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Long-tail boats in front of the limestone cliffs of Phi Phi Le
Boats in the green water of Pileh Lagoon between the limestone walls of Phi Phi Le
The white beach of Bamboo Island, Ko Mai Phai, with day boats moored offshore
Ton Sai and Loh Dalum bays on either side of the narrow isthmus, seen from the Phi Phi viewpoint
A crowd at a beach bar fire show on Loh Dalum Bay at night

Things to do on the Phi Phi Islands: 9 experiences

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Photo: Renek78, CC0

Phi Phi Le

Swim in Pileh Lagoon and pass the Viking Cave on Phi Phi Le

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Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ko Mai Phai, Phi Phi Islands

Snorkel the shallow reef off Bamboo Island

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Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ton Sai, Phi Phi Don

Climb to the Phi Phi viewpoint above the twin bays

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Photo: Naikhumklao, CC BY-SA 4.0

Loh Dalum Bay, Phi Phi Don

Watch the fire shows on Loh Dalum Bay after the day boats leave

Photo: Kroisenbrunner, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Phi Phi Islands lie in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and the Krabi coast, inside a national park. Only Phi Phi Don is inhabited: two limestone ridges joined by a low sandy isthmus where Ton Sai village, the pier, the dive shops and most hotels sit, with no cars at all.

Phi Phi Le, to the south, is uninhabited and visited by boat only, for Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and the Viking Cave. The island was devastated by the 2004 tsunami, which crossed the isthmus from both bays, and was rebuilt in the years after. Day trips from Phuket and Krabi fill the bays by mid-morning, so a night or two on Phi Phi Don gets you the viewpoint at dawn and the reefs before the boats arrive.

9 things to do in Phi Phi Islands

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Ton Sai and Loh Dalum bays on either side of the narrow isthmus, seen from the Phi Phi viewpoint

Climb to the Phi Phi viewpoint above the twin bays

Ton Sai, Phi Phi Don

1 to 2 hoursGo alone or with a tour

Some 320 steps above Ton Sai village, three platforms look down on the sandy isthmus that holds Phi Phi Don together.

Check dates and pricesSpeedboat day from Krabi with the viewpoint
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The white beach of Bamboo Island, Ko Mai Phai, with day boats moored offshore

Snorkel the shallow reef off Bamboo Island

Ko Mai Phai, Phi Phi Islands

Half a day from Phi Phi DonBook ahead

A low island of white sand and casuarina trees north-east of Phi Phi Don, with coral a few strokes from the beach.

Check dates and pricesSpeedboat to Phi Phi and Bamboo Island
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Boats in the green water of Pileh Lagoon between the limestone walls of Phi Phi Le

Swim in Pileh Lagoon and pass the Viking Cave on Phi Phi Le

Phi Phi Le

Half a dayBook ahead

Phi Phi Le has no village and no road, only cliffs, a near-enclosed lagoon you can swim in and a cave of swiftlet nests.

Check dates and pricesSeven islands by long-tail, with sunset
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Swim out from Long Beach to see blacktip reef sharks

Long Beach, Phi Phi Don

Half a dayFree

From Long Beach you can swim to two rocks where small blacktip reef sharks patrol the reef, with no boat at all.

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Ko Bida beyond the southern cliffs of Phi Phi Le, seen from the sea

Dive the Bida islands and the King Cruiser wreck from Phi Phi

Ko Bida, Phi Phi Islands

Half a day for two divesBook ahead

Phi Phi Don is a dive base: two rocky islets to the south hold leopard sharks and turtles, and a sunken car ferry lies nearby.

Check dates and pricesHalf day for certified divers, two dives
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A crowd at a beach bar fire show on Loh Dalum Bay at night

Watch the fire shows on Loh Dalum Bay after the day boats leave

Loh Dalum Bay, Phi Phi Don

An eveningFree

When the last day-trip ferries leave, Loh Dalum Bay turns into a strip of beach bars with nightly fire shows.

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A long-tailed macaque on a branch above Monkey Beach on Phi Phi Don

Kayak along the coast to Monkey Beach

Ao Yong Kasem, Phi Phi Don

2 to 3 hoursNo booking needed

A small cove on Phi Phi Don where macaques roam the sand, reached on foot, by kayak or by longtail.

Tours in Phi Phi Islands
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A lane of shops and restaurants in Ban Ton Sai, the main village on Phi Phi Don

Eat southern Thai Muslim dishes in Ton Sai village

Ton Sai village, Phi Phi Don

A meal or twoFree

Phi Phi Don's residents are mostly Muslim, and the village kitchens cook the south's curries and noodles.

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Long-tail boats with ribbons on the prow drawn up on Maya Beach, Ko Phi Phi Leh, below green limestone cliffs

Snorkel Phi Phi and walk into Maya Bay under the new rules

Koh Phi Phi, Krabi

A full dayBook ahead

Walk the sand of Maya Bay, a blacktip reef shark nursery, and save your snorkelling for the rest of Phi Phi.

Check dates and pricesEarly small-group speedboat to Phi Phi from Phuket
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Traveller picks

Hidden gems suggested by travellers. We check each one before it goes up; the words are theirs, not ours.

No traveller picks for Phi Phi Islands yet. Know a place most visitors miss?

Plan your trip

  • Getting there

    Ferries reach Ton Sai Pier from Rassada Pier in Phuket, from Krabi Town and from Ao Nang in about 1.5 to 2 hours. A small pier fee, 20 baht, is collected on arrival. Schedules are most reliable from November to April.

  • Getting around

    Phi Phi Don has no cars. You walk, take a longtail taxi between beaches or hire a porter cart for luggage. Phi Phi Le, Bamboo Island and the Bida islands are reached by longtail or speedboat from Ton Sai.

  • How many days

    In must30's view, two nights is the right stay: one day on the boats around Phi Phi Le and Bamboo Island, one for the viewpoint at dawn, Long Beach and a dive or snorkel. A day trip from Phuket or Krabi sees the bays at their busiest.

  • When to go

    November to April brings calm seas and the clearest water. From May to October the monsoon makes crossings rougher, though the islands are quieter and cheaper. Maya Bay closes to landings every year from 1 August to 30 September.

  • Where to base yourself

    Ton Sai and Loh Dalum for convenience and nightlife, with the noise that comes with it. Long Beach for quieter sand and its reef. Laem Tong and Loh Bagao, on the far side of the island, for remote resorts reached by boat.

Questions travellers ask

Is a day trip to Phi Phi enough?

It shows you Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island, but at the busiest hours. Staying a night gives you the viewpoint at sunrise, the reefs before the boats and a choice between the Loh Dalum parties and a quiet beach.

Is the national park fee included in tours?

Often, but not always. The fee is 400 baht for foreign adults and 200 baht for children, and one ticket covers Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island on the same day. Ask before you book.

Can I swim at Maya Bay?

No. Since it reopened, boats moor at Loh Samah Bay behind the island, visitors walk in on a boardwalk and wading stops at the knee to protect a blacktip reef shark nursery.

Do I need cash on Phi Phi?

Yes. ATMs are limited and charge high fees, and many small restaurants and longtail drivers only take cash.

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