Ko Phi Phi

Phi Phi (technically 2 islands, Phi Phi Don & Phi Phi Ley) is one of the most stunning naturally beautiful places I've ever been. It is spoiled only by the visitors, which (a combination of backpackers and day-trippers from Phuket) are unfortunately quite numerous. We had heard the nightlife could be very noisy, so on arrival manage to secure a bamboo hut just out of the town, right on cliffs by the sea. It didn't have any windows, air-con or hot water, but was cheap, seemed clean enough, and had a beautiful breezy veranda for hanging out. We could even climb down to the rocks below and watch the sunset. We'ed lucked out...

Our balcony and the bungalow next door

    

... or so we thought. The beautiful arching beach we could see from the room becomes Phi Phi's party central every night. There is no sleeping here, even with earplugs, and listening to 5 bars simultaneously playing what appeared to just be Fatman Scoop's greatest hits can get tiresome after a while. Still, the place was so nice we just tolerated it. The first night we grabbed a cocktail bucket or two and joined in.

Cocktail buckets (150baht = 3 pounds)

The day after the day after the night before, we went scuba diving around Phi Phi Ley (the smaller of the 2 islands). It was the best scuba trip we've taken, partly because it was a really friendly company - we were the only customers on the boat, so it was just the divemaster, the boat guy and us - but also because of the amazing amount of wildlife! The highlight probably was seeing about 5 Hawksbill turtles right up close - they didn't seem to bothered and just carried on chomping away at the coral or whatever it was. To top it off we stopped at Maya bay (the beach from The Beach) for a lunch break. Not quite as good as the film due to the tourists knocking about on it but it was still awesome!

Our dive boat, Maya Bay

Cath and 'the beach'