Weather Cancellation Policy

1.The short version

• If the sea is not safe, your tour does not go, and you get a full refund, including the payment processing fee, or a new date at no extra cost.
• Rain on its own does not cancel a tour. Tours run in all safe weather, including rain.
• The decision is made by the tour operator or the Thai authorities (see section 3), on the morning of the tour. It is never made by guests, and never based on weather apps (see section 2).
• If your tour runs as normal and you choose not to go, or you cancel of your own accord, our Refund & Cancellation Policy applies.

2.Weather apps and forecasts

Information from weather apps and websites is not used in any way to decide whether a tour runs, and is not accepted as a reason for a refund.

Weather apps are not an accurate or reliable source of information for sea conditions here. They are built from broad computer models covering a wide area, often show a rain icon for the whole day if a single shower is possible, and cannot show the wind and waves at a particular island or bay. A forecast of 80% rain usually means some rain at some point, not a day of storms.

3.How a tour is cancelled for weather

A tour is cancelled for weather in only three ways:

1. The tour operator cancels for safety

The tour operator can cancel a tour as a precaution whenever they judge sea conditions to be unsafe. Each operator decides for their own boats, because boats differ: a large modern speedboat may run safely on a day when a smaller boat cannot. Phi Phi Tours can also cancel a tour for safety reasons, even if the operator would have run it.

2. The Department of National Parks issues a warning or closure

Phi Phi and most of the islands our tours visit are marine national parks, run by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). The DNP can issue weather warnings and can close a park or its beaches to visitors. Announcements are posted at portal.dnp.go.th.

3. The Thai Meteorological Department issues a warning

The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is the government's official weather service. It issues warnings for strong winds and high waves in the Andaman Sea, posted at tmd.go.th.

Official warnings from the DNP or the TMD are issued at different levels, and only a stay-ashore warning or a park closure cancels a tour. The wording of the warning shows which level it is:

Apart from these three, nothing else cancels a tour for weather: not rain, not forecasts, not weather apps, and not news reports.

4.Who makes the decision

The decision to cancel a tour for weather is made by the tour operator, Phi Phi Tours or the Thai authorities (see {three-ways}). It is never made by guests. You may cancel your booking at any time and for any reason, but a cancellation you make is not a weather cancellation, whatever the weather: your refund is set by our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

Those making the decision have information guests do not: conditions at sea and at the islands, reports from captains already on the water, and official warnings. Rain at your hotel, or a storm reported in the news, does not indicate the sea conditions where your tour is going.

If you cancel because you are worried about the weather, and the tour then runs, it is a cancellation by you and our Refund & Cancellation Policy applies.

5.When the decision is made

The final decision is made on the morning of the tour, not before. Tropical weather can change completely from one day to the next, and often overnight, so an accurate and informed decision cannot be made the day before, let alone a week or two ahead.

Tours are therefore not cancelled or refunded in advance because of a forecast, a weather warning for another part of Thailand, or news reports of storms or flooding, however close the tour date. If your tour is cancelled, we will notify you on the morning of the tour.

If your tour is cancelled, we will contact you as soon as the decision is made, using the phone number and email address on your booking. Please keep your phone with you on the morning of your tour.

6.Rain does not cancel a tour

Tours run in all safe weather conditions, including rain. Rain, cloud, a grey sky or a choppy but safe sea are not reasons to cancel a tour. What matters is whether sea and wind conditions are safe for the boat, and our captains and the tour operator check those on the day.

Rain at sea is usually warm and short-lived, and snorkelling and swimming carry on as normal in light rain. On some days the captain may change the route or the order of stops to find calmer, sheltered water. Itinerary changes are not grounds for a refund (see our Refund & Cancellation Policy).

If your tour is running and you decide not to go because of rain or the forecast, it is treated as a cancellation by you, and our Refund & Cancellation Policy applies. Within 2 days of your travel date, that means no refund.

7.Weather in the tropics

All our tours are outdoor activities in a tropical climate, where rain showers are common and expected. Tropical weather behaves differently from the weather many visitors are used to at home. Rain often arrives as a short, heavy downpour that passes within the hour, and an overcast morning may be followed by a clear, calm afternoon.

Our team is local. We live and work on these islands and have operated in these weather patterns for many years. Conditions that may appear severe to a first-time visitor, such as a dark sky or heavy rain, are often normal here and do not make the sea unsafe.

8.If your tour is cancelled

If your tour is cancelled for any of the reasons in section 3, you can choose:

• A full refund of everything you paid, including the payment processing fee, which we cover
• A new date for the same tour, at no extra cost, subject to availability
• A different tour on the same day or another day, where one is available and safe to run

Refunds are issued to the original payment method within 7 to 10 business days of the cancellation.

We refund what you paid us for the tour. We are not responsible for other costs, such as hotels, flights, transfers or other activities you booked separately. We strongly recommend travel insurance to cover costs like these.

9.Official sources

Weather warnings and park closures are published by:

• The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD): tmd.go.th
• The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP): portal.dnp.go.th

Announcements are often published in Thai first. We monitor these sources daily and will contact you if your tour is affected.

10.Weather during the tour

Once a tour has set off, the captain may change the route, skip a stop or return early if conditions change, for the safety of everyone on board. The captain's decision is final. Changes made for safety during a tour are not grounds for a refund.

11.Language of this policy

This policy is written in English, and the English version is the only legally binding version. Any translation, whether provided by us or made with a browser or translation tool, is for convenience only. If a translation differs from the English version in any way, the English version applies.

12.Changes to this policy

Phi Phi Tours reserves the right to modify this policy at any time. Bookings made before a change remain subject to the policy in effect at the time of booking.