Page 103 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

Farther Afield ❮❮ 101

Ko Phi Phi Don
9 DAY TRIP TO KO PHI PHI
MAP M5
Once populated by fishermen, and Ko Phi Phi Don
later home to vast coconut planta- Monkey Beach
tions, this beautiful island southeast Rassada Port Loh Dalum Beach
(25 miles) 40 km
of Phuket is now a thriving tourist Tonsai Beach
destination. With colorful bays framed
by cliffs and turquoise waters, Ko Phi
Phi Don possesses physical beauty
but also has a thriving night life and Viking Cave
many convenience stores. Although Ko Phi Phi Leh
the 2004 tsunami destroyed much
of Ko Phi Phi Don, it has now been Maya Bay
almost entirely rebuilt. MORNING
Set your alarm clock for early in
the morning, and catch the boat
that leaves Rassada Port on
Phuket’s east coast at 8:30am.
Choose a tour company that
arranges pickups from your
hotel. Onboard the passenger
ferry to Ko Phi Phi, you can
breakfast on coffee, sandwiches,
and fresh fruit on the open-air
roof deck or in an air-conditioned
cabin. After dropping off some
travelers at Ko Phi Phi Don, the
Ko Phi Phi Don’s main street boat continues to the nearby Ko
King Cruiser Wreck Dive
0 Phi Phi Leh and the world-
famous Maya Bay. Renowned for
its gorgeous beaches, emerald
MAP F3
On May 4, 1997, a ferry on a trip from waters, and towering cliffs, the
Phuket to Ko Phi Phi collided with a bay is very popular with visitors.
reef pinnacle and sank. The crew You can go snor keling here before
visiting other beautiful bays. Visit
and passengers were all rescued. Viking Cave (see p102), where
Today the sunken cruiser remains a swifts build “saliva nests,” used
popular and relatively uncomplicated for making the delicacy known as
dive site, reachable with standard bird’s nest soup. For lunch, the
scuba gear. The ship features large boat returns to Ko Phi Phi Don,
openings that offer easy access to where a Thai and international
the boat’s interior (see p36). cuisine buffet awaits.
AFTERNOON
Rugged Ko Panyee island
After lunch, relax on the famous
twin bays of Tonsai and Loh
Dalum. These beaches have sun
beds with umbrellas, while the
comfort ably warm blue waters
remain shallow even quite a long
way from the shore. You can also
visit Monkey Beach (see p102),
home to many of these curious
creatures. It also offers good
snor keling and opportu nities to
see colorful fish and coral. Dine
at your hotel – to get back in
time, take the ferry on its return
to Phuket around 4:45pm.
See map on p98

098-101_Top_10_Phuket.indd 101 16/06/2017 13:02