Phi Phi Islands

The infamous Phi Phi Island photos — I couldn’t wait to get to Phuket just so I could finally see them in person. A couple of weeks before my trip, I booked an 8‑hour day tour through Agoda. I was already hesitant since I only had two days in Phuket, but I figured I’d make it work.

Then TikTok got me. I came across a video from a Black woman sharing her Phi Phi experience, and the comments were full of people saying, “Don’t book a tour — go on your own.” So I canceled my reservation and decided to adventure solo.

Let me get straight to the point: go to the Phi Phi Islands, but if you’re like me and want flexibility, don’t book a full‑day tour. Head to the pier in Phuket, take the speedboat to Krabi, wander a bit, and ask around for a private long‑tail boat or a small group trip. It’s cheaper, less restrictive, and way more fun.

I ended up finding a four‑hour group tour with about ten people, and the vibe was perfect. Everyone was sweet, and I even made a new friend — Tom from the UK. His friend got sunburned and couldn’t join, so he hopped on solo. We instantly clicked, took photos for each other, laughed the whole time, and realized we had way more in common than expected. This is the part of solo travel I love — you never know who you’ll meet.

Now, let’s talk reality vs. Instagram. The Phi Phi Islands are stunning, but Maya Bay is… an experience. To get onto the beach, you have to balance on a moving platform (pray for your ankles). The beach is packed with tourists, swimming is banned for conservation, and you cannot cross the red line unless you want a park ranger yelling at you. Tom and I watched a whole argument break out and laughed about it for the rest of the day.

My Takeaways

• If you’re like me, book everything yourself and explore at your own pace.

• Phi Phi is Instagrammable, but there’s definitely a “real life” side to it.

• Next time, I’d spend a night or two on Krabi to escape the ferry crowds and explore more.

• Long story short: this is a must‑do when visiting Phuket.

See pics below of these STUNNING islands: