Thursday 27 February Koh Phi Phi Le

A few miles south from Phi Phi Don is Phi Phi Le a small, but uninhabited island and the location of The Beach. Another beautiful little island...visited by over 500 people a day in longtails, speed boats and party boats who come to walk DiCaprio's footsteps and swim in the clear water.

beach at Phi Phi Le

view from a kayak

We arrived after lunch and at just the right time to pick up a mooring ball in Maya Bay with a view of the beach and far enough away from coral bommies and the reef to be very comfortable. Later arriving yachts anchored in the mouth of the bay. The pink kayak was dropped in the water and we paddled around the headland to a small cave and then back to Maya bay to the beach. We didn't go on the beach because there's a 200 baht / £4 per person charge and we didn't have any money in our swimsuits and it's not so special we felt we'd missed out.

Later I went for a snorkel while David watched me and kept a look out for speeding boats coming my my way. In busy anchorages like this I follow the principle of keeping close to the hull of any anchored boats and stopping, looking and listening before sprinting between boats until I'm over the reef and in safe water. I'd never thought of snorkelling as interval training or a danger sport before!

And yet again as the day ended the magic of the place returned. Just us and 10 other yachts kicking back, watching the stars and listening to the water lapping on the hull. If only it was like this during the day....but that's selfish. We all want to see and enjoy these islands we're just fortunate to be on a boat and to be able to sleepover.

Viking cave

We left Phi Phi Le next morning heading to Koh Lante but before we turned south we motored around the island to see the lagoon on the east side (too shallow for the big boat and nowhere to anchor) and to see Viking Cave. Handsomely named Viking Cave is a prime spot for locals to live and gather the lucrative harvest of swallows nests used to make bird's nest soup. They don't like visitors so it's a case of look as you pass by.