Phi Phi Islands

The islands are reachable by ferries, speedboats or long-tail boats, most often from Krabi town or from ports in Phuket Province. Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Thai Malay fishermen during the late-1940s, and later became a coconut plantation. The resident Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80 percent Muslim. The current population however—if counting transient workers—is more Buddhist than Muslim. The resident population is between 2,000 and 3,000 people (2018). The islands came to worldwide prominence when Ko Phi Phi Le 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—the producers supposedly bulldozed beach areas and planted palm trees to make it better resemble descriptions in the book, an accusation the filmmakers contest. An increase in tourism was attributed to the film's release, which resulted in increased environmental degradation. Phi Phi Le is home to the "Viking Cave", where there is a thriving industry harvesting edible bird's nests. Ko Phi Phi was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, when nearly all of the island's infrastructure was destroyed.

• Native Name — หมู่เกาะพีพี • Native Name Lang — TH • Image Caption — Beach surrounded by limestone cliffs, typical of the islands • Location — Strait of Malacca • Archipelago — Phi Phi Islands • Total Islands — 6 • Major Islands — Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Le • Area Km2 — 12.06 • Country — Thailand • Country Admin Divisions Title — Province • Country Admin Divisions — Krabi • Country Admin Divisions Title 1 — District • Country Admin Divisions 1 — Mueang Krabi • Country Admin Divisions Title 2 — Tambon • Country Admin Divisions 2 — Ao Nang • Country Largest City Type — village • Country Largest City — Ban Ko Phi Phi • Population As Of — 2018 • Population — 2,500 • Utc Offset — +7 • Languages — Thai, Southern Thai, Urak Lawoi • Ethnic Groups — Urak Lawoi • Timezone — ICT • Postal Code — 81210 The Phi Phi Islands (pron) are an island group in Thailand located in the Strait of Malacca between the large island of Phuket and the Straitscoast in the Krabi Province The islands are administratively part of Krabi Province. Ko Phi Phi Don (ko 'island') is the largest and most populated island of the group, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Le are visited by many people as well. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok, Bida Nai, and Ko Mai Phai, are not much more than large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. The islands are reachable by ferries, speedboats or long-tail boats, most often from Krabi town or from ports in Phuket Province. Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Thai Malay fishermen during the late-1940s, and later became a coconut plantation. The resident Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80 percent Muslim. The current population however—if counting transient workers—is more Buddhist than Muslim. The resident population is between 2,000 and 3,000 people (2018). The islands came to worldwide prominence when Ko Phi Phi Le 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—the producers supposedly bulldozed beach areas and planted palm trees to make it better resemble descriptions in the book, an accusation the filmmakers contest. An increase in tourism was attributed to the film's release, which resulted in increased environmental degradation. Phi Phi Le is home to the "Viking Cave", where there is a thriving industry harvesting edible bird's nests. Ko Phi Phi was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, when nearly all of the island's infrastructure was destroyed.

• Illustration — Gypsy boat, Ko Phi Phi The name Phi Phi (pronounced "phi-phi") originates from Malay. The original name for the islands was Pulau Api-Api ('the fiery isle'). The name refers to the Pokok Api-Api, or "fiery tree" (grey mangrove) which is found on the islands.

There are six islands in the group known as Phi Phi. They lie 46 km southeast of Phuket and are part of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The national park covers an area of 242,437 rai. which is home to an abundance of corals and marine life. There are limestone mountains with cliffs, caves, and long white sandy beaches. Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le are the largest and best-known islands. Phi Phi Don is 10.27 km2: 8 km in length and 3.5 km wide. Phi Phi Le is 1.27 km2. In total, the islands occupy 12.06 km2. • Nr — Island — Area (km 2) • 1 — Ko Phi Phi Don — 10.273 • 2 — Ko Phi Phi Le — 1.275 • 3 — Ko Mai Phai — 0.265 • 4 — Ko Yung — 0.210 • 5 — Ko Bida Nok — 0.027 • 6 — Ko Bida Nai — 0.013 • Total — 12.063

• Illustration — Phi Phi Islands There are two administrative villages on Ko Phi Phi under the administration of the Ao Nang sub-district, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi Province. There are nine settlements under these two villages. The villages are: • Laem Thong (บ้านแหลมตง, Mu 8, between 300 and 500 people) • Ban Ko Mai Phai • Ban Laem Tong • Ao Loh Bakhao • Ao Lana • Ko Phi Phi (บ้านเกาะพีพี, Mu 7, between 1,500 - 2,000 people) • Ao Maya (about 10 people, mostly in the ranger station) • Ton Sai, the capital and largest settlement • Hat Yao • Ao Lodalum • Laem Pho

Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park is influenced by tropical monsoon winds. There are two seasons: the rainy season from May till December and the hot season from January till April. Average temperature ranges between 17 –. Average rainfall per year is about 2,231 mm, with wettest month being July and the driest February.

Since the re-building of Ko Phi Phi after the 2004 tsunami, paved roads now cover the vast majority of Ton Sai Bay and Loh Dalum Bay. All roads are for pedestrian use only with push carts used to transport goods and bags. The only permitted motor vehicles are reserved for emergency services. Bicycling is the most popular form of transport in Ton Sai.

The nearest airport is Krabi which is in the same province as the Phi Phi Islands. Phuket and Trang airports are also nearby. Phuket has a direct connection by road and boat. There is a road and boat connection from Trang to Phi Phi via Koh Lanta but services only operate between November and March.

There are frequent ferry boats to Ko Phi Phi from Phuket, Ko Lanta, and Krabi. There is a large modern deep water government pier on Tonsai Bay, Phi Phi Don Village, completed in late-2009.

• Illustration — Sunset, Ko Phi Phi Don • Illustration — Phi Phi party The islands feature beaches and clear water, and the natural environment is protected by national park status. At the beginning of the year 1992, the government began imposing a 5 baht fee on each visitor to the islands, in order to pay the laborers who collect and burn refuse and who also help "to provide waterway transportation and security for tourists". Since the release of the movie The Beach in 2000, which was partly filmed on Ko Phi Phi Le, tourism to the islands has exploded. Phi Phi Le's Maya Bay was closed to tourists from June 2018 until January 2022, to enable the ecosystem to recover.

There is a small government hospital on Phi Phi Island, for emergencies. Its primary purpose is to stabilize emergencies and evacuate to a Krabi hospital by sea. It is between the Phi Phi Cabana Hotel and the Ton Sai Towers, about a 5–7 minute walk from the main pier. There are two Private Hospitals, The World Med Center is on Tonsai Bay, and a second smaller branch is near Loh Dalum Beach.

On 26 December 2004, much of the inhabited part of Phi Phi Don was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The island's main village, Ton Sai (Banyan Tree), is 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 less than 2 m above sea level. Shortly after 10:00 on 26 December, the water from both bays receded. When the tsunami hit, at 10:37, it did so from both bays, and met in the middle of the isthmus. The wave that came into Ton Sai Bay was 3 m high. The wave that came into Loh Dalum Bay was 6.5 m 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 east side of the island experienced only flooding and strong currents. A tsunami memorial was built to honor the deceased but has since been removed for the building of a new hotel in 2015. At the time of the tsunami, the island had an estimated 10,000 occupants, including tourists.

• Illustration — Bryde's whale swims off the islands Since the tsunami, Phi Phi has come under greater threat from mass tourism. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, an environmental activist and member of Thailand's National Reform Council, is campaigning to have Phi Phi tourist numbers capped before its natural beauty is completely destroyed. With southern Thailand attracting thousands more tourists every day, marine biology lecturer Dr Thon makes the point that the ecosystem is under threat and disappearing rapidly. In 2014, tourists paid a 20-baht fee to fund waste removal, with 600,000 baht spent monthly on transporting trash to the mainland. However, Phi Phi lacked a wastewater treatment plant, and officials expressed doubt over businesses properly managing sewage. Budget constraints persisted as funding was based on residents, not visitors. As of 2016, Phi Phi Island received over 1,000 tourists daily, generating 25–40 tonnes of waste, much of it untreated. 83% of wastewater was released into the ocean without treatment. In June 2018, Maya Beach, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio's 2000 film The Beach, was closed indefinitely to allow it to recover. The beach used to receive up to 5,000 tourists and 200 boats a day. It reopened January 1, 2022.

• Illustration — Vertical limestone cliffs of Ko Phi Phi Le • Illustration — Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Le • Illustration — "Sea gypsy" boats, Ko Phi Phi • Illustration — Ko Phi Phi Don beach • Illustration — Long-tail boat on the shore of Ko Phi Phi Le • Illustration — Longtail boats, Maya Beach