Ko Phi Phi is Disneyland for Grown-Ups
Posted on 11. Jan, 2011 by Steph in Asia, Destinations
In retrospect maybe my expectations were out of whack. After all Ko Phi Phi is a tiny island in the Andaman Sea, but it’s also a HUGE tourist destination. In my head I pictured white beaches, sparkling water, a coconut in my hand- basically paradise. Instead what I found was a smaller, more backpacker friendly version of Phucket- a place where partying and consumerism far supersede authenticity, and relaxation is almost impossible.
It’s illuminating though. I think I’m starting to grasp why Thailand is so hugely popular with tourists. It’s not just because it’s gorgeous (although it is) or warm or even so cheap (LINK). All of those things are great selling points of course, but it’s more than that. In Thailand everything is for sale- and cheap. If you’ve got western dollars to spend it’s a fantasy world- it’s Disneyland for grown ups. Well, maybe adolescents.
In Thailand you can have anything you want. You can go scuba diving, cliff jumping, you can ride on the back of an elephant or pet a tiger. You can watch women shoot ping pong balls out of their va-jay-jays (you know, if you want to). And sex, backpacker sex, prostitution, ladyboys, peep shows, you can have pretty much anything if you’re willing to pony up the cash and ignore your conscience.
Booze that’s cheaper than water, drugs of all varieties, delicious food for cheap cheap cheap. You can party all night long and dance on the beach until dawn. The only consequence is your hangover the next day. In Thailand there seem to be no consequences at all as long as you know how to play the game.
Little Phi Phi is a perfect example of this. Just 50 years ago it was a practically deserted tropical island full of fishermen and not much else. In the 90′s it’s popularity with backpackers began to grow, particularly because of it’s association with the movie The Beach (link) which was filmed nearby. It was devastated by the 2004 tsunami but has largely bounced back (at least the commercial parts have). The main strip of the island is now jam packed with souvenir shops, internet cafes, bars and guesthouses. You can’t walk down the street without noticing a hundred touts and advertisements offering to take you to the famous movie beach.
"The Beach" full of tourists
Now, I’ve never seen the movie version of the Beach, but I’ve read the book twice. It’s an essential backpacker novel. I find it incredibly ironic that the scene on Phi Phi is exactly what Richard, the main character, was trying to escape from. He flees the chaos of Bangkok’s Kho San Road in hopes of finding a quiet, perfect beach. An escape from the travel industry and the pressures that surround it. Now, thousands of backpackers, ostensibly seeking the same thing, have turned what was probably once paradise, into a circus.
And, in high season at least, it really is a circus. Once darkness falls the bars start blasting and the drinks start flowing. The girls wander around in various states of undress and the guys hoot and holler. Electric lights blink all around, totally obscuring the stars as thumping beats pound out on a dance floor next to the ocean. It’s fun really, quite a sight to see. But after a couple nights the glitz starts to fade and you long for a little peace.
So in Thailand you can have it all- all of the guilty pleasures your heart desire. Some of these things are more ethical than others, it’s true. Far be it from me to deny anyone a good time. I’ve certainly been doing my share of drinking and carousing since I got here. I get the appeal- but there’s something about it that’s just so… removed from real life. A real problem that’s so easy to ignore, until you accidentally stumble down the wrong alley in Phi Phi and discover the run-down, not-yet restored shacks where many of the locals are still living. We may be living in a fantasy land, but not everyone here is.
It’s fun to visit Disneyland, it’s true. To kind of forget that there’s a world outside of tonight, and the dancing and the next bucket of cheap Thai rum. But nobody gets to live at Disneyland- and you probably wouldn’t like it if you did. It’s loud and it’s crazy, and ultimately it’s fake. In the morning, when the hangover kicks in, all I find myself craving is a really perfect beach.
32 Responses to “Ko Phi Phi is Disneyland for Grown-Ups”
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Jill - Jack and Jill Travel The World
11. Jan, 2011
We think we’re too old for Disneyland, sounds like we’re definitely too old for Ko Phi Phi as well… Love saying the name though. Ko Phi Phi, Ko Phi Phi, Ko fee fee….lol, maybe we’re not too old for it after all.
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
Actually it’s Ko Pee Pee…. even better?
Joe
12. Jan, 2011
To be really pedantic, it’s Go Pee Pee, with the Go sounding like the first part of Vincent Van Goghs surname, not like a child needing the toilet!
Steph
17. Jan, 2011
even better
Allison Suter
11. Jan, 2011
My husband states it succinctly: “Thailand has perfected tourism”. Its the combination of the cost, the beauty, the activities, and a certain je ne sais quoi. I haven’t been back to Koh Phi Phi since the tsunami, and understand it is even more “disney-esque” than it was before.
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
That’s a really good way to put it- they are really, really good at what they do here.
Abby
11. Jan, 2011
All of my friends and I have a tendency to compare places in Asia to Disney theme parks — not sure why. But Singapore, starting with the airport, will always be EPCOT to me.
Andi
11. Jan, 2011
Looks awesome!!!
Ben Cole
11. Jan, 2011
I just spent New Year’s in Koh Samui/Koh Phangam, and had very much the same observations. Still absolutely loved Thaialnd though. Happy travels!
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
In Ko Samui right now and it doesn’t seem as ridiculous- I bet Ko Phangan is worse though! It’s still a great place.
Andrew Murray
11. Jan, 2011
I kind of expected Phi Phi to be this way, but I’ll be making my way there in a month or two regardless. Luckily I’ll be travelling by sea from Langkawi so I may get a little ‘island paradise’ along the way.
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
It’s definitely worth a visit- as long as you know what you’re getting into.
Magda @DestinationWorld
11. Jan, 2011
I went to Phi Phi twice – once before the 2004 tsuname and than again in 2009. Even during my frist trip it was a very touristy place, but after the tsunami they basically covered the whole town with concrete. It looks aweful. It’s very expensive and very crowded. I don’t like the place. Ko Pha-Ngan is my favourite Thai island
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
Ugh, It’s such a shame that it’s rebuilt in that way. I am headed to Ko Phangan at the end of the week though!
Adam @ SitDownDisco
12. Jan, 2011
I don’t think I want to go there. I don’t have anything against touristy places per se, but when they are full of hooting and hollering guys and trashed bikini clad chicks, I find myself out of place.
Maybe this is the sort place that would have been fun for me when I was 18, but I’m (comparatively) old now.
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
Yeah, it’s not so much my scene either- at least not for more than a night or two.
Jayne
12. Jan, 2011
I think you sum up Ko Phi Phi really well – it’s the kind of place that you love to hate and hate to love. I’ve been twice and had an absolute ball for a few days but was always relieved to escape to the relative tranquility of Ko Lanta next door!
Steph
12. Jan, 2011
Yes Ko Lanta was the perfect antidote to the phi phi madness.
Joe
12. Jan, 2011
I haven’t been for a few years, but Railey in Krabi province was always a great alternative to the more touristy resorts. It’s not like it was for sure, but it’s a popular rock climbing destination and as such the more ‘genuine’ interaction between the locals and the climbers has always kept it a little more real, especially the smaller, less accessible Ton Sai beach.
Steph
17. Jan, 2011
Yeah we made a stop at Railay earlier this week- pretty busy but definitely more laid back.
Alicia
13. Jan, 2011
The hidden beauty of Thailand is really very surprising. When I get a chance to travel in Thailand (work reason) I thought it would be just one of my ordinary travels but I was wrong. Aside from the beautiful tourist spot, surprisingly Thailand has a very rich culture. And the people are so amazing.
Vi
17. Jan, 2011
I don’t think there are anything hidden in Thailand anymore, especially if it is beauty.
Steph
19. Jan, 2011
Sadly, I think you are probably right.
Theodora
15. Jan, 2011
I’d always prefer the quieter islands of Thailand to the built-up ones, and, to be honest, I’ve never braved Pi Pi or Phuket. Places like Ko Tao, which is a diving factory with added drag queens, are hard enough…
One very tranquil place on Koh Chang came close to the Thai island idyll for me, but I’d always pick Indonesia over Thailand for island-hopping.
Steph
17. Jan, 2011
I haven’t been to Indonesia yet but maybe my perfect beach is waiting for me there…
Sarah Nelson
17. Jan, 2011
Wow, this is my first time visiting your blog and it is fab! So, my question is… if you have 10 days to plan in / around Thailand, what would you do?
Steph
23. Jan, 2011
Thanks! 10 days isn’t much but if you are just after the highlights maybe do 3 days in bangkok, 3 in chang mai and 3 in ko samui.
Brianna
18. Jan, 2011
Thanks for this information about this great place. I will definitely visit there with my family someday and enjoy the beauty of nature and other attractions. Can you tell me when is the best time to visit there and what the cost if I visit with my husband and two lovely daughters.
Lipe
08. Nov, 2011
Thailand and its Phi Phi are one of my favorite destinations! I have visit it four years ago and I would like to visit it again. It was my best travel experience!
Belle
04. Mar, 2012
I lived there for 9 months and you hit the nail on the head. It’s a very addictive place where anything goes, but it’s not real and all the farang who live there (what Westerners are referred to by Thai people) love it, and that’s exactly why!