⚠️ WARNING: The following post contains LOADS OF TRAVEL PORN!! ⚠️

The Beautiful Islands of Kho Phi Phi

Last night we flew into Phuket, Thailand from Myanmar and took a 45-minute taxi ride to our hotel. To say it was a long day of traveling would be an understatement. We got to bed as early as possible because we had a 7am wake-up call to catch the ferry to Kho Phi Phi Islands.

View from our hotel! 😍

Long-tail Boat to Kho Phi Phi Ley

After spending 15 minutes or so negotiating with a long-tail boat driver, we got a trip sorted for us to visit Kho Phi Phi Ley which is a smaller island that sits 6.8 km from the main island of Kho Phi Phi. You may be familiar with this island as it was the primary filming location for the 2000 movie "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The paradise beach in the movie was actually Maya Bay which was one of today's stops. We also added Monkey Beach which you really can't pass up!

Maya Bay

This bay had become so popular and overrun with tourists since the 2000 movie The Beach that they finally had to close it off to allow the coral to recover. It literally just shut down a month ago and will remained closed for four months. But we were actually very happy to know that conservation efforts were in place to protect the bay. And we still got some great shots from the boat.

Pileh Lagoon

Our next stop on the island was Pileh Lagoon which was also a filming location for the movie The Beach. The turquoise, tranquil waters really made you feel like you were in paradise. We wanted to get off here and do a little snorkeling but we're playing it safe with our new Sak Yant Tattoos that we got in Bangkok a week ago. The last thing we need is an infection, so we'll just hold off on the snorkeling for a bit.

Viking Cave

We're still a little confused about the history of this cave in the side of Kho Phi Phi Ley, but rumor has it that images of Viking ships were found on the walls inside. So perhaps Vikings spent some time here? We're unsure. But what we do know is that today locals harvest bird nests from high up in the caves which are the key ingredient in Chinese birds’ nest soup. Apparently the nests are a sort of delicacy, and at half the price of Gold per ounce, they're not cheap!

Monkey Beach

I'm not gonna lie. I love some monkeys, but Kristen had me a little nervous about these particular monkeys. She had told me a story of one of her friends who was bitten by one and had to end his entire trip to go back home and get rabies shots. And I had heard multiple accounts of other similar situations, as well as the common theft that these wild monkeys commit. But at the same time I was so intrigued by how these monkeys lived on the coast of Kho Phi Phi and stayed to themselves on one beach.

After stealing a coke bottle, this monkey emptied it into his mouth before discarded it onto the beach. A thief and a litterer!

Not Much Planned Tomorrow

Unfortunately, this is the low season for Kho Phi Phi, and all of South East Asia really. These are the hottest months and most people wait to come here during winter in their native countries. We've actually been very happy about this because the crowds have been thin everywhere. But we didn't expect Kho Phi Phi to be as slow as it is. The lack of tourists during this time of year really alters the life of the islands.

Typically on Kho Phi Phi there are lots of wild parties, fire jump roping (yes, that's a thing!), and just overall debauchery. But due to the lack of visitors there is none of that. Not even the local Muay Thai fights that happen near the main square of the island seem to have been cancelled. So we're going to be forced to just take it easy the next couple of days, which, after about 4 weeks of traveling, doesn't sound too bad. 🙃

Thanks for following along with our journey through South East Asia. Please give me a follow at @brandonfrye for more travel experiences and tips. I look forward to sharing much more with you soon!

Kho Phi Phi: Maya Bay, Viking Cave, Pileh Lagoon, and Monkey Beach 🐒🏝️