Can anyone recommend a tour company for day trips to the outer islands such as Phi Phi and Similan? We are contemplating a private tour and would appeciate any recommendations.
If we find that a private tour is cost prohibitive, does anyone have experience with other day trips to the same locations? We are looking for snorkeling/relaxing tours, not diving.

There are lots of liosting for specialist/private tours on Phuket gazette

www.phuketgazette.net

For normal tours a nice site ( loads quick, nice and clear information )

http://www.phuketjettour.com/tour/phuket.htm

james,,,,do you knows which boats are the most comfortable and reliable? my daughter is pregnant & will be with me next month and we would like to do day trips but not on a longtail boat.

also...we are booked at the old phuket...thanks for the recommendation

I was just about to suggest you looked at Deptrai's comment but just seen you have.
I do hope you like the Old Phuket, tip: steer clear of the restaurant on the corner of that street on the left coming from the hotel, has to rank as worst service/food I ever experienced on Phuket !
As you turn right at the beach road head towards Karon Circle and turn right up the main road at Karon going inland, about 200 metres ( or yards ) on the left red and gold sign " red Onion", open sided but with room, fantastic food and really nice service, very good value, go for the Duck and the Massaman Curries, Panang Curry great, they also do good Euro food if you need, they are Thai and German owned so you get not only great Thai food but if you want a change their Euro is top rate also, cookie with the coffee etc, perfect combo of great food, excellent service, nice presentation, cheap price!

Sorry Cindik, didn't mean to veer away from your post.

thanks for the info james...

if you have suggestions for day trips. let us know...i have searched a dozen websites
and will probably not book anything till we are there...weather is a concern...but we are open for suggestions for companies...

cindik...if you come up with anything...let us know...when are you going to be in phuket?

We will be in Phuket from 11/23/05 to 12/2/05. Has anyone used Andaman Leisure Phuket? They have what appear to be nice itineraries but are quite expensive for the private tours. JamesA- thanks for the website ideas, I'll check them out.

There are probably as many tour agents as bars ( no..I've used that before fortailors ), seriously, there are masses, and so many just simply feed into another, like the trips to Phi Phi people from lots of different tours on same boat with same guide, I guess it's done almost everywhere like that.
The private tours like anywhere are expensive, if you want to do a round island tour you can get a car and driver for the day for around USD 50 who will take you around the island.

When you arrive in Phuket you will find mountains of brochures and travel guides in the lobby and in your room, also you can look at those tour sites to get ideas of what is to see, browse and decide the places you would like to go, then head to the concierge/travel deks in the lobby and say Hi, we need a car and driver for the day and this is where we want to go and please suggest where to stop for lunch, it will be sorted hassle free. That way you will get a decent car, friendly driver, ( because the concierge can't afford not to! ).
Prices are pretty standard.
As far as your own boat for trips that depends if you want to spend the big bucks, again, if you don't want to be packed inside a 9 or 12 seater mini-van to/from the ferry port just tell the travel desk at the hotel that you don't want that and can they sort out a separate car for you, for the extra bucks they will sort out anything.
I suggest doing this at hotel trtavel desk becuase prices are fairly standard, everyone feeds into certain operators who give a 20% commission back, hence prices are very much the same usually.

Your own boat and guide is great but as you can see, big bucks.

Cindi, if you don't mind sharing which resort/hotel you are staying we might be able to suggest ideas how to get to places etc from beach area you are staying.

Thanks again JamesA. I usually just leave these types of trips up to the concierge desk but I was concerned that since our trip is getting towards high season that we might have trouble booking. Also of course if someone highly recommeded a private boat tour then I would probably book while in the states.
We are splitting our time in Phuket between three places - The JW Marriott, Hilton and the Sheraton - I'm pretty sure that's the order. Any advice you can offer would be appreciated.