The Phi Phi Islands are a small archipelago in Krabi province: Phi Phi Don is the largest and the only one lived on, and Phi Phi Le holds Maya Bay, with its high cliffs and white sand. By speedboat from Phuket it is about 45 minutes; in the neighbouring bays you swim and snorkel over coloured coral.

Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September to let its reef recover; swimming is limited to knee-deep wading, and boats land at Loh Samah Bay behind it. We set out early in the morning, when the islands are quietest.