Ko Phi Phi is the Thai Island which has made the best recovery from the 2006 tsunami. I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I got there: a complete wreck? Trash everywhere amongst total squalor? Not at all - this Island has made a come-back, and is totally geared up for the tourists once again, and the curving bays, white-sand beaches and jungles are shining brightly in the Andaman Coast.

I booked a days snorkelling trip round the Islands for only 500 baht (the equivalent of £9.50). This was value considering it was a 7 hour day and lunch was included of a large bowl of chicken and vegetable fried rice. It was a beautiful hot and sunny day and there were 12 of us on a longtail boat. We went round Phi Lei and Monkey bay where there were loads of wild monkeys hanging around the sea on the rocks and in the trees. We then went snorkelling around turquoise bays and the fish and coral were beautiful, then stopped for lunch on a proper Robinson Crusoe beach and went for a swim in the warm waters, then was the big baby. We went to Maya Bay which is where the film ’The Beach’ was filmed. The boats pulled up into a bay, so we jumped out and swam to the edge where we had to clamber over wet rocks almost breaking our necks, it was so amusing to see us all tentavely clambering over on our stomachs like toddlers learning to walk as we feared for our lives and safety of keeping our bones intact, and then there were some rope lines to help pull us up onto a bamboo ladder, so up the ladder, down the other side, clambering over more rocks then a 5 minute trek through bushland, round the corner and…… TA DA!!!! The Beach in all its glory. I was very impressed, Unfortunately Leonardo Di’Caprio was unavailable, caught up somewhere in Hollywood undoubtedly. The beach wasn’t very long, but it was perfect white sand and big cliffs on each side, and across the way the cliffs left a gap which led out to the sea. The water was pure turquoise and I could go so far out and it still only reached my waist. I was swimming away thinking “Oh my god, Leo’s been in this water, how cool is THAT?”. Lying on the white sand feeling the suns heat, basking in the tranquility of the moment was a THE highlight of the day. Then it was the mission back, and once back on the boat we sailed back to the mainland of Phi Phi, watching the sun set over the ocean as the waves bobbed us along.

The thing about Phi Phi is its actually quite expensive compared to the rest of Thailand, and I managed to get a Guesthouse for 300 baht a night (£5.70) which was way up in the hills, up a steep climb and far away from the beaches, but considering I would be paying about 10 times that amount to stay closer to the water, I felt the trek everyday would do me good. The accommodation is not great value for money, the place was really quite dirty and dingy, but overall, its still so much cheaper than Samui, and a million miles cheaper than home, - so who am I to complain? It was still a wonderful place to spend a few days, and once there, you realise you are not in Kansas anymore - and isn’t that the point of travelling?

Before I run, the val d isere ski bookings for our next group trip have been sorted out. Next monday is the cut off for the overall cost, please get it to me when you have it.