This guide contains a bucket list of the best things to do in Koh Phi Phi.
Koh Phi Phi gets a lot of hate, but also a lot of love. Despite the diverse opinions people have about the Phi Phi Islands, they remain a firm feature on the travel itineraries for most people visiting Thailand.
On the surface in might look like Koh Phi Phi is a small place with not much to do, but the reality is different.
There is so much to do and see in Koh Phi Phi, a boat tour will cover the well know spots like Maya Bay, Monkey beach and Bamboo Island. Then there is the epic nightlife, the sunsets, the beach parties, the boat parties, the scuba diving, the hiking, the beaches. The list goes on an on. In this guide I’ve narrowed down the ten best things to do and see in Phi Phi.
Understanding The Phi Phi Islands (They’re not in Phuket)!
The layout can be confusing for visitors. For example, a lot of people understand that Phi Phi is an island in Phuket, it’s not. Phi Phi is part of Thailand’s Krabi Province. The ferry from Phuket takes more than two hours to reach Phi Phi! Once you’ve realised this, it makes planning a trip to Phi Phi much easier.
Phi Phi has six islands which form the archipelago. Phi Phi Don is the largest island, which is inhabited and houses all the hotels, restaurants and bars. Koh Phi Phi Leh is the second largest island which is a National Park and has no accommodation, its home to Maya Bay, Pilleh Lagoon and Viking Cave. Then there is Bamboo Island to the north, also a National Park. Mosquito Island, which has been closed for tourism indefinitely since 2016, and then Bida Nai and Bida Nok are the 5th and 6th Islands, these islands have no beach and cannot be accessed, there are only limestone rocks jetting out of the sea.
What I Know About the Phi Phi Islands
I first visited the Phi Phi Islands in 2010, in fact I worked in one of the bars on the island in my early 20’s. I was ‘stuck’ on the island for almost a year during the 2020 pandemic, and I’ve re-visited Koh Phi Phi at least once a year since then. I’ve seen the Phi Phi Islands transform from a sleepy island with huts on the beach into the corporate backed shitshow of franchised restaurants and Instagramable cafe’s that it’s become today. But that’s not what I want to talk about in this post. There are still an insane amount of positive reasons that make it worth visiting Koh Phi Phi. Read on to find the best things to do here.
Do You Need to Stay Overnight at Phi Phi
Yes. If you stay in Phuket or Krabi you’ll be able to book a speedboat day-tour to the Phi Phi Islands, and this will cover the highlights, you’ll see the famous beaches, etc. But a day tour doesn’t give the island the justice it deserves. You would miss out on Phi Phi Don. This island is home to thousands of residents, it’s a maze of twisted streets, endless bars, incredible nightlife, beautiful, beaches and places to explore. Its where are the things to do on Phi Phi are.
If you’re not staying on Phi Phi, then day-tours can be booked here. If you are staying on Phi Phi (which I recommend you do), then read read on and find the best activities on the island, the best things to see, do, eat, and drink!
1. Take a Boat Tour Around The Phi Phi Islands and Go Snorkeling
Here are my ten favorite activities in Koh Phi Phi. The best one is taking a boat tour around the islands. It’s the most popular thing to do for people staying on Phi Phi Don. In one tour, you can see all the important places around the island. Starting from Phi Phi allows you to enjoy a sunset on the tour, which you can’t do on a tour from Phuket. Plus, you’ll have more time to visit all the spots around the islands.
A standard Phi Phi Island tour includes stops at Maya Bay, Bamboo Island, Pilleh Lagoon, and Monkey Beach and more. You can also snorkel at various spots around the islands. Most tours do not include kayaking because there isn’t enough space on the boats for kayaks. If you want a tour that includes kayaking, the Phi Phi Pirate Boat is the best option.
There are many tour options for visitors in the Phi Phi Islands. Cheap tours are available with traditional Thai Longtail Boats, often for as little as 800 Baht for a full day. There are also companies that offer similar tours with speedboats. Speedboat tours usually include National Park fees, while Longtail tours do not. I recommend booking a Longtail boat for a more authentic experience at a lower price.
The Early-Bird tour is one of the best tours I’ve done in the Phi Phi Islands. It requires an early wake-up, but it’s worth it. Staying on Koh Phi Phi lets you avoid the crowds at Maya Bay and enjoy the beach before the mainland tours get there. All these tours are good options, but if you can afford it, the best tour around the Phi Phi Islands is a Private Boat Tour with a Captain and a Guide.
2. Take a Private Boat Tour around Phi Phi Islands
A private boat tour is the best thing to do in Phi Phi, but since it’s expensive, I ranked it second, but if your budget allows, definitely book a private tour with a guide to explore the Phi Phi Islands. You won’t regret it.
A private tour typically begins at your hotel and offers more flexibility than a regular Phi Phi Tour. There are only a few English-speaking guides in Koh Phi Phi, but Five Star Tours is the best option for booking private tours. A guide improves the tour experience and helps you learn more about the islands, plus private tour routes are tailored to your preferences. The boats are usually nicer, with pillows and seating areas.
Most boat captains in the Phi Phi Islands do not speak English, and if they do, it is usually basic. However, for those who want to take a Private Boat Tour on a smaller budget, they can hire a private boat with just a local captain. Communication may be limited, but the prices will be lower. The Phi Phi Island Tours Company offers the lowest prices for private longtail boat tours.
3. The Phi Phi Pirate Boat
Admittedly The Phi Phi Pirate Boat is another tour of the Phi Phi Islands (Did I mention that a boat tour is one of the best activities here)! But it’s such a unique experience with many activities included, so I decided to list it separately.
The Phi Phi Pirate Boat is an 18-30’s sunset cruise starting from Phi Phi Don. It’s a boat tour in the afternoon that becomes a party later on. It’s great for backpackers because of the lively social scene. Tickets cost about 1,500 Baht online, which covers dinner, National Park Fees, and activities like Kayaking and Snorkeling.
The Pirate Boat is a unique tour in the islands with a custom-built boat that is the only cruise in Koh Phi Phi with a bar on board. You can buy buckets of rum, spirit mixers and beers all day long, but the party really starts at sunset when the music is turned-up.
If you’re interested in joining the Phi Phi Pirate Boat there are two sites where ticket reservations can be made:
https://phiphipirate.com
or
https://phiphitours.com/pirateboat
4. Muay Thai Bar (Phi Phi Reggae Bar)
If you’ve done any research about things to do in Phi Phi already, you’ve probably heard rumours about the Reggae Bar, and yes, what you’ve heard is true.
There is a bar on Phi Phi Island with a Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) ring in the centre of the bar. And yes, tourists can get in the ring and fight each other. It’s one of the most entertaining things you can watch/do in Phi Phi.
The bar opens daily around 8.00pm and Thai performers display some warm up routines until 10.00pm when tourists are invited into the ring. Staff try to match opponents based on weight, and both men and women can fight at the Reggae Bar. The rounds are short, lasting one minute each, and each fight lasts three rounds. All participants are given a plastic medal, and a bucket of alcohol on the house. There is a referee to step in if the fight becomes unfair. But there are no medical staff working here. Fight at your own risk.
It’s best to get to the Reggae Bar as early as possible if you want to get a good seat, admission is free, although you have to buy a drink at the bar before you’re allowed to enter the arena/bar.
Fun fact: The Reggae Bar was used as a filming location for the TV series of Jackass, and was featured in a Mackaluy Culkin movie.
5. Phi Phi Viewpoint
The viewpoint is somewhere that most tourists visiting Phi Phi Island will go to see. It’s at the top of the mountain on the east side of the island and the view from top can see the entire town and both bays of Koh Phi Phi Don.
There are twenty or more different routes that you can take to reach the Phi Phi Viewpoint, although the easiest route to follow is up the recently built staircase. (Follow the town past Phi Phi Casita Hotel, Past Harmony House, and the staircase will lead you directly to the top. It takes around 10-40 minutes to climb to the top depending on your fitness level.
The viewpoint is privately owned land and the owners charge a 50 Baht admission fee to enter, so make sure you bring cash with you, (and also a bottle of water).
The best time to visit the Phi Phi Viewpoint is at sunset, however that is also the most popular time, and it can get crowded during the high season. I should also mention that alcohol is prohibited at the viewpoint (you can’t bring your own and it’s not sold there) because the landowners are muslim. So I recommend heading there for the sunrise instead, just make sure to leave at least an hour before sunrise so you can reach the top in time.
There are three ‘official’ viewpoints. Viewpoint one and two and in the same locations, and the admission fee covers both viewpoints, the second viewpoint is the most popular and has a viewing platform built overhanging the cliff face.
For those feeling adventurous the third Viewpoint is even higher than the first two (easily signposted) and you can even carry on hiking all the way down the other side, to Nui Beach if you have the energy to do so!
6. Phi Phi Long Beach
Phi Phi is famous for its beaches, and on holiday there’s nothing better to do than allocating a day-off to sunbathe or just hangout next to the sea.
Sadly the main beaches on Phi Phi Don are not great for this. Tonsai Bay is packed with boats coming and going. There are longtails and Speedboats all along the sea front and large ferries coming and going from the main pier, leaving little space to swim. The on the other side of the Island is Loh Dalum Beach, otherwise known as the ‘Party Beach’ this beach is packed with bars meaning not much space on the sand, and if I’m being totally honest, the water isn’t the cleanest either.
So if you’re looking for the best beach on Phi Phi Don to hangout at then Long-Beach is the best choice. Its a clean beach, within walking distance from the town (around 30 minutes to walk) once you get there you’ll be rewarded with power white sands, a nice place to swim in the ocean, and views of Phi Phi Leh Island in the distance. There are a few hotels, and small restaurants and shops at long beach, so you can easily grab something to eat, but it’s nowhere near as hectic as the beaches in town. I’ve written a full guide on how to get to long beach (with photos) here, and if you want a beach thats even more secluded you can follow the coastal path around to get to either Loh Moo Dee Beach or Loh Bakao Beach, depending how far you want to walk. I should also mention that all the famous beaches like Maya Bay or Bamboo Beach are only accessible by boat. As they are in other islands, you can only get there on a tour.
7. Rent a Kayak and Explore the Islands
There are a handful of places you can kayak in the Phi Phi Islands. I already mentioned that the Phi Phi Pirate Boat includes Kayaking as an activity, usually paddling around Pilleh Lagoon or Loh Samah Bay. But if you want more time you can rent a kayak on Koh Phi Don too. It’s best to rent a kayak as the low tide is coming in, rather than when the tides are going out. Kayaks can be rented at numerous locations around Tonsai Bay and also Loh Dalum Beach. They typically cost around 200-300 Baht per hour and don’t need to be booked in advance. Renting a Kayak from Loh Dalum Beach is the best option as you can paddle around the coast of the island and explore places like Monkey Beach Yai, or even go as far as Nui Beach. Its technically possible to kayak to Koh Phi Phi Leh as I have know people to accomplish it, but I don’t recommend it. There are too many ferries crossing the route and a lot of speedboats too, and the channel of water between Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh can often have some very rough waves too.
8. Scuba-Diving in the Phi Phi Islands
Scuba Diving is another common thing to do in Phi Phi, it’s somewhere that a lot beginners earn trier Padi licence, and there are a lot of schools which offer a ‘try-dive’ where you a ran through the basics and taken out with an instructor for a short session before deciding if you want to complete the full course and go for a Padi Licence.
But I have to be honest, Scuba-Diving in Phi Phi is one of the most expensive places for it in Thailand. If your own a budget then consider scuba-diving from Koh Lanta instead, you’ll visit the exact same dice sites with a lower price point. And if you’re already licensed and looking for the best place in Thailand to Scuba-Dive then consider looking at either Koh Tao or Koh Lipe and an alternative to Phi Phi. The dive sites in these locations offer a totally different experience.
9. Fishing in the Phi Phi Islands
Surprisingly it’s difficult to find much information online about sea-fishing trips in Koh Phi Phi. But it’s one of the best things you can do in Phi Phi.
The Phi Phi Islands, before tourism took over, were home to small communities of local fishermen. This was the original purpose of the longtail boat, they were all Fishing boats originally, and many have been repurposed into tourist boats. However these boat owners still use them to fish in the off-season months. It’s common to catch Mahi-Mahi, Barracuda and Marlin fish in the water around Koh Phi Phi.
If you want to go fishing in Phi Phi the best option is to book a private tour with a local boat captain, the only place I know where these trips can be booked in advance, online is the Phi Phi Island Tours Company, otherwise you’d have to chance your luck looking by the pier for local fishermen willing to take tourists along. Anything you catch you can keep, although as I don’t have access to a kitchen while in Phi Phi I most often let the boat owner keep any catch, so it can be sold to a local restaurant instead.
10. Watch a Fire Show at the Beach.
Number 10 on my list of the best things to do in Phi Phi is to catch a fireshow at the beach. You’ll find fire shows at Hippies Bar and Chao Koh Bar (Carlitos) on the Tonsai Bay side on the island. Then on the other side of the island, at Loh Dalum ‘party’ Beach you’ll find fire shows at pretty much all the beach bars. But if you’re looking for the best fire show, you want to head to the Slinky’s Bar. The show starts around 8.00pm, Slinkys is the first bar on Loh Dalum Beach. They have the traditional fire show along with slackening and games like the Fire Limbo and Fire Skipping Rope, these are exactly what they sound like and tourists are invited to partake too.
Conclusion (TL;DR)
So that about sums up my list of the 10 best things to do in Phi Phi. There are a couple of other activities that didn’t quite make the list that I’ll give a mention to, mainly the Ibiza Pool Party and the beachfront massage shops. But overall the activities listed are the most worthwhile things to do on the island.
To summarise, try to stay on Phi Phi Don Island if possible. I’ll say it again, Phi Phi is NOT in Phuket. Then whilst your on the island make sure to take either a private boat tour, a shared boat tour or book the Pirate Boat to go around and see all the famous beaches and landmarks. The nightlife on Koh Phi Phinis like nowhere else in Thailand so make sure to check out the beach bars and see a fireshow, and the Reggae Bar is a must visit. Then there are some cool places to explore on Phi Phi Don like the viewpoints and Long Beach. And if your still looking for something else to do then you can go fishing with a local captain, or get your Padi Licence at one of the many Scuba schools located on the island.
