An Adventurous Journey to Phi Phi Leh by Paddle Power
One of southern Thailand’s most popular destinations, Koh Phi Phi, this island has got the international fame as the location for the film “The Beach”. The action is concentrated on the larger Koh Phi Phi Don, its fabulous long white beaches packed with bungalow operations and tourist enterprises. Its sister island, Koh Phi Phi Leh, is an uninhabited national marine park. The major attractions are the bays Ao Pi Le, Ao Maya and Ao Lo Sa Ma. One should also not miss the experience of circumnavigating this rugged Island. There is no accommodation, and the island can only be visited on day-trips. Trips include a lot of activities such as snorkeling, sightseeing, walking, and sunbathing. Not wishing to spend another day snorkeling or walking along the beach, here is another interesting option - a row of flashy-looking kayaks available for rent at 2,500 baht (US$75) per day.
Circumnavigating the main island of Phi Phi Don is too simple. Let’s try something rather more daring and adventurous and head for Phi Phi Leh, the smaller islet to the south, which features spectacular cliffs faces, some caves and a lake. The island is probably best known these days for its role as the setting for the Hollywood movie The Beach (2000), starring Leonardo Di Caprio.
The mission is to reach Maya Beach. Rowing a kayak to complete this mission is the most difficult and challenging method. It would definitely take considerably longer time to reach the destination, while a speedboat would easily be able to complete the trip in 15 minutes.
Ideal conditions
The ideal time to set off should be in the morning. The sun is getting stronger. However, the conditions at the sea are otherwise excellent, with relatively calm waters and a gentle breeze.
It is more challenging and adventurous, when the waves start becoming much bigger and more powerful. At this point, it is very important for rowers to put in more physical effort. It is exciting, adventurous, and tiring.
Rocks, caves, and cliffs
When visitors reach the destination after about an hour at the sea, visitors will be greeted by rocks, cliffs, and caves. Visitors need to be extremely careful, when try to explore the way around without coming into contact with the rocks. This requires a good deal of physical effort given that the wind is pretty strong, while concentration is also required to carry out these kinds of maneuvers.
An idyllic spot
It would take another 40 minutes to finally make the way around the island to the white, powdery sands of Maya Beach. The tiredness and worry accumulated during the trip is finally rewarded with a combination of the astonishing cliff scenery and the pride of reaching the destination through a good deal of physical and mental effort. It becomes clear that the adventure is rather scary at times, but it has a lot of fun
Double check
While this trip certainly proved to be an exciting adventure, it is suggested that visitors always first check on local weather conditions and with a local expert/local travel agent before setting off on a trip of this nature. Before making any decisions regarding travel, it always pays to remember the old adage, 'it's better to be safe than sorry'.
Koh Phi Phi is off the southwest coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. It is about 100 miles from the south of Phuket. After being devastated by the tsunami on December 26, 2004, the island has managed to successfully rebuild its tourism infrastructure and is again one of the most popular destinations in the south of Thailand. Please note that there is no formal accommodation available on the island, so it remains an adventure in the 'day trip' category.
Boat: You can reach Koh Phi Phi easily by boat from either Krabi province (a one-hour trip), or Phuket (a two-hour trip).
References: Thai-Asean News Network
