hotel

Ton Sai Bay - Meeting Point for all activities!

#1-41-0Point of Departures -Krabi

At the terminal [none] along the esplanade in town

#1-41-1 Arrival in Phi Phi Don

The settlement is called Ton Sai, seen from afar

#1-41-2 Another look

#1-41-3 Very basic jetty

Traffic was low in 1995

#1-41-4 Compare size

Cruise ship from Phukut vs the regular Krabi Ferry

#1-41-6 West of Ton Sai & lined up of "Long tails"

Shocked by the number of speed boats and the pleasure crafts scattered over the whole bay? You should look at the massive fleets of "long tails" boats that are moored on both sides of the jetty.

#1-41-7 Arrival Point

The jetty point now seen from the shore. Ton Sai Bay is surrounded by low rolling hills on the east and tall cliffs on the west. Good number of private cruise ships docking here

#1-41-8 View of Jetty - another angle

For visitors staying here, they seldom find time to admire the beauty of the coral sea and tall cliff. This bay is the spring board to all activities on and around the few islands, draws their priority.

#1-41-9 Focus on small opertors

The long boat for local tours - the main business for Phi Phi operators

#1-41-10 Highly productive Long Tailed boat

Owned a lot to their good and cheap services

#1-41-10 A good look at Ton Sai

The place we loved so much

#1-41-11 Western cliff - close up

#1-41-12 Plenty to see with shallow water and after tide receeded

For nature lovers and environmentalist, this field itself is also a gruesome sight. The fine sands churned up by the traffic in the bay is already suffocating what ever is left of the reefs.

It must have been a marvelous sight before the mid 80's.with Sea cucumbers all around

They can be inspected at close range and at leisure. The mood may not be identical as when you see them under the water. Study the numerous species that are thriving here minus the aqua life's swimming around them. There, however, is the unending sights of the gruesome "sea cucumber" that interspersed among these corals.

#1-41-13 Holiday mood

Spending time with boat men

#1-41-14 Fishes Lots of them

Water in the bay is still very clear. The alluring emerald green water that lines the coastlines and also splashes of them across the bay punctuates the mood for holiday in these paradise Islands.

#1-41-15 Fishes Lots of them

Unbelievable at the number and varieties that had gathered

#1-41-16 Sunrise @ Ton Sai

It was so exciting that before the first light, we were3 up and i the sea looking for left over in shallow water

The beach was just where we opened our room door.-that close!

Accommodation on the Island

The Ton Sai Bay or appropriately the Isthmus area is never short of accommodations. We had being to the island without any prior booking without any hitches. Prices of most accommodation are reasonable and well regulated.

There are a couple of high rise hotels and a cluster of medium cost bungalows at the strip. Further up on the eastern shores of both bays, endless chalets look after guests away from the maddening crowd.

#2-413-17 Hotel signage

#2-413-18 Hotel signage

#2-413-19 Hotel signage

#2-413-20 Hotel signage

#2-413-21 The Hotel itself - "Cabana"

The Pee Pee Cabana is a premium grade hotel occupying the whole Isthmus. It has features of a holiday hotels with a swimming sandwiched between 2 bays.

#2-413-22 Hotel swimming pool

Such beautiful and tranquil settings, to have a choice of the sea and the pool, both equally of good standard.

#2-413-23 The individual Chalet

Most city folks escaping from the urban traffic, air conditioned room and newspapers would opt for a country house like this little chalet. The Pee Pee Cabana also provides rows of such chalets overlooking the bays.

#2-413-24 Walkways interconnecting

Accessible and connected with good walkways among the soft sands. The setting and mood is mesmerizing

#2-413-25 Hotel compound at the Isthmus

The sea and the soft sound from the gentle waves of the calm sea in the bay that is less than a stone throw away.

This beautiful hotel at premium rates has also a good marketing network. Advisable to check for the chalets availability in Krabi.

#2-413-26 Other smaller operators

For budget conscious travelers, there is no shortage of places to rest and wash up. Just walk down the narrow dirt road in this shanty town the hotels are immediately behind the retail outlets

#2-413-27 Simple Hotel perched precariously on hill slopes

We quite like the idea of staying in this series of cottages perching high up on the hill slope for Bahts 60 in high seasons. Most chalet are within 5 minutes walk from the beach and 10 minutes from the pier.

The farther away, the lower will be the rental.

The Market Place

There was no local community in this Ton Sai Bay until the globe trotting backpackers found it.

The tourist boom has create a brand new shanty township now, away from the commercial district.

#3-412-28 The market Place

#3-412-29 Small shops offering essential services

A well organized business community handled every conceivable needs of visitors and those staying on the island. Travels arrangement, food, accommodation, sports, mails and health care.

The souvenirs shops, the diving schools and the entertainment outlets, all within a 5 minutes walk

#3-412-30 Local food

The Muslim women here serve local breakfast of rice with curry for a filling stomach and a nominal sum.

There are even lower price outlets inside the residential area of the local community

#3-412-31 Western Food

You could also have your morning coffee and favorite pastries in this delicatessen. One of the many along this main street.

#3-412-32 Breakfast in the hotel

Breakfast could be included inside Hotel charges

#3-412-33 Breakfast, brunch not a problem

You are on a holiday island and the order of the day is to have "Brunch". But for a good meal of the day, not a bad idea to have sea food barbecue in a restaurant or one of these open stalls

#3-412-34 Services

Drinkable water is available at give away prices and beers are retailed at competitive rates without mark up. The main pre occupation on the Islands are sea based activities for those who needed sports.

The lure here is sports fishing, promising good opportunity to get that once in a lifetime Marlin or Sailfish.The Andaman Seas between Thailand and Burma is relatively unspoilt and the weather is kind during the high seasons of October to February.

#3-412-35 More Services

Going out to sea for a different reason?

There are experts who made it their business to show you their paradise and share the secret of this tropical seas

#3-412-36 The market Place

For the ladies and those looking for the fabled charms of Thailand. Apart from the negative vice trade, every other tales you have heard of is available in this tiny commercial square.

Not shown here is also the very popular hair braiding trade. Ladies have the chance to go home with a new look and a aptly sculptured hair do.

The Lohdalum Bay

#4-42-37 The Lohdallum bay relax

This is another enclosed bay with a narrow but deep entrance. The view form the beach is breath taking and the sand on the beach here is extraordinary.

Carefully examined, on most stretches of the beach, the sands are not silica but calcium from broken corals.

#4-42-38 The Lohdallum bay relax

Beach was just outside the compound, Hotel provided deck chairs

#4-42-39 The Lohdallum bay relax

Nicest thing the whole place deserted and quiet. Those were the early days

#4-42-40 The Lohdallum bay relax

Another picture to confirm the thin crowd

#4-42-41 The Lohdallum bay relax

The eastern side of low hills is slowly moving away from the island isthmus. This is the area where the lower cost hotels, chalets and bungalows are located. Along with them more sunbathers and beach activities swamp the "dream settings"

#4-42-43 The returning scene

A boat returning to shore at the isthmus. Peep through the coconut palms and see traces of Ton Sai Bay. A fantastic setting of 2 beautiful bays separated by just a narrow sandy strip

#4-42-44 The Lohdallum bay relax

The beach here is quite deserted as the area is the seafront for the plush Phi Phi Cabana Hotel.

The western shore of the bay is also the shallower patch. At low tide pocket of water in a large portion exposes small fishes, crab and shells.

It is the right time then to mingle with the Waders and Egrets who are hunting their meals.

The Nui Cove

#5-42-45 The Nui bay

From the beach on Lohdalum Bay or viewed from the Isthmus of Phi Phi Don, this mystic outcrop is seen on the horizon. The entrance of this bay is guarded by tall cliff and some solitary rocks

#5-42-46 The Nui bay

At that point the rocky karst moves in and hide a deep water cove. This is an area where the water is dark blue and we had met Dolphins playing around the cove.

The cove is dotted with low height strange shape rock formations that are stand alone.

Of all those present this piece is the most unforgettable.

In fact get the boat man to go round to see the changing profile

#5-42-48 The Nui bay

The same two rocks from another angle of approach

#5-42-49 The Nui bay

Another example of rock that greets you on the way.

There are numerous activities that the cove supports, for those doing a quick tour, it is a pleasant boat ride to see the rock formations.

6 Take a Round Island - Phi Phi Don

#6- Drd-50 The Round Phi Phi Don Tour

The commercial centre at Ton Sai is overcrowded and excessively exploited. A good and relax stay on the island is still possible in areas that are out of the tourist route.

This map focuses on the "getaway" accommodations and places where clear water and coral reefs are still in respectable conditions.

The southern and western coast are lined with massive limestone cliff that rises straight from the sea. It is deliberately crop off!

Going round the Phi Phi Don Island in a clockwise direction, the following pictures will give you a glimpse of the coastline and environment mentioned. The trip is usually taken from Lohdalum bay

#6- Drd-51 The Round Phi Phi Don Tour

Tong Cape.

From the bay, the trip passes through Nui Cove. Round the west side of the cape, barren landscape with strong wind.

#6- Drd-52 The Round Phi Phi Don Tour

The eastern side of Tong Cape with the cape at Nui Cove in the far background

#6- Drd-53 The Round Island - Eastern xoast

Sea Gipsy Village with long sandy beaches

#6- Drd-54 The Round Phi Phi Don Tour

Sample of the coral seas that stretches out from the shoreline along the entire coast.

More distinctive markings of its location is seen on the map above

#6- Drd-55 Across the sea another atoll

Koh Pai or Bamboo Island

For sun bathers away from the maddening crowd.

#6- Drd-56 On Phi Phi Don

The white strip on the photograph is the Long Beach on Bamboo Island

Lohbagao Bay

A series of bays and coves line this long eastern side coastline

#6- Drd-57 Lohbagao Bay -One more beach?

Places where the terrain levels off before submerged by the sea end up as beautiful beaches

This is the land of beaches- never are there so many high quality beaches collected in one place- all within walking distance from one another.

#6- Drd-58 Phak Nam Bay

#6- Drd-59 Haad Yao Cape

When that long boat trip is over, the journey crosses over this last cape and into another Haad Yao beach in Ton Sai Bay

This is the last cape before the journey returns to Don Sai Ferry points

#6- Drd-60

Without stopping, the journey continues westwards/ This is the spot of the western cliff as seen in Ton Sai

Lastly coming from the west, a turn northwards, there is another cove, Yong Kasame Bay before turning into the Lohdalum Bay

The tour ends

7 The View Point

#7- 44-61 The scenic Isthmus

On poster promoting Thailand as a outdoor destination, this scene is there. This the most beautiful of all the isthmuses. Barely 300 meters wide.

#7- 44-62 Hiking the 200 m hill

A well constructed stairways leads visitors up a low hill of 200 meters.

It is good morning exercises particularly cool and the view superb with the sun rising behin. A couple of dogs decided to join Jackie for the walk up

#7- 44-63 Hiking with companions

This is not the place to watch for sunrise. Good to have locals around

#7- 44-64 Rest stop an small garden

There were people offering soft drinks to the exhausted hikers. It is definitely a worthwhile climb to get the exquisite views. Strongly recommended to those who is here on a rest and recreation stay. I would know how this place would look now but am glad that the letterings turned out clear

#7- 44-65 Rest stop an small garden

Just a tiny plot but with with well manicured garden

#7- 44-66 Modern days Isthmus

This a good view of the Isthmus with better photography taken in the early 2020 and years after the Tsunami incident Note that the isthmus have shrunk dramatically when compared the pictures further down taken in 1997

#7- 44-67 One more shot- another time in the old days

The Isthmus as we known and had seen was about 300 meters wide filled with palms and trees. In the center the swimming pool. That spot was well camouflaged with greens

#7- 44-68 Relax

Same scene but this time the picture was dated 1996, picture made with rudimentary camera; We were up in the hill early at dawn for the sunrise. We got our pictures too. The poor lighting then, rendered these pictures nothing to shout about and not worth showing

Water in the bay is still very clear. The alluring emerald green water that lines the coastlines and also splashes of them across the bay punctuates the mood for holiday in these paradise Islands.

The depths or the tell tale sign of the uneven sea floor is reflected by the hue of colours the sea throws out, from white to dark blue.

This picture gives a good example of the active sea bed and the beautiful limestone cliff. They contrast in mood but together project an harmonizing environment. It is also perhaps that this massive walls of cliff has brought about the serenity within the bay, preserving a conducive environment for the coral to thrive.