Phi Phi Islands Snorkeling

There are plenty of places to go snorkeling around Phuket but we had heard such great things about the Phi Phi Islands that it seemed like a good way to check two activities off our list at once. Like most Phuket Tours, this day trip started with a mini-bus ride. This time the destination was the Phuket Sea Island office at the Royal Phuket Marina. Though the snorkel gear was included in the package, we had the option of renting swim fins for a nominal fee. The swim fins made it easier to move about when snorkeling (especially when dealing with the strong undercurrents) but they also protected your feet from the sting of sea urchins that we might encounter on the trip. For a couple hundred Baht, it seemed like a good idea. They were also passing out Dramamine around like candy while a very enthusiastic gentleman gave an overview of the day.

Once we got on the speedboat we met out guide, Sky, and started the trip out toward Maya Bay. The eight people lucky enough to get the front portion of the boat enjoyed some extra space. Everyone else was packed tight in the main area of the boat. There wasn’t even enough room for my shoulders if I tried to sit back so I spent the first leg of the trip twisted in my seat.

The first stop on our snorkeling tour was Phi Phi Lay where we stopped at Maya Bay. This stop was famous for being the location where the Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Beach, was filmed. The landscape was pretty but the crowds made it a little difficult to truly appreciate the scenery. We stopped for about 30 minutes to swim and walk the beach, assuming you could find a couple feet that were unoccupied. The water was warm and it was calm compared to the strong currents of the Phuket beaches during monsoon season. Dozens of boats similar to ours were anchored just off the shore. Occasionally, a boat’s engine would rev up, moving their group on their next destination. The engine’s roar echoed off the surrounding cliffs like the snarl of some primitive beast.

The next destination was Phileh Cove which was much less crowded. The cove was surrounded by the steep cliffs covered with the lush greenery that was so common around Thailand. The clarity of the water was impressive and changes in color indicated water depth. There are no real beaches in Phileh Cove so people relaxed, swam around and dove off the bow of the boat. We only stayed at Phileh Cove for a short time but some of the other guests had a hard time sticking to the schedule. Our guide, Sky, had to crack the whip to get them back on the boat.

Viking Cave was the next attraction we visited though we really just passed by slightly slower. The Viking Cave had a bit of an eerie post-apocalyptic look to it and was used to collect cave swift nest for the famous Bird’s Nest soup. Now rock climbers sometimes come to test their skills on the steep rock faces. The name Viking Cave comes from some old cave paintings believed to be left by ancient Vikings.

Another brief stop on the Phi Phi Island tour was Monkey Beach. The monkeys on this beach were accustomed to visitors and happy to accept any treats people might have on them. I always enjoy interacting with wildlife on their turf. It was fun watching a guide pouring a stream of water from a bottle for a thirsty monkey and the monkeys in the trees catching the snacks thrown to them but there was definitely a cost to the tourist interaction. Trash littered the beach and was plentiful at the base of the trees. The long term impact on the animals and the ecosystem probably won’t be quite as pretty.

The next stop was Phi Phi Don for lunch. This island was more developed than the others we had visited. The buffet lunch offered a variety of foods from western style pastas to local Thai specialties. It was a good meal and we were visited by several cats that were wandering the grounds. There were a couple of outdoor souvenir shops to browse on the way back to the boat that were surrounded by massive palm trees that made the area truly feel like a tropical paradise. If you’ve been following along closely at home, you may have noticed that we still haven’t actually snorkeled during this snorkeling tour but that was finally about to change.

The snorkeling finally began once we reached Hin Klang. The water was clear enough to see to the bottom before we even left the boat. Once in the water it was obvious the warnings about the sea urchin were important. I had assumed that we were supposed be careful around sea urchins if we came across any but I wasn’t expecting to see hundreds of the spiny creatures surrounding us. Even though our fins protected our feet from their sting, our knees were dangerously close to the urchins on the corral near the surface. It didn’t take long before other interesting areas of the reef took my mind off the urchins.

After snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, it’s hard not to draw comparisons but most destinations don’t stack up well. My initial impression of the reef itself was that the colors seemed a little dull. The guides tossed some food into the water and the fish began a feeding frenzy. The fish were plentiful but the variety was fairly limited. One unique sight I found was a number of giant clams. Some were alive and pulsing; others were simply empty shells but of the massive clams were interesting to look at. The highlight of the snorkeling tour was probably the group of clownfish swimming near some sea anemone. The brightly colored fish were quite content despite all the onlookers and our guide, Sky, was helpful in getting some great pictures. After a little under an hour we returned to the boat and set out for our final destination.

Our final stop on the tour was Bamboo Island. It cost a little more to visit the Bamboo Island instead of the more common Khai Nok Island trip but it was supposed to be less crowded. The island was beautiful and we spent much of the time swimming and wading in the sea and trying to avoid stepping on the razor-sharp bits of coral and stone. There were some fish in the area that people were feeding but it wasn’t the main attraction. The purpose of the Bamboo Island stop was just to relax and enjoy the stunning Thai scenery that afternoon. Once we returned to the boat, we enjoyed a final ride back to the Royal Phuket Marina where we had the option to buy a picture of us boarding the boat. Another souvenir option was a two disc DVD set that included general videos of the islands as well as a video recorded during our day. The idea of having a video of our tour was neat but the price was a little steep. Afterward, we connected with out mini-bus for our ride back to the hotel.

We had a good time with the Phuket Sea Island Snorkeling tour but there were a couple things to consider when selecting them. Though it was a full day tour, we really spent a very limited amount of time actually snorkeling. While island hopping and speed boat rides under the Thai sun is enjoyable in itself, I would have enjoyed a little more time snorkeling or multiple dive sites. The other main drawback was the fact that the eight people in the front section of the boat were comfortable but everyone else would be cramped for the considerable amount of time spent on the boat. Other than that, the guides were knowledgeable, friendly and made the day enjoyable.