May 31 – June 1 : Koh Phi Phi

Phi Phi Don is the main island with, as usual, several bars and tattoo shops. Contrary to Railay Beach, there are also plenty of dive centers here. Diving in Koh Phi Phi is considerably more expensive than in Koh Tao – about 3300 THB for 2 fun dives (ca. 82 €) as opposed to ca. 1700 THB for 2 fun dives in Koh Tao.

That being said, I had one of my most spectacular dives here in Koh Phi Phi in terms of marine life abundance. In a single dive, we managed to see a huge barracuda, a turtle, and a big tuna fish along with massive schools of smaller fish.

There is also the option for a quick hike to the Phi Phi Don viewpoint, which can easily be done in less than an hour, up and down.

There are several half-day or full-day tours to see the surrounding islands in a boat with a group and a guide. This is a good way to see the main highlights in one day, which include Maya Bay (where “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio was shot), snorkeling with baby blacktip sharks, and, if you book the late tour, seeing glowing plankton in the sea after nightfall.