Things to Do in Ko Phi Phi Don

Surrounded by 100-meter high cliffs on three sides, Maya Bay attracts the visitors with its enchanting beauty and pristine waters. As you enter the area, there are several beaches that shall preoccupy your visit. Most of these beaches are small and exist on low tide. Maya Bay has earned an international reputation as it became the backdrop of the movie The Beach in 1999. The main beach is 200 meters long with land area constituting of white sand. Its underwater mesmerizes with colorful coral and exotic fish gleaming through clear water.

This bay is exceptional for offering water and other activities such as:

• Snorkeling
• Diving
• Sea kayaking
• You can try out the brief jungle trail that goes through to the short-cut entrance.
• Camping

One of the six islands of Phi Phi archipelago, the Bamboo Island lies 5km northeast off Ko Phi Phi Don. Endowed with tropical climate, its sea is surrounded by white sand and central part is covered with lush green vegetation of bamboo trees that give the name to this island. You can take a day trip to watch its beautiful coral reefs which lie at a short distance of its shore. Although this beach does not enjoy the same kind of attention as Tonsai or Maya Bay do, yet it is famous for its beautiful views of sunrise. You can also enjoy some swimming in the warm, shallow waters or just relax on the white sandy beach. 

Diving is a perfect option if you wish to experience the underwater marine beauty around Phi Phi islands. There are multiple professional PADI dive centers dispensing courses which can introduce you to the art of diving. Since the water around the coast remains warm throughout the year, the activity has become the most convenient as well a thrilling one in Phi Phi. This is one of the best ways to take a mesmerizing underwater experience back home.

Some of the destinations that are most famous in Phi Phi for diving are:

• Garang Hang: This small reef in Phi Phi Ley abounds in anemones, soft corals and sharks.
• Hin Dot: You can see the fish population of groupers, pufferfish, lionfish, squid and bearded scorpionfish.
• King Cruiser’s Wreck: This was a catamaran-hull passenger-cruiser with 4 decks until that sank on the 4th May 1997.
• Maya Bay: Known for its beautiful caves
• Shark Point

Viking Cave is located north of Piley Bay on the east coast of Phi Phi Ley. You can visit this place only with the help of the tour boat operators who will stop their boats close enough to the entrance so that the tourists can take the pictures and can see inside the cave. Today, a bamboo scaffold covers the most of its view. Inside the cave, you can see the prehistoric drawings that resemble the ancient Viking ships, after which the place has been named. It is considered that the drawings have been drawn by the sea gypsies or pirates who would have taken a shelter inside the cave from the monsoon storms. The cave is also popular for offering shelter to the swift birds, whose nests can be seen inside. Since the nests are made out of the saliva of these birds, they are harvested and served as birds nest soup, a Chinese dish. Although the place is not open for the visitors to enter, it is still worth having a look at this cave which evokes myth and history.

This beach claims of the softest and whitest sand amongst all the other islands. Near to Tonsai village, the beach is known for its tranquil surroundings. However, if you visit this beach at night, you can hear the music of techno, drum and bass drifts playing in the resorts situated on the beach. There are various facilities available on the beach such as:

• Excellent restaurants offering Thai and International cuisine.
• You can take deck chairs for rent which are available at very little price.
• Internet access on Long Beach Resort.
• Every night there is a fire show at the Bar of Phi Phi Beach Resort.

The activities which you surely can’t miss at this beach are:

• Snorkeling: Long Beach is well known for it. You don’t have to go very far to see colorful fish in their underwater habitat.
• Kayaking
• Thai massage: Prices are around 300-400 baht an hour
• Volleyball
• Just 200m from the beach there is a rock which breaks the surface called Shark Point.

Climb up to the highest point (186 meters above the sea level) in Phi Phi islands to enjoy the spectacular views of Phi Phi Leh, Tonsai Village and Loh Dalum bays, divided by a 100 m flat strip of land. As you reach up the height you shall be able to see the unusual shape of the Phi Phi Islands, structured like ‘H’. Apart from the view, you can also opt for the three paths that go in different directions. The middle path will take you to Rantee Beach and the paths to the left and right lead to Pak Nam Beach and Ao Toh Koh respectively. The 20 minutes rigorous hike towards the point constitutes of climbing the mountain, and walking down the paved trail. During your journey you shall also find “Tsunami Evacuation Route”. Being the highest point, it is supposed to be the place where the population is supposed to take shelter in case of emergency. You can find cold drinks, ice creams and other snacks on sale at the top. Moreover, you can take hammocks on rent to have some rest. 

Sailing on Captain Bob’s Sailing Booze Cruise is a fun laden activity through which you can discover the most beautiful sites of Phi Phi Islands. The cruise departs at 1pm from Tonsai Bay and ends up at 7pm. It combines activities such as snorkeling, fishing, kayaking, cliff jumping, and monkey feeding. The cruise covers the following islands:

• Maya Bay
• Monkey Beach
• Loh Samah Bay
• Wang Long Nook
• Pi- Leh Bay

This is one of the best ways to interact with other party- goers as you can have unlimited fun along with unlimited beer!

As the name suggests, Monkey Bay is a colony of monkeys who wait to be fed with bananas as the tourists reach here. The beach can be easily reached by long tails from Loh Dalam Bay. If you want to indulge into some adventure, rent a kayak from which you can continue your exploration of other small coves, which might not be seen from the peak of the island. 

Named after the black clouds of mosquitoes at sunset, the Mosquito Island is situated on the north of Phi Phi Don. It has some well preserved offshore coral gardens that make for great snorkeling. It is also Phi Phi Island’s remotest island with a limestone cliff rock about 700 meters long. The island is endowed with a plethora of soft corals that are formed due to the strong tides that sweep down past the island every day from the Andaman Sea and Phang Nga Bay. You can combine your day trip to Bamboo Island along with Mosquito Island as they are quite close to each other. 

The Sunflower beach bar is located at the northern end of Loh Dalum bay, and offers beautiful views of the beach. Featuring a laid back ambience, the bar has salas, hammocks, and mats set around a bamboo and thatch building. A perfect venue for hippie getaway, the bar has become quite a favorite with the young generation. Further, its restaurant serves excellent curries, Thai and western dishes. Known for its quality of food, the restaurant has become renowned amongst the expat community on the island. You can also watch fire shows and acoustic live music in the evening. The bar was completely destroyed during 2004 Tsunami and was subsequently rebuilt. 

Located on the eastern coast of Phi Phi Islands, Moo Dee Bay is a recently developed attraction. Since the area was not considered to be suitable for heavy construction, there had been very little development here until recently. However, today the beach is host to world-class resorts such as Holiday Inn Phi Phi and Outrigger Phi Phi which have been set up in 2010. Its name sounds similar to the word “moody” and is thus quite easy to remember. It is a stunning bay which has retained its pristine charm owing to its isolation. A good place to do snorkeling and fishing, Moo Dee Bay is a must visit for those who want to look out for some tranquil beaches away from the hustle and bustle of other commercial beaches.

One of the primary attractions in Phi Phi Islands is rock climbing, with Tonsai offering the maximum number of roots to the adventure seekers. With a number of climbing schools and guiding companies such as Basecamp Tonsai and climbing shop such as the Rock shop, it is the best destination for rock climbing. They provide gear and guidance to the inexperience as well the experienced professionals. Tonsai has excellent rock formations with perfect multi-pitches to climb up the height and enjoy the views from the top. The Tonsai tower is located on the western end of the Tonsai Bay. Considered to be the climbers’ paradise in Phi Phi, it is a 200m tall limestone tower which hosts 48 different climbing routes.

Located just outside the Tonsai Bay, Al Islah Mosque is the primary mosque in Phi Phi Island Krabi. Built with the help of Sunni King of Saudi Arabia, it is the main centre of community life on the island. Since the Muslims constitute the main population in Thailand, the mosque has come to represent the national identity. The best time to have a look at the mosque is during the end of Ramadan and Eid-al-Adha. Outside the Mosque, there are some restaurants which are famous for Halal food. 

This bustling centre of Phi Phi Islands is a major tourist attraction which covers the markets, an exquisite beach and a stunning nightlife. A special feature of the village is that you shall not find any roads or cars but only footpaths. Known for its bohemian culture, the village attracts a lot of people who want to look out for some entertainment apart from the natural beauty. You shall not be able to miss out on:

• Tonsai village hotels: most of these hotels have a direct access to beaches.
• Tonsai Bay: Known for its turquoise waters and boating activities, Tonsai beach is known for its exquisite beauty.
• Nightlife: Tonsai village is best known for its nightlife. There are some of the best bars and pubs famous for their hedonistic culture. Some of these are: Banana, Carlito’s, Dojo Bar and Jordon’s Irish pub.
• Shopping: Central Tonsai is the perfect place to buy jewelry, sarongs, T-shirts, funny hats, flip flops, beach gear, and kids’ toys. 

Situated on the east coast of Ko Phi Phi Don, Rantee Bay is an exceptionally calm one owing to its shape which acts as a kind of breakwater. Bordered by coconut trees which line up the beach, a visit to this bay is quite a peaceful experience. You will find a lot of bamboo huts and hammocks on the beach which render a laidback vibe  to the whole place. The bay is known for its coral reef 80m out to sea which can be seen and experienced through activities such as snorkeling. The reef is home to a surprising variety of larger predators ranging from barracuda, to jaks or trevally, longtoms, black tip sharks and marlin. You can also see pods of dolphin sometimes during the low season. As this bay is situated on the east coast, it has a perfect and uninterrupted view of the rising full moon which makes it quite a popular tourist attraction.