Phi Phi Islands—yeah, you’ve seen the photos. That annoyingly perfect postcard shot of towering limestone cliffs, crystal-clear water, and impossibly white sand beaches. I decided to drag my mildly hungover self out there from Phuket to see if the hype was real or just clever editing.
Spoiler alert: It’s mostly real. Damn it.
The Boat Ride: Hold Onto Your Sunglasses
The ride from Phuket to Phi Phi is about an hour by speedboat, depending on how psychotic your captain feels that day. Our captain apparently had places to be, because we hit waves harder than my last hangover. Pro tip: Sit towards the back and pop a motion sickness pill if you plan on drinking the night before—trust me, this is not the time to discover you have a sensitive stomach.
Welcome to Phi Phi Don: Tourist Central
Phi Phi Don is the largest island and where you’ll land first. It’s pretty much a tourist trap, but like, a charming one? Tons of shops selling overpriced beer and cheap souvenirs, bars blasting EDM at 11 AM, and crowds shuffling around in varying degrees of sunburn and confusion. Honestly, it was chaotic but in a fun, “why the hell not” sort of way. If you want Instagrammable smoothie bowls and expensive cocktails served by bartenders who hate their lives, you’re in luck.
Maya Bay: Yeah, It’s That Beach
Maya Bay, aka “The Beach” from Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie, reopened after some heavy-duty nature rehab. Let me just say, the beach is stupidly beautiful. I genuinely hated how much I loved it. Soft sand, turquoise water, majestic cliffs—it checks all the boxes. But holy crap, the crowds! It’s like every influencer in Asia converged here simultaneously. Still, once you elbow past the selfie-stick wielders, there’s some legit magic here.
Hot tip: Go early (like crack-of-dawn early) or late afternoon to dodge the bulk of humanity. Your photos will thank you.
Snorkeling & Beach Hopping: Actually Fun
Post Maya Bay, the tour usually takes you snorkeling. Surprisingly solid coral reefs here with schools of fish that don’t give a single damn how close you get. Just watch out for clueless tourists kicking you in the face—it’s inevitable, unfortunately.
Then it’s onto places like Monkey Beach (yes, monkeys. Yes, they’re kleptomaniacs) and Viking Cave, which you stare at from the boat because apparently, people live there and get paid an obscene amount for bird saliva nests (yeah, Google it, it’s weird).
Lunch Time: Low Expectations, Decent Results
Lunch is usually buffet-style on one of the islands, and it’s shockingly decent. Think Thai fried noodles, chicken satay, fruit platters—nothing gourmet, but it tastes damn good after spending hours in the sun.
Final Thoughts: Worth the Hype?
Honestly, yes. Despite the annoying crowds and the blatant tourism machine vibes, Phi Phi Islands and Maya Bay are ridiculously stunning. Would I do it again? Probably, but I’d bitch about the tourists the whole time (fully aware I’m one of them).
If you’re in Phuket, just go. You’ll pretend to be above the hype, but you’ll be secretly thrilled your photos look exactly like the ones on those damn travel blogs you pretend not to follow.
