Maya Bay, surrounded by mountains on three sides and boasting snow-white sand, is famous for the movie "The Beach," starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The beach is small, with imposing walls hundreds of meters high, resembling a hand protecting Maya Bay. The sea is turquoise blue, and the shore is dotted with delicate coconut trees, creating a typical tropical island atmosphere suitable for sightseeing and diving.
As the beach of Maya Bay is mixed with coral and shells, visitors should be careful not to get scratched when stepping on it barefoot. It is advisable to wear soft-soled flip-flops to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Phi Phi Island is still an uninhabited island and one of the attractions of the Phi Phi Islands group.
Maya Bay is one of the attractions of Phi Phi Island.
The Phi Phi Islands group, located approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Phuket, Thailand, is a sister group of two main islands designated as a Thai National Park in 1983.
The place is favored by the sun and teeming with Phi Phi shrimp. Consisting of six islands, the two largest of which are Big Phi Phi and Little Phi Phi, the name Phi Phi is derived from the Malay word "Api-Api," meaning "fire," the name given by the ancestors to the mangrove forests on the islands.
The soft white sandy beaches, tranquil blue waters, natural rock caves, and unspoiled natural landscapes set Phi Phi Island apart from the 30-odd outlying islands around Phuket, making it one of the most popular vacation destinations in recent years.
The northern island of Phi Phi Don covers an area of about 10.19 square kilometers at low tide, measuring 3.5 kilometers wide and 8 kilometers long. It has an irregular dumbbell shape with green-covered hills at both ends and two half-moon-shaped bays intersecting in the center of the island, where the water near the shore is an attractive emerald color.
The middle of the island is extremely narrow, measuring only about 80 meters at its narrowest point. The island is inhabited by fishermen and boasts a wide range of resorts, restaurants, and various entertainment venues.
Phi Phi Le, in the south, is about 2 kilometers away from Big Phi Phi and has an area of 1.291 square kilometers at low tide. Surrounded by cliffs and dangerous terrain, it is rarely inhabited. The island has several huge limestone caves with beautiful stalactites hanging inside, some of which have murals of prehistoric humans, elephants, and boats carved into their walls.
To protect the ecological environment of Little Phi Phi Island, the Thai government currently only opens the Viking Caves to visitors. Koh Phi Phi was used as a location for the Hollywood film "The Beach" because of its naturally beautiful beaches, including Phi Rai, Maya, Roxama, crescent moon-like bay, deep blue water, and colorful marine life. The air is even wafting with the scent of romance!
Apart from this, Phi Phi Island has other tourist attractions, including:
1. Ao Ton Sai
The spacious Ao Ton Sai serves as the "transportation hub" of Phi Phi Island, with the island's only pier located here. It is also the busiest "commercial center," with tiny alleyways full of stores, from travel agencies to internet cafes, from 7-11 to souvenir shops, offering everything necessary for everyday travel. Restaurants and hotels make the area bustling with activity from morning till night.
2. Viking Caves
There are several huge limestone caves on Little Phi Phi Island. The Thai government currently only opens the Viking Cave to visitors to protect the ecological environment of Little Phi Phi Island. The caves are also known as "Bird's Nest Caves" because they are inhabited by many swallows and produce a lot of bird's nests. In the nearby sea, you may also see the hard work of workers collecting bird's nests.
