Krabi and Phi Phi Island

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Dives with a definite difference
The province of Krabi is located just north and east of Phuket Island and can be reached by road or by boat from Phuket or Surat Thani. There are a number of established dive shops in the area, many of them connected with resort hotels.

Many dive centers concentrate on beginning diver courses, and there are some excellent instructors in the area. One nice thing about Krabi is that the local dive sites are relatively close, allowing divers to engage in other activities in the afternoon.

The islands around the Ao Nang and Ao Pranang resort areas are bizarrely shaped and have some of the most beautiful beaches you'll ever see: When someone thought up the word paradise, they must have been thinking of Krabi. Underwater, although visibility is often limited, the caves and limestone faces have sea whips, small sea fans, and some unusual types of corals that are not seen elsewhere. Though there is some nice diving around the Krabi area, many trips are run from the resorts to either Phi Phi Island or to points further south including Hin Daeng and Ko Ha.

Over the past several years. Ko Phi Phi (pronounced pee pee) has grown from a peaceful little Muslim fishing village to one of the busiest tourist destinations in the country. Located about 45 kilometers east of Phuket, the Phi Phi Island group-part of Krabi province-is composed of the islands Ko Phi Phi Don (Hilly Island).

Ko Phi Phi Lae (Phi Phi in the sea), KoYung (Mosquito Island), and Ko Mai Pai (Bamboo Island). Phi Phi offers the keen diver a wide range of diving possibilities and occasionally some absolutely fantastic diving. It is a delightful place to spend a few days relaxing on its exquisite beaches, exploring its numerous coves and bays, climbing its steep vertical peaks, and enjoying some colorful and enticing scuba diving.

What sets Ko Phi Phi apart from other dive destinations in Thailand is two features: The first is the amazing limestone cliffs rising dramatically out of the sea and plunging equally dramatically straight down underwater. The second is the remarkable variety of dive sites that are concentrated in such a small area.
Underwater, these towers shape a rugged, interesting environment for scuba divers, and over time the elements have created caves, overhangs, and swim-throughs in this soft rock. Some caves penetrate the rock as much as 30 meters or more which make for exciting exploration.

Other types of environments include vertical walls that plunge from the surface to over 25 meters. On these walls grow a profusion of soft corals, large orange sea fans, black coral and long stringy sea whips. Several types of unusual coral trees grow in the waters surrounding Ko Phi Phi. including a white coral bush that looks like a frocked Christmas tree and is covered with ornament-like growth in the form of oysters and crinoids.

In many places, the islands are fringed with hard-coral gardens, home to a wide assortment of radiant tropical creatures. In most areas coral growth and marine life including five species of anemone fish-is profuse and most, but not all of the same fish species that inhabit the Similans can be found around Ko Phi Phi as well.

Ko Phi Phi is one of the most sensationally beautiful island chains in the world and the diving ranks among the best in Southeast Asia. Although visibility is often limited, averaging 5-20 meters, the amount of marine life under the calm waters of Ko Phi Phi should keep all but the most sea- soned diver entertained for a number of days.

The enjoyable diving, along with beautiful beaches, fun exploratory cruises, and an easy-going way of life, will continue to make Ko Phi Phi one of Thailand's most popular destinations for years to come. How to get there: Land transportation to Krabi is available from any city in Thailand. Ferries to Phi Phi are available from Krabi. Phuket, and Ko Lanta.