I did a one day trip to Koh Phi Phi island against my better judgment. Between boats leaving from Phuket, Krabi and Ao Nang, there's literally hundreds of people who do the same day trip to Phi Phi, hitting all the same spots in the same order at the same time. I couldn't find any companies who did an "off the beaten track" tour so it was either the touristy tours or bust because I only had one day.

Maya Beach, the beach made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach, was absolutely gorgeous but painfully crowded. Both the beach and the swimming area were standing room only because there were so many people.

The other beaches were marginally less crowded and the weather really held out. We stopped to snorkel two times and had lunch at Phi Phi Don, which is the main beach town on Koh Phi Phi. The town was young and touristy, but not overwhelmingly so. If I had more time, I would have considered staying on Phi Phi for a few nights and exploring the little beaches outside of the peak time for one day tours...

Overall, gorgeous beaches and I'm glad I got to see Phi Phi but it certainly wasn't a relaxing or peaceful day!