Sunshine, booze and tattoos: Koh Phi Phi Island

Posted: July 11, 2026 by Ovi

Krabi, on the Andaman Sea, is a place of stunning scenery. Towering limestone cliffs rise from turquoise waters, while hundreds of islands are scattered across the sea, many with beautiful white-sand beaches.

One of Krabi’s most popular destinations is Koh Phi Phi, described by Lonely Planet as a “hedonistic paradise” and by Nomadic Matt as “Thailand’s most dangerous island”.

In fact, Koh Phi Phi is a group of islands, with Maya Bay being the most famous. It was the filming location for “The Beach” starring Leonardo di Caprio. Today, Maya Bay is periodically closed to tourists to allow its fragile ecosystem to recover from the effects of overtourism.

Let’s go to Koh Phi Phi Island!

While researching and planning the trip online, I somehow got the impression that Phi Phi was a remote, untouched paradise. The reality, however, is a little different. There is indeed a wild, undeveloped island—Phi Phi Leh—which can only be visited on day trips. Then there is Phi Phi Don, the “hedonistic paradise,” home to the hotels, restaurants, bars, and lively nightlife.

December is one of the most expensive times to visit these islands, but Sasi and I decided to go anyway. We planned to spend five days on Koh Phi Phi and another five days in Ao Nang.

Our journey began at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport, where we boarded a Thai Lion Air flight to Krabi.

From Krabi we took a boat to Koh Phi Phi.

Arriving on Koh Phi Phi, we found porters from various hotels waiting to greet their guests.

Koh Phi Phi View Point

Our accommodation was at the Arboreal Resort, perched on a hillside with panoramic views of the sea and the surrounding tropical forest. There are no cars on Koh Phi Phi, so hotel porters transport luggage by cart wherever possible, then carry it on their backs—or even on their heads—while climbing the many stairs leading up to the resort.

The views from our room were beautiful. On our first morning, we were greeted by an angry family of monkeys, noisily arguing on our balcony and leaping from one railing to another.

From the Arboreal Resort, it’s a short climb to the Viewpoint. The panoramic views from the top are simply breathtaking.

Rontee New Beach

From the Viewpoint, a trekking trail leads to the other side of the hill. It’s steep and not very well marked. And then there are the mosquitoes. A lot of them! Wearing shorts and T-shirts, we gave the mosquitoes an easy target. Stop for even a few seconds and dozens of mosquitoes will cover your legs—hence the terrified look on Sasi’s face.

Under attack from mosquitoes

We emerged from the jungle into a small fishing village. The fishermen looked surprised.

“Why did you go through the jungle?” one of them asked. “There are poisonous snakes!”

Good to know… after the fact.

The beaches in this part of the island were beautiful and peaceful. If you stay too long, however, the tide comes in surprisingly quickly, and you can end up stranded. So we continued our trek along the shore until we reached Long Beach.

Koh Phi Phi Don

The narrow strip of land between Ton Sai Bay and Loh Dalum Bay is where the island comes alive after dark. Packed with guesthouses, bars, restaurants, and tattoo parlors, it’s easy to see why the “danger” can often be found in a bottle of booze. It seems as if everyone has a tattoo, proudly displayed for the world to see. A backpacker’s paradise!