Ko Phi Phi Don Transportation

1 more image

Ton Sai Bay of Phi Phi Don is the place where you take ferry to/from Krabi and Phuket. I high season, there is ferry to Lanta as well.

Two daily ferry to Krabi (9am and 2pm) or to Ao Nang Bay (3:30pm) is 350 baht. One daily ferry from Ao Nang Beach via Railey Bay to Phi Phi (9am) for 390 Baht, including the hotel pick up. The boat ride is about 2 hours.

Two daily ferries from Phi Phi to Phuket is also 350 Baht for a 2 hour boat ride.

This is minivan is cramped and all the backpacks are thrown into the back of the van. When there is a big group, you may be moved around between vans and so make sure your beg follow you. Haadyai is a meeting point for backpackers from Butterworth, Malaysia or from Koh Samui/Surat Thani.

Then from Haadyai it is a 3-4 hours to Krabi. Usually the timing is such that you will catch the boat to Phi Phi. Krabi is worth spending a night or more if you have extra days.

There is regular bus service between Bangkok to Phuket. From Phuket then you take a boat to Koh Phi Phi.

Once I have taken a overnight bus for Thai tourists and it stopped with supper provided along the way. But other times, it is a bus that all the backpacker tourists are put together. And you pay more if you did not bargain your tour agent.

So shop around. Ask for specific details like the number of seats in the bus, VIP or Super VIP. For a photo of the bus. Of course, nothing is guaranteed. When a bus is out of service, everyone is moved to the next available bus.

So as long as you get there, nothing else to fret about.

There used to be regular flights from Penang to Phuket. Now you have to fly from Kuala Lumpur - so if you use budget Air Asia, you fly down south to KL and then take a connection north again to Phuket, pass over Penang again.

There are regular internal flights from Bangkok to Phuket.

Krabi has a small airport which you can take a boat to Phi Phi but I have not done that.

You can hire a private boat to take you from Phi Phi Don to the uninhabitated island of Phi Phi Le. The boatman may speak little English and so better to make sure that you specify your itinerary when you book the boat.

Have some key phrases written in Thai. Had an English-Thai phrase book with me in case any miscommunication while on high seas or stranded island.

The waves are less in the morning so that early. Pack your lunch and do not forget your swimming, snorkelling or fishing gear. And watch out for changing weather to ensure you get back home and safe.

If you are in Phuket, you can take a day tour to Ko Phi Phi.

Tourists will come ashore and spend a hour or so on Ko Phi Phi Don. Laze in the sand, swim or climb up to the hill top for a view. And perhaps lunch.

Then continue to Ko Phi Phi Le for snorkelling, view the caves for bird nests collection and swim a bit for heading back to Phuket.

Worth the daily trip if you do not have much time and if weather is fine.

The only way to get around island is taxi boat. although they always try to overcharge you (but this is every where you go) the price as quite standard so don't nee to shop around every single day...but just the first :)

1 more image

If you do not want to go on an organized excursion, simply cross the bay to snorkel or just explore the islands by boat you could hire a longtail boat. This Thai version of ocean travel offers quick access to most of the areas in and around Phi Phi Island. Negotiate with the boats owner, tariffs vary between 800 bath for three hours to 2000 bath per half day - depending on season. You find those boats on both sides of the island.