It is no question that the majority of people who visit Thailand are after seeing the towering sea cliffs in the southern islands. Phuket is a great option to stay, but when researching for our trip I was told over and over again, you need to stay in Koh Phi Phi. After visiting, I am 100% in agreement with this. It is a walkable island and offers so many options for activities and places to stay. This was one of my favorite places our entire trip. Below are ideas on what to do, where to stay, how to get there, and when to stay. Want the full itinerary? Check that out here.
Getting There
We flew from Bangkok to Phuket, took a taxi to the dock, and from there had the choice to take a speed boat or ferry to Koh Phi Phi. This is a busy dock and they have their system down. After you purchase your ticket at the Rassada Pier Terminal, don't worry there are plenty you can purchase your ticket when you arrive, you are given a sticker that indicates which boat service you are with. They will arrive at their desk when they are ready to start boarding and will direct you from there on where to put your luggage and all of those fun logistical to-dos. There are plenty of food options. We had amazing shrimp tacos and a smoothie that was delicious, so if you end up having to wait you'll have plenty to keep you happy. There are two different options to get to Koh Phi Phi, a ferry or speed boat. Both have their pros and cons, more details below!
Option 1 - 3 Hour Ferry Boat
This is the cheapest option, but it also takes a very long time to get to Koh Phi Phi. The pros are: plenty of time to take in the views, they have snacks and drinks on board (including beer), you have access to fresh air, and it is cheaper.
The cons: if you are crunched on time or have a hard time being on boats for long periods of time, this is not for you.
Option 2 - 2-hour Speed Boat
This is more expensive but it is the most efficient option. It takes just under 2 hours to get to Koh Phi Phi or back to Phuket. That is the biggest pro, the cons are you are in an enclosed boat which means no views or fresh air. There are also no snacks on board. It is also SO LOUD. I should have brought ear plugs. By the end of the ride I was getting a headache.
My advice if you have time is to do both. I really enjoyed the ferry ride to get there, despite how long it took. It was amazing seeing the sea cliffs pop up as we got closer to the island. There are also a ton of fishing boats on the water. Coming back, we obviously needed to just get back so we could get to the airport, and we chose the speed boat.
Where to Stay
When you arrive in Koh Phi Phi, there is a tourist tax to help manage services like street and water pollution clean-up. This is a popular destination and unfortunately, you can see the amount of trash in water as you come in. It will blow your mind how many ferries and speed boats are coming in and out of the harbor each day. After you get to the dock, the hotel you are staying at will have a concierge with a cart to wheel your luggage and escort you to your hotel. Your hotel will give you more information when prior to your arrival. It is much smaller than I expected, but I loved that aspect of it. You are instantly relaxed.
The island lodging accommodations seemed to be segmented out. We stayed on the resort side, where it was a little quieter and more focused on an all-inclusive aspect. If you stay at a hostel in town or in the middle of the island you are going to get a totally different vibe. It is focused on partying every night on the beach. We walked over a few nights to check things out and it was CRAZY! Lots of fire dancers and clubs to dance at. This is also where the infamous Full Moon Bucket cocktails are. Basically picture a small plastic bucket that you can fill with whatever you want and drink all night for $14, and probably wake-up with a massive hangover. It will be the time of your life though. ;)
When to Go
We wanted to avoid the rainy season so we could enjoy the island and get out on the water as much as possible. The end of November was perfect. It only rained the last day we were there. It could have been a little warmer at night, but during the day it was perfect. We made sure we chose a place with reliable air conditioning just in case it was super hot and we needed time to cool off, but thankfully that was a non-issue.
What to Do
We spent 3 days in Koh Phi Phi, which was the perfect amount of time to pick the best day to do a long boat tour. This is that Instagram moment where you are floating through the sea cliffs. We were able to snorkel in 2 different spots. I have never seen so many colorful fish anywhere. It is not what it used to be, the coral was clearly dying. But it was still absolutely magical. During this tour we also stopped at Monkey Beach. The monkeys are no joke if you mess with them. I watched them grab ankles of people who were being mean. I kept my distance and got amazing pictures of the cute babies and some of the adults sun bathing. I was a little worried we wouldn't be able to get a boat tour booked with how many people were on the island, but there are SO many options. The day we spent walking around town we talked to a few different people and found the best deal with what we wanted to do.
Around town, I highly recommend checking out Tommy's Place for cocktails. This was the only craft cocktail bar I found on the island. To be fair, most people are after the full moon buckets, if you aren't this is your spot. On the beach they had coconut ice cream, I should have gotten more. They were so good! They do sell-out early, which was opposite of what I thought. I tend to crave ice cream in the afternoon, but they were sold out at that point. Be sure to get yours early. The last recommendation I have is to eat lunch at AE Fish BBQ. This was the most authentic Thai food we found, honestly the entire trip. It was so good we ended up eating there twice. Dishes I recommend: steak salad, papaya salad, BBQ shrimp, sticky rice, and a bottle of Chang beer.
Koh Phi Phi is a place I would absolutely return to in a heartbeat. Make the trek out there and enjoy all the island has to offer! Check out my post about Thailand Travel Tips, Exploring Chiang Mai, and my detailed travel guides for more ideas to plan your trip!
Here are a few more photos to get you excited!
