Things to do in  Ko Phi Phi Don

The jungle-shrouded limestone cliffs of Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands rise majestically from the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea, giving way to white-sand beaches and green jungles further inland. Longtail boats putter between the islands, collectively known as Koh Phi Phi or Ko Phi Phi, surrounded by turquoise waters and colorful marine life.

The prominence of Phuket’s beaches and out islands mean that Phuket Old Town is often overlooked. Yet, it offers a wealth of 19th-century architectural delights and fantastic photo ops. Beside the latticed windows of Malay-style shop-front buildings on Soi Rommanee, Old Phuket Town boasts temples, museums, and restaurants.

Sister island to Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai (also written Ko Yao Yai) is an unspoiled gem that sprawls amid the karst seascapes of Phang Nga Bay (Ao Phang Nga). The coast offers white sand beaches, fishing villages (many on stilts), and mangrove forests; inland are timeless landscapes of orchards, rice fields, and rubber plantations.

Put yourself at the heart of the action in Phuket Trickeye Museum, one of the optical illusion galleries that have taken Asia by storm. Large-scale paintings turn 2D into 3D and deliver hilarious selfies. Scale a waterfall, extinguish a blazing superhero, cling to the ceiling to escape an alligator, or get the boot from a giant foot.

A strip of bone-white sand lapped by the Andaman Sea and backed by limestone cliffs, Monkey Beach is an unspoiled slice of paradise. Or at least its residents think so—hundreds of long-tailed macaques call this place home. The turquoise waters surrounding it are also among the top snorkel spots in the Phi Phi islands.

Even though it is only 610 feet (186 meters) high, the Phi Phi Viewpoint offers some of the best views in town. After a short but steep hike, you’ll be rewarded with three different viewpoints, from which you can see the jungle-covered hills, white-sand isthmus, and iridescent waters of Ko Phi Phi Don.

So-called because of the drawings of ships found on its walls, Viking Cave is nestled inside a limestone cliff on Koh Phi Phi Leh in Thailand. Hundreds of swiftlets make their nests here from saliva—these are then harvested for the outrageously expensive bird’s nest soup, an Asian delicacy.

Part of the glorious Phi Phi archipelago in Thailand’s turquoise Andaman Sea, Ko Phi Phi Le is an uninhabited island whose standout feature is Maya Bay—which catapulted to fame after appearing in the 2000 film The Beach. The pristine waters surrounding it are prime snorkel and scuba diving spots, as they’re home to blacktip reef sharks, sea snakes, hawksbill turtles, and octopi.