Where Is Phi Phi Island?
The Phi Phi islands (pronounced ‘Pee-Pee’) are in the Andaman Sea of Thailand, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Phuket and about the same distance from Krabi.
There are six islands in total, with the two main islands being Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don, and they’re all considered part of the Krabi province of Thailand.
The only inhabited island is Phi Phi Don, which has hotels, restaurants, and everything else you might want for a short stay.
How To Get To Phi Phi Island
The only way to reach the Phi Phi islands is by boat from Phuket or Krabi, and you can use either a ferry or a speedboat to get there.
There isn’t an airport in Koh Phi Phi. Thus the nearest places to fly are the ones in Phuket (HKT) or Krabi (KBV).
Many boat companies provide daily trips to Phi Phi from Phuket or Krabi and frequently offer complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off.
The fast ferry (speedboat) takes only half as long as the slow ferry to travel from Phuket to Phi Phi Don. The boat trips to Phi Phi are around 30 minutes faster if you leave from Krabi than from Phuket.
Remember that these are only transfers to Phi Phi Don’s main island. To tour Phi Phi Leh and the other islands when you arrive, you’ll need to schedule a longtail boat ride. At Ton Sai Beach in Phi Phi Don, you can organize this immediately, and the costs are incredibly affordable.
Visiting Phi Phi Island – Tourist Fees
You must pay two tourist fees when you arrive in the Phi Phi islands.
A cash entrance charge of 20 baht per person must be paid at the harbor when you first arrive at Phi Phi Don island. They collect this from everyone, and the money goes toward covering the cost of the islands’ daily garbage pickup. This is a one-time cost (not a daily fee).
When you disembark at either Maya Bay or Bamboo Island, a cash fee of 200 baht per person (about USD 6) is collected for the national park regions (Koh Phai). You must pay this price each time you visit one of these places.
Transport: How To Get Around The Phi Phi Islands
The Phi Phi islands don’t have any car or motorbike rentals, and neither are they necessary because, if you’re staying on Phi Phi Don island, the entire town can be reached on foot. Additionally, bikes can be rented.
To get to surrounding islands like Phi Phi Leh and Bamboo Island, you can charter a longtail boat in Phi Phi Don. The longtails are smaller boats, but they can accommodate up to 8 people so that you can split the cost of a boat with friends or other vacationers.
What To Bring
Here are some packing suggestions for your trip to Koh Phi Phi Island Thailand.
Most of the items below can probably be found on Phi Phi Don in a pinch, but the quality of stuff you buy on the street won’t be guaranteed (personally, I’m not about to use a junky knockoff bag from a street vendor to protect my expensive camera gear).
It’s best to buy vetted products online!
- Waterproof Bag: Essential for keeping your electronics safe on the boats around PP island. I brought a 30-liter bag and was able to fit my drone, tablet, camera, phone, and a bunch of other stuff inside. Everything was kept dry, even when I took the bag swimming a few times!
- Waterproof Phone Pouch: same as above, but these are for your phone only. Great if you don’t have other electronics and just need something small to protect your phone.
- Snorkeling Gear: Good for exploring the clear waters around Koh Phi Phi island. Snorkels and masks can be borrowed or rented from the boat companies too, but if you plan to stay on the island or do multiple tours then it’s better to bring your own gear.
- Water Shoes: These can come in handy sometimes while snorkeling in case you need to walk on rocks to get out of the water.
- Sunscreen: There is usually some shade in the speedboats and longtail boats, but you can still get roasted while swimming or walking on the beach, so you’ll want to bring a hat and sunscreen for the boat tours.
Snacks & Drinks: You’ll want to pack some snacks and drinks in the boat when touring the islands. You can bring these from Phuket or Krabi, or there is plenty of cheap snack and drink stands in Ko Phi Phi Don near the port.
