Planning a Tour to Koh Phi Phi - Complete Guide/Tips ❤
- Rida B.
- Dec 15, 2016
- 8 min read
Assalam - U - Alaikum & Hey my Beautiful Travel Fanatic’s out there *-* Hope you are in the best of health & Beauty. I’m sure you clicked the link of the blog to further discover about this extraordinarily beautiful and explicitly exciting spot which I should say ranks amongst the top-notch Island’s around the world ^._.^
If you ask me for an “ideal” location for my vacations. My concept for that has to primarily consist of an “Island” or a beautiful “Beach”. Perfection would be defined exclusively for a “Beach Island” and yeah who does not want to have an addition of a luxurious Beach Resort lol. Thoughts of stunning waves, sea-breeze and walking bare foot on the beach sand excites me the most. It’s truly an explainable joy of life.
I guess I have experienced it all at no other than the 'Koh Phi Phi'
Traveling Tip's: Whenever or wherever I travel too I always like to know just enough info prior to my visit to avoid any confusions or troubles. Once the spot is decided according to my liking I like checking out if an additional stay is beneficial or is it a one day tour spot. Secondly having the knowledge about means of transportation is extremely important. Do keep a strict eye on the mode of payment and research how much cash would you require if needed. Not to forget checking the weather report for appropriate clothing selection. I always prepare a goodie bag before leaving the hotel and keeping my sun block is a must. Leaving out your camera is a big Folly so that's a # 1 on my final check list. Last but not the least storing some snacks in the bag’s always a plus *-*
About Phi Phi (pronounced as pheee-pheee in Thai):
I would really like to add a little bit of more information and history of Mu Ko Phiphi ("ko" (Thai: เกาะ) means "island" in the Thai language). Its divided into further two islands, Koh Phi Phi Don being the most popular & crowded between both nevertheless, Ko Phi Phi Leh, is also visited by many tourists and got worldwide prominence when it was used as a location for the 2000 British-American film The Beach.
Unfortunately Ko Phi Phi was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami in the December of 2004, Few of the Islands have been restored and I must say they are fantastically gorgeous *-*
How to get about it?
Choosing the Right Airport:
To be honest there are couple of options to go about it. First off you need to choose the nearest airport from the Capital of Thailand i.e. Bangkok. I booked a return flight with Thai Airlines from Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok Airport) to Phuket International Airport (HKT).
If you don’t prefer choosing Phuket you can also choose the nearest airports of Krabi & Trang. All three have direct road and boat connections.
Cost:
The return flight can cost you somewhere between PKR 10,000 – 15,000 depending on the peak seasons.
Stay and Hotel:
Now this is what you need to decide while planning your trip if you are looking forward to stay in the city - like I chose to stay in Phuket and booked a day trip or else do you prefer to have a stay on the lovely island itself for a few days.
In my personal opinion if you are on a short vacation book a hotel in the city so you can explore around and see more attractions there as well and along book a full day trip to your favourite Island and have the best of both worlds. However, if you are on a long vacation and your budget allows you to do so…For sure book couple of days with a resort/hotel located on the Island itself.
Booking the Tour:
I was staying at a luxurious Resort of Phuket – Kalima Resort & Spa Phuket. Usually all hotels do have a facility to book a tour at the information counter. If that's not the case in your's - you may search online for several day tour options. Go with the ratings, price and facilities you like the most.
Cost:
Fortunately, I had the option to book the day tour right at my hotel counter. This is a reliable company called the Phuket Adventures WORLD .You can choose your plan from the provided broacher. Transport options are:
Speedboat Excursion (kind of a cruise)
Express or Long tail Boat
Speed boat or Ferry
I went with the Ferry and a Halal Food Buffet Lunch. It costed me 3000 BAHT. This price may vary with food options, transport and seasonal changes and May cost uptill 4500 BAHT.
Arrival at the Pier:
The amazing part is that the trip includes a hotel pick-up/drop service. They picked me up sharp at 8 AM. It took me about half an hour to reach the location at Ao Makham from Prabaramee Road. And I never wanted to reach that soon because the views alongside the roads were so pleasant and mind relaxing.
The van was very comfortable and air conditioned as well... And YESS OMG just arriving there was the greatest beginning. I realized it will be a fantastic tour. Even though Dolphin Seaways is a 20 year old pier but the appearance presents the latest state of the art and design. It has a beautiful architecture, amazing plants and a very welcoming staff. It is said to be a private pier exclusive only for Phuket Adventures WORLD company to use as their own customer waiting lounge before the departure to Phi Phi. There were a bunch of people there and you’re assigned with a Ferry number that you need to make sure you remember.
When you are in the queue towards the speed boat boarding ramp. They click your pictures and when you return from the tour they offer a combo pack of a Shell decorated fancy Frame and the picture from 200 - 250 BAHT.
Journey Begins -*-*-
Initially in the 5 mins of your ride you can start seeing breathtaking views of the sea. And begin to enjoy to the utmost. I chose to sit near the speed boat cockpit under the wonderful bright summer sun. In total there were 6 stops for the day which included the Lunch Buffet, Amazing Islands & water activities. They also had a tour guide who spoke fairly understandable English and was very knowledgeable. But I must say the ferry driver has some extraordinary driving expertise. The way he handled through the strong wave which was marvelous. They also had a mini fridge where they kept water, snacks and fruits to give along the tour which was so sweet and awesome.
Pileh Lagoon (Blue Lagoon):
After almost a 30-40 min drive the first wonder I couldn’t take my eyes off was The lagoon of Pileh. It’s one of the 3 stops where the well-liked Leonardo DiCaprio was shot. It is undoubtedly a precious gem of Phi Phi. The lagoon is surrounded by Limestone Mountains. You will be able to encounter several water creatures and fishes dwelling in the warm 29 degrees turquoise water. It was a short but worthwhile stay for half an hour where I had a chance to take a swim and praise the creations of Allah SWT. Life Jackets were provided.
Viking Cave: The second striking spot was of the Viking Cave i.e. undoubtedly a prominent feature of Koh Phi Phi Leh. It is also called Tham Phaya Nak in Thai. This is popular for industrial reasons and a Chinese history. Is a landmark for harvesting of swiftlet birds’ nests which is believed to be edible and sold for thousand of USD. Now, I did not taste them at all Lol. They said there was an option to enter the cave from the back side but the tides were pretty high and it was dangerous to do so. However it’s a very picturesque spot.
Monkey Island/Bay (Ao Ling):
3rd stop and now comes my favourite part – ‘Snack time’ – But Hey - I need to share it with someone?!? I guess I would Love too *-* Its none other than the Monkey Gang. Oh no I’m not scared at all… They Loveee food =D These brown eyed smarties never hesitate to ask you to share your meal with them, there are chances they might not even ask for permission and snatch your food. So Be CAREFUL before they grasp your camera or bag. They love food, drinking from the water bottle and eating your snacks so I shared my Rambutan’s & pineapple with them.
Dozens of tourists and boats everyday day stand for several minutes to enjoy this precious view and the monkeys are already waiting to get pampered and this is how it has been since ages. But its good not to rely completely on their friendly behavior they might act aggressively sometimes. Cuz’ literally the monkey who was hangin on the tree jumped on my boat to snatch the fruit from my hand and ran away. I was shocked and thought it was kinda cute at the same time.
Despite the Monkey’s (if you are not interested in feeding or watching them) the view of the lush green trees and aqua water is breath taking itself.
Snorkeling:
Just after a further 5-10 min drive we moved somewhere in the middle of Phi Phi Don and Snorkeling Gear was provided and included. I couldn’t enjoy that much due to the previous swim and weather condition. The water was comparatively cold and the sun was burning hot that day. However, one thing I enjoyed the most was feeding the fish. They had separate fish food available which was awesome. Chartreuse green and multi coloured fishes popped up on the surface once the food was sprinkled on the water. That view was priceless and heartwarming for me.
Phi Phi Don Buffet Lunch:
Finally – We stopped in Phi Phi Don Halal Buffet Lunch spot – They also offer vegetarian Buffet on request. The food tasted average but I was not extremely hungry so it got the job done. Sorry couldn’t click pictures. It included Plain rice noodles, white boiled rice, some mix vegetable curry, a tomato based red sauce and grilled chicken. I purchased my can of coke for 25 BAHT. The white sand was amazing there so I strolled for a bit along the beach shore.
Khai Island (Koh Khai Nok): Sadly, it was early evening and this was supposed to be the last spot however, the most memorable and indelible point of the entire day tour. This tiny island is tucked away in Phang Nga Bay. It is almost a 30 minutes drive from the east coast of Phuket if you take the ferry directly but it was great to explore different places before hoping here so I can truly value how priceless gem of a place that was. I am sooo glad I discovered this place and spend a good 30 – 40 minutes walking on the beautiful white sand beach and sightseeing the turquoise blue water.
I wish I could have stayed more. There were lot of food and souvenir shops and beach umbrellas that you can rent for 120 BAHT (You can use the loo there for a rent of 20 BAHT) but I preferred not want to waste a single second. They were some awesome hill like rocks that I enjoyed climbing, they were slippery and slimy but the breeze was commendable and the views were so extraordinaire that I surely lack in appreciation and my vocabulary now. Pictures cant do justice at all !!
Back to the Hotel:
Now it was a simple 'n' straight ride back to the pier. It almost took hour and a half. The sunset views were incredible… SubhanALLAH *-* I reached at almost 6.30 or 7 PM at the hotel via the same van transfer safely.
I am pleased that I opted for this tour, it was worth every single penny and much more. Kindly do opt for atleast a day trip if you’re visiting Phuket or Thailand and if you are a Sea & Nature Fanatic like myself. You won’t regret and it will surely be one of the best days of your life.
Disclaimer:
All the pictures are my own. I am not affiliated with Phuket Adventures WORLD, Dolphin Seaways Services & Kalima Resort by any means. I am not getting paid or any incentive to review them & I have paid for the Day trip & for the resort with my own money. These are my own opinions and experiences that I have shared. Thanks!
Thank you so much for taking out your precious time & reading this. Stay tuned for lots more. Stay Warm & Blessed – Don’t forget to take care of yourself, your loved one & your pets. Xo!
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