How to Walk Around Koh Phi Phi Don

Koh Phi Phi island is a beautiful island located in south Thailand. There are not many cars and motorbikes on the island compared to other parts of Thailand. If you see some of those, they mostly belong to locals and resorts.

This island is easily explored on foot and by long tail boats. Most beaches are accessible by longtail boats. Taking a long tail boat is more comfortable than walking but also expensive.

If you like walking, you can explore most beaches on foot. In this guide, I’ll show you how to explore Koh Phi Phi Don (the main island of Koh Phi Phi) on foot.

Before exploring Koh Phi Phi on foot, I recommend downloading Map.me for navigation. I used the free version and was able to explore most trails by using this map. Google Maps is also a good option, but not all roads are on google.

Here are the 6 walking routes on Koh Phi Phi Don:

TonSai to north Phi Phi (Loh Lana, Nui Beach, Laem Tong, Loh Ba Kao)
North Phi Phi (Laem Tong, Loh Ba Kao) to Tonsai via Viewpoints 3,2,1
TonSai Village to Long Beach and Loh Moo Dee
TonSai Village Koh Phi Phi Viewpoints
TonSai Village to Phak Nam Bay
Phak Nam Bay to Long Beach

The Walk from TonSai to north Phi Phi: Loh Lana -> Nui Beach -> Laem Tong -> Loh Ba Kao (via beach + jungle)

Loh Lana Bay, Nui Beach, Laem Tong, and Loh Ba Kao Bay are beautiful quiet beaches on the north coast of Koh Phi Phi. They are all easily accessible by long tail boats. If you are an adventure traveler, you can explore all of these beaches on foot.

There are two routes to get to the beaches on the north from Tonsai Village:

By walking along the beach and jungle. This is a shorter and easier trail, doable at low tide.
By hiking through the steep stairs of Viewpoint 1,2,3. This is a longer and harder trail.

I’ll guide you to reach these beaches by walking along the beach and the jungle option. Be sure to check the tide condition before heading to this route. There is always a sign on the trail showing you which direction to go.

The Walk from Tonsai Village to Loh Lana Bay

Loh Lana Bay, located on the north coast of Koh Phi Phi, is often reached from the main village by long tail boats. If you like trekking, you can reach this beach by walking along the coast + jungle, or through hiking to the Viewpoint 1,2,3.

The walk along the coast and jungle is quicker and easier than the hike via steep stairs of the Viewpoints 1,2,3. The downside for the coast + jungle walk is that it is only doable during the low tide.

I took the shortcut trail but took a walk along the beach then jungle to reach Loh Lana Bay. From Tonsai, I recommend putting “Phi Phi Sunset Bay Resort” on Google Maps and follow the directions.

When you pass the Kitty Guesthouse, you’ll need to turn left into a very small alley.

You walk to the end of this alley then turn right and continue walking on the path running parallel with the sea.

When you close to Phi Phi Sunset Bay Resort, you will see a sign that says “Go down to the stairs, walk along the beach to Nui Bay, Loh Lana, and Loh Ba Kao”.

If you can’t see the sign, just walk on the rock along the beach. This is doable at low tide.

At some point, you will see the path into the jungle and the sign showing direction to Loh Lana Bay. Walk in the jungle path for around 20 minutes, until you reach the pond and the direction sign.

You can Google Map from now to reach Loh Lana. I turned left at the pond, followed the dirt road, then turned left again at the paved road. If you turn right, you’ll reach Loh Ba Kao. I reached Loh Lana within 20 minutes from the sign at the pond, passing the peaceful mangrove forest and an abandoned resort.

Loh Lana Bay is a quiet place to swim and kayak. You can rent a kayak at the beach. There are no sunbeds or umbrellas on the beach, so bring beach mats with you. If you want to come back to Tonsai by foot, you can easily book taxi boats at Loh Lana Bay.

The walk from Loh Lana Bay to Nui Beach at low tide

At low tide, you can walk along the beach at the left end of Loh Lana Bay to reach a fishing village then climb jungle to get to Nui Beach. It is around a 10-15 minute walk along the beach, and another 5 minutes on the mountain.

There were always signs showing directions to Nui Bay at the beginning of Loh Lana Bay and the fishing village, but I recommend using Map.me or Google Map for GPS and navigation.

The beach was quite crowded when I was there in January. Lots of people come here by long tail boats. It has crystal clear water, fine sand, and beautiful views of the surrounding limestone mountains. Ideal for kayaking, sunbathing, swimming, or just chill.

If you don’t like walking or the tide is high, you can take a long tail boat from Loh Lana Bay to Nui Beach, which is only a few minutes’ ride away. If you are physically good, you can rent a kayak at Loh Lana then kayak for 50 minutes to get to Nui Beach.

The walk from Loh Lana Bay to Laem Tong Beach

Laem Tong Beach is a quiet and long beach on the northern end of Koh Phi Phi. This beach has crystal blue water and white fine sand, ideal for swimming and relaxing, away from the crowds.

You can easily use Google Maps to navigate the direction from Loh Lana Bay to Laem Tong Beach. It is around a 30-40 minute walk on the flat, concrete road. There are several viewpoints along the way where you can stop to take photos and rest.

If you don’t feel like walking anymore, From Laem Tong Beach, you can book a long tail boat to get to other beaches on Phi Phi island.

The walk from Laem Tong Beach to Loh Ba Kao

Laem Tong Beach is well-connected with Loh Ba Kao through a concrete road. You can walk between two areas within 40 minutes. There are also several motorbike taxis in this part of town, where you can use as a walking alternative.

The Walk from North Phi Phi (Laem Tong and Loh Ba Kao) to Tonsai Village via Viewpoints 3,2,1

Laem Tong and Loh Ba Kao are the beautiful beach towns located on the north of Koh Phi Phi Don. These areas are known for their long, crystal clear beaches and quiet atmosphere. They are ideal places for relaxing and away from the hustle and bustle of the main village.

These beaches are easily accessible from Tonsai and Loh Dalum Beach by long tail boats. Taking long tail boats is recommended when you first arrive at Tonsai Pier and carry a suitcase. Once you are in these areas, you can walk to TonSai on foot.

There are two ways to get from Laem Tong and Loh Ba Kao to TonSai:

First way is the shortcut way. You walk into the jungle and along the beach at low tide
Second way is the longer way and can be done anytime during daytime. You Walk through Viewpoints 3,2,1.

I accidentally walked along Loh Ba Kao Beach at low tide and followed the road on Villa 360 to get to the viewpoints but I don’t recommend this way. I walked half way and saw the warning “Private Property, No Trespassing”.

You can put “Phi Phi Viewpoint 3” in the destination on Google Maps and choose the walking routes. You will have ideas of the navigation. You’ll likely see lots of direction signs along the route.

When you reach a small pond, you will see the sign showing two directions via Jungle + beach (55 minutes), or through viewpoints (90 minutes). I’ve already shown you the jungle and beach route from TonSai to North Koh Phi Phi above, this part I’ll show you way through the viewpoints.

The walk from the pond to viewpoint 3 is quite easy, around 40 minutes through the jungle. There were signs posted along the way (Google Maps/ Map.me also helpful giving the GPS and navigation).

At somewhere near Phak Nam Bay, you can check out a short path to Phi Phi Viewpoint 4. This viewpoint has stunning views of crystal blue water of Phak Nam Bay below. Location here.

From viewpoint 4, you can walk for around 15 minutes to reach Viewpoint 3. The ticket is 20 baht. There is a convenience store on site where you can buy snacks and drinks. This viewpoint is usually less crowded than viewpoints 1 & 2 even at popular times like sunset.

From viewpoint 3, there are signs showing direction to viewpoint 2. It was around a 10 minute walk away. You’ll need to pay 50 baht for the entrance. This is a bigger viewing platform with a two floors cafe with stunning views of Tonsai Village and its beaches.

From Viewpoint 2, you walk for 5 minutes down to reach viewpoint 1. The entrance ticket is included in viewpoint 2. This viewpoint has closer views to the main village of Koh Phi Phi Don.

You will walk down Tonsai Village from Viewpoint 1 via steep stairs. It is steep but it is easier to get down than hiking up. It took me 15 minutes to go down the stairs. I don’t recommend booking hotels in this area. It has stunning views but it is not pleasant to carry suitcase/ luggage via steep stairs.

The walk from TonSai Village to Long Beach and Loh Moo Dee

Long Beach is a beautiful beach located near TonSai Village. It is only a 10 minute long tail boat ride from Tonsai Pier to Long Beach. I recommend taking the boat ride when you first arrive at Tonsai Pier because you don’t/can’t drag the suitcase on the trail. You can walk with a backpack.

It is a 10 minute walk along the beautiful coastline to reach Long Beach from Ton Sai. There are signs posted along the way. You’ll pass several small beaches on the outs such as Love Beach or Viking Beach.

From Long Beach, you can walk to Loh Moo Dee, a quiet beach on the east side of the island. Unlike Long Beach, which is lined with resorts and beach bars, Loh Moo Dee has just one bar on the beach, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

The Hike to TonSai Village Koh Phi Phi Viewpoints

Koh Phi Phi Viewpoints are popular attractions in Koh Phi Phi, offering stunning views of Tonsai village and beaches, especially at sunset and sunrise.

You can use Google Maps or Map.me for the navigation, but there are also many signs along the way showing you directions to the viewpoint.

The ticket to viewpoint 1 + 2 is 50 baht, the ticket to viewpoint 3 is 20 baht. It took me 20 minutes to hike from the bottom of the stairs to viewpoint 1, 5 minutes to viewpoint 2 from viewpoint 1, and around 10 minutes to viewpoint 3 from viewpoint 2.

The hike is easier when going down, harder and longer when going up. It is also more tiring when hiking under the sun during midday.

The walk from TonSai Village to Phak Nam Bay

Phak Nam Bay is a small quiet beach area home to Phi Phi Beach Resort. This beach is easily accessible by long tail boat. You can also reach Phak Nam Bay from TonSai Village via viewpoints 1 and 2.

I recommend using Google Maps, Map.me, and the signs posted along the way to reach viewpoint 1 and 2. From viewpoint 2 walk toward viewpoint 3 and follow the sign that says “Phak Nam Bay” or “PP relax resort” to head to Phak Nam Bay.

You’ll need to hike through the jungle, and climb a number of steep stairs to reach this beach from viewpoint 2. It took me 35 minutes to trek from viewpoint 2 to Phak Nam Bay.

Phak Nam Bay to Long Beach

I accessed Long Beach from Phak Nam Bay. I used Map.ne for navigation (Google Maps also works but I need to choose a walking route). From Phak Nam, I walked toward Viewpoint 2 direction, passed a local area.

I stopped at the local minimart to buy a bottle of water and ice cream. I was super hot and tired. The local offered me a motorbike ride to the beach for 100 baht but I said no. I continued walking, passing the Water park – PP Mountain Beach Resort.

At some point on the road where it will be a 15 minute walk from the beach, a local offered me a free ride to the beach. Lucky me, sawing energy walking under the sun.