Phi Phi Islands (Koh Phi Phi), Phuket

...surroundings of Phuket and the Phi Phi islands.

I am a very active individual who enjoys a challenge but I love to relax and take it easy at the same time, the Phi Phi islands cater for both sides of my personality as I can take up an extreme activity or relax on the beach and perfect my tan.

I have visited the Phi Phi islands on three occasions up to now and every time it has given me a different perspective on what ...
...their stay.

PHI PHI ISLANDS

Many believe that Phi Phi is made up of two islands when I fact there are actually six islands in total, which is hard to believe until you actually see them. Out of the six islands only one of them has people permanently living on it this island is called the Phi Phi Don.

The Phi Phi Don island is the largest one out of the six islands, the second largest is called the Ko Phi ... more

INTRODUCTION

Thailand is a part of the world that has certainly captured me heart, many people hate the place but I personally can't get enough of it, I love the hustle and bustle of the thriving capital Bangkok and even more so the quiet and serene surroundings of Phuket and the Phi Phi islands.

I am a very active individual who enjoys a challenge but I love to relax and take it easy at the same time, the Phi Phi islands cater for both sides of my personality as I can take up an extreme activity or relax on the beach and perfect my tan.

I have visited the Phi Phi islands on three occasions up to now and every time it has given me a different perspective on what it has to offer, so I feel this is a place that needs to be talked about as it will cater for people of all ages and keep them amused and entertained throughout their stay.

PHI PHI ISLANDS

Many believe that Phi Phi is made up of two islands when I fact there are actually six islands in total, which is hard to believe until you actually see them. Out of the six islands only one of them has people permanently living on it this island is called the Phi Phi Don.

The Phi Phi Don island is the largest one out of the six islands, the second largest is called the Ko Phi Phi Leh, this island is visited by many tourists and has many visitors for its stunning beaches but it does not have any hotels or accommodation for visitors to stay on the island, although more recently they have added a camping facilities for you to stay over if you wish.

Many may know that Ko Phi Phi Leh was the island that was used to film The Beach, a year 2000 film starring Leonardo Decaprio.

Many may remember the backlash producers got for altering and landscaping the island during filming, but as they spent so much money and changed the island for the better, it was brushed under the carpet.

The beach was mainly filmed at Maya bay which is very popular for divers, this location not only offers beautiful surrounds for you to relax in but you can dive, snorkel, kayak and laze around the white sandy beaches.

Maya bay was popular before the movie was made but ever since the movie was released this has become increasing popular with tourists from across the globe, I had personally never heard of Phi Phi until 2000 when the film was made, so I am sure this did Thailand a favor and attracted many tourists to the islands.

Unfortunately the 2004 tsunami changed Phi Phi Leh Maya Bay by wiping out all of the landscaping that the production teams put in when they filmed The Beach, so it does not look as flourished with greenery like it does in the film, I personally think that the island looks more natural now than it did back in 2004, but in a way it was sad to see what a battering the tsunami gave to these stunning islands.

Ko Phi Phi Leh is only a short boat ride from the main island Ko Phi Phi Don, to take the day trip to Phi Phi Leh is recommended as it will cost as little as 50 Baht (less the 1GBP) return in a water taxi, which leave the main island on a regular basis.

The two large islands are surrounded by huge lime stone hills, massive limestone rock faces, secluded bays with blue waters that are crystal clear and some amazing beaches that you would only dream of and you don't realise exist until you visit Phi Phi.

The other four islands are not what a would call an island as such but they are still classed as islands by the locals, these are called Bida Nok, Bida Noi,Bamboo Island and lastly Yung island.

As I said I would not myself say these were islands as they only consist of rather large limestone rocks that stand way above the sea and a few bits of greenery, but these appeal to rock climbers who fancy putting their climbing skills to the test by scaling these massive rock faces.

These other islands are also great for diving as they look equally as stunning under the water that they do above the water, If you don't rock climb or dive then the four smaller islands may not appeal to you although they will offer great photo opportunities that should not be missed.

WHAT THE ISLANDS HAVE TO OFFER

As I have said in this review and in my diving in Thailand review these islands offer you a superb opportunity to take in some fantastic dive sites, which attract many novice and experienced divers from around the globe.

You can learn to dive and take dive trips very cheaply here, all dives are taken with experienced dive masters so even if you have never tried it before you can have a go, I promise the views and sea life under the water are equally as appealing as the beautiful islands themselves.

If you want to try rock climbing you can also do this, I tried this as a novice and I felt completely comfortable as I was climbing with an experienced instructor and I had all of the correct safety equipment. I only climbed a small rock face but the view from the top made my fear of heights worthwhile and I would also recommend this, if you have experience in climbing you could scale even bigger rack faces for a spectacular view.

For something on a less adventurous note you can snorkel in the clear waters to catch a glimpse at the sea life that inhabits the Phi Phi waters, water skiing, sailing and kayaking around the islands is also an option as a charge, but in my experience this is very cheaply priced as well.

On my last visit to Phi Phi me and my Husband took a Kayaking trip around the islands, this was with a guide. When we booked we said yes to the guide but we thought we would paddle around after him so he could show us the sights, but we were mis taken we were all in a three man kayak and he did all of the paddling, so it was rather boring for us as we wanted to do the paddling in our own kayak. This is an option but you need to drop the guide to do so, on our next visit in February 2010 we are going to get our own kayaks and go it alone.

If these sound to extreme for you then you can hike around the island at your own leisure, this sounds strenuous but you can walk everywhere bare foot which is really nice to do, sun bath on the beach of paddle in the clear waters.

PRICES

Entrance to Maya Bay Phi Phi Leh was free until 2004 when the film The Beach was released, as this attracted tourism a 40 Baht fee was added upon entry which was roughly 55p-60p per person at the time.

To my amazement this year we were charged 150 Baht roughly 3.00 per person, which is one hell of a price increase but upon arrival Phi Phi leh we saw some big changes, they now have snack bars, toilets, camping sites and even a bar so it has come on leaps and bounds as people were not allowed to stay here at one point.

GETTING TO THE ISLANDS

Well this really depends on where you are traveling from, me and my husband flew from Bangkok with Thai airways. We booked the flights through their web site www.Thaiair.com and the tickets cost 560 Baht return, which was roughly 95.00-100.00GBP each. These prices were back in 2004 so they may have increased slightly.

Once you have made you way to Phuket by flight, train of public bus you can take a water taxi to the Phi Phi islands. The boats are very easy to spot and they run many hours of the day, these are also very cheap to take. If you have booked a Phi Phi tour then your transportation will be arranged by your tour guide, when we did the diving we were actually picked up every morning at the hotel.

MY OPINION

The Phi Phi islands will always have a special place in my heart, they are so beautiful and it is nearly impossible to explain in words how this place makes me feel, even writing this review has brought back some very good memories that I will never ever forget, this includes coming face to face with a hammer head shark.

Diving has to be the best activity I have tried while visiting the islands, but I have to admit paddling in the bay and walking bare foot in the sand has to be a very close second. I just wish you could put photos up on dooyoo so I can share some of my memorable pictures with you all.

I am currently planning my next visit in 2010, me and my husband are going to Australia on a world flex ticket so this is certainly going to be a place that we will be stopping off at.

If ever anyone gets the chance to visit Phi Phi than I would strongly encourage you to do so, even if it is just to look at the islands and not undertake the activities this certainly is a place to look at. 

...less