koh phi phi xo

leaving koh samui, we spent what felt like days finding the long and hard way to koh phi phi, via krabi on thailand’s mainland. ironically, on our travel days the sun came out shining it all its glory. with us catching buses, shuttles, ferries, more buses and a final ferry to the phi phi’s port, we were so excited at the prospect of finally jumping in the ocean.

at some point in my life, or on a parallel universe i really think i could runaway and live a long time extremely happily on an island similar to this somewhere in the world. the simple life, of long days, being aware of the sunrise’s and sunsets, bare feet and the ocean. oh, and banana pancakes!

our favourite day in thailand was a day trip of snorkeling and exploring koh phi phi don and her sister island, koh phi phi leh. just being back in the ocean after so long in the uk was amazing, but surrounded by millions of fish and deep seas makes me feel errily at home. unfortunately we know longer had our olive australian skin, but pale british and gosh we felt the sunburn! we were taken to several coves and bays around the islands, every corner we went around was more amazing then the moment before.

everyone would know maya bay from the book, or movie, the beach. such an incredibly stunning bay with sheer cliffs and clear blue water, i wish it wasn’t becoming so spoilt. hundreds of tourists were smoking, littering, and just by being there made pat and i feel like we were contributing in spoling something so beautiful that could last longer.

a hard hike for me up the mountain was one of, if not the most rewarding things to do in thailand. thick, gorgeous jungle and greenery made the trek in the heat and mosquitos scenically worth every step! not to mention the breathtaking sunset from the top…

pat and i try to learn and experience as much as we can about the countries we get to visit- travelling europe you spend a lot of time seeing and learning of the history of each country and culture, which mainly dates back hundreds of years. staying on koh phi phi where the tsunami hit only a few years ago, it was confronting to see the still raw damage, and walking past some graves and memorials, for kids as young as 1. it felt a little crazy to see from the view point, or sit on the beaches were peoples lives and livelihoods were swept away. it is also amazing to see first hand how well the community and people have moved forward since. phi phi is not only just a visually stunning place in the world, but the people are so genuinely kind hearted and friendly.