For those of you who have not visited the Phi Phi islands, you are missing out. The island has it all: adventure, women, beautiful beaches, great food, and beach parties. Everything a King of Thailand could want!
Koh Phi Phi Don has become very popular in the recent years due to the motion picture movie, “The Beach” which was filmed on the island of Phi Phi Lay which is a 15 minute boat ride away.
Note: If you only like Thai hookers, this is NOT the place for you. This is one of the only places in Thailand where I have never been propositioned for sex. It’s full of tourists who are seeking paradise. And Phi Phi does not fail to deliver.
We’ll break this post into 4 parts:
1- What to Expect When You Arrive (this post)
What to Expect When You Arrive
First off, you can only get to Koh Phi Phi Don by boat from either Krabi or Phuket. The boat ride will be about 90 minutes from each location.
This is where the fun starts. Look around at the others on the boats. You’ll find over 90 percent of the new arrivals are tourists who come to party. Lay the ground work to make your evenings more fun. Chat with people on the boat. Make friends. Introduce yourself to the cute girls by simply asking where they are from and what brings them to Thailand. (Don’t hit on any girls, just make friends. These girls will see you later that night at the beach parties and start talking to you. Making you the bell of the ball)
When the boat arrives, the segregation starts. The 10% of the boat which happens to be Thai will be able to walk right off the boat and down the pier. For everyone else, we are herded like cattle into lines where we have to pay to arrive on this island. It isn’t much, simply 20 baht, but one year ago this did not exist. It never ceases to amazing me on the different ways Thais will charge tourists. They can be quite creative at times 🙂
Note, the fee is supposed to be to keep the island clean, but when you arrive, you’ll find this to be quite funny.
After you pay the fee, you walk down the dock and are bombard by Thais asking if you have a hotel set up. Simply ignore these guys. They charge 50 – 100 percent more than the hotels do if you just walk in and ask about availability.
It’s not necessary to book your hotel in advance, most people don’t. Simply walk around and look at a few guest houses and hotels. Air conditioned rooms will cost about 1,000 baht in the guesthouses and about 2,500 in a hotel. Fan rooms usually range from 300 – 600 baht.
We don’t have many hotel recommendations because we prefer to switch rooms every one or two nights. Different surroundings are nice and some guesthouses have cuter girls than others. (Don’t underestimate the power of sitting on your balcony with a beer and saying hi to people as they walk by.)
One of the best things about this island is that cars and mopeds are not allowed. You don’t have the noise or pollution of automobiles which will instantly make you feel relaxed. Although, if you walk around in the daytime, you will hear “ring ring” from bicycles which will constantly pass you by.
Once you check in to your room, shower up and explore the island. You’ll find lots of restaurants and good shopping. If the sun is out, check out Loh Dalam Bay. This is the most popular beach for beauty, water activities, and beach parties.
Grab a bite to eat and prepare for the nightlife which will consist of the best fire shows you’ve ever seen, cheap alcohol, Thai boxing, dancing, and some of the friendliest women you’ll ever meet who are from all over the world.
Welcome to Phi Phi Islands. Welcome to paradise!
Posted on Gods of Thailand February 27, 2011 in Phi Phi Islands