A 50km boat ride from Phuket, Thailand gets you to large brown rocks sticking out of a greenish blue ocean. Rumour has it that this formation hides what is arguably the best beach in the World. Ko Phi Phi is a group of islands comprising of Ko Phi Phi Don, Ko Phi Phi Leh and a couple of other islands that don’t amount to anything more than large brown rocks sticking out of a greenish blue ocean. Just to put things in perspective, the largest island Phi Phi Don is too small to have any roads and so cars don’t exist here. Walking anywhere on the island takes a breezy 10 minutes and wheelbarrows form the only means of mass transport.

Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh came into the spotlight with the movie – ‘The Beach’. The movie was an international hit but did stir up some controversy on the island. Locals claim that palm trees were airlifted onto and off the island causing extensive environmental damage. Hollywood of course vehemently denies all such allegations. Regardless of whatever environmental damage was or wasn’t done, one clear effect that this movie has had is to have tourists flock to Ko Phi Phi as technology challenged people would flock to an iPhone5 launch.

Even if Maya Bay was at some stage the best beach in the world, the overflowing speedboats endlessly zipping in and out of the bay, ensures that it’s far from the serene beach we saw in the movie. Fortunately there’s more on offer. Sign up for any of the dive or snorkeling trips and you’re sure to visit exotic beaches that will give you everything you’ve ever wanted from a beach, and more – white sand, blue water, breath-taking cliffs, leopard sharks, green turtles, etc etc. And once you’ve had you fill, sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful sunset.