Welcome to the Topic “The complete travel guide to Phi Phi Island”
If you do some research about the island of Phi Phi, one thing that will become instantly apparent to you is that this island is primarily intended to serve as a tourist destination. Because of this, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to going there. Having said that, I do believe that certain places should be seen at least once in a lifetime, and Phi Phi was one of those places.
Following my journey, I can attest to what a great number of other people have stated: Phi Phi island is, in fact, a tourist trap; nevertheless, I would like to point out that not the entire island is in a deplorable state.
In this post, I will explain how you can unwind while avoiding the majority of tourists, even on one of the islands that is consistently ranked as one of the most visited in the world.
Useful info about Phi Phi Island.
When talking about Phi Phi, the first thing to point out is that there are two islands with names that are nearly identical to each other. These islands are Koh Phi Phi Don and Kho Phi Phi Leh, and they are located extremely close to one another.
Koh Phi Phi Don is the only island in the area where it is possible to truly spend the night there.
No people live on the island of Kho Phi Phi Leh, a protected natural reserve. See the first picture on this page for a look at Maya Bay, located in Kho Phi Phi Leh and featured in the movie “The Beach.” There is no accommodation available for overnight stays in Kho Phi Phi Leh.
Phi Phi Don is the port of entry for all tourists traveling from Ao Nang and Phuket. The journey there is not at all difficult. You may easily board a ferry boat from Krabi or Phuket if you are located in any of those cities (it takes about 3 hours). You can make your reservation for your flight at any one of the many travel firms that are located in and around Krabi.
Another intriguing fact is that technically speaking, there are no automobiles on the island of Phi Phi Don. In actuality, this is not the case; I have witnessed several of them, but no one utilizes them outside of the community. On the other hand, there is no traffic, and if you stay in the village, you will likely not see a single automobile or motorcycle.
The majority of hotels and restaurants on the island can be found in the southernmost portion of Tong Sai bay, which is also where the majority of tourists choose to stay while visiting the island.
Tong Say Bay is a tourist trap since it is filled with McDonald’s and Italian restaurants, fire shows in the evening at many restaurants, and hundreds of shops selling identical products made in China. In spite of this, Phi Phi is still a stunning island, and if you know a few insider secrets, you may enjoy this paradise while avoiding the majority of the island’s visitors.
Everything, to a considerable part, is determined by the hotel that one selects to stay at. Yes, since to the north of the island, away from Tong Sai Bay in the south, another part of the island is entirely cut off from the rest of the island and can only be reached by boat. The northern region of Phi Phi Phi is a true paradise. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that this is where you will discover the island’s finest resorts. Although the cost of a night’s stay in the north of Phi Phi Island is quite high, I believe it is well worth staying there for at least two nights, particularly if you have gone all the way to Phi Phi Island.
Where to stay in the north of Phi Phi Island
This region of the island sees a fraction of the number of visitors as the southern portion of the island, and, to tell you the truth, it gives off the impression of being an entirely new location. There are a number of hotels and resorts on the island, and I chose to stay at the Holiday Inn Resort on Phi Phi Island.
The setting is fantastic, which is exactly what one would anticipate from a Holiday Inn Resort. Even if some of the bungalows show their age, the location is breathtaking. There are three swimming pools, one of which offers a fantastic vantage point from which to have a cocktail while watching the sun go down. The resort is situated directly on the beach and is surrounded by dense flora typical of the tropical environment. The throngs of tourists will be a distant memory by the time you reach the northern part of Phi Phi, which you will reach as soon as you are there.
Things to do in Phi Phi Island
The stunning beaches and water that surround Phi Phi Phi are the primary attractions for tourists that come to the island. Therefore, going to Maya Bay and the beaches in the surrounding area should be your first priority.
The island of Phi Phi is plagued by an excessive number of visitors, all of whom are there for the same reason. The question now is, what can you do if you want to enjoy this paradise without having to deal with the crowds? Asking a local with a long-tail boat to take you where you want very early in the morning is the only surefire way to avoid other tourists on the island. Several travel agencies across the island offer more or less standard tours to all of the most popular attractions, but this is not the only way to see these places.
When I say very early in the morning, I mean that you ought to be in Maya Bay no later than 6:30 at the latest.
Bear in mind that Phi Phi Leh is located very near to the southern half of Phi Phi Don; hence, if you are in the northern portion of the island, it will take you approximately an hour to reach there. When I got to Maya Bay at 6:30 in the morning, two other boats were already there. At seven in the morning, many people were already there.
Many travel businesses can be found in Tong Sai Bay, attempting to promote tours to Maya Bay. These tours typically begin early in the morning to avoid other tourists. Stay away from those tours at any cost. They will not get to Maya Bay until after 7:30 in the morning, which is much too late.
One more piece of advice: when you are setting up your island hopping tour with a local, be sure to let him know that you are also interested in seeing Kho Bida Nok.
Divers flock to this tiny island due to its widespread popularity. This magnificent location is skipped by every single tourist who goes on one of the scheduled tours. Do not pay attention to them if they inform you that the conditions are not suitable for snorkeling. It is, without a doubt, the best location on Phi Phi Island to snorkel, and you can find it here. There will be an astonishing amount of tropical fish and starfish for you to observe.
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Also Read: Getting from Krabi to Koh Phi Phi