Phi Phi The Beach Resort is a gem of a resort. If you are reading this then make sure you book it. Seriously. It has the best views on Phi Phi and is enough distance from the town so not to be bothered by the noise coming from all the party goers.
Rooms: We had Room 2205 however any on this row is fine, 2204, 2203 etc. All the rooms are a separated bungalow style. Thai wood and not thatched. This row of rooms is just enough of a stair climb but the view is superb and represents their advertising perfectly. The room has its own toilet and outside shower (with roof/walls and has open windows for a natural breeze and view. The bed is super comfy and be quick to pick the side with the side table. I lost out to my wife. There are tea/coffee making facilities and an in room safe. Use it for peace of mind, however we had no reason to feel unsafe. The bed looks out onto one of the best views I have ever seen. The balcony doors open up onto a decking that your camera will go wild on. You can see Phi Phi Ley (The Beach Movie) island and all the limestone cliffs of Phi Phi Don. The water is turquoise, the breeze is gentle and sunsets make you glad to be alive. The air conditioner is a little underpowered and the only real complaint I have, but its manageable. Draw the curtains when you leave is a good tip. They have silver foil backing on them. The door to the shower should be locked from the inside when leaving or sleeping, just for added security. DO NOT BOOK A ROOM BELOW this line as the view will be impeded by the line of trees. People in the cheaper rooms are disappointed.
Facilities: There is a beach bar with Happy Hour from 4 - 6 pm. The drinks are all reasonably priced and try the Vanilla Milkshake. OMG its heaven! You can play or chat to the staff at the bar and everyone smiles. In the evening you can sit under the palms at spaced evenly dining tables. The lights above illuminate the area with a relaxing ambience. The menu will suit all tastes and it isn't expensive. On the side there is a fire dance area with beach deck chairs to lay in to watch the show. Through the day this area is available for lunches and has sufficient shade from the sun. Facing the water and to the right is another bar, independently run from the hotel but shared as a service desk for water tours, snorkel equipment etc. I will chat about this later. Breakfast is served near the check in area and it's a buffet style. Comprehensive and will suit most people. There is a separate chef to cook your scrambled eggs etc.
Arrival: To get to this resort is easy. Once you get off the main ferry from Phuket a guy with a sign of the resort will be standing halfway down the pier. He will have your name most likely on a guest list, mine having my First Name! They will put your luggage into a long boat and the trip to the end of the point and the resort is only 10 minutes in fairly calms waters. Have your cameras ready for some photos of the resort, water and boat crew. They will take your bags to the resort check in and will use their golf buggy to get you to the room. Also the trip back is free of charge.
Tours and Taxis: At the front beach bar you can arrange various tours. The one we chose is the cheapest. 1200 Bt. This trip goes to Phi Phi Ley where the movie The Beach was filmed. Make sure you go to this island and go early in the morning. Unfortunately too many tour companies go there from Phuket and is overcrowded but as I currently live in China it's not that overcrowded for me. The tour is 3 hours and you have your own personal skipper and Long Boat. Try to go on a sunny day as the photography is unparalleled. To land on the island beach (and yes do this) it costs 200 Bt. per person. Have this in cash and the ranger patiently waits for you to come ashore. Take a few photos of the long boats as it makes a great wall photo for the future. Walking thru to the other side of Maya Bay you will pass the area which was in the movie. You will recognise the place as where Leonardo was hiding from the bad guys in the large beach flax. Take a few snaps. There is a small wooden depiction of the movie set on one of the tracks otherwise there is nothing else that resembles the movie. It had to reshaped back to its original state and the tsunami made sure there wasn't any resemblance to the movie after it swept through this area. Still it is well worth the visit. Many people clamber the stairs at the end to view the coral and turquoise sea at below. Later your skipper will go there for some snorkelling. After about an hour, maybe a swim take off again to the other side to do some snorkelling. This is fantastic and well worth the effort. I love to snorkel all around the world and this is an above average place. Some coral is damage but there is plenty of fish by your hands and schools of fish dancing a metre from your mask. Magnificent to say the least. Tell your skipper to miss out the next stop and remain in this bay longer. The 3rd stop is not worth the effort and is a bay on the island where all the Phuket tours go for their passengers to swim. Don't snorkel here. The 3 hour journey is enough and we timed it to perfection. 300 Bt extra per hour if you go longer.
Snorkelling: Take your own mask and snorkel. Use the internet to learn how to find the best set to suit your face and just hire the fins (flippers) when you go to the island. We hired the fins for the duration of the stay just to ensure I had the right foot size the whole time. This is a good tip and suggest you do this. its only 50Bt a day. You can hire a vest for those that are a little nervous in the water but try and practice in a pool before you get to the island. The rocks out from the main resort are fine to view fish. On the left side half way down you will see clown fish (Finding Nemo) swimming as a pair in a sea anemone. On the right side it is easier there are less bommies to navigate around. make sure you snorkel at high or middle tide. Low tide is too shallow to get around all the rocks and unless you are experienced you will have difficulty with the swell to prevent coral scratching your belly or leg. My wife had never snorkelled before but I taught her in a pool for 30 minutes ion Phuket. She had no difficulty.
The Town: Don't walk into town. The road can be muddy if it rains and poorly lit at night. Take a boat (taxi) 100 Bt. per person. The town is a typical town that backpackers love. Bars, restaurants and loud music. I used to be one but as I am older this scene is no longer for me. There are some supermarkets in the town for the extra nibbles for your stay. We didn't like the town much but it does have that Caribbean feeling about it. You can also walk to the other side of the island. Lots of souvenir shops and tour operators. I suggest that it's not that important to go there unless you are seeking some of the opposite sex and a revellers evening.
All in all this is one of the best locations I have ever been to. I would suggest any person going to this island to go for at least 3 days and a maximum of 5 like we did. If you stay longer you might forget to go home. A class resort and will outstrip any expensive resorts for location, service and facilities. It is Value for Money.
