Ko Phi Phi, paradise found...by me and a lot of other people

I really wanted to go to Ko Phi Phi. Some said they liked it, others said that it was over-hyped and touristy, but Phi Phi is (was) the stuff of backpacker legends, so I needed to see for myself.
Ko Phi Phi is a beautiful island and a place of dramatic contrasts. Topographically, it looks like Palawan with clear water and dramatic limestone karst formations rising out of the sea, but the vibe couldn't be more different. The main tourist village is crammed with people, shops, pubs, guesthouses, and the main beach is shoulder to shoulder tanners, but at the same time a 20 minute walk takes you to one of the pristine empty beaches that made this place famous.

I traveled to Phi Phi with Sonja, a German friend I had met on the Similan island liveaboard trip. We were planning to do some diving in Phi Phi, but all of the recent water-sports activities had taken a toll on my ear, and I came down with my first ear infection in about 15 years (nice timing with that one, ear canal). That meant no swimming for a several days and absolutely no diving for 1-2 weeks. Bummer. Growing up on swim team, I was no stranger to ear infections, but I had forgotten how much I hated them. Now I remember....very clearly.

Fortunately there are plenty of activities on Phi Phi that didn't involve submerging your head in water (my preferred one being lounging on the beach), and by the end of my stay, I was well enough to do a little snorkeling.

Sonja and I had a great time in Phi Phi, and I'm glad that I went there, even if the place is no longer the backpacker paradise that it perhaps once was.

-Julia


Ko Phi Phi


Ko Phi Phi beach


Sonja eats some reeeeeeeeeeeeally spicy Tom Yam soup


I'm not really sure why, but these birds were hanging from the power-lines every morning


Phi Phi's pedestrian streets


One of the more quiet beaches


Surrounding islands


Long-tail boats


Difficult to see, but this bay is where the movie "The beach" was filmed (it was totally crammed with people and tour boats)


Cat in fridge...don't ask


Hanging out with Sonja on monkey beach


Butterflies


Sun-worshipers


More trouble with Sonja


Beach bar


Sonja and Steffen


Meandering through of Phi Phi


All directions were given in terms of the "big, yellow dive shop"...difficult to miss


The Andaman Sea from the top of Phi Phi