"The Beach"

After arriving in Phi Phi, I caught the 24-bug that had been going around the islands. Once I was back feeling 100%, I took a day tour in a long-tail boat to a few of the surrounding islands, including “The Beach” aka Phi Phi Ley, made infamous by Leonardo Dicaprio in the movie, “The Beach.” You should know before reading this post that Phi Phi and its surrounding islands were some of the most affected by the 2004 Tsunami. You could see evidence of this everywhere, in the damage that still exists as well as the tsunami warnings everywhere. On our trip to Bamboo Island, there was a sign posting showing us how high the wave was when it impacted the island: a full 4 meters from the top of this stick!

Then, we went to Monkey Beach, which was filled with monkeys. I wasn’t overly enthused about this beach since the monkeys steal people’s cameras and belongings, and a few days earlier, a girl had been bit by one and had to be rushed to the hospital to make sure she didn’t contract rabies.

The crowning glory of the trip was Leonardo’s “The Beach,” which served as a relaxing afternoon when the motorboats carrying tourists to and fro disappeared...

A view of Phi Phi Ley from afar...

After Phi Phi, I was off to Koh Lanta to do some diving.