Thailand: Koh Phi Phi

We arrived on Koh Phi Phi via a 2-hour ferry from Koh Lanta nearly 6 days ago. Koh Phi Phi, a small, scenic island off of Thailand’s Andaman Coast , became famous after the movie The Beach hit theatres several years ago and showed off the limestone cliffs shooting out of crystal clear ocean waters. We haven’t seen the movie, but it’s a bit deal here. Also, five years ago this island was the center off attention after the Boxing Day Tsunami sadly wreaked havoc on the popular international tourist paradise.

Upon arriving at Koh Phi Phi, visitors are greeted with an overwhelming maze of restaurants, bars, travel agencies and inexpensive massage parlors. At first, we wondered what the heck we’d gotten ourselves into. Beyond all the riffraff and with a little digging, however, there is a friendly island with warm, clear water, some isolated beaches off the beaten path and lots of sunshine. We had a love-hate relationship with Koh Phi Phi during our 6 days here. We’ve loved the sun, the sand, the hiking, the food and the ocean, but the holiday crowds and party took its toll at times. Nevertheless, below we’ve focused on the highlights of our time here on Koh Phi Phi, which were quite spectacular:

1) Snorkeling day trip around Koh Phi Phi Don, its sister island, Koh Phi Phi Leh and nearby Bamboo Island: The snorkeling couldn’t compete with Fiji, but we had a blast snorkeling in the Koh Phi Phi Marine National Park and jumping off our boat into some of the clearest waters we’ve ever seen.

2) Long Beach (“Hat Yao” to the locals): When the main beaches didn’t blow our beach bum socks off, we went searching for more remote beaches on the island. As it turns out, there are plenty to be found. Our favorite was a 30-minute hike from where were staying, (near Ao Lo Dalam) called Long Beach. Here, almost daily, we escaped the crowds to soak up the sun and unwind in the warm ocean water.

3) Koh Phi Phi viewpoint: This steep, sweaty 35-minute hike to the top of Koh Phi Phi was well worth it for the views, as you’ll see in the photos below. The breeze was awesome and the view of the island, which is sort of hourglass-shaped, wasn’t too shabby either.

4) The food: We. Ate. Lots. Of. Good. Cheap. Noodles!

Thailand has provided a nice, relaxing break during our travels, but we’re excited and ready to move on to India and then trounce around Europe. It’s back to Bangkok next, then we’ll check in once we settle in in India.