The Phi Phi islands lie in Krabi's waters but are one of Phuket's signature outings, around 45 minutes to an hour away by speedboat from the southern piers. The scenery is the stuff of screensavers: sheer limestone walls dropping into jade water, snorkelling bays alive with fish, and the celebrated Maya Bay on uninhabited Phi Phi Leh, the cove made famous by the film The Beach. Maya Bay reopened after a long conservation closure and now runs under visitor limits and rules that protect the reef, so tours enter and view it differently than they once did. A typical trip strings together Maya Bay, the sheltered Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach, and snorkelling around Bamboo Island, with a national-park fee collected on top of the tour price. To dodge the midday crush, take an early speedboat or, better still, stay a night on lively Phi Phi Don and see the bays before the day boats arrive.
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