Phi Phi Islands: Things to Do Beyond Maya Bay

Maya Bay gets the headlines, but it’s a single cove on a single island in an archipelago full of reasons to linger. This guide zooms out to the whole Phi Phi Islands group so you can plan a trip that’s more than one photo stop. For the bay itself, see our Maya Bay guide.

The Phi Phi Islands, briefly

The Phi Phi group sits in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and the Krabi mainland, in Thailand’s Krabi province. Six islands make up the cluster, but two matter for most travellers:

• Phi Phi Don — the only inhabited island. Its hourglass shape pinches to a flat village between two bays, Tonsai and Loh Dalum, with hotels, dive shops, restaurants and famously lively nightlife. This is where you sleep, eat and launch boat trips.
• Phi Phi Leh — smaller, wilder and uninhabited. It holds Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave inside its limestone walls. No one stays here; you come by boat.

Smaller satellites like Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai) and Mosquito Island add snorkelling and quieter sand to the mix.

Things to do in the Phi Phi Islands

A good boat tour strings several highlights together:

• Maya Bay — the icon, best at sunrise.
• Pileh Lagoon — a flooded canyon of emerald water enclosed by cliffs, perfect for a swim.
• Bamboo Island — powder sand and shallow reef, the best easy snorkelling near Phi Phi.
• Monkey Beach — a short hop from the village, home to a troop of crab-eating macaques.
• Viking Cave — a vast cavern where collectors still harvest swiftlet nests for bird’s-nest soup (viewed from the boat).

For the underwater side, our Phi Phi snorkelling guide covers the best reefs and what you’ll see.

Phi Phi Don vs Phi Phi Leh

The two islands serve different purposes. Phi Phi Don is your base — beaches, bars, viewpoints and the pier. Phi Phi Leh is the day-trip destination — uninhabited, dramatic and protected, holding Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon. Confusing the two is the most common Phi Phi mix-up: you can’t sleep on Phi Phi Leh, and you don’t tour Phi Phi Don by boat so much as walk it.

The Phi Phi Viewpoint and beaches

Climb to the Phi Phi Viewpoint for the classic twin-bay panorama where Tonsai and Loh Dalum meet — unbeatable at golden hour. Beyond the busy centre, Long Beach and Loh Bakao offer calmer sand, and the island’s east side hides quiet coves reachable on foot or by longtail.

Where to stay in the Phi Phi Islands

Phi Phi Don has everything from $20 hostels to the luxury of SAii Phi Phi Island Village and OUTRIGGER. Staying central keeps you near the pier and nightlife; a beach resort trades convenience for calm. See our pick of the top hotels in Phi Phi, and when hunger strikes, our top restaurants in Phi Phi.

How many days do you need in Phi Phi?

Two to three days is the sweet spot. That gives you one full island-hopping boat tour to Maya Bay, a morning at the viewpoint, and time to enjoy the beaches and nightlife without feeling rushed. Reserve a dawn start for the bay so you reach it before the Phuket fleet — the logistics are in how to get to Maya Bay.

Getting around the Phi Phi Islands

Phi Phi Don is refreshingly car-free. The main village between Tonsai and Loh Dalum is small enough to cross on foot in ten minutes, and porters with handcarts ferry luggage to the hotels. To reach the quieter beaches — Long Beach, Loh Bakao, Laem Tong — you either walk the coastal trails or hop a longtail water taxi from Tonsai. For the surrounding islands and Maya Bay, you join a boat tour, as set out in how to get to Maya Bay. There are no roads to speak of and no need for one.

Phi Phi nightlife and the beach bars

After dark, Loh Dalum bay becomes the island’s social heart, with fire shows, beach bars and buckets that have made Phi Phi famous (or notorious) with the backpacker crowd. It’s livelier than Maya Bay’s serene daytime image suggests, and it’s easy to find both the party and a quiet corner depending on where you base yourself. If nightlife isn’t your scene, the resorts at Long Beach and Laem Tong offer calm well away from the bass. Pair your evenings with our pick of the top restaurants in Phi Phi.

A sample 3-day Phi Phi itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive by ferry, settle in, walk up to the Phi Phi Viewpoint for sunset.
• Day 2: Full-day island-hopping boat tour — Maya Bay at dawn, Pileh Lagoon, Bamboo Island snorkelling, Monkey Beach.
• Day 3: Slow morning, a swim at Long Beach or a snorkelling session, then a late ferry out.

Stretch it to four or five days if you want to add diving, a cooking class, or simply more beach time.

When to visit the Phi Phi Islands

The islands follow the same Andaman rhythm as Maya Bay: dry, calm and busy from November to April; wet, cheaper and quieter from May to October. The shoulder months of November and April are the sweet spot. Whatever the season, book your Maya Bay boat trip for an early start — the logic is in our best time to visit guide. Festivals, full-moon parties and Thai holidays can spike crowds, so check the calendar if you’re after peace and quiet.

Safety and responsible travel

Phi Phi is a safe, welcoming destination, but a few sensible habits go a long way. Wear a life jacket on boats if you’re not a strong swimmer, use only reef-safe sunscreen, never touch or stand on coral, and keep your distance from the macaques at Monkey Beach. The whole archipelago is a national park in recovery; treating it gently is what keeps it worth visiting.

Phi Phi for different kinds of traveller

The islands flex to suit very different trips. Backpackers gravitate to central Tonsai for cheap beds, beach bars and easy day trips. Couples lean toward the quieter resorts at Long Beach and Laem Tong, or a romantic sunset cruise. Families do well with calmer beaches, shallow snorkelling at Bamboo Island, and a stable catamaran day tour. Divers use Phi Phi as a base for Bida Nok, Bida Nai and the King Cruiser wreck. Whatever your style, the formula is the same: base on Phi Phi Don, take one well-planned boat day to Maya Bay, and leave time to simply enjoy the islands.

Plan your island trip

When you’re ready to pick a boat, compare every trip on our tours page. However you build your itinerary, this maya tour phi phi guide and the pages it links to will get you from first-timer to confident island-hopper.