The main beaches around the island
Ordered from the central, best-known beaches to the quiet northern bays, Monkey Beach and Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh — pick by what you actually want.
1
Loh Dalum is the curved bay on the north side of Tonsai village, the opposite side from the pier — you cross the narrow village on foot in a few minutes to reach it. The water is a lovely turquoise and the sand white, and it's the island's sunset spot and the hub of its nightlife, where the beach bars, fire shows and parties cluster. The honest thing to know: the bay is very shallow and strongly tide-dependent. At low tide the water retreats a long way and leaves a wide expanse of sand that's hard to swim in; only at high tide is it lovely for a dip. It suits people who want to be in the middle of the buzz, watch the sunset, and aren't fussed about deep-water swimming.
2
Tonsai Bay is the gateway to Koh Phi Phi — the pier where ferries from Phuket, Krabi and Ao Nang dock, so it's the busiest spot on the island: restaurants, dive shops, convenience stores, money changers and ATMs, accommodation across the range, and lanes packed with places to wander. Its draw isn't the prettiest sand (it's more a port area than a swimming beach, and the water by the pier is shallow with boats moored) but convenience — step off the boat and wheel your bag to your room, close to everything, with Loh Dalum just a few minutes' walk across the isthmus. It suits short stays, your first or last night before a boat, and anyone who wants to be in the middle of it all.
3
Long Beach sits on the south-east of Phi Phi Don and is the beach most people rate the best for swimming on the island — white sand, clear water, and a shelf that deepens enough to actually swim rather than wade out forever like at Loh Dalum. Its other draw is the Phi Phi Leh view right in front of you, gorgeous at dusk, and you can snorkel over coral and fish straight off the sand. It's quieter and more relaxed than Tonsai, with resorts and restaurants spread along it. The trade-off: it's away from the Tonsai buzz, reached by a 30-minute walk along the shore or a short longtail ride. It suits swimmers, couples, and anyone who wants a lovely beach that's still walkable back to Tonsai.
Laem Tong sits at the far northern tip of Phi Phi Don and is the quietest, most private upscale resort zone on the island — white sand, calm clear water, and a clear remove from the bustle of Tonsai. Several resorts here run their own shuttle boats that collect guests from the pier, so you never have to pass through the busy village at all. It suits honeymooners and anyone who wants to settle in by the sea and not go anywhere. The honest trade-offs: there are few restaurants or shops outside the resorts, room rates run higher than around Tonsai, and any time you want the village or another beach you take a boat — so plan boat times carefully. This is a beach for people who genuinely want to switch off.
Loh Bagao is a broad bay on the north-east coast, between Long Beach and Laem Tong — another quiet, resort-focused stretch with a long sandy beach, calm water and far fewer people than the Tonsai side. The mood is relaxed seaside downtime, with resorts and their restaurants to lean on, though little in the way of shops outside them. It's reached by resort shuttle boat or longtail from Tonsai. It suits people who want Laem Tong's calm at what can be a more flexible budget, and who don't mind taking a boat whenever they head out. The trade-off is the same as the other northern bays: limited dining choices and not much going on at night.
Beyond the main beaches, Phi Phi Don hides a few small quiet coves for people who want to get away from the crowd. Nui Bay is a little cove ringed by limestone cliffs, with clear water and good snorkelling over coral, and it's a stop on some boat tours. Runtee Bay, on the east, is a small calm bay with just a few places to stay and a very private feel. These coves are reached mainly by longtail (the overland paths are steep and awkward). The trade-off: there are very few restaurants or shops, so plan your drinking water and your boat back. They suit snorkellers and anyone who wants a quiet cove to themselves for half a day.
Monkey Beach is a small cove you reach by longtail to see the troop of crab-eating macaques that live on the rocks along the shore. It's a popular stop on island and sunset boat tours, with clear water and a pretty limestone backdrop — but the draw is seeing the monkeys up close. This needs saying plainly, for your safety and theirs: these are wild monkeys used to people, and some are bold and will grab things. Don't feed them, don't try to touch them or take close selfies, keep food, water bottles, sunglasses and valuables zipped away, and don't reach out a hand. Feeding makes them aggressive and risks a bite or scratch that means rabies shots. Watch from a distance and photograph them from a safe range — that's plenty of fun and you'll still get good photos. It's a stop on a tour, not a beach to laze on all day.
8
Maya Bay, on Phi Phi Leh (the separate, uninhabited island), is the curved limestone-walled, turquoise-water bay made world-famous by the film "The Beach". It was closed from 2018 to 2022 to let the reefs and marine life recover, then reopened with strict rules — limited, timed entry; you usually can't swim in the bay itself (you enter via a back-bay pontoon and a boardwalk); no boats anchor in the bay; and it has periodic seasonal closures some years (sometimes around August–September). No overnight stays are allowed on Phi Phi Leh, so it's a day trip by longtail or speedboat only. It's stunning but busy mid-morning — and you should always check the current rules and closures before you book, as the conditions change.