Koh Phi Phi Activities

Exciting things to do in Thailand
-– Ko Phi Phi

Ko Phi Phi is not just about tsunami, wild parties and beautiful beaches.

Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley (where Maya beach is located) have a lot to offer backpackers: snorkeling, diving, rock climbing, thai massage, shopping and even hiking and trekking.

Despite the small sizes of the islands, there are a few trails around Phi Phi Don.

If you're not into activities -- you can just find a beach and do nothing ;-)

Now, here are the activities I tried in Phi Phi! :-)

Boat Trip and Snorkeling near Maya Beach

Almost every traveler in Phi Phi do it this way: rent a boat to go snorkeling.

It's way cheaper than doing tours, and you can snorkel and explore the turquoise water around Maya Beach in your own pace.

Price: It cost 2000 B for the whole trip (we were 6 persons -- around 300 B per person). Remember to bargain!

The trip lasted from 03:00 pm to 06:00 pm, and we bought fruit, snacks and drinks for the trip. It took about 30 minutes to get from Lo Dalam beach to Maya beach.

On our way, the wind was strong and we were bouncing on waves. So if you suffer from motion-sickness you should bring tablets just in case.

When we finally arrived near Maya Beach, the driver stopped the engine.

Take a look at this...

Koh Phi Phi Activities: Clear water

You can get off so you can see Maya beach, but we didn't do that.

Since there was an extra fee (200 B) for getting on land, we didn't bother. They charge you this fee because Maya Beach is a protected National Park in Thailand.

Anyway, in our opinion the fun was in the water, not on the beach!

So, we jumped in the water and snorkeled!

The water was incredibly clear -- I could actually see the bottom (4-5 meters) while standing in the boat. I saw huge colourful brain corals formed as balloons.

Below the water surface you'll see different types of amazing fish:

Clown/anemone fish, butterfly fish, bannerfish, snappers and other fish types I don't know the names of. The fish swam beneath me, beside me and it tickled!

Because of this, I kept laughing and almost choked on water :-S

After the snorkeling, the driver took us to some cliffs where we could jump off.

Our cool boat driver went cliff-jumping first. I'm afraid of heights so I had to gather some courage to do this.

Me and another traveler chose a cliff that stood 3 meters above the water.

I hesitated at first when I saw how "high" it was. The others told me that this was the moment I had to let go of my fear, and that I had to get a grip of myself..and just jump!

And so I did...twice!

I was so proud of myself after this experience!!!

Definitely worth the trip! :-)

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Lo Dalam Beach

You can do whatever you want on Lo Dalam Beach: Tanning while reading a book, swimming, take a long walk along the beach, snorkeling, kayaking etc.

Need tips on sunscreen? -- Go here!

If you go kayaking, watch out for the currents!

On our way back from Maya Beach, a sporty couple was trying to kayak towards Lo Dalam. The current was too strong for them. They paddled and paddled, but it didn't seem like they were getting any close to the beach. They were just drifting away!

Our boat driver saw this, pulled out a rope and threw it so they could tie it to their kayak. The way the couple fought the currents looked very scary!

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Diving and Rock-Climbing

If you want to dive, rock-climb or watch sharks, you can arrange this at the many dive- and rock-climbing shops in Ton Sai Village.

I didn't go diving or rock-climbing because I was on a tight budget at that time. So, I don't have any personal recommendations.

But one of the shops that I heard was recommended:

Spidermonkey (rock-climbing)

If you want to find out more, you can check out their website.

When it comes to diving, you can check out one of these options and find the one that appeals to you:

Dive the World
Scuba Diving
Moskito Diving
Phi Phi Scuba Diving Center

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Shopping in Ko Phi Phi

I can't recommend any specific shops on Ko Phi Phi because I seriously don't remember any names. All I can say is that you don't have to go far before you can see the shops in Ton Sai Village.

From the pier and all the way up to Lo Dalam Beach, you'll see shops and stalls in every corner of the village.

What can I buy there?

You can find t-shirts, swimming shorts, bikinis, handicrafts, beautiful wooden jewellry, DVDs, CDs, bags, money purses, snorkelling masks, souvenirs, paintings, posters, buttons, dresses.

This is where I bought my green Dry Sack (bag) -- excellent for snorkeling and diving trips! These dry sacks come in many colors and sizes: yellow, red, green, blue and black. The most popular brand is Karana Ocean Pack.

My point is that you'll find everything you need inside the village. I also noticed some small second-hand shops selling everything from clothing to books.

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Beauty and Tattoo

I had my Thai massage at a small salon 4 minutes from Lo Dalam Beach (if coming from the beach, it's on your right-side near RC Guest House). I only saw a one-way street to the beach, so I hope it's easy for you to locate.

If not, you will have no problems finding other massage places!

The massage cost 300 B per hour and it made me doze off like a baby.

When it comes to tattoos, there are some tattoo shops located inside Ton Sai Village.

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