Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest Phi Phi Island in Thailand. Like the other islands in the group, Phi Phi Islands consist of six islets situated about 40 km from Phuket, Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Le, Yung, Mai Phai (Bamboo), Bida Nok and Bida Nai. Ko Phi Phi Don is a non-volcanic island largely made of limestone. Separated in almost two islands Ko Phi Phi Don is connected with a strand of flat land.
Phi Phi Don is a tropical exotic island between Krabi and Phuket. Phi Phi Don is a breathtaking island in every sense of the word. Almost every island in the world claims to be one of the most beautiful – a tropical island in paradise. Whatever you do, you’ll enjoy your time on Phi Phi Don Island. And makes life more relaxed than usual.
The island still holds much charm that can be enjoyed in the hours that the flocks from Phuket are not there. While in former times, Ko Phi Phi Don was a serene paradise, parts of it (especially the Ton Sai Bay area) have been exploited for tourism. Restaurants, shops, internet cafes, and shanty towns abound.
Attractions of Ko phi phi Don
Beaches: Just like Goa in India, Ko phi phi Don is also fun of beaches in Thailand. The beaches are ultra-amazing and you’ll love to be there.
Although a lot of stunting beach locations are there in Ko phi phi Don. But these are the best of them:
- Maya Bay: It is one of the most fantastic beaches of Ko phi phi Don, or you can say the best one. It was the location for a movie named “The Beach” (Leonardo DiCaprio) in 1998. It is highly recommended to arrive at Maya Bay before 8AM, when the place can still be enjoyed in solitude. As from 9AM hoards of speedboats with tourists on package tours arrive from Phuket. During the high season (October – May) you will feel like you are at Disneyland, but during the off season it could be slightly better.
- Lohsamah Bay: Another beautiful bay situated on the western coast of the Island. Lohsamah Bay has a U shape form with a large rock in the middle. There is also a hole in the rock accessible from the water only.
- Monkey Beach: Very easily accessible on foot or by renting a canoe, or be lazy and charter a longtail boat. The journey through is good. On monkey beach you’ll find a lot of monkeys as the name suggests.
Dolphins of the Phang Nga Bay: Dolphins are not common in the Phang Nga Bay as it is too shallow. There is how ever a rich food source for the Indian bottlenose dolphins and they are spotted in pods of up to 50 when they are seen in the islands. The northern Bay of Phi Phi Don Village is called Dolphin Bay or Loh Dalum and sometimes hosts a few stray dolphins in low season.
Bamboo Island: It is also a very famous tourist destination. Bamboo Island has something that is extra special to share with tourists. The area is uninhabited, and therefore has the most pristine, unspoiled beaches known to man. This makes Bamboo Island Phi Phi Island is one of the most relaxing spots in Thailand.
Thrills & Fun
Diving: Diving is fun in the sea green water of Ko phi phi Don. The water is beautiful from inside also. It is thrilling, mesmerizing and refreshing. Ko Phi Phi offers a splendid variety of different types of diving on its local reefs, with abundant hard and soft corals and rich diversity of marine life – suitable for all levels of divers.
Popular diving sites are:
- Ko Bida Nok
- Ko Bida Nai
- Shark Point (Hin Bida)
- Garang Heng
- Wang Long
- King Cruiser Wreck
- Anemone reef
- Shark Point Phuket
- Hin Dot
- Lohsamah Bay
- Hin Pae
- Hin Daeng and Hin Muang
Snorkeling: The Adventure Club dive shop runs ‘Shark Watch’ snorkeling trips to Shark Point that ‘guarantee’ a sighting of sharks. The snorkeling off Bamboo and Mosquito Islands is quite good although the reefs are a long way below you at high tide. Many dive schools take snorkelers on their dive boats, but expect to see only a hint of the underwater marvel visible to scuba divers.
Cliff Jumping: Cliff jumping is fairly new to Tonsai Bay. There are cliffs from 6 to 16m that are ideal for cliff jumping due to the depth of water below. Organized tours can be found at Ton Sai, but please be informed that this is not a particularly regulated activity and can cause injury to people including ear ruptures, and muscle / back injuries.
How to reach there?
Airlines
Krabi international airport is just 15km away from the city center. Almost all the airlines here operate daily flights to Ko Phi Phi Don. Thailand’s only Seaplane service also routinely flies in and out of Krabi (Lanta) from Phuket and to the numerous outer islands.
The international departure tax surcharge is 700 baht but is included in most tickets now; domestic departure tax is included in the price of the flight.
Direct seaplane transfers from/to Phuket International Airport and other popular Andaman coast destinations is also an option.
Bus
Ko Phi Phi Don is an Island still you can reach there by bus. Yes, bus services are available and they can leave you quite near to the Island. Then after you can take a boat or go by air
Shuttle buses run between Krabi airport and Phuket airport several times a day. There are also regular buses that make the 2 hour run. There are buses to Krabi from every provincial town in the south.
- VIP bus – 07:20 – 1,055 baht
- First class bus – 19:00 – 680 baht
- Second class bus – 07:30, 19:00, 19:30, 21:00 – 378 baht
How to roam around?
Walk: Ko Phi Phi Don is an Island so the transport facilities are not available. And you’ll find every place on a ten minutes’ walk from anywhere else. So it’s good to go on foot and it will also save the environment of this paradise.
Long-tail taxi: Long-tail taxi-boats ply between all beaches; on Phi Phi Don, you can also walk to any beach. From Ton Sai to Long Beach, expect to pay 40 baht/person in the afternoon, at least 80 baht at night. To have a complete boat to yourself, expect to pay at least 100 baht.
Legal cautions
When traveling to Thailand, please make sure that your passport is up to date and you are aware of any Visa requirements for visitors from your country. Most travelers have no issues with visa requirements, but it is always a good idea to ensure that you are aware.
Drug offenses are taken seriously by Thai authorities and penalties are harsh, with the death penalty being the maximum sentence for perceived trafficking. This includes marijuana, which is openly sold on some islands. You can expect at least a 50,000 baht fine (about US$1,600) for possession alone, and may also be deported.
