Dirty, trashy, crowded, loud, ugly, and not-worth-going. These were some of the terms used to describe the Phi Phi Islands when I began researching them. People complained about the noisy backpackers paradise, and claimed the island was solely for party-goers. I have to admit that after reading this about the Phi Phi islands, I was convinced to skip them completely.
That being said, shortly after arriving to Ao Nang, Thailand, I met two 20-something year old backpackers from the UK. They were so passionate about the Phi Phi islands, and adamant that I give them a chance. Yes, I realize this advice was coming from the very source of what the reviews warned me about. However, after dinner and {a couple} drinks with these two lovely souls, it took everything in me not to trust them.
And so, I booked my ferry that night.
The next morning I woke up early to be picked up, and taken to the ferry port. After boarding, I kept quite content for the 2+ hour journey {quoted to be an hour and a half} as we passed multiple islands en route.
Eventually we neared Phi Phi, and it suddenly became clear as to why this destination was so popular. As we floated up to the dock, the views left me speechless. The water was clearer than anything I had seen previously, and the jagged cliffs were enormous.
Immediately after disembarking the ferry, I was charged with a 20 baht ‘clean up’ fee before I was allowed to step foot on land. Obviously, this set off alarm bells in my mind, “The blogs were right – this place must be trash-ridden if we must pay to have it cleaned each day!”. Unfortunately, this piece of the puzzle is somewhat true. The islands have become so dirty, that the government started charging a clean up fee. They even temporarily closed the popular Maya Bay {one of the initial reasons people started visiting this part of the country}.
I paid my fee and headed straight to the beach. It was gorgeous. The water was like glass and only a few early risers were lounging on the soft sand. I obviously snapped some photos, but then went directly into the sea for a quick dip.
And that’s when it hit me – literally.
First a plastic bag, then a food wrapper, and then a bottle cap. Disgusted, I dragged myself out of the water and back to my patch of shade on the beach. It’s true that there is still trash on this island – and lots of it.
That being said, the collection of trash is not overpowering in the sense that you are only swimming through rubbish. The majority of it remains washed up on the shore. Once you move past the layer {ew} of garbage, you can still experience that crystal clear water we all know and love. However, I didn’t have this experience on the other islands I visited during this trip.
After a {somewhat} unfortunate start to the day, I made my way to find some breakfast. I stumbled upon {read: researched and hunted down} Mango Garden. This restaurant is advertised as being gluten-free and vegan friendly, however it doesn’t cater to either party very well. I believe the highlights of Mango Garden are their smoothies {which they have an abundance of}. But in terms of breakfast/brunch foods, the selection wasn’t substantial.
What they do offer although, is delicious. I was naughty and ordered something filled with gluten {and sugar and basically everything bad for you}. My waffle came equipped with whipped cream and the fake Ms. Butterworth’s style maple syrup. And the best part – half a mango cut up to perfection. Everything about this breakfast was mouthwatering. 10 out of 10 from me – but certainly not recommended for my gluten free ladies and gents out there.
While I felt a bit guilty at first upon leaving the restaurant, that feeling quickly vanished once I began my next adventure of the day. I was determined to hike up to the famous Phi Phi Viewpoint where tourists marvel at the dumbbell shaped island from above. As with most things worth seeing, it’s best to attempt this climb first thing in the morning. It’s cooler, the lighting is better, blah blah blah.
Since I didn’t have much control over my arrival time, I found myself hiking up vertical staircases during the peak afternoon. To say it was hot would be the understatement of the year. Temperatures in Thailand during the middle of August are scorching. Not a day went by that my hair wasn’t drenched with sweat by 9:00 AM.
Note: there is a 30 baht entrance fee to reach the viewpoint. Don’t forget to bring cash with you or you will be unable to proceed.
Eventually, I made it to the top and absorbed the beauty in front of me. You could so perfectly see the difference in color between the two bays. One was turquoise and the other a rich royal blue.
I honestly didn’t want to leave once I reached the top. I sat on the rocks for what felt like an hour, and then eventually made my way back down the steep staircase. From there, I wandered through the narrow back roads and eventually found myself back at the beach.
My boat was scheduled to arrive shortly, but my afternoon felt like it had only just begun. I purchased some water at the nearest convenient store, before making one last jaunt along Tonsai Beach. I quickly snapped a few pictures of the stunning long tail boats, all in a line and floating on water so clear it looked like glass. And just like that, my afternoon was over.
As I boarded the ferry, my final thoughts were positive ones. I simply wanted to stay.
The Phi Phi Islands, Phi Phi Don in particular, is one of the most beautiful destinations I’ve ever seen. It took my breath away upon arrival, and left me wanting more. While I don’t think I spent nearly enough time on the islands, I would gladly return and spend a few nights.
Is there garbage floating in the ocean? Yes. Does it ruin the overall beach experience? Absolutely not. Is it a backpackers’ paradise? Sure is. Should that deter you from calling Phi Phi Don home for a few nights? Nope.
Overall, I don’t believe the Phi Phi Islands are overrated. Maya Bay, perhaps. But I’m glad I didn’t allow negative reviews about the islands keep me away. It helped that I had previously spent an entire day on a{n almost} private island. Knowing I could have the best of both worlds encouraged me to keep an open mind about Phi Phi.
I encourage you to give the islands a chance. If anything, take a day trip like I did. That way you only spend a day wasted if it’s not your cup of tea. However, I don’t think that will be the case.