“ Viking Cave or Tham Phaya Nak Ao Maya - the renown movie "the Beach" Snorkeling under the water ”
Koh Phi Phi Le is a lovely island covering an area of only 6.6 sq.kms. It is surrounded by limestone maountains and high hills with jutting cliffs. The sea is 20 metres deep and the deepest point in the south of the island is around 34 metres.
Koh Phi Phi Le offers superb scenic bays such as Ao Pi Le, Ao Maya, and Ao Lo Sa Ma. In the northeast of the island is a large cave called Tham Viking. The cave was renamed "Tham Phaya Nak" or Serpent Cave by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej because of a stone resembling the mythical creature, which His Majesty saw when he paid a visit here to collect swallow nests.
Inside the eastern and southern parts of the cave are ancient colour paintings of elephants and various types of boats, including an Arabian sailboat, a European sailboat, a sampan (a Chinese junk), and a steamboat. It is believed the paintings were the works of sea merchants or pirates because the study of west-to-east ship routes indicates that this area may have been a stopover for boats seeking shelter from storms, transferring cargo or making repairs.
- You can only visit Phi Phi Le from November to May.
- Boats run every day from Rasada or Ao Nang Pier.