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Many of Koh Phi Phi's attractions are only accessible by boat. However, due to the diversity, we recommend booking a full-day tour to discover and access all the spots.
We booked locally with Arisa Speedboat and were very satisfied with the service. The boats are in good 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.
Sightseeing-Tour Koh Phi Phi (Arisa Speedboat Full-day tour)
Maya Bay
Let's start with the most beautiful thing Koh Phi Phi Leh offers. Maya Bay is the location where the film "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed. For us, it is 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, you have to book a tour in advance. You will not be allowed to enter on your own. Instead, the guides take you to the famous Maya Bay. After a short walk through the jungle, you arrive at the beach. However, you can only enter the water up to your knees. Swimming is strictly forbidden. Some checks and violations are punished with a fine of 5,000 baht (€136).
We think the new rules significantly ensure that the ecosystem can continue to recover and tourists can still experience the beautiful ambience.
In the meantime, even many black tip reef sharks are breeding again in the bay, 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 meet 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
As the name suggests, Bamboo Island is an island with a bamboo forest in the middle. During the day tour, you will eat lunch here. We had Thai Fried Rice. There is plenty of time to explore the island. Be sure to ask the guides where you can snorkel. It's 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 spotted two during our 20-minute stop.
Viking Cave
A unique sight on Koh Phi Phi is the Viking Cave. During the tour, you pass it and can see it up close. Murals show Vikings, their ships, and even elephants. Meanwhile, it has also become a spiritual place with several altars. Salangana nests are harvested here and exported to China for large sums.
Nui Beach
Another snorkelling spot during the tour is Nui Beach. But even if you want to stay above water, there is the possibility of exploring the beautiful beach surrounded by big limestone rocks. One of them even looks like a turtle, so 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. In the end, we made eight stops, all of which were worthwhile! We were on the road for 9 hours and paid the equivalent of 1,500 baht (~€40).
Alternatively, you can rent a private long-tail boat with a driver (usually worth it for a small group or more) and experience the islands the traditional way. We met a group at the pier who had just returned from their tour in the evening. They 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.
Even without a boat, you can plan a wonderful sightseeing tour on Koh Phi Phi Don. In this article, we show you our 7 highlights.