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The Phi Phi islands are located about 45 Km southeast from
Phuket, 42 km south of Krabi Town and 40 km from Ao Nang
Beach. They can be reached in between 1 to 3 hours depending
on the type of boat you choose. Boats leave from Phuket,
Ao Nang and the Chao Fa Pier in Krabi Town on a daily basis.
The name "Phi Phi" is derived from Malay,
and the original was Pulao Pi ah Pi, where in pulao is the
Malay word for island , and Pi, pronounced with a soft "p"
sound, was very close in pronunciation to the English word
"bee"; the ah was dropped, so the name was said
something like Bee Bee.
Later the p was pronounced with a stronger aspiration and
the name became the Phi Phi (Pee Pee) we know today. The
name originally referred to the mangrove wood found there.
There are 6 islands in the Phi Phi group; Phi Phi
Don, Phi Phi Ley, Bida Nok, Bida Nai, Koh Yung, and Koh
Phai; total land area is 42 square kilometers. The islands
were declared a National Park in 1983, and development is
limited to Koh Phi Phi Don only. All other islands are uninhabited.
Yung Island lies to the north of Phi Phi Don. there
is a rocky beach on the east side, and a smaller strand
of sand in a fold of the hill. Many beautiful and various
corals are found there. Good for shallow snorkeling.
Phai Island lies also to the north of Phi Phi Don, not
far from Koh Yung . Sandy beaches are on the north and east
sides of the island. Broad coral reefs stretch away into
the south.
 Phi
Phi Don Island covers a total area of 28 square kilometers:
8 km in length and 3.5 km at its broadest point. At the
north end is Cape Laem Tohng, where there is a Chao Ley,
or sea gipsy village. These sea gipsies emigrated from Koh
Lipeh in Tarutao National Park, near the border with Malaysia
and lived on the islands long before tourism arrived. There
are two long beaches next to the main town - the two curving
bays of Ton Sai and Loh Dalam. The town was hit hard by
the tsunami on December 26th 2004, and rebuilding is still
in progress in many areas.
Phi Phi Ley Island is 6.6 square kilometers in total
area: 3 km in length and 1 km at its broadest point. The
island is entirely limestone and steep cliffs rising from
the sea very nearly ring it. surrounding waters average
about 20 meters in depth, reaching 34 meters at the deepest
point off the island's southern tip. Phi Phi Ley has several
beautiful bays: Piley, Maya, and Loh Samah. Maya Bay is
one of Phi Phi's number one tourist attractions, being that
is was the setting for the film "The Beach" starring
Leo DiCaprio.
On Phi Phi Ley's northeast is the famous Viking Cave. It
is a place much revered by the local people who still come
there to collect the swift's nests used to make Bird' nest
Soup, a Chinese delicacy.
On the eastern and southern walls of the cave are coloured
drawings dating from historic times. There are pictures
of elephants and also of various boats : European, Arab,
and Chinese sailing ships; barques, motorboats and steamships.
It is theorized that these were drawn by pirates who paused
in their travels from west to east, sheltering in the cave
to escape the monsoon winds, transfer cargo, or make repairs.
Climate in Phi Phi
The weather in Phi Phi is typically warm and tropical, very
similar to that of Phuket. The high season from November
- early May has the best weather. The summer months can
be great, but you can expect some rain and windy days. Temperatures
are typically 30C, but can be in the high 30's in March
and April.
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