Rugged Phi-Phi Leh is the smaller of the two islands and is protected on all sides by soaring cliffs. Coral reefs crawling with marine life lie beneath the crystal-clear waters and are hugely popular with day-tripping snorkellers. Two gorgeous lagoons await in the island’s interior – Pilah on the eastern coast and Ao Maya on the western coast. In 1999 Ao Maya was controversially used as the setting for the filming of The Beach, based on the popular novel by Alex Garland. Visitor numbers soared in its wake.
At the northeastern tip of the island, Viking Cave (Tham Phaya Naak) is a big collection point for swifts’ nests. Nimble collectors scamper up bamboo scaffolding to gather the nests. Before ascending, they pray and make offerings of tobacco, incense and liquor to the cavern spirits. This cave gets its misleading moniker from 400-year-old graffiti left by Chinese fishermen.
There are no places to stay on Phi-Phi Leh and most people come here on one of the ludicrously popular day trips out of Phi-Phi Don. Tours last about half a day and include snorkelling stops at various points around the island, with detours to Viking Cave and Ao Maya. Long-tail trips cost 800B; by motorboat you’ll pay around 2400B. Expect to pay a 400B national park day-use fee upon landing.
It is no longer possible to camp on Phi-Phi Leh, but you can still visit Maya Beach at dusk and sleep on board a boat bobbing just offshore with Plankton Sunset Cruise.
Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/ko-phi-phi-leh#ixzz3mpBqQ4Im