Koh Phi Phi travel guide

Where to base yourself

The Tourism Authority of Thailand places the Phi Phi islands in the Andaman, about 42 kilometres from the district town, inside Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. It names two large islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le, and four smaller ones: Koh Yung, Koh Mai Phai, Koh Pida Nok, and Koh Pida Nai. People sleep on Phi Phi Don. Phi Phi Le is the daytime island.

Places and experiences

• Tonsai Village. The working town. Use it to arrive, eat, and leave again. It is not a failure of the trip if you do not love it.
• Tonsai Beach. The beach TAT names beside the village. Swim only if the conditions are ordinary, and expect boat traffic.
• A quieter beach on Don. Cross the island or take a short boat to a beach that matches the stay you booked. Ask the hotel which bay its map actually means.
• Phi Phi Le and Maya Bay. TAT describes Maya Bay as the beach used in the film The Beach: limestone, a curve of sand, and clear water. Access has been restricted in the past for restoration. Confirm with the park or your boat operator that landings are allowed on the day you go. A view from the boat still counts as seeing the bay.
• Snorkelling. TAT says the surrounding water is a reason people come, and it mentions marine life that includes leopard sharks. That is a description of the waters, not a promise an animal will appear. Do not touch coral or wildlife.
• A viewpoint walk. If your legs are willing, a short climb above Tonsai shows the thin strip of the island. Skip it in wet rock conditions.

A two-day pace

1. Day one, arrive and stop. Pier, room, one beach. Do not board a second boat an hour after the ferry.
2. Day two, Phi Phi Le or a beach on Don. One circled trip. Keep the late afternoon free so a slow return does not collide with dinner plans you cannot move.

If you are only here for the day from Krabi or Phuket, the pace is: out, one bay, back. There is no second activity.

If the weather turns

TAT suggests November to April as the more temperate months and tells peak-season visitors, around Christmas and New Year, to book rooms ahead. Those are seasonal hints, not a weather guarantee. If the Phi Phi Le boat is cancelled, stay on Don. Walk, swim where it is safe, and leave Maya Bay for another day. A cancelled ferry back to the mainland is a reason to keep the next morning empty, which is why the Southern islands route includes a spare night.

Getting there and getting around

Boats run from Krabi and from Phuket. This guide does not quote fares or crown an operator, because those seats were not verified as an official monopoly. TAT’s Krabi page suggests one-way tickets when you want the freedom to change. On the island, walking and longtail boats replace cars in the village. Confirm the pier fee, if any, with the park rather than with the first person who asks for cash.

Before you leave

• Ask whether Maya Bay is open to landing, swimming, or boats only.
• Confirm the last boat to your mainland pier on the day you leave.
• Use a qualified diving instructor if you dive. TAT says this plainly.
• Dress with the same restraint TAT asks for on its island pages: the beach is the place for swimwear, the village paths are not a reason to ignore local norms.

Information Tourism Authority of Thailand — Ko Phi Phi.