The Phi Phi Islands (Thai: หมู่เกาะพีพี, Thai pronunciation: [pʰīː pʰīː]) are located in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the western Andaman Sea coast of the mainland. The islands are administratively part of Krabi province. Ko Phi Phi Don ("ko" (Thai: เกาะ) meaning "island" in the Thai language) is the largest island of the group, and is the only island with permanent inhabitants, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Lee (or "Ko Phi Phi Leh"), are visited by many people as well. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok, Bida Noi, and Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai), are not much more than large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea.
Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Muslim fishermen during the late 1940s, and later became a coconut plantation. The Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80% Muslim. The actual population however, if counting laborers, especially from the north-east, from the mainland is much more Buddhist these days.
The islands came to worldwide prominence when Ko Phi Phi Leh was used as a location for the 2000 British-American film The Beach. This attracted criticism, with claims that the film company had damaged the island's environment,[1] an accusation the film's makers contest. The film's release was attributed to an increase in tourism to the islands. Phi Phi Leh also houses the 'Viking Cave', from which there is a thriving bird's nest soup industry.
Ko Phi Phi was devastated by the Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004, when nearly all of the island's infrastructure was destroyed. As of 2010[update] most, but not all, of this has been restored.
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From archaeological discoveries, it is believed that the area was one of the oldest communities in Thailand dating back to the prehistoric period. It is believed that this province may have taken its name after the meaning of Krabi, which means sword. This may have stemmed from a legend that an ancient sword was unearthed prior to the city’s founding.
The name Phi Phi (pronounced ‘pee pee’) originates from Malay, the original name for the islands were Pulau Api-Api (The Fiery Isle). The name refers to the Pokok Api-Api, which literary translated as the Fiery Tree (Grey Mangrove) which is commonly found throughout the Island. They were incorporated into the national park in 1983.
There are six islands in the group known as Phi Phi. They lie 50 km south-east of Phuket and are part of Hadnopparattara-Koh Phi Phi National Park which is home to an abundance of corals and marine life. There are limestone mountains with cliffs, caves and long white sandy beaches. The national park covers a total area of 242,437 Rai.
Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le are the largest and most well-known islands. Phi Phi Don is 28 sqkm: 8 km in length and 3.5 km wide. Phi Phi Le is 6.6 km
There are 5 villages on Ko Phi Phi under administration of Ao Nang sub-district, Muang district, Krabi Province.
The villages are:
Ko Phi Phi comprises 6 islands, 2 of them are the main island – Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le. On Ko Phi Phi there are 2 villages and under administration of Ao Nang sub-district, Muang district, Krabi Province. The islands are surrounded by the Andaman Sea.
Weather in the region is tropical - there are only two seasons: the hot season from January to April, and the rainy season from May to December. Temperatures during the year average 25°C to 32°C (77°F to 89.6°F) and the yearly rainfall averages 2568.5mm. The rain in this region comes down heavily over short periods.
Since the re-building of Ko Phi Phi after the 2004 Tsunami paved roads have started to appear, although still under construction and for pedestrian use only. Bicycling is the most popular form of transport in Ton Sai.
The nearest airports are at Krabi, Trang and Phuket. All three airports have direct road and boat connections.
There are frequent ferry boats to Ko Phi Phi from Phuket, Ko Lanta and Krabi Town.
There is a large modern deep water Government Pier on Tonsai Bay, Phi Phi Don Village completed late 2009. It takes in the main ferry boats from Phuket, Krabi and Koh Lanta. Visitors to Phi Phi Island must pay 20 Thai Baht on arrival and pay on the pier. Dive boats, longtail boats and supply boats have their own drop off points along the piers, so making the pier highly efficient in the peak seasons.
The New Post office was completed and opened 2010 and is housed in a smart new building behind the PP Princess Resort area in Phi Phi Don village. Tourists can buy stamps, post postcards, aerograms and send letters. Registered Post, EMS and parcel service can also be organized here. Souvenirs of the Thai Postal service can be bought here as well. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am till 6pm except bank holidays.
The islands feature beaches and clear water that have had their natural beauty protected by National Park status. Tourism on Ko Phi Phi, like the rest of Krabi province, has exploded only very recently. In the early 1990s only the most adventurous travelers visited the island, staying in only the most basic accommodation. Nowadays, however, the place has turned into one of the major destinations for visitors to Krabi. However, it is still significantly less developed than the nearby island of Phuket, or Ko Samui, on Thailand's opposite coast.
Ko Phi Phi is a popular place for diving and snorkeling, kayaking and other marine recreational activities.
Krabi province the home of Ko Phi Phi is a melting pot of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese, Muslims and even sea gypsies. The majority of the population in the rural areas is Muslim. The province however, does not suffer from any religious tension and the folk live in peace and harmony. Outside of the provincial town, the rural folk speak with a thick Southern dialect which is difficult for even other Thais to understand. With this kind of mixture, the province is often celebrating something be it part of Thai Buddhist, Thai-Chinese or Thai-Islamic tradition. Visitors can also enjoy the annual boat-launching ceremonies of the sea gypsies and various long-tail boat races.
Even though it is Indonesia in origin, the art of batik has embedded itself within the local culture. There are also a lot of Krabi and Ko Phi Phi handicrafts such as pineapple paper.
Rock-climbing
Experts have climbed up many rock faces both on the mainland and Ko Phi Phi. Railay and Phra-nang Beaches are renowned with climbers as one of the most favoured rock-climbing destinations in South-East Asia. A countless amount of schools have sprung into business over the past decade or so, most of which are located at Railay, with some on Ko Phi Phi. There are now more than 600 routes.
Diving
Krabi has turned into one of the most popular dive spots in Thailand due to its clear water and colourful coral. Ko Lanta is known to be (amongst divers) as the best spot in the province. There are an abundance of diving schools with courses for all levels of diving.
Kiteboarding
Phi Phi island offers excellent conditions for learning kiteboarding. There are beaches on all sides of the island so any wind direction is suitable. There is only one school on the island and they provide IKO beginner courses as well as advanced lessons. Tours are also provided to nearby islands.
In general, Southern Thai food is renowned for its spiciness. Much of the cuisine has its origins in Malay, Chinese and Indian food. Favourite dishes from the south include Indian-style Muslim curry (massaman), rice noodles in fish curry sauce (Khanom Jeen) and chicken birayani.
As for Ko Phi Phi, reasonable priced and tasty seafood is obviously what most tourists long for when visiting a coastal province like Krabi. In this connection, the wing shell (หอยชักตีน) is the province’s famous cuisine. In addition, stirred fried Spotted Babylon (หอยหวาน), which is found in mangrove forests, with chilies and basil is also famous. This cuisine is common in Ko Phi Phi’s restaurants. Another great provincial taste is seafood.
There is a small hospital on Phi Phi Island for emergencies (accidents, injuries, etc.) Its main purpose is to stabilise emergencies and evacuate to Phuket international hospital. It is located between the Phi Phi Cabana Hotel and the Tonsai Towers, about a 5–7 minute walk from the main pier.
On 26 December 2004, much of the inhabited part of Phi Phi Don was devastated by the Indian Ocean Tsunami. The island's main village, Ton Sai (Banyan Tree, Thai: ต้นไทร), is mainly built on a sandy isthmus between the island's two long, tall limestone ridges. On both sides of Ton Sai are semicircular bays lined with beaches. The isthmus rises to less than two metres (six feet) above sea level.
Shortly after 10 am on the morning of 26 December, the water from both bays receded. When the tsunami hit, at 10.37 am, it did so from both bays, and met in the middle of the isthmus. The wave that came into Ton Sai Bay was 3 metres (10 ft) high. The wave that came into Loh Dalum Bay was 6.5 metres (18 ft) high. The force of the larger wave from Loh Dalum Bay pushed the tsunami and also breached low-lying areas in the limestone karsts, passing from Laa Naa Bay to Bakhao Bay, and at Laem Thong (Sea Gypsy Village), where 11 people died. Apart from these breaches, the eastern side of the island experienced only flooding and strong currents.
At the time of the tsunami, the island had an estimated 10,000 occupants, including tourists.
After the tsunami, approximately 70% of the buildings on the island had been destroyed. By the end of July 2005, an estimated 850 bodies had been recovered, and an estimated 1,200 people were still missing. The total number of fatalities is unlikely to be known however local tour guides cite the figure of 4,000. Of Phi Phi Don residents, 104 surviving children had lost one or both parents.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the island was evacuated. The Thai government declared the island temporarily closed while a new zoning policy was drawn up. Many transient Thai workers returned to their home towns, and former permanent residents were housed in a refugee camp at Nong Kok in Krabi province.
However, January 6, 2005, a former Dutch resident of Phi Phi, Emiel Kok, set up a voluntary organization, Help International Phi Phi. Hi Phi Phi recruited 68 Thai staff from the refugee camp, as well as transient backpacker volunteers (of whom more than 3,500 offered their assistance), and returned to the island to undertake clearing and rebuilding work. On February 18, 2005, a second organization, Phi Phi Dive Camp,[2] was set up to remove the debris from the bays and coral reef, most of which was in Ton Sai Bay.
By the end of July 2005, 23,000 tonnes of debris had been removed from the island, of which 7,000 tonnes had been cleared by hand. "We try and do as much as possible by hand," said Kok, "that way we can search for passports and indentification." The majority of buildings that were deemed fit for repair by government surveyors had been repaired, and three hundred businesses had been restored. Hi Phi Phi was nominated for a Time Magazine Heroes of Asia award .[3]
On October 31, 2005, Deputy Prime Minister Pinit Jarusombat proposed an upgrade to the hotels and restaurants on Phi Phi Don, and a limitation to the number of tourists visiting. "It'll help us preserve its environment," said Pinit.[4] However, after consultation with residents and land-owners, many of whom opposed the plan, the Bangkok Post reported on February 17, 2006, that the proposals would not affect Phi Phi.
As of 6 December 2005, nearly 1,500 hotel rooms were open, and a tsunami early warning alarm system had been installed by the Thai government, with the help of volunteers.
National TV, cable TV and satellite TV are available on the island, as well as International newspapers, books and magazines. Landline telephones, mobile phone systems and internet (ADSL) are available. There is a post office in Ton Sai. Phi Phi has its own monthly magazine / newspaper, Phi Phi News. It is distributed free of charge on the island and in all the surrounding ports.