Koh Lipe is a beautiful Thai island, closer to Malaysia than mainland Thailand. It’s referred to as the Maldives of Thailand and it’s easy to see why. The white sandy beaches, beautiful blue water, hidden beaches and stunning sunsets make this island a perfect getaway.
Restaurants on Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is more expensive than mainland Thailand and a few other Thai islands. It’s not pricey at all compared with the UK, Europe or the US of course, but if you’re on a backpacking budget you’ll notice the prices are somewhat higher than most of South East Asia. Additionally, there are plenty of restaurants on Koh Lipe serving Western or Indian food, and not many just serving local Thai food.
In light of all of this we set out to find the best local restaurants serving delicious Thai food on Koh Lipe without breaking the bank, and have shared that list below!
We’ve given the price of a Pad Thai as a benchmark dish, but prices for various dishes do of course differ from place to place.
Seven of the best local restaurants on Koh Lipe
The best seafood
Despite the name, we actually couldn’t see any fresh seafood on offer so we decided not to order any of that, perhaps because we ate at lunch time… Regardless the food is decent and the portions are huge. The shining star of their menu are the smoothies – the best we had on the island and we went back to get another the next day!
Opening hours: 10am-10pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: 80฿
Tasneem Halal Food
There was a proper locals vibe at Tasneem’s both times we ate there. The people working at the restaurant are really friendly and attentive without being pushy and the food is great as well. We can definitely recommend the mango salad which was a delicious!
Opening hours: 6am-9pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: 70-90฿ depending on whether you have veg only or add proteins
Thaidurm Restaurant
We found this place by accident and ended up going back twice, the seafood was delicious as was the Pad Thai and actually not as pricey for fish as other places we saw so if you want to try some on the island, here is a great option.
Just a word of warning – don’t be fooled by the juice stand across the road, they look amazing but if you get large one they’re super watered down which is disappointing.
Opening hours: 12pm-11pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: 80฿ with shrimp
Nèe papaya Thaifood & BBQ
This is a huge restaurant but it’s super busy here every night! The food is really tasty with generous portions and the service is quick and friendly despite them being so busy. There’s a lot of seafood on offer here which makes the prices a bit higher than other places on this list but the prawns we had in our Massaman curry were gigantic and delicious!
Opening hours: 9am-11:30pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: 80฿
Serene Restaurant
Serene restaurant is right on Walking Street which makes it very central on the island. We had lunch here twice as the food was very tasty and quick. The menu is well priced given its location and the one woman who does all the cooking here cooks in a classic open kitchen meaning you can see your food being made.
Opening hours: 1pm-4pm & 6pm-9:30pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: 90฿
Wanwanthaifoodseafoodkohlipe
Despite a name that seemingly was entered into Google maps without any spaces, this place deserves a visit! It’s a bit rough around the edges but the staff and food are nice enough. The restaurant is fairly small but the service is very quick and the papaya salad has just the right amount of spice and lime – delicious!
Opening hours: 11am-9:30pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: 80฿
Kwyteiyw Ban Suan Noodles
This little local restaurant should absolutely be on your must eat list in Koh Lipe. We went back twice and loved every single mouthful. It’s basically a phò place and is amazingly cheap. There’s no menu, you just go to the counter and choose the meat you’d like (chicken or pork or a mix) and your noodles (thick or thin). For those of you who have visited Vietnam, it will bring back a flood of memories! It’s run by a really sweet couple, highly recommended!
Opening hours: 7am-3pm every day
Location: here
Pad Thai: No Pad Thai here, but each dish costs between 60-80฿ depending on whether you choose a single type of meat or a mix!
There we have it! Seven local restaurants on Koh Lipe to eat delicious Thai food at, without breaking the bank. Let us know if you tried any of these – leave a comment below or find us on Instagram!
Happy Travels!
Planning a visit to Koh Lipe
If you’re planning on visiting Koh Lipe, you might find these helpful
Thailand E-SIM Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng Luang Prabang to Vientiane
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