All my reports, photo albums and advice about four travels in Thailand can be found on a separate page -
1st report - O independent travel on Phi Phi Islands (Thailand).
Thailand is my favorite foreign country, on a par with Italy. I want to tell you about my little trip to the Phi Phi Islands on New Year where I spent a wonderful 5 days.
I want it to be clear how I choose a country - I just poked it and went (this is not about me) and I also don’t chase after the number of countries. At one time I chose Thailand from several countries of Southeast Asia and within six months I read all the reports tourists on the Russian segment and chose Thailand, not Bali or Vietnam, moreover, in my travels when choosing a country - I ask myself a simple question - imagine that this is your last trip - and the question - will you go - the answer is YES!
Departing for the fourth time to Thailand for almost 25 days, the question arose of where to meet directly the New Year - 2016.
And again, many people choose the wrong Thailand that they need! Thailand is very diverse and reading the reports - I understand what stupid mistakes tourists make, and first of all, in order not to make them, you need to read as many more reports about this country.
I made a choice in favor of the Phi Phi Islands, which are indeed some of the most beautiful on the planet. I had not been to them before, but I knew from the reports of tourists that there was a rather relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, especially on New Year's. I love diverse vacations - sometimes it is necessary not only to get hung up on the sights, but also to simply relax and even get drunk, with all the ensuing consequences of this event - to make it more fun, especially since Thailand is perhaps like more than one country in Southeast Asia, contributes to this by complete.
Before Phi Phi, I already had time to rest in Phuket, flew and looked at the golden pagodas of Myanmar (Burma), about which you can read here "On your own to Myanmar - to meet the golden pagodas of Yangon" and spent almost a week in my beloved Ao Nang - admiring ideal tropical landscapes and enjoying a wonderful sea vacation.
Phi Phi Islands - included in the so-called Golden Triangle South Taya (Phi Phi, Phuket and Ao Nang) - and in this triangle they are located in the very south, - in the northwest - Phuket island is located 20 kilometers away, and in the northeast, 20 kilometers away is Ao Nang, Krabi ... And of course, it is in this triangle that all the most beautiful natural attractions of Thailand are located. Of course, it is very beautiful on Koh Chang and Samui, but they are far from the beauty of the Andaman Sea. Therefore, if you are going to Tai for the first time, then do not hesitate and you should go here and you will not regret it !!! If you choose the Best !!!
About three hours later, the boat arrived at the only island where there is accommodation on Phi Phi - this is an island Phi Phi Don, only about him in this first report will be discussed.
Most tourists (95 percent) get to know Phi Phi through one-day organized tours and they are brought here in droves at the same time from Phuket, Ao Nang, Krabi, Lanta and other places.
Don't make that mistake! In my opinion this is one of the most unsuccessful tours for organized tourists. So you spoil the whole impression of these islands. Such tours are a mockery of oneself. In addition, it all comes down to visiting only one island, Phi Phi Lei, where there are always many tourist groups.
I chose to visit Phi Phi - on my own without firms and for five days. On the pier (it is the only one on the island), I paid 20 baht (40 rubles) tax on visiting the island, quickly found my budget hotel and checked into it. The hotel cost me about $ 20 - booked 6 months before the trip. You can easily find hotels on the island - right on the pier - a lot of barkers. Hotels from expensive over $ 100 to hostels for $ 10.
At about 13 o'clock I was already heading to the first beach, for this I again returned to the pier and headed from it along the coast to the left (if you stand facing the sea). Usually I prepare carefully, this time I prepared even more thoroughly - I had a map of the island, even with paths on how to get to all the beautiful beaches.
Hello everyone!
Phi-phi as the Russians call it or pi-pi for the correct one, it does not matter, this is a beautiful island, where from morning till morning there is some kind of movement in the center and such a quiet paradise if you go inland. Here is a completely different Thailand, there are no bikes and cars, the pristine nature is still preserved here, there are narrow streets and vast jungle, here a monkey can come to you for breakfast, and in the evening sitting on the beach, listening to loud music echoes the sound of the surf, you you will understand that this is worth living for!
So let's go)
1. We buy tickets for the ferry. Where? In any place where you are offered excursions (of course not from tour operators, I advise you never to listen to them at all). You buy round-trip tickets, but you have an open-ended return ticket, which means you can return whenever you want! Plus, these tickets include a transfer from your hotel to the ferry and back. We bought tickets to Phuket Town - there is low price, only 550 baht per person in both directions. If you do not have the opportunity to get to the center, then you will buy tickets a little more expensive, I saw the prices of 700-800 baht, but all the same, all the costs in the end will be much less than you would buy an excursion. Plus you are taken on a huge three-deck ship, you can sunbathe on the roof
or sit under the air conditioner inside, each has its own place
Yes, it sails longer than speedboats on excursions, but why are we in a hurry? The first time, when we went with an excursion, it was on a boat, there were waves, we were thrown at them like that, everyone shouted, someone was sick, it was scary, from all this, the idea of the whole excursion very deteriorated, because on a one-day trip you always go somewhere. then you float (jump on the waves). A large ship will not be thrown like that. In general, further on about tickets. If, nevertheless, you decide to get to Phuket Town, then here is a link to Google maps, where we took tickets, to the left of the intersection
2. We book a hotel. It took me two days) I'll explain why: we were traveling with a child, so it was important for me that it was quiet at night, there were no cockroach beetles, there should have been no accommodation steep mountain(and there are a lot of such hotels), but at the same time, so that everything is close by. Here's another plus for you independent trip-Housing you choose the way you need it. Even though I personally had to sweat with this)) First you need to understand what you want. On Phi Phi, the three most popular beaches and places to stay are:
Beach and area Tonsai (Ton Sai) - in the middle of the pier, all ships and boats arrive here. Popular, dirty, there are noisy and quiet places.
Loh Dalum Beach is the most popular beach. A party place at night, very loud music, a lot of people, the farther from this beach, the quieter, I advise you to look at the map.
Long Beach is very beautiful and clean beach... Considered one of the best, housing is more expensive than elsewhere, and it's best to choose if you're not going out at all. You can reach it on foot through the jungle (30 minutes), but this is only for the sake of walking and interest, I think you can't go there at night. Also, long tails (boats) go from the center, it costs only 100 baht, 7 minutes and you are there, but at night, either they do not go, or they charge a high price (this means that if you still want to go to a party)
Initially, we wanted to live there, there are good hotels, everything is clean and civilized, the sea is good, but we really wanted to see everything, climb onto the observation deck and go at least not to a party, but to a fire show ashore and drink local cocktails - this is definitely ... At Lo Dalam itself, as I already wrote, there is a show and a disco until the morning, so we had one option - to deal with the Tonsai area. There are a lot of hotels on the mountain, of course there are steps, but the ascents are very steep, but it is there that monkeys can come to visit you. Accommodation there is usually not expensive. Therefore, if you are athletic young people without children, then why not. We chose a hotel far from the center to eat, something to buy had to walk about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace, but it was exactly what I wanted, without mountains, but also almost in the jungle, sooo quiet, clean, air conditioning, rooms with tightly closed doors and windows (there are houses with cracks, so all sorts of insects can come to visit you). And so we are not fastidious and luxurious apartments are never looking) Another not unimportant moment - do not take housing next to a passing path, even if there is a quiet area, in the morning cheerful drunken comrades will return and it is possible to walk along this very road)
In general, if you have similar requirements as we do, I recommend the View Garden Resort hotel. Booked through agoda (by the way, I read that it is best to book hotels in Asia through this service, but I still always compare with everyone)
The hotel can be found without any problems upon arrival, but we did not want to waste time on this.
3. Of course you are interested in the excursion program, which is included in the excursion from Phuket! The famous Maya Bay (where the film with DiCaprio "The Beach" was filmed), Monkey Island, Pele Bay and everything else you can also buy on the spot, all these excursions are there, one excursion includes everything for a small cost (400 baht saw the cheapest option is a complex of all excursions). There are excursion kiosks at every step. This time we did not take these excursions, since we were already everywhere, we only wanted to go again to Maya Bay, but there is no separate excursion there, but you can rent a boat for 1500 baht. We did not do this, because after night gatherings with a cocktail, we overslept) But we wanted to go in the morning, since then there are a lot of tourists. Therefore, even two days there may not be enough for you if you want to see everything ... Already knowing everything, now I would have gone longer.
In general, these are the most important points, without which your excursion will not take place.
And here is our arrangement of rest on the island of Phi Phi:
As soon as we arrived, we immediately went to eat, then found and checked into the hotel and immediately went on foot to Long Beach. Exactly on foot, because we are interested in it. Be prepared that there the flat road ends almost immediately and you have to climb, jump, climb and not stumble) But you can take a boat from the pier for 100 baht, as I said.
We swam, sunbathed. By the way, there are a lot of people there. But all the same it is calm and good.
Opposite this beach you can see the very Maya Bay
The view is spoiled a bit by the sheer number of boats that could be put further away, and there are taxi drivers not far from them that will take you back to Ton Sai.
Then we changed and got ready to go up to the observation deck. This is not an easy path, 2.5 km almost constantly uphill, but our 5-year-old son coped with it, I think it's worth it, back from the mountain much faster =)
Walk in the late afternoon and watch the sunset there, but be prepared for a huge number of people. At dawn there are probably much fewer people. But no one bothers anyone, everyone is glad that they have finally reached, you have a stunning view of the entire island and in the center is the same isthmus, where on one side there is a pier, in the center you walk and eat, and on the other side the party beach Lo Dalam ...
Above all trees
Here is such happiness in the eyes, real)) My favorite photo
We met the sunset and ran down until it got completely dark. Then we look for the Lo Dalam beach. It is not difficult to look for something on the island, there are signs everywhere. There are a lot of cafes on the beach, in each at 21.00 a performance-fire show begins. To sit and watch show, you need to buy a cocktail in this bar, of course you can buy it somewhere else and then stand next to it. But firstly, by the beginning of the show there are already a lot of people and you may not be able to see everything very well, and secondly, the cocktail was very different both in taste and in the state of afterwards, than we were poured earlier in some shop. delicious and really alcoholic, and not diluted with water and a pile of ice. I really liked the show, do not sit in the front rows, as periodically burning sticks from Thais fly out of hands, but in fact no one was hurt. And vice versa, if you want to become a participant in the show , sit down closer, they take people to them from the crowd. We came to the very first Slinky bar and stayed there, there is no one yet, but we sat down further
Loud music, crazy Thais, a delicious cocktail and the sound of the sea, you can order a hookah, then you will be given a separate table for the company, this whole atmosphere of eternal holiday and carelessness, which we all sometimes lack so much. But there really is a holiday every day, young people (a lot of Poles) come and hang out there for weeks. It doesn't matter at all who you are, what you are and what nationality you are, as my girlfriend put it, who also managed to stay at the disco there. - all brothers and sisters =)) Of course, we did not stay at the disco, although we wanted to. And we did not watch the show to the end, and at the end, judging by the video, the very heat began. But we went to the side of the house, since we are parents)) In the evening, buckets are sold everywhere !! with a cocktail (glasses in the bar)
The Phi Phi Islands are a group of small resort islands in the Adaman Sea. Before Phi Phi Islands in Thailand can be reached from the mainland or Phuket by ferry, which can be booked on the company's website. Distance from - 48 km, from the mainland and its tourist - 42 km. By the way, locals call this place "Pi-Pi (Phi-Phi)".
The entire island archipelago is rarely explored. The most popular and demanded place among guests is Phi Phi Don island, it is the only one with a well-organized infrastructure, teeming with hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist spots... And here Phi Phi Le Island better known not for tourist areas, but for its landscapes, among which in 1999 the shooting of the notorious film "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio took place. Tours to Phi Phi Le and other four almost wild islands of the group are in demand among fans wild rest, divers () and snorkeling fans.
Who will love Phi Phi
Due to the variety of landscapes and entertainment, excursions to the Phi Phi Islands will appeal to various groups of tourists. The main well-maintained island of the archipelago is conditionally divided into several sections, each of which has its own life.
The most popular place among young people is the beach Loh dalum... The most noisy establishments are gathered in this area.After sunset, nightclubs and massage parlors open their doors, offering both a standard list of services and for amateurs. Every evening off the coast Loh dalum the lights are lit by a beach disco that sometimes lasts until dawn. Prices are generally affordable because rest on the island of Phi Phi in this area and is in such high demand.
The other side of the coin is the beach Long Beach... This area contains clean, well-groomed and practically non-living nightlife beaches of Phi Phi island... Couples with children, as well as divers, descend into the sea from local beaches sharp enough. The nearest nightlife is located a half hour walk in Tonsai.
The eastern part of the island will appeal to “savages”. The beaches here are usually completely deserted, but such solitude is not cheap either. Oriental hotels on Phi Phi island for those who are ready to shell out several hundred dollars per week.
The beaches of Phi Phi island
Tonsai Beach is the most unkempt beach on the island. Not far from it is a pier and a ship dock receiving from the mainland and Phuket. Housing nearby is cheap (more about), there is some semblance of infrastructure with bars, markets and shops.
Tonsai Beach
Lo Dalam Beach- this is a place where sociable tourists who are not looking for peace of mind will like it. It is on this beach that most of Thai nightlife entertainment.
Lo Dalam Beach
Long Beach, oddly enough, but one of the most quiet beaches islands. The infrastructure here is not bad, the prices for housing nearby are also affordable, but at night the place falls asleep, it is better for adventure seekers and noisy discos to choose another place to stay. According to tourists' reviews, this is the most!
Long Beach
Lo Mu Dee Beach beautiful and comfortable, but not without flaws. You will have to get to this place on foot and you need to walk about an hour from the nearest settlement.
Lo Mu Dee Beach
What to visit on Phi Phi
The main local tourist attractions are snorkeling, etc. Excursions to the neighboring islands of the archipelago are in demand. In general, everything is focused on unity with nature and healthy image life. There are also nightclubs and bars, but not as many as in Phuket or Bangkok, so avid party-goers rarely choose Phi Phi for a vacation.
Ferries from the mainland and Phuket bring guests to the bay of Tonsai village. There are many souvenir shops and shops with locally produced goods scattered along the embankment, and excursion bureaus can also be found right there. There is a lift near the pier. observation deck, from it open impressive views on the landscapes of the island and the bay. It is convenient to walk from the bay to Long Beach, where there are several cozy cafes offering a wide range of drinks and local cuisine.
Phi Phi islands climate
Phi Phi Island Hotels
If you are not ready to settle in a villa or a small bungalow by the sea, then think three times is it worth going to the Phi Phi Islands... High-rise hotel complexes on the archipelago, no. The tallest hotels are on Loh Dalum, with a height of 2-4 floors. This, by the way, is the only option to rent a house not by the sea, but within a 10-15 minute walk from it. All other options are usually very close to the water. Of course, "non-sea" housing is cheaper than a bungalow on the coast, the average room rate with a fan and shared toilet is from 400 baht. You can view all hotel offers and choose the most suitable one on the websites or.
It is clear that the price tag very much depends on the season. At its peak, the cost of a room increases by 40-50%, which is especially noticeable when renting inexpensive square meters. In August, the room will cost 400 baht, and by February the owner will already ask 600-800 baht for it. To save money, it is better to go out of season, but it is important to take into account the possibility of rains, although they do not come every day, as well as the disturbance of the sea.
As for the booking, it is better to take care of it in advance. The island is not so large and does not accommodate many guests. It often happens that there is literally not enough space for everyone. This rarely happens with expensive villas, but budget rooms and rooms on Loh Dalum take up very quickly and sometimes for a long time. If you do not want to spend the night on the beach for several days under open air while waiting for the release of the room, you should first make sure of the availability of seats and book them before arriving on the island of Phi Phi.
How to get to Phi Phi island
There are no direct flights to Phi Phi due to the fact that there is no airport on the island. As a rule, overseas guests arrive in, located near Bangkok, or in. In any case, you have to get to
In April, I visited the beloved islands of Phi Phi, where the film "The Beach" was filmed. This time I went without Glory, since he had already visited the island 3 years ago from Phuket. I will add his photo to the article too, so that you have a better idea of this place. My mother and I bought an excursion and happy to set off on a sea voyage.
Phi phi
Phi Phi Islands: on your own or with a guided tour
Initially, we thought to go on our own. We wanted to be in Maya Bay all day. But, as it turned out, for this you need to either rent a small boat for 6-8 people. The cost of an independent trip to the longtail boat will be about 10 thousand baht. It's okay with the company, but it's a little expensive for two.
The second option is to take a ferry to the island with an overnight stay. And from the embankment, you can already get to Maya Bay by water taxi - longtail boats at a normal price. With an overnight stay, because the ferry runs only in the morning.
Hotels near Phi Phi Don >>
This option did not suit us either, since an overnight stay was not included in our plans. The excursion sellers did not answer anything intelligibly on the trip on their own, shrugged their shoulders and offered an excursion, which we eventually took.
Excursion to Phi Phi: reviews
For 1000 baht with bargaining, we bought an excursion at a street travel agency and went to the islands, visiting the lagoons and other nearby islands along the way. We were immediately warned that we would only be in Maya Bay for 45 minutes. Well, there is not much choice, just 45 minutes on one of the most beautiful islands Thailand! So little! But I really wanted my mother to have a lot of impressions. After all, living in Krabi and not visiting PhiPhi is like coming from France without seeing the Eiffel Tower.
And mom and in Krabi on a high
We started at 8 am from Noparatara beach in Krabi. On the way to the islands, those who wish can go snorkeling.
Ko Phi Phi Ley Island
And here he is! Stunningly beautiful uninhabited island Phi Phi Lei. These islands were badly damaged by the shocking Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, but everything is fine now. Perhaps the bay of Maya Bay has the most beautiful beach from all the islands. Further in this review, I will use a photo from my trip with my mother and Slavina photos from a previous visit to Pi-Pi.
The famous Maya Bay 
Where can I book a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online, paid with a card. At the airport we were greeted with a sign with our name. Drove to the hotel in a comfortable car. We have already talked about their experience in this article.
Phi Phi Beach
Maya Bay Beach is very small. You know who spoils all the beauty? We are tourists. Yes, no matter how rude it sounds, but there are so many tourists that it is impossible to enjoy the beauty to the fullest... Very noisy and crowded, every minute they bring new excursion and take away the old one. Everyone takes pictures and runs back and forth on the beach because they have only 40 minutes of time.
Crowded Pee Pee Beach 
Speedboats are out of place. Blocking the already small swimming space 
The helicopter was still missing
How wonderful it can be there if you are alone. For a few seconds, I closed my eyes and imagined that all the people had disappeared in order to feel at least a glimpse of the place where I had long wanted to be.
And as soon as I opened my eyes, I plunged into the harsh reality with buzzing by motor boats, screaming guides, a crowd of people taking pictures of each other, jumping children in the water and crowds of Chinese. Slava was more fortunate in his time, in the next photo you can imagine that he is alone on the island
What PhiPhi looks like without tourists
We did not manage to be so isolated. I kept trying to take good photos, so that without strangers, but the bay is so small and crowded with tourists that then I spat and my mother and I took turns running from one end of the beach to the other, in order to have time to take a picture of ourselves against the backdrop of wonderful views.
And we arrived in April, when the season is already ending in Thailand. What is happening here in the high season, in December-January, I am afraid to imagine. Time flashed by instantly. Full of emotions from tourists and from Maya Bay, we went further
Maya Bay beach 
Photos from a trip in May. V low season there are much fewer tourists here
Walk inland
Of course, it's a shame that so little time is given. Ideally, you need at least 3 hours to have time to enjoy this wonderful tropical island. But if you don't linger anywhere, you can have time to run across the island to another bay. This walk will take about 20 minutes. Here's what you can see:
The path from the beach through the roots of the palm trees 
The path goes through a refined jungle with dizzying views 
Log structure with the inscription Ma Ya Bay Thailand 
Round uninhabited rock island
Phi Phi videos
Video from an excursion to Maya Bay, Phiphi Don Island and a view from the observation deck.
Fortunately, due to some remoteness and isolation from civilization, you, the bay, will not be so easy to spoil with exhaust gases, garbage and gobies from cigarettes in the sand. Although, more and more tourists come every year.
Live the bay - you are beautiful!
Phi Phi Hotels
If you want to come on your own to Phi Phi, you will need to stop for the night. On the island of Phi Phi, hotels are available in different price categories. The choice of accommodation is wide, from budget bungalows with a fan to luxury resorts with a pool. Just keep in mind that there are no hotels in Maya Bay itself, they are all on neighboring island Ko Phi Phi Don, and you can get to the bay by boat in 15-20 minutes.
