Are you planning to visit world-class sites? If yes, then you must take a trip to Bamboo Island. It is a gorgeous island with Tonsai Beach and Diamond Cave at its coast. Situated at the western end of Tonsai Bay, this island is the rock climber paradise in Koh Phi Phi. It is one of the six most beautiful and north-easterly islands of the Phi Phi archipelago. It has a scenic beauty mainly because of its long bamboo trees. It is an excellent spot for clicking pictures.

About Bamboo Island

Also popular with the name Koh Mai Phai, Bamboo Island is around 21 km to the west of Pattaya. It is a beautiful island with incredible turquoise waters and a white sandy beach. It is lying roughly 5 km from the northern tip of Koh Phi Phi Don. It has a stunning tropical hot spot, offering the perfect getaway from the crowd. Though a few people from Phuket stop on this island after lunch, it is never overcrowded. 

Bamboo Island is approximately 700 meters long and 600 meters wide, almost in the shape of a heart. Its central part is full of lush vegetation, including bamboo trees and casuarina. It has a small bar on the north-eastern side, under the shade of the bamboo trees, that serves food and drinks.

Koh Mai Phai is quite a small island. So, you can walk around the whole island within half an hour. If you ever feel lonely and want to experience something good, rent a camping tent on the beach. Then, watch the sunrise the next day at Bamboo Island. On the way to this island, you can also see a stunning coral garden known as  Hin Klang.

Highlights of Bamboo Island

This island offers excellent snorkeling opportunities. In addition, there is a fantastic coral reef called Hin Klang, situated between Phi Phi Don and Bamboo island. It provides all visitors a feeling of swimming in the aquarium. Bamboo island is close to the beach and surrounded by a reef spreading up to 500 meters from the shore.

You can get to Bamboo Island on a longtail boat from Tonsai Village. You can also hire a boat from Sea Gypsies Village located on Laem Thong Beach. It will take around 15 minutes from Laem Thong Beach and 40 minutes from Tonsai to reach Bamboo Island. You can also book tents for sleeping while making overnight trips. This island belongs to a national park, so it charges a minimal entrance fee.

Best Time to Take a Trip to Bamboo Island

If you want to visit Bamboo Island, the best time to plan a trip is between November to March. In these months, the climate is less humid. So, you can experience a pleasant temperature with a cool breeze softly touching your face.

How to Reach Bamboo Island for Snorkeling?

You can hire a longtail boat from Koh Phi Phi Don. It will take approximately 45 to 60 minutes to reach your destination. Search for a tour organizer since all the day trips from Koh Phi Phi include a visit to Bamboo Island. In addition, most full-day and half-day trips include stops at other famous snorkeling spots, like Monkey Beach and Maya Bay.

The half-day tours, including refreshments and a meal, costs around 1500 baht per person. In addition, you will have to pay approximately 400 baht as an entrance fee to the National Park.

Bamboo Island has no high rocky cliffs, but it is a flat island. It offers an awesome snorkeling experience along the coral reef, almost 50 meters off the beach. Though the reef is partially damaged, you can still see underwater life, including ocellaris clownfish, also known as “Nemo.”

Other Activities to do on Bamboo Island

Below is the list of some exciting activities to do on Bamboo Island:

1. Enjoy Swimming

Bamboo Island has greenish-blue waters that blend perfectly into the dark blue ocean waters. Water is clean, clear, and warm, with abundant marine life. So, you will not find any other better place for swimming than here.

2. Sunbathe on the Whimsical Island

Bamboo Island has white sandy beaches that glisten in the sunlight. Also, you can immerse in the tranquility engulfing the island’s charm covered with Bamboo trees and rumbling waves of the Andaman Sea. In addition, you can see the picturesque sight of longtail boats and speed boats passing by and getting sun-kissed abundantly.

3. Enjoy Drinks at the Bar

You can easily find a small bar on the island. There, you can purchase some snacks and refreshing drinks like fresh coconut water to sip on when you sunbathe on the powdery beaches.

Attraction Spots Near Bamboo Island

The following are the excellent attraction spots near Bamboo Island:

1. Koh Phi Phi Lee 

It is the second-largest uninhabited island in the Phi Phi archipelago. This island lies around 1.5 km away from the southernmost tip of Koh Phi Phi Don. It is famous for its clear waters and snorkeling activities. In addition, it has different attractions such as Viking Cave, Maya Bay, Phi Le lagoon, Monkey Bay, and Loh Samah Bay. 

2. Viking Cave

Located on the north-eastern part of Koh Phi Phi Leh, Viking Cave gets its name from the Scandinavian vestige ships painting. Also, Viking Cave is a habitat for many swiftler birds.

3. Phi Le Lagoon

It is a famous site for water babies because the lagoon has a broad coral structure. Tourists can enjoy diving, snorkeling, and the lagoon’s marine life. Surrounded by cliffs, Phi Le Lagoon has a shady and pleasant atmosphere. You can reach the lagoon through longtail boats. Most boat excursions to Koh Phi Phi Le undoubtedly include this picturesque spot in their itinerary.

4. Ton Sai Beach

It is one of the least explored Phi Phi Koh beaches, with a 600-meter shoreline fringed with huge rocks. The major activity to perform on this beach is Rock climbing. So, there are various shacks to hire rock climbing gear.

Bamboo Island: Site you must Visit at Phi Phi

Bamboo Island is not very big, but it can offer a lot to visitors. You will feel like this whole island has a soul. It has incredible beauty, worth stopping and staring at. Moreover,  its way is not shabby. You will travel on serene and clear waters.