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Koh Phi Phi is the dream of a Thailand trip. We started with the highspeed catamaran from Phuket into a new island adventure.
Known from the movie "The Beach", Koh Phi Phi has quickly gained notoriety, increasing tourism so much that the ecosystem has suffered. However, during Covid, the archipelago recovered. With reasonable regulations, you can discover the hotspots in new splendour.
Many of the sights are only accessible by boat. However, due to the variety, we recommend you book a full-day tour to discover and enter all the spots.
We booked locally with Arisa Speedboat and were very satisfied with the service. The boats are in excellent shape, lunch is included, and drinks (water & Coca-Cola) are free all day. You will find the company on Ton Sai Beach to the left of the pier.
Alternatively, you can rent a private longtail boat with a driver (usually worth it for a small group or more) and experience the islands the traditional way. We met a group of three at the pier who had just come back from their tour in the evening and said they had the best day of their lives. As far as we remember, the price was 1,600 baht per person for the day tour.
Sightseeing-Tour Koh Phi Phi (Arisa Speedboat Full Day Tour)
Maya Bay
Let's start with the most beautiful Bay of Koh Phi Phi Leh. Maya Bay is the location where the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo Di Caprio was filmed. For us, it belongs to one of the most beautiful spots on this planet. After four years, the beach reopened in January 2022 under strict rules to further protect the ecosystem. If you want to enter the island, it is only possible with a pre-booked tour. You will not be allowed to enter on your own. Instead, the guides will take you to the famous Maya Bay. After a short walk through the jungle, you will arrive at the beach. However, you can only enter the water up to your knees. Swimming is strictly forbidden. It is controlled, and violations are punished with a fine starting at 5,000 baht (136€).
We find that the new rules do a lot to help the ecosystem continue to recover, and tourists can still experience the beautiful ambience.
Meanwhile, many blacktip reef sharks are breeding in the bay again, and the probability that you can spot several from the beach is relatively high. In addition, the population of fish, corals, crabs and shrimp are also increasing again.
Monkey Beach
A fun shortstop on tour is Monkey Beach. Here you will encounter monkeys on a beautiful sandy beach. Please take care of your belongings, the monkeys are used to people, and they will snatch your sunglasses faster than you can react.
Bamboo Island
Bamboo Island, as the name suggests, is an island with a bamboo forest in the middle. During the day tour, we had lunch here. We had Thai Fried Rice. You will have enough time to explore the island. Be sure to ask the guides where you can snorkel well. It is worth it!
Phi Leh Lagoon
A small lagoon where the tour stops for snorkelling. Be sure to jump in the water and let the guides show you where to find sharks. We were able to spot two during our 20-minute stop.
Viking Cave
A unique sight on Koh Phi Phi is the Viking Cave. During the tour, you will pass it. Murals show Vikings, their ships and even elephants. Meanwhile, it has also become a spiritual place with several altars. Swiftlets are breeding here, and nests get harvested and exported to China for large sums of money.
Nui Beach
Another snorkelling spot during the tour is Nui Beach. But even if you want to stay above water, exploring the beautiful beach surrounded by big limestone rocks is possible. One of them even looks like a turtle. We're curious if you'll spot it.
Sam Had
To finish our tour, we went to a bay after sunset. Close to the limestone rocks, you can jump into the water. If you move a little, you can see green plankton sparkling.
The tour will take you to other places depending on the weather conditions. We ended up with eight stops, all of which were worth it! We were on the road for 9 hours and paid the equivalent of 1,500 baht (~40€).
Sightseeing on Koh Phi Phi Don
Of course, you also can reach beautiful spots on the island on foot. So let's start with the beaches.
Viking Beach
After a 20-minute walk from Ton Sai Pier, you reach Viking Beach, which belongs to the Viking Nature Resort, but is freely accessible. We had a nice beach day at this one with a view of Ton Sai Village. On-site, we encountered cats, lots of hermit crabs and even a goose. It was also lovely that we had the beach to ourselves most of the time.
Long Beach
Long Beach was our destination when we ended up at Viking Beach. It's just a few yards down the road through the Viking Nature Resort. As the name implies, it is a long beach. It is also far more touristy due to the adjacent hotels and restaurants. Watch your stuff, as monkeys are up to their mischief here.
Loh Dalum Beach
Opposite the main beach Ton Sai Beach, you will find Loh Dalum Beach. Fewer boats dock here, and it is a bit quieter. You can walk a long way into the sea at low tide, and the beach is underwater at high tide. The famous fire shows start at the Slinky Bar as soon as it gets dark.
Loh Moo Dee Beach
The last beach we would like to recommend to you. If you are looking for peace, you will find it here. It is behind the Phi Phi Mountain Beach Resort water park. There are monkeys here as well, so watch your stuff.
Koh Phi Phi is also known for its stunning viewpoints. Here's our guide to them:
View Point 1 (route via the beach)
The viewpoints are an absolute must for every Koh Phi Phi Don visitor, but the way there is a sweaty affair. Therefore it is essential to choose the right one right from the beginning. Be sure to walk across Loh Dalum Beach to the Slinky Bar. From there, you can turn on Google Maps or Maps.Me. If you have done this before, you will walk about 20 minutes longer. You should save your energy because there are some steep stairs to climb. The first stairway is marked "Stairway to Viewpoint" in Google Maps. At the top, you have to pay an entrance fee of 30 Baht (for Viewpoints 1 & 2). A small price to pay for such a beautiful view!
View Point 2
From the first View Point, a signposted path leads to View Point 2. The way is more accessible, with few stairs, but it is still steep. At the top, you can enjoy an even higher and more beautiful view. There is also a small store and a cafe to refresh yourself.
View Point 3
If you still haven't had enough, you can look for Viewpoint 3. We went down the stairs by the cafe and saw the trail from there. You will only find one sign, but you can see where the viewpoint is by using Maps.me.
Since this is private property, there is another 20 baht fee. Many say the view is about the same as the second viewpoint. We feel that the picture is worth paying for again.
After a busy day, a good meal will help replenish your energy needs. Koh Phi Phi has a very vibrant island life despite its size. It includes many restaurants that offer excellent quality for Thai standards.
Our 9 restaurant recommendations:
Acqua Restaurant Phi Phi
Acqua offers a mixed Thai and Western, rather high-priced but delicious cuisine. Also highly recommended for breakfast!
Anna's Restaurant
When we went to Anna's for dinner, we got homesick, so we had schnitzel and bolognese. It felt like a piece of home.
The Mango Garden
We went to the Mango Garden twice. Be sure to try the mango waffles. One of the best mangoes we ate on our trip. Our smoothies and Italian Sodas were also delicious.
Cosmic
Cosmic has an extensive menu of delicious European dishes at reasonable prices. Natalie had Mango Sticky Rice, and I had a ham and mushroom pizza.
Patchareebakery
Now you know the hotspot for breakfast on Koh Phi Phi. If you want a table, you must get lucky or come early. The Bakery is trendy and offers a wide variety of beautiful dishes for a small price and every taste. We were especially blown away by the smoothie bowl.
Italiano Pizzeria Restaurant
Pizza and pasta! We love to go out for Italian food often. Two Italians run the restaurant, and it shows in the meals. The menu is relatively small, as in an excellent Italian restaurant. However, every single dish tastes good.
Atom Resto
Again Italian and again excellent good. Atom Resto is a new restaurant on Koh Phi Phi. Therefore, it does not have so many reviews yet. However, regarding the quality of our food, it is the numero uno restaurant on Koh Phi Phi.
Tonsai Village Market
What would be a Thai island without a food market? There is a small one on this island as well. If you want to eat local, excellent and cheap, the Tonsai Village Market is the place to go. Here you can quickly get in contact with other backpackers.
Madame Crêpe
A good dessert should not be missing. Often desserts in restaurants cost almost as much as the main course, so it is good if you can visit one of the many food stalls. For example, at Madame Crêpe, you can get a delicious snack between meals or the cheap dessert you are looking for.
If you want to end the evening after a delicious meal, you also can enjoy some nightlife on Koh Phi Phi.
Slinky Bar
Slinky is the bar where backpackers meet in the evening to drink one or the other Chang or Buckets. In front of the bar, a fire show starts at 10 pm, where the locals juggle artists with burning sticks and even throw them at each other. Sometimes even over the crowd.
Now, however, it's time for bed.
Our hotel recommendation:
P. P. Maiyada Resort
We are backpacking but rather dislike checking into shared dorms. The P. P. Maiyada Resort offers an excellent alternative and is about 5 minutes walk from the port. We paid 8.50€ per person (17€ double). For the price, we got a large room with a sea view in a clean hotel with a pool.
After a week on Koh Phi Phi, it was time for us to move on.
Off to Koh Lanta:
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