Phi Phi Islands, limestone peaks in the Andaman Sea

Phi Phi Islands off Krabi in Thailand combine sheer limestone cliffs, sheltered bays and white sand, forming a compact archipelago that repays close exploration.

Phi Phi Islands in Krabi Province form a compact limestone archipelago in the Andaman Sea, between the larger landmasses of Phuket and the Thai mainland. Set within Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, the islands bring together steep cliffs, narrow bays and low-lying beaches in a small area that is easy to picture as a single landscape.

Limestone towers and twin bays

The Phi Phi Islands sit in the Strait of Malacca off southern Thailand, roughly between Phuket to the west and the coast of Krabi to the east, with the group recognised as part of Krabi Province.located between Phuket and Krabi Sheer limestone cliffs rise directly from the sea around much of the archipelago, giving Phi Phi a noticeably vertical outline when seen from a boat or from higher ground on the main island.vertical islands in Krabi

The largest island is Ko Phi Phi Don, which has two main bays separated by a sand and palm-lined isthmus that makes its outline distinctive on maps and photographs.twin bays of Ko Phi Phi Don Smaller islands such as Ko Phi Phi Leh, Bida Nok, Bida Nai, Ko Mai Phai and Ko Yung complete the group, adding low coral-fringed shores and further rock pinnacles around the central pair of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh.six islands of Mu Ko Phi Phi

National park sea and sand

Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park was established in the 1980s to protect both a stretch of the Krabi coastline and the Phi Phi archipelago, bringing the islands under a single marine conservation framework.incorporated into the national park in 1983 The protected area covers several hundred square kilometres, with reefs, shallow lagoons and steep-sided inlets that are characteristic of this part of the Andaman Sea.area of Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi

Within the national park, Ko Phi Phi Leh is an uninhabited island best known for its small bays and enclosing cliffs, and it forms part of a wider system of protected coves and reefs used by tour boats.Ko Phi Phi Leh in the national park To the north of Phi Phi Don, Ko Mai Phai, often called Bamboo Island, offers another low island profile with beaches on several sides, contrasting with the steeper terrain of the central pair.Ko Mai Phai and other small islands

Phi Phi Islands in the wider Andaman landscape

Geographically, the Phi Phi Islands are part of the wider Andaman Sea island belt that runs off the west coast of southern Thailand, but their position between Phuket and Krabi makes them a natural stopping point on regional itineraries.between Phuket and Krabi The archipelago lies a few dozen kilometres offshore from Krabi, which provides mainland access and a visual frame of cliffs and headlands when seen from the islands or from the ferries heading out into the strait.distance from Krabi coast

Ko Phi Phi Don is the administrative centre of the archipelago, and parts of the islands fall within the jurisdiction of Ao Nang in Krabi Province.administratively part of Ao Nang The surrounding sea and cliffs link Phi Phi visually with other karst formations along the Krabi coast and nearby islands, so a visit to Phi Phi often sits alongside views of mainland cliff faces and smaller offshore stacks that share the same limestone geology.limestone karst formations

Visiting Phi Phi Islands: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Phi Phi Islands lie off the coast of Krabi in southern Thailand, in the Andaman Sea, and are reached by boat services from mainland piers and from Phuket.
• Terrain on the islands ranges from low sandy beaches to steep limestone slopes, with paths and stairways climbing between bays and viewpoints on Phi Phi Don.
• Ko Phi Phi Don offers pier facilities and built-up areas, while smaller islands such as Ko Phi Phi Leh, Ko Mai Phai and Ko Yung are approached by boat and have limited structures.
• The official language is Thai and the currency is the Thai baht.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Phi Phi Islands

Where are the Phi Phi Islands located?

The Phi Phi Islands are a small archipelago in Krabi Province in southern Thailand, lying in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and the Krabi mainland.

What can visitors expect on a visit to Phi Phi?

Visitors encounter limestone cliffs, bays edged with sand, boat traffic between islands and short inland walks on Phi Phi Don linking piers, beaches and viewpoints.

What makes Phi Phi Islands distinctive among Thai island groups?

The combination of twin bays on Phi Phi Don, uninhabited coves on Phi Phi Leh and the islands’ status within a marine national park gives Phi Phi an unusually compact mix of terrain and protected seascape.