The Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
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The
Phi Phi Islands are in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the
west Strait of Malacca coast of the mainland. The islands are administratively
part of Krabi province. Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest island of the group, and
is the most populated island of the group, although the beaches of the second
largest island, Ko Phi Phi Lee (or "Ko Phi Phi Leh"), are visited by
many people as well. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok,
Bida Noi, and Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai), are not much more than large
limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. The Islands are reachable by speedboats
or Long-tail boats most often from Krabi Town or from various piers in Phuket
Province.
Phi
Phi Don was initially populated by Muslim fishermen during the late-1940s, and
later became a coconut plantation. The Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains
more than 80% Muslim. The actual population however, if counting laborers,
especially from the north-east, is much more Buddhist these days. The
population is between 2,000 and 3,000 people (2013).
The
islands came to worldwide prominence when Ko Phi Phi Leh was used as a location
for the 2000 British-American film The Beach. This attracted criticism, with
claims that the film company had damaged the island's environment, since the
producers bulldozed beach areas and planted palm trees to make it resemble
description in the book, an accusation the film's makers contest. An increase
in tourism was attributed to the film's release, which resulted in increases in
waste on the Islands, and more developments in and around the Phi Phi Don
Village. Phi Phi Lee also houses the "Viking Cave", where there is a
thriving industry harvesting edible bird's nest.
Ko
Phi Phi was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, when
nearly all of the island's infrastructure was destroyed. As of 2010 most, but
not all, of this has been restored.
Climate
Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi
Phi National Park is influenced by tropical monsoon winds. There are two
seasons: the rainy season from May till December and the hot season from
January till April. Average temperature ranges between 17–37 degrees Celsius.
Average rainfall per year is about 2,231 millimetres, wettest in July and
driest in February.
Tourism
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.[citation needed] 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.
The number of tourists visiting
the island every year is so high that Ko Phi Phi's coral reefs and marine fauna
have suffered major damage as a result.
There are no hotels or other type
of accommodation on the smaller island Ko Phi Phi Lee. The only opportunity to
spend the night on this island is to take a guided tour to Maya Bay and sleep
in a tent.
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