Phi Phi Islands

The Phi Phi Islands (Thai: หมู่เกาะพีพี, RTGS: Mu Ko Phiphi, pronounced [mùː kɔ̀ʔ pʰīː.pʰīː]) are an island group in Thailand located in the Strait of Malacca between the large island of Phuket and the Straitscoast in the Krabi Province The islands are administratively part of Krabi Province. Ko Phi Phi Don (Thai: เกาะพีพีดอน, RTGS: Ko Phiphi Don) (ko Thai: เกาะ 'island') is the largest and most populated island of the group, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Le (Thai: เกาะพีพีเล, RTGS: Ko Phiphi Le) are visited by many people as well. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok, Bida Nai, and Ko Mai Phai, are not much more than large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. The islands are reachable by ferries, speedboats or long-tail boats, most often from Krabi town or from ports in Phuket Province.

Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Thai Malay fishermen during the late-1940s, and later became a coconut plantation. The resident Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80 percent Muslim. The current population however—if counting transient workers—is more Buddhist than Muslim. The resident population is between 2,000 and 3,000 people (2018).