Phi Phi Islands
 |
| Maya Bay |
The Phi Phi islands – Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh – are two dramatic limestone islands forming part of a larger group of islands in the Andaman Sea some 25 miles southeast of Phuket Island. They both have sheer cliffs of weathered rock jutting straight out of the sea, with a large number of rocky overhangs resulting from the constant attrition of the sea on the lower parts of the rock walls. Interspersed along the shore are several beaches, some stunningly beautiful.
The islands gained popularity as a tourist attraction following the filming of the the movie ‘The Beach’ there in 2000. The result has sadly been a huge increase in the numbers of boats arriving daily throughout the high season to do the tourist rounds. The journey from Phuket takes over two hours on a regular boat and around one hour in a speedboat; one hour of constant, spine-jarring bumps when the tide is high. However, it’s worth the battering if your boat operator is smart enough to leave Phuket early and stay ahead of the crowds, although they can’t be totally avoided.
Phi Phi Leh
Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh is normally the first destination, a bay that apparently featured in the movie. A quick walk along the sand to soak up the views of the amazing cliff formations is then followed by a chug in your boat to the mouth of the bay where the snorkeling in the crystal-clear water is fabulous. The water is literally teeming with fish of all colours…