So, the bus to Ko Phi Phi began at 6 pm (though by the time we actually got out of Bangkok it was 8...same old story) and we were due to arrive on Ko Phi Phi at 12pm the next day. Overnight bit was fine, depite our aircon not working. Watched a film and managed to get quite a bit of sleep. However, we arrived at a random tour office at about 7.30am to be told our next bus would leave at 10. It turns out that we never would have got to Ko PP at 12, and they wanted us to pay more to leave earlier. In the end we got to leave earlier without paying more, and raced to the ferry which they said left at 11, but had left at 10 so we then had a four hour wait for the next one. Finally got to the island at 4pm, woohoo!

From the ferry we got a longtail boat round to Long Beach, the quieter area where our hotel was, and walked to it along the beach. Unfortunately our hotel was at the top of about 90 precarious steps.....perhaps should have guessed by the name "Phi Phi Hill Hotel". We had booked in advance due to the busy period of Songkran weekend (Thai New Year). Our bungalow was pretty basic but with a good view. That night we got a longtail boat back round to the village of Ton Sai where we had fresh fish that we picked, though I was a bit surprised to have the whole fish on my plate!

Friday was spent lazing on the beach and swimming in the lovely clear water, Long Beach is so beautiful and not too busy. We both got quite sunburnt (doh!) though it made us feel a bit better that almost everyone you saw was as well. In the afternoon a German couple asked if we'd like to go on a longtail boat trip with them to get the cost down per person, and we decided to give it a go. We headed out to Phi Phi Lai (the smaller uninhabited of the two islands) and went into a small cove where we could snorkel. Having never done it before, it took me ten minutes or so to get used to. I suddenly realised that just because I was underwater I didn't suddenly need to breathe ten times as fast and could just relax. It was amazing, the fish were beautiful and the water was really clear. We then swam to a gap in the rock and walked through to Maya Bay, the beach on which Leonardo DiCaprio frolicked in the film 'The Beach'. It was really packed with people, and we didn't stay too long, but once back on the boat the guy took us round into Maya beach cove and we did some more snorkelling. By this time (about 6pm) most people had gone from the beach, so we went on again and took a few photos while it was quiet, and it was much nicer. It's strange on the island to see all the signs for the Tsunami Evacuation Route. Phi Phi was really badly damaged in 2004, so much so that Ben's 2006 edition of the Rough Guide has almost no info on it. However, you now wouldn't know it had been damaged at all, as they've rebuilt and restored everything.The end of our boat trip was watching sunset which was nice, the trip was really good and much nicer than going on a big boat crowded in with loads of people.

Sunday and Monday were spent chilling on the beach and doing a bit of snorkelling, was really relaxing. On Sunday we only got wet a few times from water guns which was surprising as New Year in Thailand is celebrated with water and they arm themselves with enormous super soakers. We also had talcom powder streaked on our faces for good luck. Was slightly strange being wished a Happy New Year in April! Monday we got the ferry to Ko Lanta.