We share some travel tips on how to travel Phi Phi island on a budget.

It is actually not so difficult to arrange your own transport and tours instead of making use of a travel agency.  Here is how we did it:

Exploring Phi Phi with our family

How to get to Phi Phi island from Phuket

• We made use of Grab (a transportation booking service similar to Uber).  Download the app and order a Grab.  A fixed rate is set and the driver is there within minutes. No negotiating prices with any taxi driver. Very safe and reliable. Grab collected us from our hotel and took us to the Rassada Pier in Phuket.
• We booked and paid our tickets for the ferry online through Phuketferry.com . There are different time slots and different discounted prices starting from as low as 9USD p/p.  The travel time is about 2 hours and you can sit inside or enjoy the wind in your hair outside. The park fees for Phi Phi island are 20 THB per adult which is payable upon entrance.

Ferry to Phi Phi Island

• Phi Phi island has two drop off points, Tonsai Pier  and Laemtong Beach  so ensure that you get off at the point closest to your accommodation. All resorts are accessibly by foot only, remember to wear comfortable shoes even though it will not be a long walk. 

Where to stay on Phi Phi island

• Laemtong Beach side – the more private, quiet, fancy and also the more expensive side.  If lazing on a sun chair, sipping on a cocktail and enjoying an expensive but classy meal is what you have in mind, then this is the side of the island for you. We stayed at Phi Phi Natural Resort.

• Tonsai Pier Side – this is the more touristy side, lots of bars, shops, walkways, restaurants, travel agents and a range of accommodations to choose from.  We stayed at Phi Phi Good View . This is budget accommodation with a 5-star view! A staff member from the resort awaited our arrival at the pier and the kids had a free ride to the resort! We were in close vicinity to the shops and restaurants. The only downfall is that it can be noisy at night due to the parties across the beach that can go on until early morning hours.  We were so exhausted from all our daily activities, it didn’t really bother us much.
  

  Good View Resort

  

  Good View Resort

  

  View from our room

Where to eat on Phi Phi island

There are a range of restaurants to suit everyone’s taste –  from local Thai restaurants to Italian restaurants serving the best pizza and pasta’s.  We found that the restaurants in the centre of town (away from the beachfront) served the cheapest food and beer.  The food was equally tasty.

What to do on Phi Phi Island

• Shopping – stroll around the walkways in Phi Phi town – there are so many shops selling souvenirs, clothes and you will even find mobile repair shops.
  

  

  
• Boat trip to Maya Bay – we got the cheapest prices on a private long tail boat out of town right next to Phi Phi Good View (our resort).  We requested to not get off at Maya Bay (the second you step off the boat onto the beach you need to pay park fees) plus the beach is overcrowded with tourists. We took some beautiful footage and snorkelled around our boat. It’s cheaper to book a tour at a travel agent on the island, don’t book in Phuket.  Watch our video.
  

  Tour operator where we booked our trip

  

  Monkey Beach

  

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• Party – looking for a party?  Visit the beach at night and enjoy exquisite fire dance performances with booming music!
• Explore the island – the island is so small with lovely walkways making it easy to explore. The island has no roads and transport, so take some comfy footwear to walk around.

We had an amazing time on Phi Phi island.  We found Phi Phi much cheaper than Phuket. When visiting Phuket, make sure to spend some time on Phi Phi Island, at least 3 days.  It’s definitely one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited.

Please ask any questions if you plan on traveling to Phi Phi and need more info 🙂  We made a video of our time on Phi Phi.  Watch it here.

Safe Travels!

xxx

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