Koh Phi Phi Attractions
Ko Phi Phi Leh - take a longtail boat and visit Maya Bay – the “secret beach” where the movie “The Beach” was filmed. Water directly around the island is sometimes disappointingly murky and not so good for diving. The beach on the other side of the island, across from where the boats land, is slightly nicer. It is highly recommended to arrive at Maya Bay before 8am, when the place can still be enjoyed in solitude. As from 9am hoards of speedboats with tourists on package tours arrive from Phuket. Another thing to think about when coming to Maya Bay is the time of year. During the high season (October – May) you will feel like you are at Disneyland, but during the off season and you shouldn’t be surprised if you are one of only two or three small groups on the beach, or even alone. NOTE: Park Rangers have begun enforcement of a National Park entry fee of 200 baht/person, though if you are traveling in a tour group, they will typically include it in the price of your trip.
Snorkeling - there are two rocks within swimming distance of Long Beach known as ‘Shark Point’ where harmless blacktip reef sharks can be seen. The Adventure Club dive shop runs ‘Shark Watch’ snorkeling trips to Shark Point that ‘guarantee’ a sighting of sharks. Many dive schools take snorkelers on their dive boats, but expect to see only a hint of the underwater marvel visible to scuba divers. The snorkeling off Bamboo and Mosqito Islands is quite good although the reefs are a long way below you at high tide. For an excellent chance to see sharks, visit Paradise Diving on Longbeach who will point you in the right direction of the Black Tip Reef Shark’s habitat metres from the sandy shore. Paradise Diving is located on The Paradise Resort in the middle of Longbeach.
Scuba diving – Even though the island was struck badly by the Tsunami disaster in 2004, the area has recovered impressively and divers are coming back in flocks.
There are many dive shops, and some very good dive locations. Prices are regulated, so expect to pay the same everywhere. Shops on the island do a few different trips. The typical trip offered is a two tank local dive within the Phi Phi Marine park which will run about 2500 baht, 2000 baht if you bring your own gear. They also do 2 -3 tank trips to the King Cruiser wreck with your follow up dives at both Shark Point and Anemone Reef, this trip usually runs between 3200 -3900 depending on the number of dives you do. No diving trip to Phi Phi would be complete if you didn’t head down to Hin Daeng. Hin Daeng has some of the stepest drops in Thailand (60m+) as well as being the place you are most likely to see Manta Rays and Whale Sharks. This trip usually runs around 4500 baht. The town centre is crammed with dive shops and is fiercly competitive. For a more relaxed experience there are several dive shops also available on Longbeach.
