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After our short stay in Phuket, we headed South to the island of Phi Phi [Pee-Pee]. The island is famous for its limestone cliffs and breathtaking beaches. Jay and I agreed we had never seen a place quite as amazing as Phi Phi. We found the people of Phi Phi to be much friendlier than those on Phuket and the atmosphere very relaxed. We spent five days on Phi Phi and realized why some visitors come for months at a time. However, most visitors to Phi Phi are day-trippers, who come on a tour and then leave the same day. There were very few places to stay on Phi Phi and we lucked out getting an incredible Bungalow on a private cove (I will go into further detail about this in tomorrow’s blog).

The only way to get to the island of Phi Phi is by boat. We took the earliest ferry out of Phuket and once aboard realized most day trippers wanted the earliest ferry as well. The boat was packed! We threw our backpacks inside the boat and managed to snag a spot on the boat’s deck. For two hours we enjoyed the sun and sea. Despite the herds of people, it was actually very peaceful. As we approached Phi Phi from a distance the island was the only thing on the horizon. The closer we got the more amazing the limestone cliffs became.

When we reached Phi Phi there was only a very small dock for all boats to take turns using. Concrete pillars sticking out of the water were all that remained from Phi Phi’s larger pier that was destroyed in the Tsunami. Once on shore we wanted to find a place to stay before doing any exploring. We knew how few resorts there were on Phi Phi and saw other backpackers scurrying around as well. There are no roads on Phi Phi. The only means of transportation are by foot or by boat. So, we headed over to a row of “longboats” next to the dock.

“Longboats” are a small wooden boat used as a taxi around the island. We used longboats several times during our stay on Phi Phi. They had a very authentic and romantic feel to them, much like a Gondola. I guess this was our little piece of Italy in Asia. That and the excellent pizza we found on Phi Phi.

Each longboat trip is about $2 a person. We were asked to pay upfront before the driver would take off. We soon found out this was because the boats would pull up onto the beach and we had to jump off the end, before the tide pushed the boat offshore. The boats have a huge motor to power a tiny propeller attached to a long piece of wood used to direct the boat. The driver stands on the back of the boat maneuvering the long piece of wood. It seemed like it would be very difficult to steer the boat this way, but the men did it effortlessly. The motors were extremely loud and can be a little disturbing when reading in a hammock, nestled in the trees, atop a cliff, on a secluded white sand beach, overlooking endless ocean and plunging limestone cliffs (but that’s a story I will have to save for tomorrow).

To explore the Bungalows of the Viking Resort, turn to page 57. To get an hour-long Coconut Oil Massage in a bamboo hut on the beach, turn to page 32.

Just kidding, for more of our stories just check our blog tomorrow. For now, check out our picture page of our trip to Phi Phi and more pictures of the Longboats.

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