News from July 2018- Maya Bay & Loh Samah Pier

Maya Bay

Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi has been closed for a month now and will stay closed until October 2018. In this article from the Nation Newspaper, they talk about planting some coral on the reef to help rejuvenation.

It also talks about building a pier in Loh Samah to land tourists so they can walk into #MayaBay. They also want to limit tourist to Maya Bay to 2,000 people per day. Anything that helps the nature survive the influx of tourist will be a good thing as long as it is done in a way sympathetic to the surroundings. ie no cement!

Tragic Boat Accident

In the New York Times article there is news of the awful events leading up to the tragic capsize of the boat carrying Chinese nationals out to Coral Island. The authorities advised the captain of the vessel not to set out but the advise seems to have been ignored. 33 people are dead. The article goes into great detail so I won't duplicate it.

Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi.

What can you say, Maya Bay touches the heart and imagination of so many with it's beauty and sheer drama. Voted in the Top 10 world beaches, Maya Bay leaves lasting memories on all who visit. For those who have never been, just one image puts it straight on the bucket list.

Maya Bay Video

There are so many videos of Maya Bay as it is the place to capture on movie format. This one I have chosen just starts sensationally with drone shots to die for. Thank you Koh Phi Phi Islands, Thailand in 4K Drone, Music Video Remixed. Enjoy..

When to go to Maya Bay.

Because of its geology and geography you can get to Maya Bay on most days of the year... Even in the monsoon months, if the waves are coming in too large at the entrance, there is a walk through from Loh Samah, an inlet on the other side of the cliffs. This, in itself is a classic walk through virgin jungle for 180 metres and well worth doing, even if you arrive at the main beach.

Weather in Maya Bay

Koh Phi Phi weather can be found here and the real time rain radar can be useful. This will tell you all the best times to visit during the year.

The Beach.

Maya Bay was put in the world's attention when Leonardo Di Caprio shot his Movie "The Beach" here in 2000. The movie, about a wayward backpacker, in search of the ultimate travel experience. It wasn't a huge success but the garden of Eden imagery immediately shot Koh Phi Phi into the headlines. Some Leonardo groupies turn up to see where the movie was shot, but most people are just drawn by its sheer beauty.

View point at Maya Bay

How to get to Maya Bay?

Phi Phi Ley is a remote island about 2km from Phi Phi Don. No formal accommodation can be found on the island. The only people who stay there are Marine Park wardens and seasonal farmers who scale the cliffs in search of the Bird's Nest for the Chinese Bird's Soup.

The 2 main ways to get to Maya Bay are from Phuket on a day tour or from Koh Phi Phi by staying overnight. The tours from Phuket offer PhuketPhiPhi big ferry- cruiser snorkel tours and Maya Bay speedboat tours.

Tours from Phi Phi Don can be very varied. Longtail boat trips can be organised by travel businesses on the island or private hire down by the pier. The classic Maya Bay -Phi Phi full day tour  is highly memorable.

Nearest Accommodation.

The nearest accommodation is on Phi Phi Don at budget guesthouses like Coco's in the main village all the way up to the 5 star Zeavola Resort on Laem Tong Beach.

One of the cute hideaway beaches at Maya Bay.

This little beach is just as you arrive at Maya Bay from the ocean entrance and is on the right hand side. As with all Maya Bay, access is best at high tide. The sand at the high tide point is insanely pretty and light, the views and atmosphere truly wonderful.

Snorkeling in Maya Bay

The shallow snorkel reef is about 180 meters from the main Maya Bay beach. Mostly boats anchor off the small National Park buoys which are an easy 40 meter swim to the reef edge. You don't need to go up to the reef as the the whole bay is a coral field where you can  view a wonderful array of species of Andaman Sea reef life.

Some of the best snorkeling can be done along the great walls on the northern edge of the entrance but these coral walls plunge deeply down to 20 meters depth and can be inaccessible especially in low season, May to October end.

Maya Bay Snorkeling

Maya Bay snorkel tours

The main types of boats used for snorkeling on this reef are the longtail, speedboat and big boat. The traditional longtail boat is a small wooden craft with a long prop-shaft and is a great way to tour the reefs on Phi Phi Ley. Small groups of snorkelers can get into places that the bigger boats cannot. They can be difficult to get into and out of but are a lot of fun.

Speedboat tours of Phi Phi nearly always stop at Maya Bay reef for a time to snorkel. Often these boats do time on "The Beach" and out on the reef so you get a decent amount of time in the bay. Tours as referred to above with full day trips like the  Maya Bay speedboat tours from Phuket or the more local  Maya Bay -Phi Phi full day tour.

The big boat tours are another unique way of enjoying the magnificent Maya Bay. These are old fishing boats converted into day trip boats. Around 30 people hang out together and visit the bay as a group. This can be great fun but large groups can scare away the larger marine life.

Further useful series of links for snorkeling around Maya Bay can be found here:

Snorkeling off the beach of Phi Phi

Phi Phi Water Sports

Snorkeling off the beach of Phi Phi

One day snorkeling tour from Phi Phi Island

Diving in Maya Bay

Maya Bay Diving is iconic and one of my favourite dive locations on Koh Phi Phi. From the dramatic scenery above the waterline you plunge below to a world of huge cliff walls, boulders the size of trucks and small houses. Huge fan corals can grow between the more protected rocks but a yearly monsoonal surge ensures that any that grow in exposed areas get swept away.

Maya Bay Diving

As you pass through ravines and hidden corners it is common to surprise larger marine life such as turtles and grouper. As you head further west out to the entrance of Maya Bay the water is deeper at around 15-20 meters.

Maya Bay reef

The wall diving is extensive on both sides of the entrance to Maya Bay with every indentation and promontory a place for shoals of juvenile to hide.

Maya Bay is also popular with dive boats as a lunch stop. The National Park marine buoys are an easy pick up and make grand setting for a fried rice in-between dives.

Shoals of trevally hunting the walls outside Maya Bay

Dive boat getting out to Maya Bay

Good tip: Stay on Phi Phi if you wish to dive the islands. 
There are many dive companies on Koh Phi Phi Don at Tonsai Village and at Long beach and Laem Tong beaches. They have every facility, PADI and SSSI, Open Water to Instructor courses and many type of dive boat from longtail, through to converted fishing boat to bespoke dive boat.

The advantage of staying on Koh Phi Phi is that diving starts just 15 minutes from the island where as the Phuket or Krabi dive tours need 45 min bus transfers and 2 hour dive boat transfers to the same site.

More useful links.

Article list Koh Phi Phi Diving - Scuba diving and dive sites

Phi Phi Dive Sites Maya Bay

Learn to Dive on Phi Phi

Tips for Diving in Phi Phi

tags:  maya bay, mayabay, phiphi, #phiphi, #mayabay, Ferry, Speedboat, Tours, Koh Phi Phi Sea,The Beach, #thebeach, Leonardo Di Caprio, #LeonardoDiCaprio, Maya Bay Video, #MayaBayVideo, PhuketPhiPhi, #PhuketPhiPhi 

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twitter             @PhiPhiIslands
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facebook        phi-phi.com
Pinterest        #mayabay - mayabay - maya bay

Koh Phi Phi Ferry; Speedboats Tours. On the Sea News 2016.

Get to Koh Phi Phi. Feel the pulse on the paradise ‪#‎goodtimes‬ adventure party island 
of Koh ‪#‎PhiPhi‬, Thailand. 

If the feeling is about kicking off your shoes and feeling the sand between your toes, then why not head out to glorious Koh Phi Phi by ferry or speedboat and enjoy the best of the best. Organise that here: http://phi-phi.com. See this quick fab video to wet your appetite!

Further cool videos of Koh Phi Phi follow the link on Coco's guesthouse page.

Tour of Koh Phi Phi

If you don't have time for a stay on #KohPhiPhi then maybe hook up with an organised tour from Phuket. Check out PhuketPhiPhi or Phuket Phi Phi Tour. These are a wonderful full day out where you get a cruise out to Maya Bay on the glorious Andaman Sea,  a chance to see some flying fish or dolphin or just take in the myriad islands in the Phang Nga Bay.

not far now to Maya Bay

If on the other hand you are staying on Koh Phi Phi you can hook up with one of the cool tours from the island itself. 

On the way to Maya Bay.. speedboat tour from Phi Phi

Ferry Speedboats Tours on the Koh Phi Phi

Tour Maya Bay Phi Phi Ley 

On Phi Phi Ley Island you will have a chance to explore the stunning Maya Bay, the location where Leonardo Di Caprio shot the movie, "The Beach".

Maya Bay, The real deal

See the Top 10 things to do on PhiPhi  and many more links to what to do on the islands and articles on the beaches, maps, weather and a lot more all on the same on the website.




tags: Ferry, Speedboat, Tours. Koh Phi Phi Sea, maya bay, mayabay, phiphi, #phiphi, #mayabay,

web                http://phi-phi.com
twitter             @PhiPhiIslands
instagram       phiphisea
facebook        phi-phi.com
Pinterest        phi-phi.com

Return here or bookmark this page to follow further updates and posts about ferry, speedboat and Koh Phi Phi tours.

Coco's Guesthouse NEWS on Koh Phi Phi 2016, #ppdeal

Coco's Guesthouse,  is the ideal budget travel accommodation on Koh Phi Phi Island, Thailand for the traveler, backpacker and gap year student. Spend time on one of the world's most famous islands and see where the movie 'The beach' was made in stunning Maya Bay.

#ppdeal. 
Follow this blog to see the #lastminute #ppdeal as they happen. These last minute deals are price reductions to sell the last remaining rooms in the guesthouse. They tend to happen from 1pm -3pm Bangkok Local Time, in time to take the deal and get the last ferry to Phi Phi.

Phi Phi Low season deals.Prices are 50 % cheaper in low season so it's a great time to travel on the islands. Low Season prices are May 1st till October 31st. There are some superb Phi Phi weather times on the island during low season making this a value time to see this world class island. 


P.S. Also Follow Us on facebook: /ppcoco1,    twitter: @ppcoco1,     instagram: #ppcoco1,     google+: +ppcocos       pinterest: phi-phi.com

Phi Phi Guesthouse deal

Just before the Full moon party when many people go to Koh Phang Ngan Coco's has put out an offer for a couple of nights. It's a time when the prices are a little uncertain as it is inbetween seasons of monsoon and the middle months and the prices vary with the weather! 

See further information about the Full Moon Party here. 

Full moon party on Phi Phi

Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan

13% off Standard Air Con Room at Coco's
650THB (E16.7, $18.4, £14) 
14th+15thJuly
http://ppcocos.com
‪#‎phiphi‬

Phi Phi Guesthouse

It's going a bit quiet on Koh Phi Phi for a couple  of days so you can see Coco's has put out a deal to interest people who might be coming over to the islands. After Brexit this is a shade more expensive for those with £ or Euro but less than half a cup of beer difference...

9% off Twin Fan Room at Coco's
500THB (E12.60 $14.20 £9.94) 
2nd -6th July
http://ppcocos.com
‪#‎phiphi‬ #ppdeal #kohphiphi

Phi Phi Guesthouse Fan rooms last minute deal 2nd -6th July

30th June 2016
Coco's Guesthouse on Koh ‪#‎phiphi‬. http://ppcocos.com 
Quiet location under the mountains on ‪#‎phiphidon‬

Coco's Guesthouse close to Loh Dalum Beach, Koh Phi Phi.

16th May 2016
The standard air con rooms are available from tomorrow at ‪#‎phiphi‬ 's favourite‪ #‎guesthouse‬.
700THB / £13 / $19.7 / E17.5.
http://ppcocos.com

Coco's Guesthouse NEWS on Koh Phi Phi 2016

Backpacking in Thailand

Maya Bay Koh Phi Phi

Backpacking is Thailand is a subject very dear to my heart as backpacking was very much how I gained my foothold within the travel industry. Before I came to Thailand I was a trekking guide in Nepal. My first backpacking trip to the land of the smiles was in 1992 and was offered as part payment for the group I had lead by my, not too flush for money, trekking company.

Bed and Breakfast Tibet style 1987.. er halcyon days?

On top of bus in Nepal