Islands
Phi Phi Don
The only inhabited island of the archipelago and the place you will sleep. Two green limestone massifs, a sandy isthmus with a busy village, and quiet bays reached by boat or jungle path.
Tonsai village and the isthmus
The low, sandy neck of land between Tonsai Bay to the south and Loh Dalum Bay to the north is the heart of Phi Phi Don. It is packed with guesthouses, restaurants, dive centres, massage shops, bakeries, bars and convenience stores, all connected by narrow lanes. The ferry pier is on the Tonsai side; the party beach is on the Loh Dalum side, a five-minute walk away.
This is also where the 2004 tsunami struck hardest, washing over the isthmus from both bays. The village has been rebuilt, and today blue signs mark evacuation routes to higher ground. Read more in History & the 2004 tsunami.
The southern half
South-east of the village, the land rises steeply to the Phi Phi Viewpoint, from where you look down on the twin bays. Beyond it, jungle paths lead to Ranti Bay and Loh Moo Dee on the east coast. Along the southern shore, a coastal path runs from Tonsai past small resorts to Long Beach, which faces Phi Phi Leh.
The northern half
The larger, wilder northern part of the island has no village of its own, just a few beaches with resorts. Laem Tong at the northern tip and Loh Bagao on the east coast are the quietest and most upmarket places to stay. On the west coast, Monkey Beach and Nui Bay are popular stops for kayakers and longtail boats.
Life without roads
Everything on Phi Phi Don moves by boat or on foot. Supplies arrive by barge at the pier and are distributed by hand carts. That keeps the island free from traffic, but also means prices are higher and luggage needs planning. See Getting around.