Paradise in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

It was a welcome sight sailing towards the sunny skies in Koh Phi Phi and leaving the rain in Krabi behind. Nestled in the Andaman Sea, this island is something to behold with gorgeous beaches, more cats than you can count and not a single car; be prepared for some spectacular beach pictures.

Phi Phi is effortlessly cool, there is such a variety of nice bars and restaurants that you really can't go wrong. We spent most of our days lazing around on the beach, playing with the resident cats and spotting fish in the crystal clear ocean. Despite this island being small in size, there is a lot to explore including a hike up to the infamous viewpoint which is just breath-taking. It was pretty strenuous and you'll most definitely have a sweaty sheen in all your photos, but it's worth the climb. On one evening, after a few beers, we went to see a Muy Thai show like no other where the tourists are the ones who do the do the fighting. Neither of us decided to get in the ring but it proved to be an exciting few hours as even two friends took to the stage to have a bout, you can take a look in the video below!

One day we decided to rent a kayak and paddle into the ocean over to Monkey Beach, that sounds lovely right? Well it was like something out of a horror movie as we came up onto the sand to see people running and screaming in fear back into the safety of the sea from the feisty monkeys. We saw one lady get bitten as she tried to reclaim her backpack just before they set eyes on the new visitors, us! We grabbed our stuff and ran as they ransacked our kayak but luckily they soon realised we hadn't brought any tasty snacks and left us alone. It was time to head back into the ocean so we decided to paddle towards some of the impressive limestone cliffs. Then, like something of out a much nicer movie, we saw a grey shape jump out of the water right in front of our kayak. It was a pod of wild dolphins, including a little baby, who were feeding in the safety of the cove. They had come over to take a closer look at us so we spent the next 30 minutes watching in wonder as they jumped and played only metres away. It was a magical end to a wonderful day. 

As if we weren't already in paradise, the next few days we stayed in the sustainable boutique hotel Zeavola which Josh's parents had very kindly gifted as a birthday present. Our rocky ride on the longboat through the limestone cliffs was only the beginning to the luxury. We were welcomed with complimentary drinks, towels and a rest on the giant beach cushions designed for maximum relaxation. This was a slightly different welcome than we were used to in our stays in the cheapest hostels we could find, so we embraced every minute of it. We were taken to our hut in the forest which was an expertly designed open plan room that left us speechless.

The food, service and facilities here were perfect, they work hard to protect their precious island home with a self-sufficient lifestyle that will bring benefits for generations to come. The snorkelling was fabulous as the coral just off the beach was full of stunning aquatic life and the sea was unbelievably clear. Whether we were in our private outdoor rain shower, relaxing in the infinity pool or eating the selection of weird fruits they left for us each day, it was like a dream come true.

Unfortunately we had to leave Zeavola to head back to the main town and the island really lived up to its name as it pee-peed it down for the last few days of our stay. This didn't stop us from going on an adventure as we headed to a rock formation aptly named Shark Point to swim with some Black Tip Reef Sharks. These guys are not small being around 1.5m long, but they are naturally shy which leads to them being difficult to spot. We hiked through the jungle at 7am and swam through a mighty strong current to snorkel on the reef, quietly waiting for them to appear. They really are elusive creatures but we had a marvellous moment when two sharks swam only inches away from us as we were paddling in the shallows. Phi Phi has so much to offer and we both felt it was a perfect place to end our time in Thailand, onto the next stop Malaysia.