Royal Jet 9 Cruiser – Premium class deck
The Phi Phi Tour – Premium is a great overnight trip in the beautiful nature, on a large & comfortable ship combined with a speedboat and longtail boat trip to explore the great Phi Phi Island. They picked me up 7:30 in the morning and i got transferred in a comfortable AC mini van.The Rassada pier from where my journey starts is located at the east side of Phuket island, about 60 minutes or 20 km from Patong.
After about two hours we arrived at the Phi Phi Islands. They rise majestically from the Andaman Sea, their limestone cliffs towering overhead, giving way to white-sand beaches and lush green jungle further inland. Of the two main islands, Phi Phi Leh remains uninhabited, while the increasingly busy Phi Phi Don lacks roads, giving it a laid-back feel, despite its popularity. Longtail boats putter between the islands, surrounded by turquoise waters and colorful marine life.
Maya Bay
Arrived there 3 couples and me where hopping into a speedboat. We start our sightseeing around the island by speedboat and visit Viking Cave, where swifts make their nests and wall paintings feature boats resembling Viking ships. At Monkey Beach, we took the change to grab some more unique pictures from the wild monkey. Be carefully and don`t get to close to them. Because if they are hungry they may bite you . Another hot spot in Southern Thailand made famous by the movie The Beach we visited was Maya Bay. We admired stunning views and the crystal-clear waters of the Maya Bay. It is a very popular destination and the place was very crowded at this time. If you want to enjoy Maya Bay i recommend to book a private early morning tour by Longtail boat.
Next our professional and very friendly guide finds the best snorkeling point to avoid the crowds. This time Nui Bay was the best place to go snorkeling in emerald waters. Surrounded by spectacular hills i feel like i am in a lagoon private pool. After about 30 minutes snorkeling and already starving we climb up to our speedboat and we went out from the lagoon to enjoy a delicious Lunch at Phi Phi Don Island.
Snorkeling at Nui Bay
After Lunch we went back to our Royal Jet 9 cruiser and head back to the Tonsai Pier. Arrived there our friendly Guide showed me the way to the Phi Phi Andaman Legacy Resort . It`s a 10 minutes walk to this beautiful Resort.
The next day i had to wake up early because we start at 7:00 hrs. After a delicious buffet breakfast i saw our Longtail Boat Captain Bang Aount was already waiting for me in front of the Lobby. He grabbed my bag and i followed him to the Longtail Boat ready to begin our 6 Hours Private Phi Phi Tour to explore Phi Phi Leh Island National Park on the southern side of the archipelago.
First we discover Palong Bay – this is more of a dive site than a bay. Here there are many black-tip reef sharks and coral formations in up to 12 metres of water. There can be strong currents here so it is not advisable to snorkel without an organised tour. I still remembered the crowd from Maya Bay from my visit yesterday. But now early morning it was a very nice and completely different experience before the mass tours arrive. The Bay was almost empty and i just hop of the Boat and went to swim a bit.
Longtail Boat at Tonsai
Phi Leh Lagoon our next destination is one of the most impressive sites on Koh Phi Phi Leh. It is like a canyon, almost cutting Koh Phi Phi Leh in two. Located on the eastern of the island. With a length of about 600m from its entrance to its end, this long, thin bay offers great snorkelling opportunities. Between 11:00 and 13:00 is the best time to photograph the outstanding beauty of its emerald green water. The western side of Pi Leh Bay features a few small beaches at the foot of the cliff, but most of the boats visiting it stay in the centre of the lagoon while the people go swimming and snorkelling.
Our last stop Viking Cave is one of the most notable sites on Koh Phi Phi Leh. Located at the bottom of a tall limestone cliff on the northeastern side of the island. Viking Cave owes its name to the paintings found on the eastern southern walls of the cave: they represent various types of boats, including what resembles a Scandinavian drakkar.
On the way to Phi Leh Lagoon
After this impressive Phi Phi Tour around the archipelago it was time to cruise back to Tonsai Pier and get on board the Royal Jet Cruiser 9 for a relaxing trip back to Phuket. We start 14:30 and arrived at Rassada pier at 16:30 hrs.
The AC mini van on the way back was a bit crowded and i was back at my hotel around 17:15 hrs.
Viking Cave
PROS:
- Small group.
- Smooth travel.
- comfortable.
- Great value for money.
CONS:
- AC mini van sometimes crowded.
TIPS:
- bring your towel and swim wear