By air
Phuket (HKT) or Krabi (KBV), then ~1.5–2 h by ferry
Southeast Asia · Thailand
Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
Cliff-walled bays and impossibly clear water
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to April — calm seas, the best visibility
Don't miss
Maya Bay
Pileh Lagoon
Viking Cave (from the water)
Long Beach
Things to do
Snorkelling at Maya Bay (visits are managed and time-limited)
Kayaking to Monkey Beach
Diving at Bida Nok
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Luxure · CC BY 3.0 au
What to pack
Snorkel mask, reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag, light sandals
A quieter corner
The viewpoint hike above Tonsai Village at sunrise, before the day boats arrive
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to the Phi Phi Islands?
Fly into Phuket (HKT) or Krabi (KBV), then take a ferry of about 1.5 to 2 hours.
When is the water clearest around Phi Phi?
November to April, when the seas are calm and the visibility is at its best.
Can I still visit Maya Bay?
Yes, you can snorkel at Maya Bay, but visits are managed and time-limited. Bring a snorkel mask, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag.
How can I beat the crowds on Phi Phi?
Do the viewpoint hike above Tonsai Village at sunrise, before the day boats arrive.
About Phi Phi Islands
- Island
Where it is
The Phi Phi Islands are a small group of limestone islands in the Strait of Malacca, part of Krabi province in southern Thailand, between Phuket and the Krabi coast. The largest, Phi Phi Don, is the most populated, and the islands are part of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.
History
Phi Phi Don was a place of fishing families and coconut groves long before visitors came, and swiftlet nests have been gathered for generations in Viking Cave on Phi Phi Leh. The 2000 film The Beach, shot at Maya Bay, made the islands world-famous; the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami devastated Tonsai Village, which was rebuilt, and Maya Bay was closed from 2018 to 2022 to let its reef recover.
People
Most islanders live around Tonsai and Laem Tong on Phi Phi Don, many of them Thai Muslim families who fished these waters before tourism arrived and now run longtail boats, guesthouses and dive shops. Southern Thai is the everyday language.
Known for
- Maya Bay, setting of the film The Beach
- Pileh Lagoon's emerald water
- Snorkelling and diving at Bida Nok
- The viewpoint above Tonsai Village
- Kayaking to Monkey Beach
Did you know?
The name Phi Phi comes from the Malay Pulau Api-Api, the fiery isle, after the api-api or grey mangrove trees that grow on the islands.
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