Day Trippin' to the
Phi Phi Islands...
Phi Phi Islands...
| 'The Beach' in Maya Bay. |
Boats lined up in the dock of Phi Phi Don.
The limestone island.
November 17, 2006
Today was spent heading out to two different islands: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le.
We started out at Phi Phi Le. This island can thank Leonardo DiCaprio for their claim to fame. It came in the form of the movie The Beach. I
actually never saw it. But I do know that there is part of the movie that takes place at the beach (or maybe I should say ‘The Beach’) in Maya
Bay. This is where we got in the water and snorkeled around. I had a good time out there and I am pretty sure Michelle did, too. Even though
she felt a bit nauseated and had to get out a bit early, she said that she saw much more than she did the other day when she went. (She just read
this from over my shoulder and is not pleased that I wrote that. Since she knows I’m not retracting it, she wants me to add that this nauseated
feeling was short-lived.)
Phi Phi Don is the larger of the two and it took quite a beating during the tsunami. While we couldn’t even come close to imagining what it looked
like immediately afterwards, we did see parts that weren’t much more than dirt and debris. In contrast, we saw many brand new hotels and
structures that have been built that made it hard to believe that less than two years ago there was such a catastrophe out there.
Michelle was looking at a postcard of Phi Phi Don and it said ‘Post Tsunami’. It was a picture of the shape of the island as it stands now. There
was a part of the island that was extremely narrow and if you were standing at a certain place you could see a beach both on your right-hand
side and on your left-hand side. We both assumed that the narrowness that we saw was an effect of the disaster.
The heat was intense. There were no shady areas on the beach. This actually worked out in our favor as we chose to sit at a restaurant that was
covered but right next to the beach. Within minutes we noticed gray clouds far away and figured it must have been raining out in the ocean.
Then, within just a few more minutes, the gray clouds came right over where we were and rain started beating down on the island. Alas, we had
shelter so we actually had an enjoyable time. No more than fifteen minutes later blue skies appeared and the storm was a thing of the past.
It was now time to make our way back to the boat to head back to Phuket Island. Tonight would be our last night out here. It was time to say
good-bye to the beaches and the bright blue waters.
We watched the sunset from the beach at our hotel and then had a wonderful last dinner out here while listening to the sounds of the sea.
Right now I am just blown away that tomorrow is my last day with my sister. Where did the time go? It feels like it was less than a week ago
that she even arrived in Thailand…
Today was spent heading out to two different islands: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le.
We started out at Phi Phi Le. This island can thank Leonardo DiCaprio for their claim to fame. It came in the form of the movie The Beach. I
actually never saw it. But I do know that there is part of the movie that takes place at the beach (or maybe I should say ‘The Beach’) in Maya
Bay. This is where we got in the water and snorkeled around. I had a good time out there and I am pretty sure Michelle did, too. Even though
she felt a bit nauseated and had to get out a bit early, she said that she saw much more than she did the other day when she went. (She just read
this from over my shoulder and is not pleased that I wrote that. Since she knows I’m not retracting it, she wants me to add that this nauseated
feeling was short-lived.)
Phi Phi Don is the larger of the two and it took quite a beating during the tsunami. While we couldn’t even come close to imagining what it looked
like immediately afterwards, we did see parts that weren’t much more than dirt and debris. In contrast, we saw many brand new hotels and
structures that have been built that made it hard to believe that less than two years ago there was such a catastrophe out there.
Michelle was looking at a postcard of Phi Phi Don and it said ‘Post Tsunami’. It was a picture of the shape of the island as it stands now. There
was a part of the island that was extremely narrow and if you were standing at a certain place you could see a beach both on your right-hand
side and on your left-hand side. We both assumed that the narrowness that we saw was an effect of the disaster.
The heat was intense. There were no shady areas on the beach. This actually worked out in our favor as we chose to sit at a restaurant that was
covered but right next to the beach. Within minutes we noticed gray clouds far away and figured it must have been raining out in the ocean.
Then, within just a few more minutes, the gray clouds came right over where we were and rain started beating down on the island. Alas, we had
shelter so we actually had an enjoyable time. No more than fifteen minutes later blue skies appeared and the storm was a thing of the past.
It was now time to make our way back to the boat to head back to Phuket Island. Tonight would be our last night out here. It was time to say
good-bye to the beaches and the bright blue waters.
We watched the sunset from the beach at our hotel and then had a wonderful last dinner out here while listening to the sounds of the sea.
Right now I am just blown away that tomorrow is my last day with my sister. Where did the time go? It feels like it was less than a week ago
that she even arrived in Thailand…
