White limestone cliffs. A mop of green atop the jagged rock face.  Surrounded by the emerald green sea. The words do not do justice to the splendor of the landscape that Mother Nature has carefully sculpted over millennia.

In what is perhaps the most popular tour-experience in the Land of Smiles, you simply cannot have enough of breathtaking limestone cliffs, the beautiful green water, the occasional powdery white beaches and coral reefs teeming with exotic life.

The Phi-Phi Islands are just 40 kilometers southeast of Phuket. Boat trips are easily available from the various tour operators spread across the city, and cost anywhere between THB1000 to THB1500 per person (it all depends on how effective your haggling skills are!).

Phi Phi Leh

As the boat speeds away from Rassada Pier, and the salt spray gently kisses your face, you can see the islands in the distance – faint specks of white against the brilliant blue sky. Within a few minutes, you can see the first of the six islands right in front of you with its jagged edges and the roots penetrating the crevices in the rock.

Phi Phi Leh

The boat navigates slowly through Loh Samah Bay into the shallow waters of Pileh Cove. The clear waters are like liquid glass that allows you to see the multicolored designs on the sea floor formed over hundreds of years. The shadows from the surrounding cliffs provide some much-needed shade from the hot sun as the boat floats around idly.

Pileh Cove

Loh Samah Bay

Pileh Cove

If you are a Leonardo Di Caprio fan, you will be rather fond of the next destination on the itinerary. May Bay, a small cove offering access to a beautiful white sand beach, is famous for being the location where The Beach was shot many years ago, and is the main claim to fame. With the boat docking here for half an hour, it provides you with the perfect opportunity for a quick swim in the cool waters before you head over for lunch at Phi Phi Don.

Maya bay

Post lunch, you head towards Bamboo Island to chill on the beach there. It provides the perfect opportunity to lie down on a beach chair under an umbrella if you so choose. However, it is very popular for a different reason – the shallow waters and coral reef surrounding the island is teeming with colorful fish and is a great location for snorkeling.

Bamboo Islands

An hour later, it is time to leave for Phuket. With the day spent amongst such splendid landscape, once cannot help but wonder, what could have been had the time not been so short. With a tinge of sadness in your heart, you bid farewell to the Phi-Phi Islands as they fade away into the distance, and the only thing that remains is a white trail in the blue waters.

Phi Phi Islands