Ko Phi Phi

The set of The Beach, shut from 2018 for several years because crowds were wrecking it, now reopened. Swimming in the bay is banned; boats moor behind the island and you walk in on a boardwalk. Young blacktip reef sharks are often seen in the shallows.

Half an hour of stairs up the hill behind Tonsai and the two bays appear below, joined by a single strip of sand. Climbing those steep steps at midday wears you out. At sunset the rocks on top fill early, so go up a little ahead of time.

The shallow bay north of the isthmus; at low tide the bottom lies bare far out and boats sit on the sand. Bars line the beach, so fire shows and music go on every night and the noise runs late. For sleep, book a room away from this beach.

The village at the ferry pier, its narrow lanes packed with guesthouses, dive shops and restaurants. In 2004 the tsunami came in from both bays at once and swept across this neck of land. Stepping off the boat you pay a landing fee, so keep a little cash.

A green lagoon on the east of Phi Phi Leh, walled in by cliffs all round. The mouth is narrow, so big boats wait outside and longtails or kayaks go in. Tour boats queue in all afternoon, so pick a trip that arrives early in the day, when the water is clearest.

A cave under the cliffs of Phi Phi Leh where swiftlet nests are gathered for sale. Drawings of ships on the walls gave it the name. Because of the nest harvest visitors cannot go inside, and boats pass by with a view of the mouth and the bamboo ladders.

A flat island off the north of Phi Phi Don, ringed all the way round by white sand. It lies inside the national park, so a separate entry fee is taken on landing. The only shade is where the trees begin, so for a long midday stay bring a hat and water.

A small strip of sand about ten minutes from Tonsai by longtail, where a troop of macaques comes down off the rocks. Feed them and they go through bags and sometimes bite, so leave food on the boat. Plenty of people paddle over by kayak instead.

The beach south of Tonsai, where coral starts right off the sand and you can wade in with just a mask. Reach it on a rocky path from the village or by longtail. Early in the morning small sharks sometimes cruise over the shallow reef.

Two rock islets south of Phi Phi Leh whose sides drop straight down as walls, which is what draws the dive boats. It is known for turtles and leopard sharks. Some days the current swings round hard, and beginners should keep right behind the guide going down.

A slim inlet on Phi Phi Leh's southern tip, hemmed by tall limestone so the water lies calm over visible coral. Boats bound for Maya Bay drop passengers at its floating pier, so most tours snorkel here. Morning arrivals miss the boat traffic.

A rocky island off northeast Phi Phi Don beside Bamboo Island, nicknamed Mosquito Island. Its shallows teem with coral and fish, so snorkel boats stop, but the beach is tiny and people usually jump straight off the boat. Tours often pair it with Bamboo Island.

A quiet beach where Phi Phi Don ends in the north, over 30 minutes by longtail from Tonsai, so most people here are resort guests. A Chao Leh sea-nomad village survives at one end. Bamboo Island is close, and a morning start lands you before other boats.

A modest beach facing east, reached on foot over the hill trail behind the viewpoint or by longtail. A few beach bars are all there is, far quieter than Tonsai, with snorkelling off the rocks. After rain the trail turns to slick mud.

A deep cove facing west with a pocket beach under the cliffs, reachable only by kayak or longtail. Many paddle there from Tonsai along the cliffs, then snorkel from an anchored boat. Afternoon wind makes the paddle back harder.

A car ferry that struck a reef between Phuket and Phi Phi in 1997 and sank, now a dive site thick with fish. The hull lies around 30m down, beyond beginner depth, and entering it is banned. Visibility is often murky; pick a day of weak current.