Phi Phi Island, Thailand

Sawatdii! From Phi Phi Island, Thailand!

We left Cairo late last night and boarded our 9 hour flight to Bangkok. We had a 6 hour layover before our last flight to Krabi. The Bangkok airport was amazing, and we had some of the best food here! We boarded our next short flight to Krabi and arrived late that night. It is quite the adventure actually getting to Phi Phi Island, Thailand!

Krabi is a beautiful place. It is known for its scenic views and stunning beaches. Upon arrival, we realized that we had booked our hotel here for the night before. Oops. We forgot to take into account the time zone changes when booking our hotels. If you are a first time traveler, that right there is a good tip!

While sitting at the airport we looked up hotels, and booked the closest and cheapest one we could find. It was dark when we arrived and most places were closed. 7-11 convenience stores dominate this area, so we stopped, picked up a few late night snacks and headed to our hotel. From the outside it looked really nice, but once we got inside, I started to freak. There were bugs everywhere! Spiders, ants, beetles, and lord knows what else were on the walls, the floors, in the corners of the bathroom, surrounding the bed. Let me just say that we got little to no sleep that night. Fun stuff. 

Getting to the Island

The next day we woke up early and headed to the Krabi ferry. We were about to embark on a 1 hour 30 minute boat ride to Koh Phi Phi island. The boat was filled with people and there was seating everywhere. On the top deck, inside on the top deck, and below.

We went below because I was worried about getting sea sick. It was a little windy out and the water was choppy. We sat below for about 20 minutes before we couldn’t hang any longer. There are windows below deck and the water comes about halfway up those windows. I think seeing the water so choppy is what did it. I was dealing ok, but I could see Seth starting to turn pale. We made our way to the top deck and found a seat. So much better. Eventually the wind and water calmed down, and it was a beautiful ride to the island. We passed dozens of other islands, jutting out from the sea, covered in dense green mangroves.

Getting off the boat was a little hectic. There were other boats unloading and loading people on, people were standing around with signs to the different hotels. Long tailed boats lined the docks waiting for business. We found a gentleman holding a sign for our hotel. He helped us load our luggage onto the boat and off we went!

The Beach Resort Phi Phi Island

It was about a 5 minute ride to our hotel. This place is amazing. We are staying at The Beach Resort Phi Phi Island, and we are here for 4 nights! This hotel is a series of individual hillside villas that sits along the quiet Long Beach and overlooks the picturesque Maya Bay Island. Our villa was in the corner almost at the top of the hill. Walking up, we were greeted by a family of monkeys! There was a momma holding her baby and two other smaller ones. These are long tailed macaques and they are so cute! They were relaxing on our balcony eating fruit off a nearby tree.

The interior of these villas is spectacular. The walls are made up of windows, the shower is huge and surrounded by screens so you get the feeling you are showering outdoors. The weather was perfect. It’s the views that really sold me on this place. The water is the most brilliant blue which makes the forests look that much greener. Ahhh…now this is living.

All the Animals

We got our swimsuits on and off to the beach we went. Walking down the paths and stairs to the sand, we were greeted by so many cats! There were cats and kittens everywhere, meowing and rubbing up against anyone who passed. (By the end of our stay here I wanted to bring home a few of these little guys. They’re just so cute and cuddly!) We passed a few monkeys cruising around. It was so cool.

Once we got down to the beach we found a couple lounge chairs, grabbed some towels, and into the water we went. You can request snorkels, towels, and other fun beach stuff from a little kiosk in front of the hotel. The water was the perfect temperature, warm yet refreshing. We swam and lounged for the rest of the day. I could get used to this!

Be Warned

Before our trip, we learned about “Bali belly”, or traveler’s diarrhea, which is caused by eating contaminated food and water. I know we are not currently in Bali, but it could happen here too. We made sure all of our vaccines were up to date before we left, and consulted with our doctors about where we were going and if it was going to be safe to consume food there. They told us to make sure we ask if their water is filtered, and do they use filtered water to make their ice. I never would have known to ask that. That was the first question I had planned to ask when I went to get food, but it ended up being one of the first things our server told us. That made me ready to eat! 

Let’s Eat

This hotel has amazing food. There was a breakfast buffet every morning, and they cut their eggs into cute little hearts, and offered a huge selection of fresh fruit and pastries. They had a little bit of everything and was well staffed and taken care of. Their dinner restaurant is set in the sand, and they put on a fire dancer show every night. They also served some of the best beachy blended drinks you could ever ask for. 

The Beach Resort is really great for couples who are looking to get away and relax. This would also be a great stay if you are traveling with children. Just seeing the monkeys would make any child love it here. It is off the beaten path, and is an all inclusive resort, so you don’t really need to leave the area. But if you do, there is a path that you can hike that will take you back to the main hubbub, or you can hop on a long tailed boat for a quick trip into town.

To the Other Side of Phi Phi Island

After our 4 days at this resort, we headed to the other side of Phi Phi Island., Thailand. We packed up our stuff, said goodbye to the monkeys and kitties, and headed to our next hotel, PP Charlie Beach Resort. This hotel is in the heart of town, and was much more lively. There were a lot of younger people here who were looking to have fun! The room was nice, clean, and pretty basic.

We unloaded our stuff, made friends with more kitties!, and took off exploring. Right outside of the hotel is all of the shopping. Streets lined with tents, people bartering and negotiating prices. People were selling everything you could ever want. Clothes, shoes, beach stuff, food, electronics, home decor, and all set at super low prices. We stocked up on some new tank tops, swimsuits, water shoes, flip flops, and more and spent a total of $20! What a steal! 

All the Food.

We ate a few spots in town, but kept finding ourselves coming back to one spot. They had the best hot dogs and banh mi’s ever! I think we ate here every day. The food here is super cheap. I think about $5 for both of us to eat. We spent the next few days here eating, shopping, and relaxing at the pool.

The last day here we got an awesome rain storm! It was heavy rain, big booms, and flashes of lightning. I sat outside our hotel room door, petting all the cats who walked up, and enjoyed the show!

The only thing that was a little strange was when we went to check out. They made us wait at the front desk while someone went and grabbed our sheets and towels. They counted the towels, and thoroughly inspected our sheets while we were standing right there. It was slightly uncomfortable and awkward. I was wondering what was going on and why they were doing this, and come to find out they will charge you if there are any stains on the sheets, missing towels, or a dirty room. Good thing we are clean people! Given that this was more like a party hotel, I’m sure they’ve seen their fair share of trashed rooms and dirty linens.

Until Next Time

The next day we hopped back on the ferry who took us back to Krabi. The ride out was a lot better. No wind, smooth water. We watched Phi Phi Island fade into the distance, sad to watch it go. I think I’ve said that I will be back to 90% of the destinations on this trip. But I mean it here. It was quite the journey getting here, and one I would gladly take again.

What will we discover next? Follow along as we explore Singapore!