6 Best Sights in Koh Phi Phi, Phuket and the Andaman Coast

It's a 45-minute trip by longtail boat to Bamboo Island, but there's a superb beach and the colors of the fish and the coral are brilliant. You can sometimes spot reef sharks, too. There are several places to get food and drinks. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; snorkeling; solitude. 

Accessible by boat only, Laem Tong Beach is more secluded than some of the other Phi Phi beaches. The turquoise waters are warm and the beach is bordered by jungle. All this gives Laem Tong more of a tropical-island-paradise feel than other busier Phi Phi beaches. Local fishermen can bring you here and take you to other nearby destinations on their longtail boats for less money than organized trips.

Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming.

On the other side of the Phi Phi Don Island from Tonsai Village, Loh Dalum has all the hallmarks of a tropical paradise: clear emerald waters, views onto the beautiful bay, and a white sandy beach. However, it's also touristy, busy, and noisy—an unfortunate symptom of Phi Phi's popularity. Beach bars put on spectacular fire shows at night, and the partying lasts well into the early hours. Swimming is best at high tide. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming.

Long Beach, a few minutes' longtail boat ride from Tonsai Pier, affords visitors a calmer and more relaxing experience away from the madding crowds. The white sands are almost silky underfoot and there are gorgeous views of Phi Phi Leh. Day-trippers often only stay for a dip and lunch, so the rest of the time it's pretty peaceful. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Phi Phi Lae, where Maya Bay is located, is a popular day trip from Phi Phi Don via longtail or speedboat. The first stop is Viking Cave, a vast cavern of limestone pillars covered with crude drawings. Most boats continue on for an afternoon in Maya Bay, aka "The Beach," (though note the government has taken to closing Maya Bay periodically to allow the area's nature to recover from mass tourism). If you don't mind thronging crowds (snorkelers practically outnumber the fish), Maya Bay is a spectacular site. If you get a really early jump on everyone, cruise into a bay and leave first tracks along the powdery sand beach; otherwise, head to Loh Samah Bay, on the opposite side of the island. Loh Samah Bay may, in fact, be the better option. Though smaller, it is as beautiful as Maya Bay but receives less attention.

Not to be confused with the Tonsai, in Railay, this Tonsai Beach is not a place for the fainthearted; it's crowded, noisy, and not the cleanest. The best time to visit is in the early morning when most of the young revelers are sleeping off the excesses of the previous night. Amenities: showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.