Snorkel Review

The Phi Phi Islands are idyllic, serene islands located in the South East of Thailand, east of Phuket in South East Asia. The nature reserve is made up of two main islands and four surrounding smaller islands. Located 45km from Phuket, the Phi Phi islands are accessible via either a speedboat or ferry, ranging from 45min to 90min journey. The postcard turquoise bays make the Phi Phi Islands a tropical paradise.

The Phi Phi Islands are located off the South West coast of Thailand and just to the West of Phuket. The main island had a sandy beach along the main strip. Surrounding the smaller islands, there are coral reefs that aren’t in the best condition. There is marine life that lives in and around the reefs and sandy shorelines, including small blacktip reef sharks and tropical fish.

My friend and I went to the neighbouring uninhabited island of Koh Phi Phi Leh, located a 10-15 minute journey and visible from Koh Phi Phi Don mainland. The bay is at the South of the island, a 5-10 minute longail boat journey from Pileh Lagoon and Maya Bay. There are tour operators who take groups out for snorkeling and sightseeing tours, although these can be costly.

My friend and I paid a fisherman who took us out on his fishing boat for 4 hour’s and we paid approx $35. During our snorkel trip we stopped off at Loh Samah Bay, located at the South of the island, just around the corner from the world famous Maya Beach. The bay stetched along cliff face up to a small beach with overlooking jungle landscape.The water conditions were generally good.

As we got in the water and started snorkeling, there was little coral and the sea bed was mainly sandy with some fish. This is where we saw a few small Blacktip reef sharks cruising the channels along the cliff face. These sharks were juvenile, as Phi Phi Don is a breeding ground for Blacktip sharks.

These younger sharks are generally shy and keep their distance, especially if you go close they will swim off. Sometimes it is best to stay still and they will cruise on by. The Blacktip Reef Shark’s which are ranked by ICUN as Vulnerable and very important to the marine ecosystem.

Snorkel Pics

We finished our snorkel trip with our last stop at Loh Samah Bay, which is near the bottom of the island. It was relatively empty when we arrived, the snorkel spot leads into a bay, as shown in the image below. My friend and I saw many small Blacktip Reef Sharks cruising over the coral reef, the coral was in better condition here. We swam up to the beach before heading back to the beach. As we swam back the weather turned very quickly and the water became very choppy. You do need to be careful, if the weather turns, take safety precautions.

We then proceeded down the West side of Ko Phi Phi Lee to the turquoise lagoon of Pileh Bay, upon entrance you are greeted by crystal clear waters and a stunning island backdrop. Within Pileh lagoon the turquoise water makes for an unreal view. There isn’t any snorkel opportunity in this lagoon, but a cool experience if you are visiting.

Finally, Koh Phi Phi island features a fantastic stay for 3x days and there is a lot to do on the small island, including its vibrant nightlife, walks, and beaches.

Tour Guide Options

There are snorkel tours operating from the main island of Koh Phi Phi to Koh Phi Phi Leh running from Phi Phi Don. On the two beaches near the pier you can negotiate with locals a price to take you out on their longboat. Alternatively you tour guides from Krabi and Phuket run day trips to Phi Phi.

Best Snorkel Spot

The best snorkel spot was 5 metre’s out from the cliff face (left hand side in the picture), where you can spot Blacktip Reef Shark’s cruising along the sandy, rocky sea bed.