island
This 4-star resort is located on the hill at the southern end of Loh Ba Kao Bay. It has stunning views of the crystal clear turquoise ocean. If you want an isolated getaway, Centara is a good option. It’s quite hilly, so maybe not suitable for those with mobility problems.
How to get to Loh Ba Kao from Tonsai Pier & Village?
Direct Long Tail Boat
Most speed boats from other islands in the Andaman Sea (Phuket, Koh Lanta, Ao Nang/ Krabi) will arrive at Phi Phi island at Tonsai Pier. From the pier, you need to use additional transport to get to Loh Ba Kao.
Most hotels and resorts in Loh Ba Kao offer schedule pick up and drop off from the pier, so you can confirm with your hotel before or after booking.
Arranging private longtail boats between Tonsai Pier and Loh Bao Kao can be expensive. The cost is generally from 1000-2000 baht per boat depending on the time of the day. Evening is often more expensive than daytime. The boat ride takes 30-45 minutes.
Walking
You can walk from Tonsai Village and Tonsai Pier to Loh Ba Kao. It’s free and it’ll take around 1 hour walking. There are two routes.
One trail involved walking along the coastal area north of Loh Dalum Beach. This is an easier trail but can only doable during low tide. Another trail is via Phi Phi Viewpoint 1, 2, 3, which involves steep stair cases and jungle trekking.
I only recommend hiking/ walking during daytime for your safety because it involves jungle trails. If you enjoy the nightlife in Tonsai, consider taking long tail boats back to Loh Ba Kao.
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So, you have it, a brief introduction about Loh Ba Kao Beach, a quiet beach on the north eastern side of Koh Phi Phi Don. It’s a good place to stay for those who want a peaceful holiday away from the crowds and parties. You can visit the beach by walking or taking long tail boats from the island’s main village.