Thailand Trip Day 4 : Krabi Phi Phi Island

We had signed up for a day tour to Phi Phi Islands with Aonang Orchid Speed Boat. The cost of the tour was 1,100 THB per person and we were required to pay a fee of 400 THB each at Bamboo Island. We were picked up from our hotel and brought to Aonang beach. Very soon we boarded the speed boat and departed on our trip. There were about 30 people in our group along with a boat crew of 4. The speed boat was quite spacious and everyone were seated comfortably. The speed boat had both open and enclosed seating area. While the open area offered the best view, it was quite hot and it could get bumpy at times. Iced drinks were also available on board throughout the trip. 

Our first stop was Bamboo Island. The island had a large beach area that extend hundreds of meters inland. The sand were soft and very comfortable to walk on bare footed. The water was pristine clear and seemed very inviting for a swim. There were some stalls selling food and drinks at very expensive prices. We did not see any bamboo on the island though there were ample trees to provide shelter from the sun. 

After that we were brought to Phi Phi Ley which was one of the islands of the Phi Phi archipelago. We stopped momentarily to view Viking Cave located in the northern part of Phi Phi Ley. This was where swifts built their nests and we could see scaffolding put up to harvest the bird nests. 

After that we sped off to Pi Ley Bay located on the eastern coast of the island. Pi Ley Bay was a lagoon enclosed by cliffs. There was a narrow opening for boats to pass through and this was only accessible during high tide. During low tide, the water would remain in the lagoon. The lagoon with its sparking clear emerald water was spectacular. We could glimpse at the sea bed and corals lit up by the bright sunlight penetrating the clear water. 

We moved on to Maya Bay on the western coast of Phi Phi Ley. The bay was flanked by cliffs capped with green foliage with an opening in the center for boats to enter. We alighted at the white sandy beach inside the enclosed bay. Maya Bay was made popular by the movie known as The Beach which starred Leonardo DiCaprio. As a result, the small stretch of beach was constantly flooded with people and boats. Maya Bay was very scenic and we enjoyed our time here walking on the silky soft sand and wading in the sparkling emerald waters.

We stopped at Phi Phi Don for lunch. Phi Phi Don was the largest island of the Phi Phi archipelago. We were brought to a large canteen for a buffet lunch which was included in our tour package. While the food was nowhere as exciting as the scenery, it did manage to satisfy our hunger. 

After lunch and some rest at Phi Phi Don, we continued on our boat tour. We were brought to two spots in the vicinity for snorkeling. While there were abundance of fishes, the variety was limited. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and we were glad that we have a good tour guide who took good care of us and kept us entertained throughout the trip. 

We had dinner at Aonang boat noodle restaurant. We ordered the boat noodle soup along with some local dishes. The boat noodle soup was the specialty and it certainty did not disappoint. 

After dinner, we ventured to the Aonang night market. The night market consisted of a row of stalls selling food on one side of the road and a row of stalls selling clothes and other stuff on the other side. There was no crowd and it was a far cry from the Krabi night market which we went during the weekend.