I have long dreamt of visiting the Phi Phi Islands . I first read about these beautiful remote islands off the coast of Phuket about 10 years ago and then, like everybody else, I was spellbound with the stunning scenery shown in the movie, The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. After seeing the film for a second time, I decided that Phi Phi would be my honeymoon destination one day.
You can imagine my sense of anticipation when I finally arrived there with my bride a few weeks ago. Most tourists arrive by sea from Phuket or Krabi, but we decided to fly there from Phuket Airport using a new seaplane service, Blue Water Air. As we came down to land, I looked out at the splendid sight below - soaring cliffs and dense forests bordering golden stretches of sand. We boarded a speedboat and a few minutes later we arrived at the delightful little village at Ton Sai Bay.
Although it is commonly referred to as Phi Phi “island”, pronounced Pee-Pee, there are actually two islands. The bigger of the two, Phi Phi Don, is where everybody stays, as the smaller Phi Phi Lei is uninhabited. The big attraction on Phi Phi Lei is Maya Bay and its beautiful beach, where the movie was shot. On Phi Phi Don there are some superb resorts dotted around the coastline, but most accommodation is in Ton Sai village. The settlement is perched on a stretch of sand between two steep hills, with the sea bordering either side.
My first surprise on arriving was to find that there are no motorcars on the island. Porters use hand-carts to transport luggage from the pier to your hotel room and the speediest form of transport is the bicycle. Small, winding lanes run between the hotels and bungalows, packed with little stores offering everything from 24-hour Internet services and diving packages to pizzas and pancakes.
After booking into our hotel, the Phi Phi Island Cabana, we set off for a swim in Loh Dalum Bay, only a few metres away. It was surprisingly shallow and we waded out with the occasional sea kayak or Thai fisherman for company. As the sun set we lay back in the water and looked at the lights of the waterfront cafes and bars twinkling under the palm trees. We were in heaven!
Later that night we celebrated our first night on Phi Phi with cocktails at the Jungle Bar, a fabulous beachside bar lit by flame torches. We met some young Scandinavian backpackers and they advised us to head down the beach to an Italian restaurant, Ciao Bella, for “the best pizza in Thailand ”. My wife opted for prawns from the fresh seafood on display, but I ordered a pizza, which lived up to its reputation. Later I chatted with the Italian owner, who told me that he has lived on Phi Phi for more than 10 years. His family live in Phuket during the week, but he prefers the simple life in his beachfront bungalow.
Early the next morning we hired a speedboat and set off to see Maya Bay, the cove where most of the film was made. Surprisingly, it has remained unspoilt despite the crowds which visit every day. Get there early – or just before sunset – and you should have at least part of the beach to yourself. When the first ferryload of daytrippers arrived, we went snorkelling on the other side of the island. I have snorkelled before, but this was really special. It felt like I was drifting above a marine wonderworld, with brightly-coloured fish swarming around me. My wife was nervous at first, but later we struggled to get her out of the water! We then did a trip around the island, stopping off in quiet little bays for a swim.
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When we finally returned to the pier, I was ready to head for a late afternoon nap, but my wife had a different idea. “What about a Thai massage?” she asked. We headed off to one of the little massage shops and, for the next 90 minutes, I drifted off into a blissful half-sleep.
That night I was all set for another night of drinking and dining with my toes in the sand, but my wife decided she wanted to go somewhere “elegant”. “Darling, we're on an island, miles from anywhere,” I pleaded. “Don't be silly, we'll find somewhere special here”, was her retort. And we did. That night we dined at an excellent little French restaurant, named Le Grand Bleu, situated in an alley close to the jetty.
Fortified by a bottle of wine, we then headed for the stretch of lively bars that are mostly frequented by backpackers. Those we liked best were Apache, a loud, massive bar consisting of a series of terraces clinging to a steep hillside, and Carlitos, a small bar which featured an amazing “fire show”, where dancers twirled and juggled flaming batons. The star of the show told us he had set up classes to teach his skills to locals, so get ready for a host of fire-dancing stars emanating from Phi Phi!
The next day we chartered a longtail boat and spent the day on Bamboo Island about 30 minutes away. We relaxed in the shade of the casuarinas and palms fringing the beach and read novels bought from a second-hand book store before we left the village. We intended to take a scuba diving course, but the urge to do as little as possible increased the longer we stayed on the island. There was always something new to discover in the village, my favourites being a reggae bar tucked away up the hill and a bakery where the TV seemed to show movies all day to an appreciative backpacker audience.
Most of the time I was happy to prop myself up at one of the little bars along the seafront chatting to whoever dropped in, while my wife was content to lie and suntan in a deckchair on the beach only metres away. One afternoon we managed to rouse ourselves enough to undertake the rather strenuous walk up the nearby mountain to the “viewpoint” – a spot where you can take in the full splendour of the bays below. It was magnificent and worth the tiring hike.
Our five-day holiday on Phi Phi seemed far too short. As we prepared to board the boat to the seaplane's floating jetty, I insisted we take off our shoes and wade out into the bay for one last time. With my dream of visiting the island fulfilled, I am now looking forward to heading back for a second honeymoon. It can't come soon enough.
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