Thailand is loaded with dreamy places to relax and experience exotic culture. With marvellous, curvy beaches, and mesmerizing tropical interiors, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh – together known as Ko Phi Phi is one of the most attractive destinations among tourists in Phuket
A word of warning though, the Phi Phi islands are very popular, thus leaving a quiet island retreat as your end goal a distant reality. There will be loads of people there, but paradise still exists in the quieter corners if you can manage to find them.
As many of you know, Ko Phi Phi & James Bond islands appeared in Hollywood films. Phi Phi Islands was the filming location for Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘The Beach’, while James Bond Island was featured in a James Bond film, ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ featuring Roger Moore and has since then been called after the movie character.
Regardless, pack your bags, favorite shorts / bikini and prepare yourself for a beautiful island, clear water and dramatic limestone cliffs.
Phi Phi Islands
Phi Phi Islands are both located between Phuket and Krabi. The Phi Phi Islands are located to the south of Ao Po pier.
This is one of the main factors that decide the price of the tours. Since Phi Phi Islands are closer to Krabi than Phuket, normally tours from Krabi are cheaper than the ones from Phuket.
Phi Phi Islands can also be toured around by a private traditional Thai long-tail boat that departs from Phuket. This tour is great for anyone looking for a quieter, more intimate Phi Phi Islands experience.
James Bond Island is the opposite. It is closer to go from Phuket than Krabi, therefore it is cheaper to take a tour from Phuket.
Phi Phi Islands
- Things to do in Phi Phi Islands
- Chill out by the beaches
- Snorkeling
- Scuba diving
- Spotting monkeys (at the Monkey Beach)
- Best for: People who love aquatic activities such as diving and snorkeling
The Phi Phi island tours are typically group tours that usually start at 10 AM. You can opt for private Phi Phi tours as well, but they are pricier when compared to the group tours. Phi Phi Islands tours generally include snorkeling at Phi Phi Leh.
One can’t help but marvel at the surreal aqua waters that fuse with the pristine sands off the coast in Koh Phi Phi. This idyllic island has a magnificent picturesque location imbued with nature’s glory. The dreamlike union of majestic turquoise waters, golden sands, and idyllic seascapes makes for a perfect setting of a movie or a dreamy vacay.
- Bamboo Island: an exotic island well known for abundant and strong bamboo trees.
- Monkey Beach: where you get to see or feed the monkeys.
- Phi Phi Don: the main town with many shops and restaurants.
- Maya Bay: the filming spot of Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘The Beach’.
- Pileh Lagoon: where you can dive from the boat into the water and swim around for a while.
First Two Stops: Phi Phi Leh and Maya Bay
Phi Phi Leh – this area of natural beauty boasts of naturally built craggy cliffs touching the turquoise waters. The area offers a silent and peaceful atmosphere as it has not been occupied by civilization. The famous movie, The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio was shot in Phi Phi Le and the location obviously gained a lot of popularity after the movie. Somehow, I find this place a lot over-hyped.
Maya Bay’s extensive beauty explains all the popularity that it harbours. The mountains that curl around the bay just add to its charm. Sadly, Maya Bay was shut down in 2019 for tourists so it wasn’t possible to get down there.
Viking Cave: History, Art & Nature
Situated at the north-eastern island, Viking caves reflect ethereal beauty, paintings of boats have been beautifully carved on the inner walls of the caves and some parts are dyed with chalk. These spectacular historic drawings are believed to be the performance of pirates as they date back a thousand years. This mixture of history, art, and nature’s grace would stimulate your curiosity to explore the place more.
Monkey Beach: Some FUN Time
Monkey Beach’s popularity attracts a lot of tourists – (sadly) the crowd made it very difficult to take pictures here. Nonetheless, the friendly monkeys who often come down from the trees entertained us. Along with that, the powder white sand beaches and wonderful diving opportunities make it a favourite spot for many.
Phi Phi Don: Lunch Break
It is a luxury to be able to have lunch at a place surrounded by immense beauty all around you. Our next stop was Phi Phi Don where we had our delicious lunch. It made us happy when we found out that there was a separate section for vegetarians, and that we could actually eat something. Afterwards we enjoyed some leisure time at the island.
Piley Bay: Snorkeling Time
This secluded region of Thai paradise is located on the eastern side of the island. We were amazed to see its scenic beauty, an attempt at describing it would be a wasted effort, it is just INEFFABLE. It accommodates surreal limestone cliffs brimmed with abundant flora around the jewelled green water and the water is luminous turquoise in its clarity. The pleasant sea makes it a favoured spot for swimming and snorkeling. The speedboats halt nearby Pileh cove, if you are a beginner and considering your first snorkeling experience then it’s NOT your stop. This can be a great snorkeling spot for good swimmers, though.
Practice Sustainable Tourism
Common sense practices apply here, don’t leave trash lying around, don’t deface the beach or cliffs, don’t touch or climb in places you shouldn’t, etc. You know, the basic rules of respecting and maintaining places.
However, there a couple things I want to bring your attention to that may not seem as obvious.
DO NOT PAY TO HOLD A GIBBON or to photograph one. I cannot stress this enough! You will see local people standing in the streets of the busy areas most nights on Phi Phi Don that are holding juvenile Gibbons (monkeys).
They will have the Gibbons dressed up in clothing and will be soliciting people to hold them for photos and then charging you for it. There are several things wrong with this. Firstly, it is illegal for them to have Gibbon’s in their possession.
Secondly, by contributing to this practice, no matter how cute and cuddly they are, you are literally contributing to the extinction of the Gibbon species. The Gibbons you see have been taken from their mothers, who are usually shot, at a young age to be exploited for tourism.
Gibbons keep their young with them for up to 6 years in order to teach them the necessary skills to survive in the wild. When they are taken from their mothers at a young age, they never learn these critical skills and when they become too big to make money from tourists, they are thrown into the wild and rarely survive.
The Gibbon is a critically endangered animal that could easily become extinct in our lifetimes so do your part to protect this species and do not support this illegal activity during your travels.
For more information on the illegal pet-trade in Thailand, have a look at this in depth article on White Gibbon Conservation and Thailand.
Go Prepared for the Phi Phi Island Tour
There are a few travel essentials that you must carry on your Phi Phi island Phuket tour. Don’t forget to carry a spare set of clothing as you’ll need it after the snorkeling session. Gently moisturize your skin, apply sunscreen or tan lotion before and after contact with water. Bring along sunhat, sunglasses, GoPro and a towel. If possible, take some medicines for nausea and sea sickness on this trip.
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