THE Beach - Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
First published in 2017
For most travelers visiting southern Thailand two places are on top of their bucket list (maybe three if you add the full-moon party on Phi Phi Island): "THE Beach" and James Bond Island. Both can easily be reached from Phuket by boat tour.
We booked a full day package with a speed boat that you can find all over the island. There are different operators and when you reach the harbor you get a colored batch to show to which operator and which tour you belong to. Still, it's a good idea to remember the number of your boat.
Our tour included some snorkeling around Phi Phi Island and lunch in a local restaurant (nothing special, but fully sufficient). With some 30 people on the boat, we were completely packed. Unfortunately, you don't see a lot when you're sitting inside, so sitting in the front is a benefit, but be prepared for a bumpy ride in the full sun.
As you might imagine you'll never be alone on such a trip, but be prepared for the worst. At the snorkeling places and at lunch there might be 10 speed boats around you, at THE Beach some 40 - always plus a number of long tails.
THE Beach itself is a nice one, but not really breathtaking. That you have to share it with hundreds of others is of course not supporting too. When I was there I was wondering if it's a petty that such a nice place became so crowded or if it's a good thing because other places are less impacted in return. In the meantime, I tend to the second point of view.
Now was it worth the trip? To see THE Beach, no - but to be a day at the sea and see some nice landscapes, yes.
