If you’re trying to put together some image of what the Phi Phi Islands might be like, take the party-hard-always-dancing-in-bikinis-vibe from Las Vegas and condense it down, a lot. Now add picture perfect (minus the trash floating and buried in the sand) beaches, and throw in a pinch of that cool, chilled-out island vibe. Stir twice. Congratulations, you now have a small sample of the Phi Phi Island life to chew on until you get there!
While on my way to the Phi Phi islands, I was completely distracted by the pictures of white beaches and clear waters to fill in the whole picture in my head, which was missing a bunch of tourists making noise in the background. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I was imagining quiet beaches that offer a soft break from the busy cities. I was genuinely surprised that the main part of Phi Phi Islands where tourist and travelers stay was basically a small town and shopping streets completely dedicated to tourism. At first, I was a little disappointed and thought that the island was overcrowded and overrun by loud youngsters (and by the end that thought was confirmed) but a part of me had fallen in love with the island anyway.
Yes, the Phi Phi Islands are every 18-30 year old’s dream party destination. There are energetic parties every single night with lights, drinks, dancing, fire spinning, and dedicated drinkers from all over the world. If you follow my blog you know that while that is not my ideal destination, I do love hanging back like a wallflower and watching the action, feeding off of the energy and movement. When I wasn’t people watching, I was enjoying the day-life in the Phi Phi islands, which, despite all the sunshine, is often left in the shadows. Here’s what I did:
1. Traverse The Phi Phi Island Viewpoint Hike
When asking around to other travelers on the island about hiking, we were told that the activity was basically nonexistent, except for the main viewpoints that give you a bird’s eye view of the island. What many don’t know, though, is that there is a hike just past those viewpoints that take you from there all the to Lana Bay: a beautiful beach surrounded by the local’s huts and free from large crowds.
What To Bring
It is accessible through the roads used by the Thai folks to get around the islands quicker. If you’re planning on making the two-hour hike to Lana Bay, make sure to bring lots of water, sunscreen, bug spray, and snacks.
How To Get To The Phi Phi Island Viewpoint Hike
Viewpoints number 1 and 2 are easy to find on the island – just follow the signs shown on the main walking paths. The hike up to the viewpoints starts with 324 steps and it’s all uphill from there. After making it to Viewpoint 1 continue on to Viewpoint 2. As you approach the second viewpoint, go left past the ticket booth onto the dirt road. Follow it back to a house. Turn right and walk along the fence. Go around it to the left, and then turn left again to walk past a hotel with a pool. Keep going to pass Viewpoint 3 where you can to pay 20 baht to see the view. Continue on. Eventually, a side road will take you to see Viewpoint 4 (the best!). Continue on the road and paths. The tricky thing is that there are almost no signs through the forest to Lana Bay, so some sort of GPS map is helpful to have, but a good sense of direction will be the biggest helper and can get you there technology-free. You’ll eventually end up on a paved bike path road that has signs posted, and from there follow the shortcut for Lana Bay. After walking through older buildings that look like they were affected by a tsunami, the trees open up to the water.
As I mentioned before, bring a good amount of bug spray, water, sunscreen, and snacks. You’re not going to find shops during the trip and there are a few parts of the hike with little or no shade. The most important thing to remember on this hike is to be respectful. Although this more hidden part of the island is open to travelers, it is home for the Thai folks that work and live on the island. Don’t destroy wildlife, mess with/hurt animals, or leave trash behind.
2. Go with the Flow
My favorite way to pass the days on the island was to plan to have no plan and drift wherever the current took us that day. It can be calming and fun to head down to the water with no schedule – just looking, listening, playing with and taking in the ocean and island beauty that surrounds you. If you’re excited to see what lies under the water’s surface, grab snorkel gear in town and dive into a whole new world. (*Cue The Little Mermaid playlist!)
3. Take A Phi Phi Islands Boat Tour
As soon as you hit the main streets that run through the island you’ll notice that there is an abundance of stands offering boat tours and different trips. This is your ticket to exploring the surrounding areas. Most of them offer the same options and destinations but it’s helpful to scout out a few with the best prices and packages. Try to avoid Monkey Beach if possible. It is automatically included in most tours but is actually harmful to the monkeys. Remember: their lives and well-being are more important than cute selfies. When you book your trip be sure to ask for a meal free of animal products or flesh and they’ll most often make it happen. Win! As you cruise through the sea, be sure to have sunscreen, water, a bathing suit, towel, and possibly a camera in your backpack. Most importantly, allow yourself to be present and soak in each moment as it comes. Check the bottom of the page for a small list of ways to be respectful on boat tours and while enjoying the islands! Avoid the mistakes that I made while on the boat tours.
4. Pick Up Trash
Take an hour or less out of your day (or even week) to give a small amount of energy to the islands and wildlife. Pick a beach – any beach – and begin there. Whether touring the smaller islands, floating in the ocean or lying on the beach, you’re sure to find an abundance of trash, straws, plastic water bottles, and cigarettes. Get a bag and pick it up – recycle what you can. We took just one hour and collected about three large trash bags worth of plastic and trash. Watch our video here. It is sad to see, but a good feeling to know that you can be a part of the solution. Although cleaning the beaches and island is just a band-aid solution to a bigger problem, your actions are important and can even inspire a larger chain-reaction. Take time to learn about the #1 thing you can do to keep plastic out of the oceans.
5. Try Pad Thai And An Oreo Smoothie
This point is very specific, I know. But after a full day of hiking, boating, snorkeling and cleaning up the beaches, we all have to refuel. Pad Thai is a great dish to go for as it can easily be made vegan-friendly – just order the veggie version and ask for no fish sauce, oyster sauce, or eggs. Most Pad Thai dishes can be found for around 60 baht, translating to $1.95 USD. I always like to balance out the cooked and fresh by ordering a smoothie as well. Smoothies may be as much or a little more than your dish, but more often than not ordering one is totally worth it. When ordering a smoothie just specify no animal milk or yogurt and you’re on your way. There are a handful of fruits to choose from and are tasty with an added splash of coconut milk.
6. Break It Down And Party It Up
I have to admit, I’m not the first one to put on my party pants, and most nights I went to bed before 11:00 PM with my earplugs pushed into my ears as far as they would go. But as we were walking along the beach in the evening, it was hard not to see what all of the party hype was about. For someone like myself who doesn’t drink, parties are all about meeting people and dancing as hard as humanly possible, which was totally awesome and entertaining on the island at some hostel with a large pool.
Imagine the high school parties portrayed in American movies, now add tropical trees and a warm breeze, stir once. You’ve made it to the Phi Phi islands.
Please be respectful when visiting the Phi Phi islands. Some small things that you can do to be more mindful start with the effort to reduce and reuse your plastic consumption as much as possible. Pick up trash. Be safe and kind. Respect the locals. Don’t consume sea life, other animals, or animal products to protect the climate, food resources, and animal individuals. Use reef-friendly sunscreen.
