Phi Phi island, Thailand - travel and accommodation guide

Travel to the Phi Phi Islands

Ko Phi Phi can be reached by boat either from Krabi or Phuket. In downtown Krabi tourists can take a boat at Chaofa pier. The boat leaves for Ko Phi Phi daily. Boat tickets are available at the pier or from travel agents in the town. It takes about 2 hours and a half for the journey. Regular boats from Ao Nang to Ko Phi Phi are also available during high season.

Mu Ko Phi Phi
An archipelago of six islands consists of Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Le as the major islands. The superb scenery of the islands includes high hills with jutting cliffs surrounded by marvelous beaches and emerald sea, hiding underneath a bank of coral reefs and colorful marine life. Places to visit of Mu Ko Phi Phi include

Ko Phi Phi Don

covers a total area of 28 square kilometers : 8 kilometers in length and 3.5 at its broadest point. At the north end is Cape Laem Tohng, where there is a Chao Ley, or sea gipsy village. These sea gypsies emigrated from Koh Lipeh in Tarutao National Park, near the border with Malaysia. Diving at Laem Tohng is excellent, as it is also at Hua Rah Ket to the extreme south. There are long beaches with rocks scattered about. Two curving bays are especially beautiful : Ton Sai and Loh Dalam. This is also where accommodations and tourist services are found.

Ko Phi Phi Le
is 6.6 square kilometers in total area : 3 kilometers in length and 1 at its broadest point. The island is entirely limestone and steep cliffs rising from the sea very nearly ring it. Surrounding waters average about 20 meters in depth, reaching 34 meters at the deepest point off the island's southern tip. Phi Phi Ley has several beautiful bays : Pileh, Maya and Loh Samah ; Ao Pileh is very nearly enclosed by the limestone walls of the island's cliffs, so that the water appears almost to be an island sea. On Phi Phi Ley's northeast is the famous Viking Cave; this was renamed by H.M.Rama IX when he visited it in 1972, Tam Pya Nak, from the shape of a particular boulder, which resembles in shape the head of the great serpent of Buddhist legend, the Naga. It is a place much revered by the local people who come there to collect the swift's nests used to make Bird's Nest Soup, a Chinese delicacy. On the eastern and southern walls of the cave are colored drawings dating from historic times. There are pictures of elephants and also of various boats : European, Arab and Chinese sailing ships ; baroques, motorboats, and steamships. It is theorized that these pirates who paused in their travels from west to east, sheltering in the cave to escape the monsoon winds, transfer cargo, or make repairs. Travel to the Phi Phi Islands Tour operators in both Phuket and Krabi provide transport and tour packages to this popular destination. Regular boat service is available form Jao Fah pier in Krabi.

Ko Phai
lies also to the north of Phi Phi Don, not far from Koh Yung. Sandy beaches are on the north and east sides of the island. Broad coral reefs stretch away into the south.

Ko Yung
lies to the north of Phi Phi Don. There is a rocky beach on the east side, and a smaller strand of sand in a fold of the hill. Many beautiful and various corals are found there.