KO PHI PHI: the most OVERRATED ISLAND IN THAILAND

Updated: 12/27/18 | originally Posted: 06/02/2015 *This update included added links as well as resources.

This was my third see to Ko Phi Phi. As I was there, I was reminded of exactly how much I dislike it.

In fact, I dislike Ko Phi Phi.

Despise it.

I believe it is one of the most overrated islands in all of Thailand.

I spent the last four days right here with some good friends of mine from Bangkok. We were right here on a getaway from work.

Originally, we were going to go to close-by Krabi, however when it was as well peaceful for them, we transferred to Ko Phi Phi.

Ko Phi Phi is one of the most widely known islands in Thailand, as well as during the high season, it’s swarming with people. It was made well-known very first by Lonely world as well as by the film The Beach, who utilized the close-by Maya Bay as a film set. Over the decades, this little island (it’s only 12 square kilometers!) ended up being house to numerous high-end resorts.

The island was a tragic sufferer of the 2005 tsunami as well as much more than 2,000 people were killed right here alone. After the event, numerous believed the locals as well as government would utilize this chance to rebuild in a much more sustainable way.

Sadly, that was not the case. The island has been so rebuilt that you would never understand such a disaster took place. whatever is best back where it was beforehand, there’s a brand new as well as bigger pier, as well as even much more hotels blight the island. There are much more boats right here now too.

I can’t figure out what people see in the island.

First, Ko Phi Phi is overpriced. You pay double what you would anywhere else in Thailand. during the low season, a beach bungalow is 800 baht, double what I paid during the high season on Ko Phangan. A container of booze (the quintessential Thailand drink) is 400 baht, double what it is in Bangkok as well as a bit much more than double what it is on many other islands. A affordable Thai meal is around 100 baht, triple the cost of Bangkok.

Then there are the beaches as well as the water. This is where Ko Phi Phi is expected to shine.

But it doesn’t.

From afar the blue water as well as white sand beaches look like paradise. Yet when you look closer, you recognize that looks are deceiving. one of the beaches is utilized by all the boats, so it’s a no go. There’s the primary one in the bay opposite that a great deal of people go to, however when the tide recedes, all that’s left is dead coral, boats, as well as ankle-deep water. That wouldn’t be bad—if it didn’t occur during the day! This leaves the most prominent beach, long Beach, which is a 15-minute walk from town. There you’ll discover tons of people vying for the good area of beach. And, this good part of the island, is now lined with resorts as well as boats.

The inner bay, which vanishes during low tide is full of dead coral. There’s concrete everywhere. buildings hide the beach.

Unless you are on the personal resorts on the north end of the island, you can’t be saved from the one thing that really kills this island: the mass of long-tail boats. There are just as well numerous boats as well as as well numerous engines choking the water. No matter where you go, you’ll notice that the water has a cool odor to it. Or that white foamy bubbles of squander as well as chemicals from as well numerous boats as well as engines float on the surface. Or perhaps you’ll notice the oil slicks as well as strange brown stuff in the water. Whatever you notice, you’ll notice that the water up close just isn’t as great as it was far away, as well as all of a sudden the great dip in that blue tropical water won’t seem like such a great idea.

Ko Phi Phi, like numerous Thai islands, suffers from overtourism. It’s just as well little to deal with all the people given it. hotels are thrown up, boats brought in, as well as ferries show up to fill as numerous spaces as possible all while coral reefs are dynamited as well as overfished as well as as numerous tourists as possible are given gawk as well as feed the wild monkeys as well as take pictures where Leonardo DiCaprio filmed The Beach.

Since so numerous backpackers an the alcohol as well as music flow continuously, I believe Ko Phi Phi is only great for one thing: partying.

That’s the only reason to find here. To me, there are extremely bit redeeming high qualities to the island.

Good marketing, quite pictures, as well as a credibility for a great celebration keeps Ko Phi Phi alive, however if you want lovely as well as unspoiled tropical islands, Ko Phi Phi is not the location for you.

If you want lovely beaches, see Ko Lanta, Ko Jum, Ko Mak, or Ko Adang instead!

There are so numerous other lovely — as well as less expensive — islands in Thailand that I would avoid going to to Ko Phi Phi. Don’t contribute to the mass tourism as well as environmental damage of the island. save your time as well as money as well as go somewhere else (but avoid Pai too).

Paradise exists in Thailand. It’s just not here.
 

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