Phi Phi Islands – one of the most iconic places to visit in Thailand. If you like the idea of gliding peacefully on a boat through the clear, turquoise waters, between soaring limestone cliffs, then you will love the Phi Phi island tour. You can’t visit Southern Thailand without taking a trip to this breathtaking paradise.   

Phi Phi island is the superstar-island of Thailand. It’s been in the movies and it’s the topic of conversation for travellers all across Southeast Asia. Yes, these islands are extremely popular, which means that they are very busy, but even with all the hype, it doesn’t disappoint. 

What to know about Phi Phi Islands

The notorious Phi Phi islands are six small islets nestled between mainland Thailand and Phuket. They are easily accessible and just a 45 minute speedboat trip ride from either Phuket or Krabi. These picture perfect postcard islands offer everything that you could dream of for a tropical getaway. The two main islands are Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Phi Phi Don is the larger and inhabited island which attracts hundreds of visitors to stay on its beautiful shores every day. Backpackers from all over the world come here to spend a few days soaking up the sun during daylight and dancing under the moonlight on the beach after sunset. Phi Phi Leh is the smaller and uninhabited island that’s a national park. Home to incredibly beautiful bays and beaches, including the notorious Maya Bay, which was the film set for The Beach, with Leonardo Dicaprio – this place is paradise.

Phi Phi Island Tour 

There are so many tour companies throughout Phuket offering different Phi Phi island tour packages. Prices sometimes vary between vendors, so be sure to shop around a bit and see which tour works best for you. 

Maya Beach 

This has been a tourist hotspot since the Leonardo Dicaprio movie, “The Beach” was released in the year 2000. The Maya Bay beach was closed last year to allow for beach recovery and coral restoration. It’s likely to be closed until at least 2021, but possibly even longer. Now, boats may only come up to the cove to allow tourists to view the beach and take a few photos. With the increasing awareness surrounding environmental issues, it’s so important that we respect decisions such as this. 

Green Island Snorkeling

There are so many beautiful and colourful fish here and its a great place to spend some time exploring what's below the surface.

Pileh Lagoon

Most of the Phi Phi island tour boats will take you here. But you can also just hop on a water taxi from Phi Phi Don, if you want to see the lagoon. The scenery is exquisite. Crystal clear waters and surrounding cliffs make this sight absolutely breathtaking. 

Phi Phi Don

This is where most of the Phi Phi island tour boats stop for lunch and a bit of free time to explore the area. It’s a buffet lunch that’s set out specifically for tour guests. Don’t expect anything too extravagant, but the food is pretty good. After lunch you can take a bit of time to relax on the beach or walk around the small town. The beach is stunning, offering those famous Phi Phi island views that you’ve probably seen on photos before. But it’s very busy since most tours stop here. And, of course, this is the inhabited island and where most tourists stay.

Monkey Beach

Another famous stop and one that you’ve probably seen plenty of photos from is Monkey Beach. It’s a small little island inhabited by, yes you guessed it, monkey’s. It’s a beautiful beach area and stunning place to take a few photos. As for the monkey’s, they’re known to be a little aggressive so keep any food well hidden. 

Khai Island

The Khai Islands are an archipelago of three small islands that are tucked away in the small bay of Phang Nga. Most of the Phi Phi island tour boats make a stop at Khai island. Here you can relax on the beach, swim, snorkel, or enjoy water activities like banana boat, jet ski rides, or parasailing

What to pack for your tour:

There are a few things that you’re going to want to make sure to bring with on your Phi Phi island tour. Here’s a quick list:

• Beach Towel
• Sunhat
• Sunscreen
• Swimming gear
• Dry bag (optional)
• Camera
• Go-Pro