The Phi Phi islands (pronounced “Pee Pee”) are part of the Phi Phi archipelago, made up of 6 islands, the largest being Koh Phi Phi Don, which is inhabited, and Koh Phi Phi Leh, the second largest. It was one of my favorite places during my trip to Thailand. The beautiful island is surrounded by limestone rock formations and different hues of blue water.
The island is part of the Krabi province and is located 46 km southeast of Phuket and is made up of 80 percent Muslims. Koh Phi Phi Don is the land with hotels, shops, etc., and Koh Phi Phi Leh is made up of multiple attractions of the island.
The Tonsai village was hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, which destroyed 70% of Koh Phi Phi Don. The island developed gradually, but by December of the next year, 1000 hotels were open for tourists. Along with that, to keep the island and the surroundings clean, they charge 20 BHT per person to collect the debris.
In this post, I will highlight when, where, and how to go to Phi Phi island.
When?
The best time to go to the island depends on your preferences.
If you are looking for sunny days and fewer chances of rainfall, November to April is the time for you, but that comes with crowded islands and higher prices. If you are looking for a cheaper vacation, then it would be best to visit from May to October.
I visited in May and did not encounter any rainy days, but the heat was something to consider.
How?
As mentioned, the island is a motor-free zone, so you can’t get there by buses or cars. The only way to get there is by ferry or speedboat from either Krabi or Phuket. In Phuket, there is only one pier, and you have to go there yourself to hop on the ferry for your trip to Koh Phi Phi Don.
In Krabi, there are a few ways to get to the pier. You can either go to the pier by yourself, though Grab, or a van will come to your hotel or a pickup location to take you to the pier. In some cases, the van will go to a few locations before the pier, which may take up to an hour. Krabi Town and Ao Nang are the two areas in Krabi where you can get picked up to be transferred to the pier. This will all depend on your ticket, which you can find for as low as $16, some including the pickup and some not.
During my trip, I booked a $16 ticket from ‘Kong Jilad Pier,’ which we went to by ourselves as the pickup option wasn’t available for us at the time. We went there 30 minutes before departure time as stated and checked in. We had to wait in a line, but the ferry came right on time. Those who checked in earlier were at the front of the line, so they got to choose whether they wanted to sit in the upper level or lower level seats. If possible, I would recommend you try to arrive earlier to get the upper deck as the lower deck is hot. You can book the tickets through 12Go.
Where?
Some of the popular attractions of this island can be covered in one day. If you are short on time, just one day to the island and back is possible. However, if you have some time and want to relax, I would recommend 2 full days: one day to go and just walk around the island, and the next to experience a boat day to see the other attractions in Koh Phi Phi Leh.
One day for the island can be hectic as it might feel like you are on the boat all day long. Whether you go to the island from Phuket or Krabi, it might take anywhere from 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Then you get on your speedboat/longtail boat, and the trip may take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours depending on which boat you pick and the locations you want to cover.
There are a few reasons why I recommend 2 full days:
Might feel like you are on a boat all day: Whether you go to the island from Phuket or Krabi, it might take anywhere from 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Then you get on your speedboat/longtail boat, and the trip may take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours depending on which boat you pick and the locations you want to cover.
Beat the crowd: If you want to avoid the crowd at famous attractions such as Maya Bay, the morning would be the best to enjoy the great view and take a picture. The same goes for snorkeling as it can start to get busy as it approaches noon.
Catch the sunrise: A full day on the island allows you to choose a sunrise package and experience the beautiful scenery.
National Park Fee
Maya Bay and Bamboo Island both require a national park fee. Regardless of whether you go to one or both of the attractions, the fee is the same: 400 BHT per person.
There are stalls on the island from different travel groups that offer boat tours. You can choose to rent a speedboat or a long-tail boat, which we went with. It does take longer with the longtail boat, but if you don’t get seasick easily and like aesthetics, then I would recommend the longtail boats. The owner of the travel group mentioned that Maya Bay was something we could skip over if we were looking to save a little and instead suggested Pileh Lagoon as that was her favorite. I chose to go with it, and it was very worth it. Just taking in the scene felt very refreshing and healing.
Maya Bay
Maya Bay is gorgeous and very picturesque, but it can get crowded very easily, so if your goal is to take pictures, it might be hard to do so if you aren’t there early in the morning (preferably before 10 am). You can still view the bay without getting off at the island, which is not quite the same as being on the bay, but it is definitely an option to keep in mind. The island also has washrooms and a small breakfast area.
Bamboo Island
With scattered coral reefs and clear water, Bamboo Island was our last destination of the tour and a perfect way to end it. If you are looking to relax on the beach and walk around while taking in the beautiful view, this is the place for you. You can also snorkel here, but be aware of the reefs that are very close by. I enjoyed this place, but I am not sure if it’s worth paying the 400 BHT. Since I already paid the fee to see Maya Bay (which I believe should not be missed), I think it was worth it.
Pileh Lagoon
This is one of the best places to snorkel and explore the underwater world. Multiple boats dock around the lagoon for you to jump into the beautiful emerald-green water and spot tropical fish. It truly feels like you are in an endless aquarium.
Viking Cave
The 170-meter-long cave is one of the most remarkable natural sites on the island, known for the edible bird nests that reside there. The name comes from the drawings of ships on the walls, presumed to be drawn by those who took shelter there during times of storm.
Monkey Bay
You can walk around the little bay and catch some monkeys. They are sneaky little creatures, so make sure to keep your phones or cameras close by.
