On an island in the sun....

In case you didn't know I am completely infatuated with Thailand. I spent two weeks there last January and couldn't get enough! I knew I had to go back. So this summer vacation I decided to spend 3 days on Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. From Seoul I flew into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, then to Phuket, Thailand where I caught a ferry to Phi Phi Island. I found a room for 1000 Thai Baht (about $30 USD) per night at a place recommended to me by a friend, PP Insula. It was nice and clean. I know I could have found cheaper but I opted fot TV, air-conditioning and hot water!

Ferry ride from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi

The first day was spent relaxing, swimming, and sunbathing on Ton Sai Beach.

At night I hung out at Slinky bar... fun! The following day I decided to hike up to "The Viewpoint" on the island. After about two hours of walking I reached the peak and saw the most gorgeous scene. Words and pictures don't really do it justice, but take a look anyway:

After enjoying the scenery for a while I hiked down a different way I came from and found "Long Beach." This is an area of the island that felt much more like a resort. There weren't many people around and the crystal clear water coupled with perfect weather made me never want to leave!
But eventually I dragged myself away to meet with some friends for dinner at "Papaya." This restaurant is in many guidebooks and is known for delicious, authentic Thai in an area where eateries mostly have a banal hodgepodge of western, European and indeterminate Asian cuisine meant to accommodate the tourist palate. After some ridiculously incredible Pad Thai we happened to find a great deal for a half day tour of the island for the following day. While every quote we had heard so far was 800-1000 Thai Baht, the travel agent right next to Papaya offered the tour for only 250 Baht per person! We scheduled the tour for the next day and enjoyed the rest of our night in town.

In the morning we excitedly got in our taxi boat to tour the island. The tour included snorkeling, some time at Maya Bay (where the movie The Beach was filmed), time to feed some monkeys, and more. It was an amazing time.

After the tour I bought some souvenirs, drank one more fresh coconut juice, and caught the ferry back to Phuket. In Phuket I had a layover with just enough time for dinner, a Thai massage, and watching the sunset before catching my flight to Kuala Lumpur where I spent the night at the airport.