Phi Phi Island : Krabi
The Phi Phi islands are located about 45 Km southeast from Phuket, 42 km south of Krabi Town and 40 km from Ao Nang Beach. The nearest airports are at Krabi, Trang, and Phuket. All three have direct road and boat connections. There are frequent ferry boats to Ko Phi Phi from Phuket, Ko Lanta, and Krabi town starting at 08:30. Last boats from Krabi and Phuket depart at 14:30. In the "green season" (Jun-Oct), travel to and from Ko Lanta is via Krabi town only. They can be reached in between 1 to 3 hours depending on the type of boat you choose. Boats leave from Phuket, Ao Nang and the Chao Fa Pier in Krabi Town on a daily basis.
The name 'Phi Phi' is derived from Malay, and the original was Pulao Pi ah Pi, where in pulao is the Malay word for island , and Pi, pronounced with a soft 'p' sound, was very close in pronunciation to the English word 'bee'; the ah was dropped, so the name was said something like Bee Bee.
Later the p was pronounced with a stronger aspiration and the name became the Phi Phi (Pee Pee) we know today. The name originally referred to the mangrove wood found there.
There are 6 islands in the Phi Phi group; Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Ley, Bida Nok, Bida Nai, Koh Yung, and Koh Phai; total land area is 42 square kilometers. The islands were declared a National Park in 1983, and development is limited to Koh Phi Phi Don only. All other islands are uninhabited.
The islands feature beaches and clear water that have had their natural beauty protected by national park status. Tourism on Ko Phi Phi, like the rest of Krabi Province, has exploded since the filming of the movie The Beach. In the early 1990s, only adventurous travelers visited the island. Today, Ko Phi Phi is one of Thailand's most famous destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling, kayaking and other marine recreational activities.