Thailand: Ko Phi Phi Islands is the Modern Day Shangri-La

Thailand: Ko Phi Phi Islands is the Modern Day Shangri-La

Travelling in Thailand and visiting all the tourists sites are one thing.  Spending a day on the beach in possibly the whitest sandy beaches and amazing blue water is another.  If you get a day off and would like to see what other off the beat spots there are in Thailand, consider the Phi Phi Islands or Ko Phi Phi and travelling there on a budget.  

Information: Let me clarify Ko Phi Phi.  Ko is Thai for "Island" and Ko Phi Phi is the largest of the islands.  There are six islands you can choose to visit but the beaches are on the main island and Ko Phi Phi Lee.  Some cool facts, there are NO Automobiles on the Islands so you can walk from one end of the island to another.  The islands shot to fame because of the movie "The Beach" and in December 2004, the Thailand Tsunami destroyed most of the island.  Since 2010, Ko Phi Phi has been restored to it's beauty!

Location: To visit Shangri-la, I mean Ko Phi Phi, you need to get out of the office, book a month's vacation to Bangkok, Thailand and other areas of South East Asia and make sure your bus ticket is covered from Bangkok to Phuket.  From there, It's a short 50km ride southeast of Phuket and a boat ride away.

Transportation: As covered earlier in Location, Plane to Bangkok, Bus to Phuket and to Had Nopparattara-Ko Phi Phi National Park.  From there, Boat it to one of the 6 amazing islands.  My suggestion is Ko Phi Phi Lee but Ko Phi Phi Don is another popular destination.

Costs: Medium to High.  Expect to get what you pay for. If you are travelling Asia on a budget, A tour from phuket that covers some of the tourist attractions on the islands for the day will set a person back $100 USD.  For a Hotel and beach resort will set anyone back from $80-$300+ (I can't afford the high end so I don't know the top end prices).  On the low end there are hostels for all you backpackers.  Day Tours can be had for $10 USD or 3000 bahts and that will cover food and beach time.  Food varies depending on personal tastes.  I can get away with $20USD a day but if you are a couple or with kids, expect to spend some money at established restaurants.  On the beach, save money and bring your drinks from the convenience stores across the street rather than buy them from beach vendors.  

Scenery: The pictures speak for themselves.  The water is magnificent, the beaches are amazing and the wildlife is picturesque. Make sure you snap pictures of the monkeys that can be hand fed!  The Islands are limestone and lush greeneries and you need to appreciate the view before it disappears one day.  Ko Phi Phi reminds me of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam at times.  Both are beautiful and offer amazing photo opportunities and both will keep you occupied all day.  The biggest differences are the way you spend your day.  In Halong you are not on the beach as much as you will be here.