Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand is the largest of the Ko Phi Phi islands. Its known for the spectacular views of extraordinary rock structures out of the ocean, gorgeous beaches, and boat trips for yacht festivals or viewing the ocean wildlife. Ko Phi Phi is a top-notch vacation destination for travelers around the world. Add it to your list!
We loved our visit to these gorgeous islands and would highly recommend them to anyone considering making the trip to Thailand. We discuss our love for Bangkok and Thailand in the Podcast Episode – In LOVE with Bangkok.
We took a speedboat from Phuket to Ko Phi Phi Don which took about an hour then we stayed at the beautiful Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort. The resort property was full of coconut palm trees, flower gardens and its shoreline overlooked the Andaman Sea for miles.
The resort itself was very private and secluded. The bungalows were dispersed within the natural surroundings and one could see the sea and mountains and coconut trees for as far as the eye could see no matter where you were on the property.
The resort itself had restaurants and bars that provided an array of cuisines (from fresh seafood to Italian, Thai, and American food).
My husband had been doing his own research prior to our arrival at Phi Phi Island Village and he stumbled upon a customer’s Trip Advisor review of the resort and activities to do outside of the resort. The reviewer disclosed that behind the resort, a plethora of local bars and eateries existed.
This is where my husband and I stumbled upon one of our favorite bars in the world, Buffalo Head Bar. There is something majestic about this bar with its sandy floors, driftwood tables, swings, Christmas lights twinkling and lighting up the night sky. The staff was very friendly and the menu had many vegan/ vegetarian-friendly options.
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Tour Phi Phi Don
We decided to take a tour of Ko Phi Phi and see the sights. Our group tour included going to Long Beach to swim and snorkel in the crystal clear waters. We then went to the famous Monkey Beach where wild monkeys live in the mountains and come down to the beach to be fed by the tourists.
If you want to feed the monkeys, bring plenty of fresh fruit! They are eagerly waiting to be fed and will, unfortunately, eat or drink anything that is given to them. While we were there, we saw the monkeys drinking Coca-Cola out of a can!
After Monkey Beach we were taken by Viking Cave to see the sacred swift nests that are thought to improve virility. The cave itself is named after the paintings of boats found on its walls that resemble that of a Viking. We then did some additional snorkeling in Loh Samah Bay, a bay surrounded by extremely high limestone cliffs on all 3 sides.
For lunch, we went to Maya Bay, most famously known for being featured in the film, The Beach. Maya Bay had white sandy beaches and very impressive, massive rock formations that were randomly dispersed throughout the turquoise waters. One of the last parts of our tours was seeing the sunset in Tonsai Bay, followed by optional cliff diving for the daredevils, and ending with swimming with the glowing plankton.
Traveled March 2015