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thai islands:
KOH PHI PHI
DISCOVER MY 4 DAY ITINERARY
In February 2019, I went spent 4 days in Koh Phi Phi in southern Thailand. Here's my itinerary with my recommendations:
Day 1
Ferry from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi
After an incredibly mediocre breakfast at my airport hotel in Phuket (go figure), I took a taxi to Rassada Pier. I took the Tigerlines Speedboat which got me to
Koh Phi Phi in 45 minutes and it cost 1,000 baht (around
$30 USD). I opted to take this over the 2 hour ferry which cost
600 baht—looking back, I would have gone for the cheaper
one, but at the time I thought this was a really good deal. It
depends on your schedule, but I learned quickly that even
though Thailand is very cheap, the charges add up very
quickly. However, the speedboat was very fast and convenient.
Recommendation: Do what’s best for you! If you’re trying to
save money, go for the ferry—if you’re short on time, go for the
speedboat.
Lunch at
Only Noodles
Since, it was too early to check in, I dropped off my bags at the
hostel and received this lunch recommendation from the staff.
Only Noodles is a little hole in the wall type of place, and in
Thailand, they tend to be the tastiest! This was no exception. I got the Pad Thai for 80 baht (around $2.50 USD) and it was great.
Recommendation: Go for it! Koh Phi Phi can be quite expensive, so this is a great break from all the higher priced places. However, note that this is not the kind of restaurant you go for ambience.
Thai Massage at Nicha Massage
The first massage of many! If you read all of my Thailand itineraries, you’ll notice a pattern… I got massages, a lot. This was a nice little place I ran into as I was walking around. It was 300 baht (around $6 USD) for a one hour Thai massage. It was a decent massage, not my favorite I got during my time in Thailand, but certainly worth the money.
Recommendation: Go for it! You have to get a Thai massage in Thailand. I would suggest getting one wherever you go—and trust me I have a lot of recommendations.
Check into Pier 519 Hostel
I checked in at 2pm and was greeted by the friendliest staff. This was a fantastic hostel—a bit pricier than others—but worth it, because it’s clean! It’s social but not a party hostel; there’s no bar, but they do sell beer and they have a lovely little patio area where people hang out in the evenings. Pier 519 is basically right on the beach and only steps away from the ferry. I would 10/10 stay here again!
Recommendation: Go for it! If you’re looking for a crazy, party hostel go to Blanco Beach Bar, but if you value not having sand in every crevice, definitely stay here.
Relaxing at
the Beach
The beach is only steps away from the hostel. So, of course, I instantly got my swim gear together and hit the beach. Recommendation: Go for it! You gotta. This beach can get quite crowded, so if you aren’t looking to socialize I would take a taxi boat to the many remote beaches on the island.
Beer at Ciao Bella Beach Bar
This is where I had my first Chang of the trip! Chang is one of the most popular local beers in the country—it’s cheap and unregulated, so you never know how strong a beer you might get. Lol. This Beach Bar was fantastic. A giant tree towers over the chill tables, so it feels like a jungle is behind you. And the view near the front of the ocean and the beach is just gorgeous.
Recommendation: Go for it! Whether you need a break from the sun, or a snack, or whatever, this is a great spot to sit and chill.
Dinner at Banana Bar
Made a couple of awesome friends at the hostel (holla Damien and Stefan!) and we went to Banana Bar for dinner. This is a super cool restaurant and bar that has three stories—the top over looks the town and the ocean. It is a Mexican restaurant, so it was fun to order some nachos. They actually weren’t half bad; the two for one margaritas were exceptional.
Recommendation: Go for it! Looking back, I probably would skip dinner and come back later at night. They have beer pong tournaments and DJs and it looked like it would be a good night time spot.
Fire Show at Slinky's
You can’t leave Thailand without seeing a fire show. Literally. They won’t let you. This was the first of many fire shows, and of course they never disappoint. Koh Phi Phi has a lot of activities on the beach at night which was a lot of fun.
Recommendation: Go for it! Why not?
Beer at Breakers
I ended the night at a bar called Breakers with a big group of people from my hostel. This is a chill place, but it looks like it could anywhere in the world. Just normal pub style. The best part is sitting near the open walls, people watching in the very busy narrow streets of Phi Phi.
Recommendation: Eh, if you have time. Don’t go out of your way to go to this bar. It was fine.
Day 2 - Cruisin'
I walked next door for a buffet breakfast at Anchor. It was 250 baht ($7.50 dollars). I was still new to the currency at this time, but looking back, I would not pay for that unless you were planning to eat A LOT. It was an adequate buffet, but the best part was definitely the lychee juice.
Recommendation: Eh, if you have time. The restaurant overlooks the beach and the ocean which is always nice, but the price for the buffet just really isn’t worth it.
Breakfast Buffet at Anchor
I drank my first coconut at a place called Charlie’s. I ran into a hostel friend and he was kind enough to take some pics of my inaugural coconut. It was fine, but more expensive than the street vendors. I would not suggest eating here. My hostel friend, Paul, did not like his meal and warned me against eating there.
Recommendation: Skip it. Get a coconut from the street—they’re better and cheaper.
Coconut at Charlie's
I have mixed feelings about Captain Bob’s Booze Cruise! I had a fantastic time. So much fun. Made some friends. Stunning locations. BUT, it was very expensive (more expensive than I realized at the time): 2,500 baht ($75 USD). That includes lunch, snack, dinner, and unlimited free drinks on the boat. Here’s the thing: I don’t need unlimited free drinks cuz I’m 26 and I’m not in college. I would have been just as happy with less drinks and a cheaper boat. Aside from that, it was a lot of fun. We visited some truly incredible places: Monkey Beach, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Maya Beach. We snorkeled and swam and paddle boarded. It was a great day and Koh Phi Phi is truly stunning.
Recommendation: Eh, if it’s your thing. If you’re not 22, I would suggest taking a cheaper pirate boat or catamaran—they take you to the same places, just without the college party vibe. Side note: I touched a monkey and my life is now complete.
Captain Bob's Booze Cruise
Day 3 - Swimmin'
Lunch at Pirates House
Woke up quite late and went straight to lunch. I ordered some Indian food at the Pirates House and it was delicious. My love for Indian food is great, and I pretty much got Indian at least once in every city in Thailand.
Recommendation: Go for it! It was good and if you get tired of Thai food, it’s a great alternative, however, it is more expensive.
Face Massage at Pryza
I was really curious what a “Face Massage” would be.
So I had to try it out. Turns out it’s like a really long, not as
good facial. They cleanse your face for a long time, then exfoliate, then moisturize. And they just kind rub your face. Haha.
Recommendation: Skip it. The Thai massage or the foot massage is definitely the best.
Shake at Anchor
I went back to Anchor to work a little and try to get some writing done. I ordered a passion fruit shake, which was incredible. I sat facing the ocean, and life is good.
Recommendation: Go for it! The breakfast may not be worth it, but sitting with a drink totally is.
Swimming at Phuyphara Resort
I walked a bit around the island to a resort that has a free pool. It overlooks the ocean and it is small, but relaxing and fun.
Recommendation: Go for it! I love the ocean and the beach, but sometimes you just wanna get away from the sand. Also, it’s nice to swim and not worry about your belongings on a crowded beach.
Chilled at the Sunflower Bar
When I was walking back to my hostel, I stumbled upon this gem. The Sunflower Bar boasts that they are the “Last Chill Bar on Koh Phi Phi,” and they might be right. I hopped on a hammock, and chilled hard. I watched the sun go down and made some friends. And I witnessed a guy practicing boxing. Boxing is a huge deal in Thailand, and if you want to get your box on, you can fight at famous the Reggae Bar.
Recommendation: Go for it! The place was so chill, it was a nice change of pace.
Day 4 - Trekin'
Nutella Pancake at Breakfast and Friends
I woke up exceptionally early (thanks jet lag) and wandered around the island. I stumbled upon one of the few vendors open for breakfast. Thai pancakes are a must try when you visit—this place was so so.
Recommendation: Eh, if you have time. Whether it’s here or somewhere else, try some Thai pancakes! There are so many flavor combos, but you know... nutella is da bomb.
Shopping
The shopping on Koh Phi Phi is incredible! I thoroughly wished I would have packed basically nothing so I could just buy my island wardrobe here.
Recommendation: Go for it! All the beach wear I packed wasn’t nearly as cool as the stuff they were selling. I highly suggest packing less then half of what you need and buying clothes on the island. It’s cheap and cool and you’re not gonna wanna wear the stuff you brought anyway.
Lunch at
The Rock
The location of this place was really cool—basically in a tree house overlooking the streets. But, the food and the service was just okay. I feel like there are better places on the island.
Recommendation: Skip it. The hole in the wall places are always better.
Beer at The Treehouse
Speaking of tree houses... this place is sick! I had an hour to kill before my excursion so I stumbled upon this spot. I would have definitely gone back later if I had time. This is a restaurant, bar, and Amsterdam style “coffee” house—if you know what I mean. It’s a great place to lay down and chill with a view—it overlooks the streets and the ocean. I hung out with a British DJ and chilled with my Chang. Recommendation: Go for it! It’s conveniently located and hella cool. Gotta check it out.
Antrek Excursion
I was a little nervous for this because Cassie and 8 hour hike isn’t exactly something you hear in the same sentence... Nonetheless, I wanted to do something active (particularly after the Booze Cruise), and made myself go on this hike. For some reason this is super popular with French tourists... so the guide spoke in French first then translated for me and one other nice man. It was fun to practice my horrible horrible French. Overall, the hike was amazing. The hardest part was the beginning: we walked to all the viewpoints (there
are 3 official ones, and 1 unofficial), and those stairs were gonna kill me.
I had to concentrate on not passing out and making sure I wasn’t in last
place; because I may be out of shape, but there’s no way in hell I’m
gonna be last. We saw a ton of bugs, some monkeys—it was a true
jungle trek. We walked all over the island. And saw some really
awesome stuff, including a secluded beach with a sweet grotto. We
hiked back at night with our head lamps; we had to tread carefully so
we didn’t step on snakes. As soon as we were back on a concrete
sidewalk of course, I almost stepped on a snake. I knew it would be.
Recommendation: Go for it! This was incredible and one of the
highlights of my trip. It’s very doable and rewarding.
The Only Bar
We ended the trek at The Only Bar for dinner and a drink. Another super cool bar, overlooking the ocean. I ordered the Gold Passion, and it was the best drink I’ve ever had (passion fruit is da bomb).
Recommendation: Go for it! This is place is gorgeously decorated and perfect for a night time chill spot.
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