Koh Phi Phi Destination Guide

The Phi Phi Islands part of Krabi province, are located between Phuket and the Andaman coast mainland. There are 2 islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest and was previously populated by Muslim fishermen; today the Thai population on the island is more than 80% Muslim. Most of the residents work in the tourism business. The islands are beautiful for their steep cliffs emerging from the seabed and many bays hiding tiny, pristine beaches and clear waters.

Phi Phi Don is mostly made of limestone. It is nearly split into two islands with just a strip of flat land keeping them connected. Tourists travel here from all over the world, especially Europe, Korea and Japan. To reach Phi Phi there are daily boats from Phuket, Ao Nang and the Chao Fa Pier in Krabi Town. The trip from Phuket takes around 90 minutes. In the high season there is a stampede of day trippers who take over the island from around 11am when the first boats start to arrive until 3pm when they all leave again, despite this the rest of the time the island is a relaxed easy going place to spend a few days. There are lots of restaurants, bars, shops, internet cafes and bungalows, an abundance of choice. A good place to seek out is View Point where if you make the effort to hike up the steep path you have a beautiful view of the whole island.

There are no accommodation facilities on Ko Phi Phi Lee, but its beaches are definitely worth a visit. Just a short boat ride from Phi Phi Don the island is a ring of steep limestone hills surrounding Maya Bay. Here you will find the Viking Cave, due to the supposedly Viking drawings on the cave walls inside and from which there is a bird's nest soup industry. Thousands of birds alight on top of the cave ledges and the local Thai guys scale the cliffs, with no harnesses or safety devices, to collect the nests. The movie ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo Di Caprio was filmed here and is another reason for its popularity.

Water sport activities include diving, snorkelling, kayaking, and game fishing excursions. The local diving is said to be one of the best sites in Thailand, if you are looking for certification there are many dive centers offering courses, whether a beginner or advanced level. Divers will discover dazzling coral gardens, unique and unusual cave fish, tropical fish and underwater wreck sites. Canoes can be hired to explore the islands coves and caves or hire a long tail boat for a bit of island hopping and a good way to find some uninhabited beautiful beaches that you might miss, such as Bamboo Island. Shark watching cruises are also possible by speed boat or longtail. If you fancy a hike then take a trek along the hillside tracks to find the perfect viewpoint with an uninterrupted panorama of the Island. But you don’t have to be the adventuress type to appreciate this island, Phi Phi has lots of interesting shops and boutiques to stroll around, delicious restaurants located on the waters edge and there’s always sun-bathing to catch up on. Monkey Beach on the Island offers beach activities. Snorkeling is great here and you don’t have to go deep to see some of the most colourful coral reefs in the area or have a go at parasailing or waterskiing. Nightlife in Phi Phi is pretty laid back. Either hang out at one of the many restaurants situated on the beach or try one of the bars and watch a spectacular fire show.

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