Paradise - Part 2/3

A two-hour ferry over the emerald green sea to Ko Phi Phi was a great start to my next adventure. Spotting numerous remote getaways along the way, we passed Chicken and Bamboo Islands, popular day trip locations from Phi Phi. Docking in Ton Sai Bay, an entrance fee of 65 cents was required as a means of keeping the island clean. It definitely pays off when you realize how wild the beach parties get night after night. But starting on a healthy note, I found myself a cheap room then pumped it up hundreds of steps to the very rewarding viewpoint. 

With the clear blue waters of Loh Dalum Bay on the right, the royal blue waters of Ton Sai Bay on the left, downtown Phi Phi Don in between and Phi Phi Ley in the distance, it was utterly breathtaking. Literally crawling through the jungle down the other side of the mountain, I gained access to the remote side of the island. Beach hopping for the remaining sunlight of the day, I visited Toh Ko, Rantee and Phak Nam beaches. Each spot was spectacular and unique in its own way, with only the more venturesome visitors discovering the sanctuaries. I was in and out of the Andaman Sea probably half a dozen times snorkeling around some great reefs wishing I had scuba gear. Another hour-long hike through the jungle back up the mountain and down the other side, I was exhausted after an early and long day so I hit the hay early. The next day I joined the lazy bums on Loh Dalum beach for a day of rest and relaxation, finally.

Dragging myself up off the fine white sand only to cool down in the not-cool-enough ocean, I worked on catching up my tan to the other bronzed backpackers. A fire show that night was the main highlight of my day, but extremely entertaining to say the least. At one point there were five performers on one stage, whipping their flaming batons and orbs ridiculously close to each other. They even stacked on top of one another to form a pyramid while impressively continuing to fire poi. After recovering the next morning with a fresh fruit smoothie and Thai banana pancake, I cruised for just under an hour over to Long Beach. Passing remote bamboo bungalows on 20-foot high stilts made for an interesting journey, reminding me of the terrible tsunami that hit here not too many years ago. They’ve rebuilt most of the island pretty well, but the devastation is still somewhat evident. After another afternoon of bronzing on smooth golden sands of the lengthy ravishing beach, I never wanted to leave Phi Phi.

However, I’d already booked my ferry over to Koh Lanta for the next morning so I had no choice. I will have to go back one day and visit Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Ley, where Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the movie ‘The Beach’. For good reason, that paradise is always packed unless you arrive earlier than I was ever able to wake up. It's true when they say "you never leave Phi Phi… you escape."