Kho Phi Phi Don

We arrived by boat and as we got off at the pier the heavens opened. We dived into an Italian restaurant as it was lunchtime anyway and got a feel for this island. It is similar to everywhere else just smaller and more tightly packed together. We learned later that this island was completely devastated in the tsunami and practically all of it has been rebuilt. We eventually found our guesthouse, about 500 metres up tracks and paths not fit to take a wheely suitcase. Certainly not the 150 metres it had said it was on their website! We were really tired so we decided to skip dinner and just have wine instead. Bryan went out and came back with a bucket of ice, wine, barcardi and coke. The following day we wanted to find the beach they used in the film ‘The Beach’ (Maya Beach) only to find... it’s not on this island (Phi Phi Don), it’s on the Phi Phi Ley island next door! What a swizz - they don’t tell you that before you get here so you then spend more money getting there! So as that is why we came here, we booked another boat to get there. We booked a sunset tour leaving later in the day. Off we went and first stop Monkey Beach, was on the same island we were staying on. Then moving swiftly on and around the corner, they took us past Viking Cave. Not sure why it was called that because there weren’t any vikings there! Next stop also on our island was a cove where we could get off and snorkel. Lots of pretty fish there. Then to Phi Phi Ley, Maya Beach which is on the next island. To get there we had to cross some open water and it was really choppy. The boat crew took great delight in making sure we got absolutely soaked which they had planned all along as they gave us black bin liners for our belongings when we first got on board! As the sea was quite rough on the beach side of Maya beach, the boat had to stop on the opposite side of the island and we had to clamber over rocks, through tunnels and caves to get there. When we did get there it was stunning. Absolutely beautiful even though a strong wind had whipped up. We braved the wind which was blowing up soft white sand which hurt as it hit us, and got into the water. It was lovely and warm just as we’d expected. At one point we were the only 2 people in the water and on the beach. Then the heavens opened again and the rain really hurt as it hit us. A proper tropical downpour. On the way back to Phi Phi the crew gave us buckets of whisky to drink, yes buckets, ice and coke. Before long the rocking of the boat synchronised with the effects of the whisky. Then the boat decided to over heat. We had broken down, afloat at sea, we could think of some worst places to have broken down but Phi Phi was not one of them. Finally after what seemed ages another boat came to our rescue, a long tail, and took us back to the jetty. Getting off the boat, remembering we’d drunk a bucket of whisky, Jody decided that the water was a lot deeper than it looked and thought that instead of getting off lady like she’d sit down fully clothed in the water. It was so funny watching her land on her legs and then her legs not supporting her and splosh in she goes! The next morning we both climbed to the top of the view point to see the amazing views of Phi Phi, looking down on both the natural formed bays was so beautiful. Phuttachot Resort Room rating: 7/10 beautiful furniture - hard bed Location: 3/10 - up a long bumpy, muddy track over a building sit and up a hill. do I need to say more??? Staff: 7/10 - friendly enough Value for Money: 6/10 Other comments: our balcony door wouldn’t lock so we had to drag this enormous heavy bed in front of it when we went out to secure the room! Stay again? No. even if it meant paying more elsewhere Overall island experience: 8/10