Welcome to the tropical islands of Koh Phi Phi in Southern Thailand. Now is a perfect time to visit for Thailand residents if, like us, you had previously stayed away because of the crowds. 
GETTING TO KOH PHI PHI
We took an early flight from Bangkok to Krabi, followed by a 90-minute ferry ride to Koh Phi Phi Don. The airport transfer and ferry we organised on arrival at Krabi airport, however, be prepared for some hanging around, as there is a limited ferry schedule at present.
BEWARE OF THE MONKEYS!
We had fun and games from the moment we arrived in the pouring rain even surviving a monkey ambush, walking to our hotel. But, in the process, l lost a large brightly coloured packet of nuts which I’d just bought in 7-11!
Monkey 1 Tourist 0.
I tell you this to shine a light on the great work of Trash Hero on Koh Phi Phi. I’m afraid my nut packaging disappeared up a tree and will have added to the rubbish woes we saw there. If you have not come across Trash Hero I urge you to look them up, they are a global organisation who started in Thailand.
The Trash Hero mission is to bring communities together to clean and reduce waste.
Have you visited Koh Phi Phi recently? It is really rather sad in some respects yet utterly wonderful in others.
MAYA BAY
Long gone are the days when Leonardo’s “The Beach” in Maya Bay, attracted up to 5,000 people daily. Maya Bay beach remains closed as the ecology recovers but there are other beaches and bays to capture your castaway fantasy. Despite a handful of Phi Phi tours from Krabi and Phuket we largely had the place to ourselves.
These islands that were once so reliant on overseas tourism, suffered from “over-tourism.” Now like so much of Thailand, “under tourism” is the issue with all its consequences. It was sad to see the dilapidated, closed-up island.
This is now the same picture that I’ve seen across Thailand – Chiang Mai, Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui, Phuket. You really wonder if some of these boarded-up businesses have closed never to reopen. On Koh Phi Phi apart from the monkeys, the only community doing well were the cats – we couldn’t get over how many well-fed cats are lazing around the streets. One lady told me she was now looking after 30 cats, as the people left, they left me their cats she tells me.
With a dwindled population Koh Phi Phi is creating less of its own waste, however, the angry monsoon sea still spews and spits out its trash.
Trash Hero Koh Phi Phi was once a vibrant community who did so much to help the island clean up. Eighty per cent of participants came from international visitors who loved nature and this wondrous environment. Nowadays the loyal locals are doing their best to continue with the community work but Trash Hero numbers are seriously depleted.
At Phi Phi viewpoint I met Uncle Nopp, a long-standing passionate Trash Hero. He invites us all to appreciate the beauty of Koh Phi Phi and join him and others in their wonderful work.
Anyone can become a cleanup Trash Hero, at any age. They are about educating the kids, reducing our own waste, making a difference in the world and having fun!
COME JOIN TRASH HERO KOH PHI PHI
For those in Thailand, the Phi Phi Island Conservation and Preservation Team Cleanup is on the 10th, 20th & 30th of every month. Everyone is welcome. Just turn up with the enthusiasm and a smile to join together cleaning around Koh Phi Phi Island.
Koh Phi Phi Trash Hero Facebook Page has all the details:
https://www.facebook.com/Trash-Hero-Koh-Phi-Phi-208332002976761/
THE BIG CHILLI MAGAZINE
This post has been featured here in The Big Chilli Magazine: Join Trash Hero Koh Phi Phi
I hope you have enjoyed this wander around Koh Phi Phi today. Do you have Trash Hero or similar organisation where you live? Do tell me all about it, if you do.
Linking with thanks to Angie at Mosaic Monday and all the hosts at Our World Tuesday
10 comments
Hello,
What a beautiful place, I am glad they are working hard to keep it clean. I guess it is a battle with the monkeys stealing things from the tourists. The Maya Bay photo is just gorgeous.
Thanks for sharing your visit. Take care, enjoy your day. Have a great new week!
Taht are so wonderful World!! Beautiful Photos!!! They make a lot of effort to clear away everything there:
Have a good week and take care, Elke
Beware of monkies made me laugh.Lovely photos.
Beautiful photos, I loved seeing the swordfish!
Wren – Ko Phi Phi is so spectacularly beautiful! It is a shame to think that people would “trash” it. Here I have been part of a group that cleans up the highway near where we live. I try to make a positive assumption that the towels and paddles and other wild items have inadvertently flown out of people’s trucks and boats as they drive along at 70 mph, but those items should be secured! Thanks for sharing this beauty and the story of Trash Hero with everyone at Mosaic Monday!
Lovely blog and good to see a balanced account of Koh Phi Phi 🙂
What a great initiative. I remember going to the islands long long before tourism!
I’ll look at that magazine! I love reading about this beautiful place. It’s hard to get the good balance of tourists but of course this year has been terrible! Thanks for sharing!
You live in such a Beautiful green lush country … Oregon was a leader , the first State to have a bottle return bill and have led in recycling for many years. we were somewhat shocked when we started our RV travels (back in the late 90s) when we found other states were not so conscious of litter. … we’ve slipped backwards now here though … there’s no market for recycled material and we have zero national leadership (on this or on anything good for humanity) . So a lot of plastic crap stuff is going into the waste stream again. Even plastic shopping bags which have been banned are now back because of Covid. You can’t take in your reusable bags any more. I despair.
Nice to see your photographs.
I am pleased to read they are working hard to keep it clean.
Take care
All the best Jan