Thailand Islands: Ko Phi Phi - Phi Phi Don & Phi Phi Ley
Ko Phi Phi or Koh Phi Phi can rightly be called one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Ko Phi Phi lies in the Western Andaman Sea not far from Phuket and is part of the Krabi province. Ko Phi Phi consists of two main islands - the larger Phi Phi Don and the relatively unspoilt Phi Phi Ley (or Ko Phi Phi Leh). Only Phi Phi Don has permanent accommodation for tourists & locals whereas Phi Phi Ley has mainly visitors but no accommodation.
Phi Phi Ley was used as the backdrop for the 2000 film 'The Beach' starring Leonardo Di Caprio when Phi Phi Maya Bay was made world famous. Today Maya Bay is swarming with boats and tourists and no longer has the quiet peace and tranquility of a deserted island. Fortunately Ko Phi Phi is protected by its status as a national park and this will hopefully protect the islands from over-development in the future.
Ko Phi Phi was one of the major Thailand islands which experienced the full force of the Tsunami of December 2004. Phi Phi island quickly recovered and has become busy once again with a huge influx of tourists.
The nearest airports to Ko Phi Phi are based at Phuket, Krabi and Trang. Ferries to Ko Phi Phi can be boarded from Phuket, Ko Lanta and Krabi Town. The main beaches on Phi Phi Don include Ton Sai Bay where most tourists and accommodation are based. Yao Beach lies near Ton Sai Bay and is a great place for snorkeling and swimming amongst the coral reefs. Finally Laem Tong is located on the north of Phi Phi Don.
