Updated: June 2024
10 REASONS TO VISIT PHI PHI ISLANDS
1. Stunning beaches
2. Amazing snorkeling
3. Out-of-this-world scenery
4. Top Scuba Diving sites
5. FUN Nightlife and Beach Party
6. FANTASTIC Weather
7. No Traffic Jams
8. Breathtaking sunsets
9. Easy to get to all year round
10. Friendly locals and a safe community
1 STUNNING BEACHES
Most visitors come to Thailand in search of a relaxing holiday and stunning beaches. And there are plenty of beautiful stretches of white sand all around the main island Phi Phi Don.
You can walk all around the island and explore as all the beaches are accessible to the public.
You can also take a kayak or a long tail boat taxi. There are more beaches and lagoons on the smaller island of Phi Phi Lay. You can also take a boat to Bamboo Island national park, which has a kilometer-long stunning beach with white powder sand and turquoise water.
If you want to spend a day on a lovely beach not far from the town you can walk or take a taxi boat to Long Beach. This stunning beach is only 30 minutes walk from the main town and you can grab lunch or dinner there, directly on the beachfront.
There are over 20 different beaches and bays in Koh Ph Phi so you can enjoy every day of your holidays rolling around in the sand.
FIND OUT MORE 5 Most Beautiful beaches in Koh Phi Phi
2 AMAZING SNORKELING
Koh Phi Phi national park is well known for its beautiful and lively marine life. Many tourists visit Phi Phi Island from all over the world to discover the underwater beauty and explore the local snorkeling spots.
If you enjoy snorkeling, then you must join one of the snorkeling trips around Phi Phi Ley island or rent a private long-tail boat. There are many bays and snorkeling locations such as Loh Samah Bay, Malong, or Palong Bay, which are full of marine life and colorful fish. If you are lucky you can also spot sea turtles or black-tip reef sharks, which are commonly seen around Phi Phi Islands.
Another option on how to enjoy snorkeling in Phi Phi island is off-beach snorkeling. I would recommend visiting Long Beach for some shallow snorkeling. At the very end of the beach, you can find a rock formation which is called Shark Point. Here you can try your luck to spot some reef sharks or clownfish.
FIND OUT MORE The best locations for snorkeling and swimming in Koh Phi Phi.
3 OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD SCENERY
The scenery and views around Phi Phi Islands are so unique that you will not be able to see them anywhere else in Thailand. The islands have been formed from limestone cliffs which have created some unbelievable scenery and mountainous formations.
Cruising around on the long tail boat in Phi Lay’s bays and lagoons will make you feel like you are on the set of the movie Avatar. The contrast between the rocky cliffs, sleek mountainsides, and the blue turquoise water of the lagoons is just breathtaking.
The only other location in Thailand, which is comparable would be the Khao Sok National Park with its impressive limestone formations around the Cheow lake.
FIND OUT MORE about trips and long tail boat excursions around Phi Phi Lay
4 TOP SCUBA DIVING SITES
If you do enjoy adventure, then why not try scuba diving in Phi Phi Island. The Andaman Sea is one of the top locations in Asia for scuba diving and snorkeling. Together with Similan and Surin Islands, Koh Phi Phi belongs to the top scuba diving locations in Thailand.
The diving conditions around Phi Phi Islands are suitable even for beginners, so anyone can try scuba diving here. Koh Phi Phi offers some great and colorful reefs with both hard and soft coral.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SCUBA DIVING TRIPS Discover Scuba Diving
5 FUN NIGHT LIFE & BEACH PARTY
Apart from beautiful beaches and stunning scenery, Koh Phi Phi is known for its lively nightlife. The center of the small town is the heart of many pool-bars, rooftop hangouts, and live music bars.
However, most people come to Phi Phi to experience the famous beach party and an amazing fire show. Each night in the Loh Dalumn Bay you can sit in one of the beach bars with a beer and admire the local guys performing some amazing tricks with fire. The whole beach transforms into an amazing fire show spectacle and you can enjoy the infamous Thailand buckets and dance to very loud music.
There are so many cool bars and beach chill-outs to enjoy so you never need to worry about getting bored in Phi Phi island. And if the night party wasn’t enough for you you can also enjoy a day drinking session at the pool party or join one of the famous boat parties.
FIND OUT MORE Nightlife in Phi Phi Island.
6 FANTASTIC WEATHER
Koh Phi Phi has very good weather all year around. Even so, the island is not far from the mainland, Phi Phi Islands has a climate of its own.
Even during the rainy season, the island has mostly sunny days, with some short and intense showers. Phi Phi island is small, only 12 square kilometers (4.73 square miles) of land area. Due to its small size, showers come and go within a matter of minutes. The wind blows away the stormy clouds and mostly the rain misses the land completely.
During the high season, from December till the end of April we don’t really see any rain on the island at all. The weather is mostly sunny with high temperatures and humidity. It is very common that there is rain in Krabi or Phuket (only 40km away) and Koh Phi Phi is completely dry.
FIND OUT MORE Weather climate in Thailand
7 NO TRAFFIC JAMS
Phi Phi Island consists of six smaller islands, out of which the only Phi Phi Don is inhabited. The main island of Phi Phi Don is very small, only 8km (5miles) in length and 3,5km (2,2 miles) in width. There are no roads and the only way to get around is by walking or by taxi boat. No roads mean no cars, no traffic jams, and no pollution, which is a great change when you are coming to Phi Phi from busy Bangkok or Phuket.
The area of the main town is very small and you can walk from one side to the other in 15 minutes. The rest of the island’s inhibition is scattered on the east coast of Phi Phi Don, where you can find some quieter beaches and luxury hotels. You can get to these beaches by taxi boat from the main port.
Having no cars or motorbikes on the island makes the life in Phi Phi Island very easy-going for locals and visitors. You can enjoy a few beers or cocktails with your dinner and don’t need to worry about driving back home, and you save some pennies on expensive tuk-tuks.
The only motorbikes on the island are owned by the police, hospital, and the dustman.
8 BREATHTAKING SUNSETS
Sunset views are just spectacular in Koh Phi Phi. The best sunsets are seen from Loh Dalum Bay. Especially so in the low season from June till October.
There are a couple of terrace bars with a nice sitting area where you can sit down, have a cocktail or a beer, and enjoy the sun go down.
One of the activities you have to tick off your Phi Phi bucket list is to hike up to the Phi Phi viewpoint.
The sunset views from here are just breathtaking. If you do want to see the sunset, make your way up around 17:30 and enjoy the colors as the sky transforms in front of you. The sunset in Thailand is usually between 18:30 to 18:45, depending on the time of the year.
Another fantastic way of enjoying sunset views on Phi Phi island is from a boat. Rent a private long tail boat around Phi Phi Lay or join one of the group sunset trips and experience some unforgettable moments on Phi Phi Island.
FIND OUT MORE about SUNSET boat trips in Phi Phi Island
9 PHI PHI ISLAND IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE ALL YEAR ROUND
As you probably already know, Phi Phi Islands are located in the south part of Thailand, in between Phuket and Krabi. The islands are easily accessible all year round and it takes 2 hours by ferry to get here from either Phuket or Krabi. The boat schedule is very regular and ferries run four times a day.
In addition to that, there are also speedboat transfers for those of you who prefer a faster way to get here. Speedboat only takes around 45 minutes.
10 FRIENDLY LOCALS AND SAFE COMMUNITY
Phi Phi Island is very small and even so it is a very popular location, it is a very safe destination for tourists. During the high season, there can be up to 10,000 people on the island, however, the troubles are down to minimal.
Even so, Koh Phi Phi is very busy, the village has a very tight community and all locals know each other. Despite its popularity, Koh Phi Phi is just a small fisherman village. Many ex-pats are living on the island together with the locals and everyone seems to know each other’s business.
The most trouble on the island usually involves alcohol and some pub brawls. There are only a couple of local police officers and they seem to have things well under control.
I hope I’ve given you good enough reasons to visit our beautiful island of Koh Phi Phi. It is a not-to-miss destination for any traveler and visitors to Thailand. We promise you won’t be disappointed and don’t forget to come and say hello to us!
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