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.
 

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.