One hour south of Phuket lies an island whose beauty and atmosphere surpass its more well-known neighbor.
Tropical Island Paradise in Thailand
Actually a series of six islands, many of which are merely rocky outcrops jutting from the sea, the Ko Phi Phi islands are easily reachable by boat from Phuket or Krabi on the mainland.
Phi Phi Don, and Phi Phi Leh are the two largest of the islands in this chain, and only Phi Phi Don is inhabited. At the low-lying center of Phi Phi Don, between two crescent-shaped beaches lies the small village of Ton Sai, home to most of the tourist facilities on the island.
Ko Phi Phi suffered greatly during the tsunami of 2004, when the entire Ton Sai area was flooded and destroyed. After extensive restoration work, much of it handled by volunteer workers, most facilities on Ko Phi Phi have been restored.
What to Do on Ko Phi Phi
While many travelers come to the Phi Phi islands to relax, this doesn’t mean travelers need to be bored.
Hiking trails and paths abound all around the main island, Phi Phi Don. Visitors can hike to the Viewpoint, 186 meters above sea level, for magnificent views. Other popular hiking destinations include beaches out of reach of the tourist crowds that sometimes overwhelm the Ton Sai area.
Snorkeling and scuba among the coral reefs that line the coasts of the Phi Phi islands is an amazing experience. Scuba operators offer courses in scuba for those interested in trying this activity, and many offer snorkeling trips for those who want to get a glimpse of what's under those tropical seas without diving.
Boat trips are another popular activity, with excursions available to many local sites, including Maya beach on Phi Phi Lei, where the movie "The Beach" was filmed, and Monkey beach, where monkeys beg for bananas from anyone who lands on their shore. Phi Phi Lei also has other attraction such as Phaya Naak Cave and cliffs where locals climb to retrieve swifts nests for sale to Chinese restaurants. Booking a boat trip to any of these locations is as simple as walking into any of the small agencies lining the main streets of Ton Sai.
Relaxation is often what people visiting a tropical paradise want most, and Ko Phi Phi offers it in abundance. Two easily accessible, large beaches lie on either side of the main island and many smaller secluded beaches can be reached via hiking or hired longboat.
When travelers feel like they've gotten enough sun and sand, massages, manicures and pedicures are a nice way to relax indoors. Inexpensive high-quality salons are scattered throughout Ton Sai and higher-end places can be found at the bigger beach resorts.
Dining and Accommodations on Ko Phi Phi
As a tropical island, Phi Phi's main attraction on the dining scene is fresh seafood. Restaurants like Papaya offer great renditions of Thai favorites, emphasizing both seafood and spiciness. For a change, Cosmic Italian restaurant, run by an Italian expat now living on the island, serves up pizza and pasta.
For a local snack, try the banana and pineapple pancakes served up from roadside stands.
The island's accommodations range from high-end beach resorts costing over 5000 baht per night to backpacker bungalows and small no-frills in-town hotel rooms less than 200 baht in low season.
Ko Phi Phi is truly a tropical paradise, and visitors to Thailand should make every effort not to miss this fantastic destination.
Tropical Island Paradise in Thailand
Actually a series of six islands, many of which are merely rocky outcrops jutting from the sea, the Ko Phi Phi islands are easily reachable by boat from Phuket or Krabi on the mainland.
Phi Phi Don, and Phi Phi Leh are the two largest of the islands in this chain, and only Phi Phi Don is inhabited. At the low-lying center of Phi Phi Don, between two crescent-shaped beaches lies the small village of Ton Sai, home to most of the tourist facilities on the island.
Ko Phi Phi suffered greatly during the tsunami of 2004, when the entire Ton Sai area was flooded and destroyed. After extensive restoration work, much of it handled by volunteer workers, most facilities on Ko Phi Phi have been restored.
What to Do on Ko Phi Phi
While many travelers come to the Phi Phi islands to relax, this doesn’t mean travelers need to be bored.
Hiking trails and paths abound all around the main island, Phi Phi Don. Visitors can hike to the Viewpoint, 186 meters above sea level, for magnificent views. Other popular hiking destinations include beaches out of reach of the tourist crowds that sometimes overwhelm the Ton Sai area.
Snorkeling and scuba among the coral reefs that line the coasts of the Phi Phi islands is an amazing experience. Scuba operators offer courses in scuba for those interested in trying this activity, and many offer snorkeling trips for those who want to get a glimpse of what's under those tropical seas without diving.
Boat trips are another popular activity, with excursions available to many local sites, including Maya beach on Phi Phi Lei, where the movie "The Beach" was filmed, and Monkey beach, where monkeys beg for bananas from anyone who lands on their shore. Phi Phi Lei also has other attraction such as Phaya Naak Cave and cliffs where locals climb to retrieve swifts nests for sale to Chinese restaurants. Booking a boat trip to any of these locations is as simple as walking into any of the small agencies lining the main streets of Ton Sai.
Relaxation is often what people visiting a tropical paradise want most, and Ko Phi Phi offers it in abundance. Two easily accessible, large beaches lie on either side of the main island and many smaller secluded beaches can be reached via hiking or hired longboat.
When travelers feel like they've gotten enough sun and sand, massages, manicures and pedicures are a nice way to relax indoors. Inexpensive high-quality salons are scattered throughout Ton Sai and higher-end places can be found at the bigger beach resorts.
Dining and Accommodations on Ko Phi Phi
As a tropical island, Phi Phi's main attraction on the dining scene is fresh seafood. Restaurants like Papaya offer great renditions of Thai favorites, emphasizing both seafood and spiciness. For a change, Cosmic Italian restaurant, run by an Italian expat now living on the island, serves up pizza and pasta.
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For a local snack, try the banana and pineapple pancakes served up from roadside stands.
The island's accommodations range from high-end beach resorts costing over 5000 baht per night to backpacker bungalows and small no-frills in-town hotel rooms less than 200 baht in low season.
Ko Phi Phi is truly a tropical paradise, and visitors to Thailand should make every effort not to miss this fantastic destination.