Koh Phi Phi
If you are looking for your spiritual getaway then I will go ahead and let you know this is not the place for you. Koh Phi Phi is great for partying, nice beaches, snorkeling and did I mention partying?
How to get there: Take a bus from Bangkok to Krabi ( about 12 hours) then a ferry from Krabi to Koh Phi Phi (about 2 hours). When arriving in Phi Phi there is a 20 baht fee, in order to keep the island clean. Depending on the time of year you are traveling to the island, be sure to book your transportation ahead of time to guarantee your spot on and off the island.There are tons of places in Bangkok and on the island to book buses and ferries. If you are not tight for cash then taking a flight to Krabi from Bangkok and taking the ferry over from Krabi is a great option and will save you time. You can also fly to Phuket and take a ferry from there (about 2 hours). If traveling with a group, then a speedboat is another great option from Phuket. Flights are fairly cheap, but again if you are backpacking (nickel and diming it) then a bus is your cheapest option. Keep in mind there are no cars on the island, chances are you will be carrying your luggage around.
Accommodations: The first time I visited this beautiful island I had my accommodations booked in advance because it was during Chinese New Year (extremely busy during this time). The other two times I went was during the summer & I simply winged it. Summer is not as busy since it’s rainy season, therefore I didn’t have a problem showing up and finding a place to stay. Also, if you wait to book once you arrive at the island you can find better deals and negotiate a bit. Monitor availability on Agoda or Hostelworld, just in case. When looking for cheap accommodations, walk further inland to find cheaper options. Be sure to ask about a fan room (ceiling fan) or Air Con rooms, I highly suggest paying a little bit more and getting the AirCon room, unless you want to be miserable. Do your research on where to stay, if you are looking for peace and quiet maybe consider BaKao Bay ( higher budget, families, couples- can walk to town but is over 3 km & takes up to an hour).
Food: I absolutely love Thai food, but let’s keep it mild. Traveling to Thailand from a Western country, the food is hands down going to be cheaper than what you would pay at home. Unfortunately, I do not remember any restaurants that popped out at me on the island. There is a small market in the middle of town between the pier & Loh Dalum Bay that has good/ cheap Thai food. Walking around the island you will find plenty of options, most restaurants have western style options if you aren’t feeling adventurous. Toasties from 7-11 are also a solid choice, you really can’t go wrong with them.
Booze: Buckets, buckets & more buckets. Yup, that would a be a bucket filled with booze and cheap booze at that. Buckets are about 200 Baht on the island. Banana Bar has BOGO buckets all day every day! Don’t expect to wake up without a massive hangover, unless you’re a young spring chicken and can hang… My favorite buckets are the strawbs daq and Redbull vodka (the Redbull isn’t quite the same as in the states). Of course, there are other options such as rum & coke, gin & tonic, and daiquiris, whatever you fancy. I am hands down a beer girl and I’ve got the body to prove it. Hate on it as much as you want, buuuut Chang is my jam. Rumor has it, it isn’t regulated so the percentage can change with each bottle or can, a changeover is almost guaranteed. Some other beers are Singha; a Thai Lager, Leo; a Thai Lager, and Tiger; an Asian Lager, pick your poison.
Bob’s Booze Cruise: I did this Booze Cruise twice and I have to say it is still one of my favorite booze cruises (bold statement). It is a bit pricey if you are traveling on a tight budget, but it is worth the money. You are not limited to the booze you consume, I repeat you are not limited to the booze you consume. This was such a great way to meet people, by the end of the day you will have some new friends. It is the perfect way to sightsee and party, win-win.
Viewpoint: After all of the buckets I consumed the last thing on my mind was a hike, but one of my favorite things about traveling to a new place is finding a place to overlook the city. Hence the reason I dragged myself out of bed and did the hike. I would recommend going the first day you get there, get it out of the way and you don’t have to worry about being “too hungover.” Let me point out that this is not a strenuous hike at all unless you’re out of my shape like myself. Also, keep in mind there are two ways to get there and one is suuuuper long. The way you want to go is on the Loh Dalum Bayside. There are also signs for it and if you are really lost then don’t be shy, stop and ask someone. The fee to walk up is 30 baht, bring water, bug spray, and try to pick a day with good weather.
Boat tour/kayaks/ diving: Snorkeling and exploring different parts of the island is a must! It is possible to negotiate the boat tour prices, they take you to different places around the island to snorkel. Most boat tours will include Maya Bay (where the film The Beach is filmed). Maya Bay is beautiful and jam-packed with people, just keep that in mind. Most boats will also take you to Monkey Beach, but if they don’t you can also kayak there since it is not too far. I enjoyed kayaking around the island as well, but I was also with one of my guy friends soooo I was just there for the views and moral support, really. Kayaking is 200 baht for one hour and 100 every hour after that. After all my times in Thailand, I still have never dived, but a friend told me she( Life on Purpose Travel) went with Barakuda and they were great. Good boat, clean toilets, quality tanks, felt safe and the owner is friendly and informative.
Nightlife: Head to some bars first to get your drink on. Most of the bars will have beer pong, flip cup and whatever else kids are playing nowadays. After you hit up some bars make your way down to the beach to watch the fire shows. Do the fire limbo, fire ring or jump rope (be careful, you may end up with burns depending on how much liquid courage you have). Along the beach, there are tons of bars and the music will be bumping, if ya don’t like the song or vibe hop on over to another bar. Be sure to wear shoes, there may be broken glass in the sand. If you are looking for something more low key, Banana Bar plays movies after happy hour. If you’re not into drinking they also sell spliffs and edibles (not sure if they still do, but they def used to). If you really want some entertainment then head to Reggae Bar to watch drunk idiots kick the sh!t out of each other. Last but not least, don’t’ be surprised if you wake up with a new tattoo, the tattoo artist will tattoo you even if you’re not in the right state of mind (expect misspellings as well).
Tips: Pack hand sanitizer, toilet paper, sunblock, bug spray, a copy of passport & bank cards, sneakers, charcoal pills, motion sickness pills, Advil, band-aids, eye mask, GoPro (great for being in/around water), books and have some form of music. Don’t overpack you can do laundry everywhere for extremely cheap, they even fold it oh so nicely for you (about 50-70 baht/kg). Drink bottled water and lots of it. You won’t be able to rent a scooter on Phi Phi, but in other places in Thailand you can and you should definitely take pictures of it before setting off for the day. Set a taxi price before getting in, this includes boat taxis and tuk-tuks. Prices of boat taxis in Phi Phi will rise during the night. If you are going to explore temples, knees and shoulders should be covered (be respectful). Last, but not least 33 baht= $1 and have fun!
