Phi Phi Natural Resort

Wooden cottages, native trees and a beach that begins where the resort ends: Phi Phi Natural Resort is built for a slower sort of island stay. You are on Laemthong Beach, away from the busy streets and nightlife around Tonsai, with the sea close enough to remain part of the day rather than just something viewed from a brochure.

The resort works particularly well if you want diving to sit alongside proper downtime. You can swim, eat by the beach, book a massage, or simply retreat to a private balcony with a cold drink from the minibar. Families have room to spread out, while couples get the quieter end of Phi Phi Don and sunsets over the wooded hills.

There are 160 cottages across the resort, along with two swimming pools, several places to eat and a private beach area. It is not a small hideaway, but its buildings are distributed through the surrounding greenery rather than gathered into one single block.

Phi Phi Natural Resort is in Phi Phi Don, Thailand, directly on Laemthong Beach at the northern end of the inhabited Phi Phi island. The beach is white sand, with sun loungers and a beach bar, and the resort looks across the Andaman Sea towards Bamboo and Mosquito Island from its infinity pool.

This is the part of Phi Phi for a beach-first stay rather than a bar crawl. Tonsai's lively centre is on the opposite side of the island; Laemthong has a different rhythm, with family-run shops and a setting surrounded by jungle, hills and fruit trees. Nui Beach and Loh Lana Bay are both about 1 mile away, while Loh Bagao Bay Beach is about 1.5 miles away.

You reach Phi Phi Don by boat from Phuket or Krabi, with the journey taking about an hour and a half by ferry. Boat transfers from both places run twice daily, and a direct service to Laemthong Beach operates four to five times a day. If your boat stops at Tonsai Pier, a pick-up service from Laemthong Pier is available.

The accommodation keeps the island character without asking you to give up the basics that matter when you return tired and salty. Air conditioning helps you cool down, while the fridge and minibar give you somewhere to keep water and a few supplies. Tea and coffee-making facilities are also in the room, alongside a TV, slippers, a hairdryer and a private shower room.

Private balconies come with seats and either garden or sea views, so choose according to how much of the landscape you want at breakfast. The cottages bring more of the wooden Thai-style feel; the family options are the practical choice when two people need separate sleeping areas and more than one bathroom. For a couple, the Deluxe Cottage gives you more space to unpack properly rather than living out of a dive bag.

Soundproofing and a private entrance help keep the room separate from the resort's daytime activity. Families can choose between two-bedroom accommodation and a cottage designed for three, while the Two-Bedroom Pool Villa adds a private pool for a more self-contained stay. Children of all ages are welcome, with cots and extra beds available on request.

Breakfast is included and served as a buffet at Laemthong Restaurant, in an open-air setting facing the sea. You get local and Western choices, tropical fruit, fresh bread, juices, tea and coffee. It is the sort of spread that lets you eat properly before a boat trip, rather than relying on optimism and a biscuit.

For lunch and dinner, Beach Bar Restaurant sits on the sand and covers international and Thai dishes, from steaks to more traditional Thai cooking. La Casette Della Pizza keeps things Italian, with pizzas, pasta and seafood served beside the beach. Kinnaree Restaurant serves Thai food buffet-style at lunchtime, with a sea view and a daytime opening.

There are two bars. Banburi Restaurant, the pool bar, handles drinks and quick meals during the day, while Hula Hula Bar is on the beach and specialises in cocktails, with daily happy hours before sunset. You can also arrange candlelit dining on the beach or beside the pool, and Thai cooking classes give you something more useful to take home than another key ring.

Two outdoor pools give you a choice between a higher position and a sea-facing edge. Hilltop Swimming Pool sits uphill with views across the resort and Laemthong Bay; the Main Outdoor Swimming Pool is an infinity pool looking towards Bamboo and Mosquito Island, with Banburi Restaurant alongside it. There is also a children's pool and an outdoor playground for children aged three and over.

When your shoulders have had enough of carrying kit, Rimlay Massage offers an open-air setting beside the red lotus pond. Treatments include traditional Thai massage, coconut-oil massage and work on the whole body or a specific area, including the back, neck, feet and head. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available around the pool and beach, which is exactly the level of exertion many people require by mid-afternoon.

For a more active break, you can hire a kayak, join a boat excursion or take a hike away from the resort. There are also Thai cooking classes, cultural excursions and a monthly Phi Phi Natural Night Market with local food. The Indoor Activities Center adds hands-on sessions such as paper mache, plaster-doll painting, flower garland making and crafts using coconut leaves or recycled boxes. You can even visit the organic farm and garden.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight, and check-out is from 06:00 to 11:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in; cash is an accepted payment method. Free WiFi is available in the rooms and public areas, useful for checking boat arrangements or sending the family a photograph before the signal decides it has done enough for the day.

Transfers from Phuket and Krabi can be arranged through the resort. The direct boat service reaches Laemthong Beach, which saves you the awkward final leg across the island. With other operators, the journey ends at Tonsai Pier, followed by a connection to Laemthong Pier and onward pick-up.

Daily housekeeping, wake-up service, room service, a tour desk and a gift shop covering souvenirs, clothing and snacks are available. Laundry and dry cleaning are also offered. Children of all ages are welcome, and pets are not allowed.

More than half of the salad vegetables used at the resort are grown on site. You can visit the organic farm and garden to see how that part of the operation works, rather than treating sustainability as a sign on a wall.

The resort also houses a primary school for children from the sea gypsy community. Alongside the school, the programme of garden visits and practical activities gives the surrounding community and local landscape a visible place in the stay.