Ko Phi Phi
Where to lay your head
Where to lay your head
Phi Phi’s infamous party action is centred around Ton Sai -- both Ton Sai beach and the same-named village -- and Ao Lo Dalam also has its share of bars. The Lo Dalam headland affords good views and puts you within walking distance of the party scene. Long Beach has gone upscale and now offers all of your creature comforts at some larger resorts, while the smaller Pak Nam Beach and Ao Toh Ko come with similarly priced accommodation. Luxury travellers will be best served at Laem Thong or Ao Lo Bakao. Rantee Beach is a great choice for seclusion seekers.
Ko Phi Phi has a large and growing variety of places to stay. Since it was struck by the Asian tsunami of December 2004, Ko Phi Phi has been redeveloped at a relentless pace, which is showing no sign of slowing 10 years on. One noticeable movement on Phi Phi during 2014 was in the budget sector, with more hostel accommodation being added and possibly usurping the bamboo hut as the cheapest... Read our full review of Best places to stay on Ko Phi Phi 2015.
This is the arrival point for Ko Phi Phi. The pier is at the centre, with most resorts out to the east. Behind the beach is Ton Sai village.
Of the resorts along this length of Ton Sai Bay, this is about the pick of the bunch. They have a wide variety of rooms available from very old, fan-cooled bungalows to family bungalows for four or five to new air-con chalets and hotel-style rooms in a two-storey building. While the cheapest rooms are substantially overpriced (even for Ko Phi Phi) the deluxe bungalows and hotel-style rooms are... Read our full review of Andaman Beach Resort.
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The reception for Arayaburi actually looks after two properties belonging to the same owner, Bayview and Arayaburi, with the former being the older and slightly more affordable of the two. Between them they cover an expansive section of the hillside fronting onto and overlooking Ton Sai Bay. This section of the beach is also known as Laem Hin (Rock Cape). While the Arayaburi rooms are the better,... Read our full review of Arayaburi Resort and Bay View Resort.
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Well, Mama Beach once had a tranquil, retreat-like atmosphere at the base of the towering cliffs of Ton Sai bay but now not so much with the large-ish new hotel called PP Cliff Resort (formerly the Phi Phi Popular Bungalows) being built alongside and behind it, and a big redevelopment underway at Nice Bungalows next door as of August 2014. Hopefully once these projects are complete the peace will... Read our full review of Mama Beach Residence.
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Phi Phi Andaman Legacy has two styles of rooms: concrete bungalows that predate the tsunami and a large three-storey hotel building towards the rear of the resort. The bungalows, which are air-con with double or twin beds, have been given a fresh coat of paint recently and for unknown reasons the resort’s logo was painted in gold across one wall of their interiors as sort of a remember where you... Read our full review of Phi Phi Andaman Legacy.
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Phi Phi Villa Resort has eight different styles of rooms, most of which are either freestanding chalets or adjoining bungalows. Cheaper rooms in a two-story building are found at the back, which were full on our visit so we weren’t able to see inside. The bungalows are of a good size, and appear to have been renovated recently with chic looking wicker hanging chairs on the verandas and skylights... Read our full review of Phi Phi Villa Resort.
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Not on Ton Sai Beach itself, sprawling Viking Resort runs across a couple of beaches between Arayaburi and Long Beach and offers a wide range of bungalows, including quite comfortable and solid wooden fan-cooled bungalows, amazing treehouses and multilevel bungalows that are just massive, with each individually decorated within. Rooms in the same price bracket can be quite variable though, and... Read our full review of Viking Nature Resort.
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Like a number of places along Ton Sai beach, Andaman Resort has been upgraded and now offers a mix of air-con bungalows and rooms set in a colourful two-story hotel style building. Rooms are bright and all have hot water showers. The larger bungalows are equipped with satellite TVs and mini-fridges. Free WiFi is available in common areas only but breakfast is included in the rates. There’s really... Read our full review of Andaman Resort.
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This large dorm had freshly opened just one week before on our visit in August 2014, but we expect it will soon be a hit given its central location along Ton Sai beach where cheap accommodation is hard to find. Found on the top floor of a shophouse operated by the long-running Chao Koh resort group (its massage centre is downstairs), the dorm consists of two large air-con rooms, each with 20-some... Read our full review of Chao Koh Dorm Room.
The biggest hotel on the island, the 162-room Cabana almost certainly breaks local building regulations because of its size, and you’ll either love it or hate it. On the plus side, it has a very well-sized, freeform pool, attractive rooms -- some with cracking sea views. On the downside, it’s huge, garish, made from block cement, and one of the only hotels you can spot from the ocean. Whereas the... Read our full review of Phi Phi Island Cabana Hotel.
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Quite simply central Ton Sai village parties late. If you’re on a budget, like a party, late night food, don’t mind touts and can handle things with a good grace then this is for you.
The location isn’t the greatest with respect to the beach, but the hilly rock-garden grounds are well-shaded, the welcome is warm and the staff particularly helpful. Chunut’s collection of bungalows, located among stonework steps on the hillside, is just the kind of thing Ton Sai village needs but never seems to provide. Bungalow interiors display creative touches such as green things growing... Read our full review of Chunut House.
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P.P. Palmtree Resort is the best value hotel-style property in the village. It is about a five minute walk from Ton Sai Beach and ten minutes from Lo Dalam. Rooms are set in a multi-storey building that looks over the central annex with a freeform pool at its base. Rooms are smart, with kind of stylish wash basins in the bathrooms, small daybeds and low slung beds (we were shown a twin) and large... Read our full review of P.P. Palm Tree Resort.
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Tropical Garden Bungalows are a great option for the Viewpoint area, getting the aesthetics of their wooden bungalows just right. They’re rustic without being too shabby, spacious and overflow with that ’bungalow in the jungle’ atmosphere. Some offer views of the beach. The cheaper rooms have mattresses on the floor without bed-frames, with very good mosquito netting and bathrooms of the... Read our full review of Tropical Garden Bungalows.
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Found at the walking street junction near The Rock Inn, Blue Diamond is one of a handful of air-con dormitories that have popped up around the village. The air-con runs all day in this 14-bed mixed dorm room found on the ground floor of a shophouse, and there’s hot water in the two shared bathroom showers. The lower bunks have curtains for privacy. Lockers available for free but you’ll need to... Read our full review of Blue Diamond Dorm .
These old-school bamboo and thatch huts with hammocks out front and a sunken cold water bathrooms at rear are, for the standard and location, great backpacker value. More recently, they’ve added some air-con rooms with double or twin beds in a building at the back. They’re actually in a kind of dead-end culdesac, so despite feeling like you should just be able to meander your way through to the... Read our full review of Flower Bungalows.
The Gypsy has been around a long while so imagine our surprise when we came upon it in 2014 and found not the dingy bungalow haunts of old but a gleaming white hotel with a pool. Sure, a two-storey, 40-room concrete building doesn’t have quite the same tropical island flavour as a bamboo hut, but the rooms are sparkling clean and modern, and each are equipped with a fridge, TV, safety deposit box... Read our full review of Gypsy Sea View Resort.
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Conveniently located straight across from the market in the centre of Ton Sai village, Ivory has no-nonsense air-con rooms with TV, minibar and free WiFi. This is a functional, clean mini-hotel and it delivers the goods. There’s no lashings of style, but the staff are friendly and it appears to be quite popular since it was full during our latest visit and we were unable to see a room. Location... Read our full review of Ivory.
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The classiest of the JJ properties, JJ Residence is one of the growing number of clean and well-maintained mini-hotels in the centre of Ton Sai village, located just beside the post office and a very short walk to the beach on one side and pier on the other. The Residence itself is a multi-storey building that backs onto the swimming pool-- not the most tempting pool we’ve seen considering Lo... Read our full review of J.J. Residence.
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It’s a long climb up a lot of steps to the rooms here and the views, overlooking Ton Sai village and Lo Dalam in the distance, are great. The rooms have hardwood floors, fridges, TV, safes and air-con, with reasonably-sized balconies that offer little privacy. Rooms are sizeable, with huge comfy beds and a pleasant bathroom, which in the luxury suites is larger than the average backpacker... Read our full review of Phitharom PP Resort.
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Open since 2013, this is one of our top picks for dorms on Phi Phi mainly because of its friendly traveller’s atmosphere. Set in a shophouse in the village near the Tara Inn, the ground floor has a reception/tour desk and a set of sofas for guests to gather, plus lockers that are free to use. The three mixed dorm rooms with bunk beds are found upstairs, one with 12 beds, one with six and one with... Read our full review of PP Centerpoint Hostel.
Located on a side street opposite the Irish Pub in the heart of Ton Sai village. Kinnaree bills itself as a boutique guesthouse but it is more just a typical Ko Phi Phi guesthouse. Ceramic frangipanis stud the reception’s concrete floor, and its blue-painted wooden facade stands out from surrounding monochromatic shophouses, but even with a fresh coat of paint, it is really looking a little old.... Read our full review of Kinnaree House.
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One of the cheapest spots to be found on Phi Phi, Ploy has 14 beds in two mixed dorm rooms with air-con and WiFi included. Most of the beds are single, plus there are two bunk beds – same price regardless of the bed type. An upstairs private room with a double bed is also available here, and reasonably priced for the location. Found in the centre of Ton Sai village next to Cosmic 2 restaurant,... Read our full review of Ploy Dorm Room.
The Rock is a central and very long-running rambling budget haunt in the centre of Ton Sai village. It’s sort of hidden up in the rockery behind their boat-restaurant thing. Well shaded concrete rooms are all share bathroom and there’s also a dorm on site. The place was jammed full on our August 2014 visit and we didn’t get in to see any of the rooms. Anything less than 1,000 baht a night tends... Read our full review of The Rock Inn.
This white-sand beach at the western edge of the busy isthmus opposite Tonsai Bay is home to a string of late-night party bars and a growing number of bungalow resorts. Kayaking the shallow bay and lazing on the sands are the most popular activities by day. Don’t forget your earplugs if you plan to stay here.
P.P Casita is owned by Phi Phi Hotel and offers a broad selection of rooms, with small cosy bungalows through to larger chalets, along with classy rooms in a hotel-like block structure. On our latest visit they were full, and when we returned to try to see a room again they had no staff to spare to show us a room. Very friendly and welcoming, nonetheless. All are air-con, have good beds, stylish... Read our full review of P.P Casita.
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Nestled in beside the excellent Ciao Bella Italian restaurant, Baia Baia is as good as the food is next door. There’s only a handful of these quite unusually designed wooden bungalows on site and while they only have the smallest of balconies, that’s not a big loss. The bungalows are six-sided with tall windows on two of the sides and a good-sized bed within. With air-con, mini-fridges and TVs... Read our full review of Baia Baia.
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Before the tsunami, PP Charlie was a popular spot with about 30 bungalows right on the water. They were all destroyed and subsequently PP Charlie combined with PP Princess to offer hotel-style accommodation in two buildings set back about 50 metres from the beach. While the rooms have little character, the buildings are set in an attractive, large leafy-green area with many flowers in bloom, and... Read our full review of PP Princess and Charlie Beach Resort.
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The main offering at PP Twin Palm Bungalows is very basic wood and thatch bungalows, all with room for a bed, a fan, and that’s it. Some have been upgraded with air-con. These are not spacious beach shacks; if you share one with a partner, you’d better like each other a hell of a lot. Notwithstanding, this may be just what you’re looking for in a cheap, almost-right-on-the-beach bungalow on Phi... Read our full review of PP Twin Palm Bungalows.
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The jungly headland at the northern end of Ao Lo Dalam is home to a flurry of building activity, with several new bungalow resorts mostly in the budget to flashpacker range popping up. Some offer terrific views across the bay.
Located at the far end of Lo Dalam beach, about a five-minute walk from the beach itself, this resort once had a secluded feel but now it’s the first of a string of bungalow resorts winding their way up the headland. Some of the rooms are way, way high up on the hill; it’s a very long, very hot walk to get to them, but the views down and over the bay more than compensate. All the bungalows have... Read our full review of Phi Phi Viewpoint Resort.
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You’ll need a cold drink once you reach Phuphaya since it’s found a rather steep walk uphill from the far northern end of Lo Dalum beach. Set amidst a flurry of new construction on this headland beyond the Phi Phi Viewpoint Resort, once you step onto Phuphaya’s grounds it is peaceful and the sea views are spectacular. The resort is a mix of simple fan bungalows and more stylish wooden fan and... Read our full review of Phuphaya Seaview Resort.
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Good prices are not easy to find on Phi Phi, and these cheap bungalows will cost you buckets of sweat to reach. But if you don’t mind being somewhat remote from the action, Phutawan’s prices are hard to beat. These are found past the Phuphaya Seaview near the end of the steepish path up the headland at Lo Dalam’s north end, where a number of new bungalow resorts are being built. The thatch-roof... Read our full review of Phutawan Bamboo Resort.
Formerly the PP Sunset Pavillion, now under new ownership, this collection of 45 concrete and bamboo bungalows is the first you’ll see among a number of new bungalow resorts being built along the paved, steep path being cut into Lo Dalam’s northern headland. It would be a sweaty trek here with baggage in tow but if you book ahead they’ll meet you at the pier to help. The bamboo huts are typical... Read our full review of Phi Phi Cozy Seafront Resort.
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This very pretty strip of sand used to be Phi Phi’s backpacker beach, but they’ve been priced back to the village now and it’s flashpacker and up here now. Resort development now stretches along its entire length.
Paradise Pearl is the northernmost of the resorts on Long Beach, so if you’re walking here you’ll stumble out of the forest and into Paradise Pearl. The 47-room resort is a collection of concrete and wooden bungalows plus several rooms set in a two-storey configuration running back under a leafy canopy from the beach. Of these the upstairs ones are by far the better option -- they’re clean,... Read our full review of Paradise Pearl Bungalows.
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It’s difficult to miss Phi Phi The Beach Resort as it slowly spreads over the hillside behind Long Beach. The oversized bungalows, with their equally oversized verandas, really make no effort whatsoever to blend into the surrounds but the payoff from this legion of wooden mushrooms is for the guests, who get to enjoy tremendous views across the water to the distant cliffs and Phi Phi Leh. There... Read our full review of Phi Phi The Beach Resort.
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Arriving here in August 2014 we found the Paradise to be in the midst of a big transformation. A large section along the beach was walled off and most of its long-standing bungalows were being rebuilt. The only bungalows open were the smaller ones along the back row, and these had all been renovated. Following the island-wide trend of bungalows making way for more hotel style accommodation,... Read our full review of Paradise Resort.
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Slowly being marginalised by the neighbouring Phi Phi The Beach resort, Phi Phi Hill was closed for low season when we visited in August 2014, and the entrance was blocked so we couldn’t get in to see the resort at all. The man answering the only working contact number told us it would be open again in November. On our previous visit in 2011, we found old style wooden bungalows that were large... Read our full review of Phi Phi Hill Resort.
This blip of a beach sits just to the south of Rantee Bay or a 30-minute scrabble over the rocks to the north of Lo Moo Dee. It’s a very pretty beach and there is good snorkelling here.
Sitting on an idyllic stretch of very isolated beach on the east coast of Ko Phi Phi, Tohko Beach Resort is one of our long-running favourites on Phi Phi. It sits on an idyllic stretch of very isolated beach on the east coast of Ko Phi Phi. It’s grown over the years and now boasts some 40 rooms, mostly in wood and bamboo, but some more solid concrete rooms with air-con are in the mix as well.... Read our full review of Tohko Beach Resort.
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This pretty 300-metre strip of white sand along Phi Phi’s east coast is reached only by boat or via a rugged path through the jungle from the viewpoint, giving it a secluded feel. It’s now home to three resorts.
After sitting in half-built dereliction for a few years, this hillside resort was finally completed in 2013 and given a new name. Two styles of rooms are available, bamboo bungalows, some set along the beach, and larger wood and concrete bungalows, called hillside villas, found up the hill behind. All rooms have mosquito-netted double beds, air-con and hot water, with breakfast and WiFi included... Read our full review of Rantee Cliff Beach Resort.
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These bamboo and concrete bungalows in a bit of a ramshackle setting are nothing special, but their beachfront location is hard to beat. Formerly called Rantee Sunrise bungalows, there’s a choice of fan or air-con rooms, but electricity is available only through the night from 17:30 till 08:30. Standard bungalows have double or twin beds, while family-sized bungalows have a double and single.... Read our full review of Phi Phi Rantee Beach Resort.
Pak Nam is set between Rantee and Lo Bakao and is home to just two places to stay. If you don’t mind the isolated location, and it fits your budget, look no further.
Look, we’ll just come out and say it, as long as you don’t mind the isolation, if this fits your budget, Phi Phi Relax Beach Resort is the best place on Ko Phi Phi. The bungalows are beautiful and designed with love. The staff are great, providing the right combination of leaving you be and being attentive. The isolation may make some feel out of touch, but for others it will be heaven on earth.... Read our full review of Phi Phi Relax Beach Resort.
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Built in 2012, this collection of 30 concrete and bamboo bungalows is run by a local couple. Along the beach are a few rows of air-con bungalows, all with wooden detailing and verandas, double beds, TVs, safes and hot-water showers in the bathroom. Up in the hill, and reached via a steep (and sweaty!) climb, are the fan bamboo huts, also with hot-water showers and a choice of double or twin beds.... Read our full review of PP Power Beach Resort.
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Home to one of Ko Phi Phi’s most exclusive resorts, Lo Bakao is a very pretty beach with a shallow drop, making it good for kids.
If you’re going to pay ransom money to enjoy a four-star luxury resort, you’d better be sure your kidnappers will put you up in high style. With that in mind, don’t hesitate to surrender to Outrigger and leave all future negotiations on your release in the hands of your credit card company. Formerly the Phi Phi Island Village resort, the rooms here are exquisite, and the staff and facilities... Read our full review of Outrigger Phi Phi Island Resort and Spa.
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Found on the far northeastern corner of Phi Phi, Laem Thong is a bit of a luxury haven, but even if you can’t afford to stay here this one-kilometre stretch of sand makes for a pleasant day trip.
The Zeavola could be the poster child for ecologically-friendly luxury development on Phi Phi. Accommodation is so discreetly situated you don’t even know it’s there when passing by on the beach; it took us a good while wandering to even find reception. All you see is a small sign and beautiful reception area with welcoming staff. The elongated bungalows, 52 in all, that appear as you turn each... Read our full review of Zeavola Hotel.
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We know what you’re thinking. There’s a Holiday Inn a couple of miles from where you live, out on the highway. You never stay there, so why would you stay here? Well, because this one really is quite attractive. There’s a couple of great pools, the staff are attentive, and it’s got all the facilities and activities you need for a family holiday: kayaks and snorkelling gear, a dive centre, a gym,... Read our full review of Holiday Inn Phi Phi Island.
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A poorer relation to the nearby Holiday Inn, the Erawan has two main styles of rooms: 18 rooms in a duplex bungalow setup with TVs, mini bars and so-so bathrooms, with good porches attached; and 28 more standard styled rooms in a hotel building towards the rear of the resort. Beachfront deluxe bungalows are priced considerably higher and probably not worth the extra cost. Just behind these are... Read our full review of P.P. Erawan Palms Resort.
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This sprawling 70-room resort set on the headland at the northern edge of the beach is the cheapest option on Laem Thong, with a wide range of room sizes and styles. We had a peek at their new bungalows, dubbed superior villas, which at the time of our visit were not yet listed online. These concrete duplex bungalows set high on the hill lack character but the rooms are modern and spacious with... Read our full review of Phi Phi Natural Resort.
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