Phi Phi Island Travel Guide
Koh Phi Phi, twin islands lying about half-way between Krabi and Phuket
in the Andaman sea off Southern Thailand's west coast.
Of these two islands only the larger, Koh Phi Phi Don, a dumbbell shaped
slice, is inhabited.
The smaller one, Koh Phi Phi Leh, is a popular destination for day trips
from either Phuket or Koh Phi Phi Don.
Koh Phi Phi (or Phi Phi island) consists of two
islands, Phi Phi Don, the larger one of the two
with an abundance of fine beaches and
accommodation to suit all needs. The more
geographically dramatic, Phi Phi Leh, with its
cliffs, natural caves and water-filled canyon
offers the tourists exciting and outdoor
pursuits. Both islands are in Krabi province and
are part of Hat Nopparat Thara/Koh Phi Phi
Natioanl Marine Park, about 42 Kilometers south
of Phuket.
Koh
Phi Phi also features a vibrant NIGHTLIFE, with
Tonsai Beach containing dozens of beach bars and
restaurants and lively Tonsai Village consisting
of a maze of shops, bars, and restaurants.
Smaller beaches around the island are
alternatively ideal for honeymooners, families,
those on a budget, and those looking for the
ultimate luxury resort retreat. |
Climate in Phi Phi
it rains the most in May and October (an average
of 22 out of 30 days), as it experiences both
monsoons. The temperature varies little all year
round, staying between 30? c from October to
February and rising up to 35?c from March
onwards.
Beaches and featuresThe dump bell-shaped island
of Phi Phi Don is endowed with green rolling
hills, spectacular cliffs, long powdery white
beaches and emerald water. An attractive beach
on the southern side curves around Ton Sai Bay
providing the dock for boats from Phuket and
Krabi. On the northern side of the ‘handle’ just
a few hundred meters away is the fine beach of
Loh Dalum Bay. About 2 kilometers southeast from
Ton Sai Bay, you will find Hat Yao (long beach),
home to Phi Phi Don’s finest coral reefs,
further north, passing the beautiful Hat Lanti
whish is famous for surfing, Hat Laem Thong
stands against an impressive range of cheer time
stone cliffs and breathtaking scenery.
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Kayaking
Loh Dalum Bay is the palace you can vent Kayaks
per hour, haft day or all day at reasonable
prices.
Fishing
IF you are in search of adventure in big game
fishing, look for sign board along the brick
walkway in Ton Sai Bay. Trips are available
aboard long-tail boats and include soft drink,
lunch and fish tackle.
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Phi Phi Don and its nearby island
Make famous by the Hollywood film The Beach,
staring Leonardo Di Caprio, maintain its natural
beauty and unspoiled beaches. There are a number
of beach activities and organized boat trips
from here, driving,
Snorkeling.
Several dive centers have small offices along
the brick walkway east of Ton Sai Bay. All day
snorkeling trips normally include lunch, water
fruit, and diving equipment and snorkeling gear.
The stop off points for these trips usually are
at Koh Yung (Mosquito Island), Koh Mai Pai
(Bamboo) and Phi Phi Leh, Hin Pae (Goat Rock)
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Rock – climbing
For the more adventurous, there are several
routes bolted into the sheer line stone cliff on
Phi Phi Don contact PP’s local agent.
Organized tours and Boat charters
Full day tour by boat can be chartered from PP
Don to PP Lek where you can visit the so called
Viking Cave containing prehistoric paintings of
stylized human and animal figures. Half day
trips to PP Leh or Bamboo Island are also
available.
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Dining out & Entertainment
Resorts in Phi Phi have their won restaurants.
However, there are a wide variety of restaurants
and caf? to suit western palates in Ton Sai Bay
area. There’s a pub and restaurant with wood
table and chairs where snakes served with fruit
shake and cocktail can be enjoyed in the sea
breeze.The most popular nigh spots are round Phi
Phi Center on Ton Sai Bay. Some of them are
beach front bars providing tables and chairs on
the beach, live music and fun holiday
atmosphere.
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Getting around
The
most common ways to get around on Ko Phi Phi are
by foot and by long-tail boat. As with most
everything in an area like this, the price for
long-tail boats is a negotiation. Hint: Take
some foam earplugs for the long-tail boat
rides... it's a fun ride but the engines are
loud and after 45 minutes it can get to you. The
negotiation for longtail boats is usually done
according to where you want to go and how many
hours you want the trip to last. As an example,
1200 baht for a 6-hour outing to Ko Phi Phi Le
and Tonsai Bay from the Holiday Inn Resort.
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Getting there and away
Regular boat trips from Krabi take 11/2 hours
and from Phuket about an hour 40 minutes to 2
hours. The ferry from Phuket is generally more
popular and comfortable. Most standard hotels in
Phi Phi will provide land and ferry transfer
from Phuket. You are recommended to land in
Phuket before 11.00am. to make the ferry
connection for 13.30 pm. There are also transfer
in operation from Ao Nang and Koh Lanta Yai.
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Shopping
Most local shops and minimarts are run by local
families so they often stay open around 08.30
and close anytime between 21.00 -23.00. Most
gift shops open 10.00-22.00 and dive shops
usually close at 21.00. Bargain with good humour
and you could get some better prices!
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Banks/Money
Currency
is the Thai Baht (see currency converter)
Denominations are 1,000, 500, 100, 50 and 20
Baht notes. Master card and Visa are well known
but American Express is only accepted in the
more expensive hotels and stores. There is a
bank with a currency exchange in Tonsai Bay, Phi
Phi, but no ATM machine. However there are
plenty of ATM's on Phuket island.
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Thai Holidays & Festivals
Many Thais travel during festivals and holidays,
so boats can be crowded and flights, especially
from Bangkok, fully booked. Below are some of
the more important festival dates to check with
before making your travel plans.
January - New Year - Busy until around 6th
January when it calms down!
February - Chinese New Year - varies with the
calendar - around the 2nd full moon. Ferries are
busy.
April 13/14/15 - Songkran Festival or Thai New
Year. This is the water festival when many Thais
return to their home. Don't expect to travel
easily around this time as buses, flights and
ferries are very busy. This is a major holiday
in Thailand.
November Loy Kratong around the 12th. A
beautiful festival where floating kratongs
(literally "leaf cup" with lighted candles are
placed on water to take away bad luck. Not too
many people travelling at this time of year.
December - Christmas - High season. Expect full
flights, buses and busy boats.
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Health and Medical Facilities
There are no hospitals on Phi Phi so any serious
illness should be treated in Phuket where there
are first class international facilities. There
is a local health centre on Phi Phi island in
Tonsai Bay. Please be insured before travelling
to Thailand. Check with your insurance company
which hospitals they work with.
Sunburn and Sunstroke are the most common health
problems so take the usual precautions - strong
sunblock, wear a hat and drink plenty of fluids.
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