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Phi Phi Island
#phiphiisland #phiphi
Believe me, we found peace here and, contrary to the opinion, uncrowded places. We'll show you how to avoid the tourist crowds. Phi Phi is a treasure of the Andaman Sea. Fasten your seat belt and get in with us, we'll show you ...
General information
Koh Phi Phi is an archipelago of six islands in the Andaman Sea, located off the west coast of southern Thailand. The islands are characterized by limestone, soaring rocks, beautiful sandy beaches and coral-rich waters. The largest and only inhabited island is Koh Phi Phi Don.
The island is covered with forest and its mountainous interior is surrounded by golden beaches.
It offers numerous shops, hotels and restaurants. The second largest Koh Phi Phi Leh is often visited by tourists, attracted by beautiful beaches and the Tham Viking cave, the interior of which is covered with paintings. Some of the pictures for the movie "Heavenly Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio were also filmed on the island.
Other, much smaller islands are scattered across the Andaman Sea. Koh Phi Phi is famous for its waters with perfect conditions for diving, full of corals and underwater creatures. The central part of Koh Phi Phi Don is famous for its nightlife and numerous boutique hotels. At the northern tip of the island, hidden among tall coconut palms, luxurious bungalows will ensure a truly paradise and tropical vacation.
How to get here?
The fastest and most popular route is from Phuket. We can choose between public ferries, motor boats and private transfers. You can also reach PhiPhi from Krabi and even from southern islands such as Koh Lanta, Koh Mook and Koh Lipe.
Location of the PhiPhi Islands and the itinerary
The ferries are larger, so the journey is more comfortable in case of insufficient weather conditions. Unfortunately, also longer.
If you don't like sea travel and rocking, choose a ferry. Tickets for the ferry are 3 times cheaper than for a speedboat. They oscillate at the level of 20 euro for a transfer - 2 - 2.5 hours.
If you choose a speedboat, the journey will be three times shorter than the ferry.
You will reach your destination without unnecessary stops. Unfortunately, tickets are more expensive. Transfer cost 50 euro - 45 minutes.
The last option is a private speedboat. The transfer cost is around 400 euros per boat. It is a profitable option if you are traveling in a group of more than 8 people, an additional advantage is that you go straight to your destination :-) You want to go to the hotel or a reserved house, no problem will take you to your place.
When booking accommodation, we recommend asking about the possibility of direct transfer - everyone has their own private speedboat and often I offer a free transfer included in the price of the accommodation.
Don't get pulled over by the Phuket Longtail boat transfer to the islands. The waters around Phuket are very crowded with huge ferries and fast motorboats. In addition, the sea in this area is often restless, which we have experienced once. Traveling by LTB from Phuket is dangerous.
Only from the first islands above Koh Yao Yai the bay gets calm, we recommend LTB there for most transfers.
What attractions on site?
The island offers many interesting attractions. Most tourists come here to visit Maya Bay - located on the island of PhiPhi Leh - 5 minutes away by motorboat. Another attraction for tourists on PhiPhi are nightclubs. Near Tonsai Marina, there are massage parlors, restaurants and discos.
Rock climbing and hiking are also popular activities on Koh Phi Phi Don. Large parts of the islands offer great climbing routes, especially the Tonsai Tower on the western tip of Tonsai Bay.
PhiPhi offers a wide selection of world-class scuba diving is.
Another attraction on PhiPhi are nightclubs in Tonsai Marina, there are massage parlors, restaurants and discos.
Rock climbing and hiking are also popular activities on Koh Phi Phi Don. Large parts of the islands offer great climbing routes, especially the Tonsai Tower on the western tip of Tonsai Bay.
PhiPhi offers a wide selection of world-class scuba diving is.
Tonsai Pier
Tonsai Harbor is always crowded. It's loud and noisy, lots of tourists jostling with huge suitcases and backpacks. Some are waiting for a transfer from the ferry to the speedboat, others are lazing around in nearby bars.
A transfer is a good time to grab a local delicacy from the bar and eat at the coastal pier.
The buildings are decorated with beautiful murals
The marina is short, after 100 meters we reach the other side of the bay.
Only local wooden boats come here.
There is a beautiful beach on this side with small stalls and kitchenettes, but don't count on peace and quiet.
The locals get you right away offering their services. As in Thailand, everyone wants to get a dollar from a tourist :-).
The harbor which seemed to be a noisy and lively place during the day, transformed into a living organism at night.
The bay was lit with thousands of lights, what was closed during the day, at night it became a massage or tattoo parlor or a bar with stimulants. There is an unwritten license to use stimulants on the island.
Masses of tourists come here by evening ferry to come back to Phuket after an all-night party with the morning cruise.
It is reason that the island has a bad reputation, by some it is called a hotbed of debauchery, like Magaluf in Mallorca.
From the Tonsai pier we catch the Long Tail Boat - boats are standing by the pier waiting for travelers. You can go whichever direction you want - most depart from Maya Bay. We went with our luggage towards the northern end of the island, to LeamTong beach.
We leave the marina, due to the heavy ferry traffic, our wooden boat rocks quite strongly. We have experience and we know that it is not particularly dangerous.
It's always worth watching the captain, his face says it all :-) If he starts making nervous movements, it's better to hold on tight :-)
After leaving the bay, we move along the eastern coast. On the way we admire rocky cliffs, lush green tropical forests and small caves cutting into the Andaman Sea.
Climbing
Another must-see when visiting PhiPhi is climbing to the viewpoint. Leaving the marina, we head east, initially we go flat, then the asphalt road begins to go up. The further it gets, the steeper it gets. Further to the northeast there is a gravel road that turns into a forest path, unfortunately someone has concrete it :-(.
After an hour's hike in 30 degrees heat, we reach the summit. It is worth taking a large supply of water and a modest meal with you. Because the prices at the top shop are 3 times higher than at Tonsai.
The huge effort while climbing is compensated by a beautiful view of the entire island.
Many people choose to climb 4pm to enjoy a drink in the rays of the setting sun.
If you plan to relax in the evening at sunset, check the weather forecast. You will see the most beautiful sunset when it is slightly cloudy
We move on ...
From the Tonsai pier we catch the Long Tail Boat - boats are standing by the pier waiting for travelers. You can go whichever direction you want - from here most depart to Maya Bay.
With our luggage, we set off towards the northern end of the island to LeamTong beach.
We leave the marina, due to the heavy ferry traffic, our wooden boat rocks quite strongly. We have experience and we know that it is not particularly dangerous.
It's always worth watching the captain, his face says it all :-) If he starts making nervous movements, it's better to hold on tight :-)
After leaving the bay, we move along the eastern coast. Along the way, we admire rocky cliffs, lush green tropical forests and small caves cutting into the Andaman Sea.
Why Laem Tong Beach and not any other?
Laem Tong Beach is a quiet and peaceful beach with several boutique hotels. There is no hustle and bustle here. We found small houses situated by the beach, built of wood using ecological materials.
Zeavola
As they write about themselves:
Welcome to Zeavola, a sustainable luxury resort on Phi Phi Island with an atmosphere of rustic romanticism, situated on the tranquil Laem Tong white sand beach. A luxurious barefoot stay at our hotel on Phi Phi Island allows you to disconnect from the electricity and reconnect with each other amidst spectacular tropical beauty.
Travel back in time and immerse yourself in the simplicity of country life in these charming teak-wood apartments that will bring you closer to nature. Fill your days with exciting voyages of discovery and adventures in the Andaman Sea, pampering spa treatments, cooking classes and authentic, delicious cuisine.
Is it true ?
We have been there several times and we are in love. The cottages are built with respect for nature. Coming outside, we have the impression that we are entering a jungle. From the first minutes, we forget about shoes and flip-flops. They are unnecessary because all paths are covered with white fine sand. The network of paths is huge, a veritable maze. You can walk and admire the wild nature. Between the trees you can feel a pleasant coolness and relief from the scorching sun.
Here nature and its inhabitants reign.
Domy sÄ… ukryte w tropikalnym lesie
Walking these narrow paths is an interesting experience
There are several restaurants on the beach. The food is top notch, both international and Thai cuisine.
In 2020, chef Satya Beeknoo, with whom we had the opportunity to talk to many times, won the title of the best Thai chef in the prestigious Iron Chef Thailand competition.
One of the two bathrooms available. Open version shower
The houses have a local feel. They have a closed sleeping and outdoor area with a toilet and shower. Everything creates a unique atmosphere. You can feel the harmony with nature here.
The hotel has a large swimming pool and a relaxation area.
Interestingly, the hotel has its own water, purifies it from rainwater and its own resources of vegetables and fruit that grow on the plantation next to the restaurant.
Is it worth it? Definitely yes - despite the fact that the wifi network works great here, we felt disconnected from electricity, shoes and problems.
Price for accommodation? - as for 5 * it is not expensive at all - we managed to get the promotion out and we stayed for 70 euro per night. Just like any other booking, we made directly through the website of the facility - in Thailand it is always cheaper by 15-20% than through intermediaries.
We will definitely come back soon
Laem Tong Beach
The beach can only be reached by sea. The atmosphere is quite the opposite of the bustling village of Tonsai, as the soothing sound of the waves crashing against the nearly kilometer-long beach is only disturbed by the noise of long-tail boats and motorboats going to Tonsai Bay or Bamboo Island.
Laem Tong has long been inhabited only by sea gypsies who founded a village in the narrow strip of land that forms the northern end of Koh Phi Phi Don. This village is still here, but several hotels have joined it since the late 1980s. The most notable accommodation options in Laem Tong are the famous Holiday Inn Phi Phi Resort and the aforementioned Zeavola Resort.
An old sea gypsy village
On the north side, the beach is majestic, white and touches the water gently. The water is perfectly clear and turns into an emerald color in the sun.
The descent to the water on the north side is gentle, white, fine sand flows under our feet. 150 meters from the shore there is a beautiful coral reef that can be reached by wading in the water. The great advantage of the beach is the fact that during low tide we can still swim, because there are no corals in the coastal strip.
View of the northern part of Laem Tong Beach
View towards the Gypsy village
The southern side is less impressive - a lot of stones in the water and increased motorboat traffic discourage spending free time there.
Is there a restaurant worth your attention?
There are several good restaurants on the beach, divided into 3 categories:
a) Tacada restaurant in Zeavola resort - the food is at the highest world level - as I mentioned Chef Satya became the best chef in Thailand in 2020. - prices quite high, but adequate to the quality of food :-)
b) Several restaurants in the Gypsy village - here we will eat tasty fresh seafood, literally right on the beach. An atmospheric place, but our "ass" did not stop - polish joke :-)
c) Chilli & Pepper - a real gem, a restaurant on a tree - is far away here, the entrance is steep, the food is not fancy. Why then do the crowds from the island come here? The atmosphere is gorgeous, the restaurant is run by a married couple with their son. The food is simple, tasty, and the view makes you dizzy - remember that we do not always have the opportunity to eat in a restaurant suspended on a tree. The dishes are cheap and fresh. We go back there often during our stay.
The entrance is steep
Everything is crooked here, someone has put a coconut under the table leg, the floor is flying 4-8% towards the sea, and yet there is something beautiful about this incorrectness.
Want to order a Thai dish that's not on the menu? No problem
Boss prepares them for you!
Laem Tong Beach is a great starting point, you can rent here a Long Tail Boat for a trip to MayaBay, Bambo or Tonsai Village. We sailed from here to Koh Yao Yai, and also to Phang Nga Bay.
More about Maya Bay, Bambo Island and Viking Cave in the next posts ...
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