Tonsai Village on Phi Phi Island

The vast majority of shops are concentrated in the village of Ton Sai, overlooking Loh Dalam Bay. They offer clothes, often retro baba, jewelry, knickknacks... much the same as you'd find in the resorts of Phuket or Krabi, though a little more expensive because they're imported.

The heart of Phi Phi Don Island beats in the village of Tonsai, a maze of alleyways - making orientation difficult - lined with a multitude of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Warm butter croissants, Nordic meatballs, wood-fired pizzas, French wines... It's amazing how many expats have opened small businesses here, giving Ton Sai a touch of the crossroads of the world.

The walk begins in front of the pier at Ton Sai Bay and winds east along the main street, the liveliest in the small town, lined with restaurants, snack bars, clothing and jewelry stores, diving clubs, tourist offices and more. This is also where the long-tail drivers gather, especially when the big boats from Phuket and Krabi arrive.

It's a noisy, disorganized mess, punctuated by the hurried drivers of small carts (the only means of transporting goods on this car-free island) and the chirping of bicycle bells as they try to squeeze in between passersby.

At the end of the path, the alleys are scattered and seem to stretch out anarchically, without any real logic, as buildings are erected here and there. French bakery, bookstore-café, restaurants serving Thai, Norwegian, Danish, Israeli, American, Italian, French specialties... And everywhere, cats, lying everywhere, on the stalls, in front of the doors, on the street.

At the far end of the village, to the east, is Loh Dalum beach, with the mountain in the background, covered in dense vegetation. A path crosses it: this is the viewpoint road, a small plateau that embraces the island and offers a breathtaking panorama of the bays of Phi Phi Don against the backdrop of the high cliffs of Phi Phi Leh, the secret island that contains, sheltered from visitors, the beach of Maya Bay, one of the most beautiful in the world.

Of course, Phi Phi's locals also welcome visitors in droves, in family-run restaurants and street stalls - often tasty and cheaper - or in guesthouses. They also run stalls filled with delicious produce at the daily Tonsai Market in the center of town. For less than 30 baht, you can eat a wide range of Thai specialties, prepared on the spot and sold to go.

As night falls, Ton Sai is lit up. The atmosphere is intense, as is the bass that emanates from the beach huts. Around tables and chairs planted in the sand, young acrobats juggle with fire. Quieter lovers and romantics will find a few more discreet beach bars along the bays of Tonsai and Lo Dalam. Please see our section on bars in Phi Phi Don.

If you want to take home a truly local souvenir, beware of anything with shells, which may have come from the protected seabed of the Phi Phi Ley Nature Reserve.

Ton Sai's main street is home to an open studio where real artists work behind their brushes. They are capable of reproducing any canvas by the greatest masters. But they also paint original works and work to order. Don't forget to take a picture of your child, your house, your dog... (or the painting you'd like to see reproduced).

It's a real specialty on the island. And the best tattoo ambassadors are the fire jugglers, whose sculpted bodies are covered with them. A number of shops offer permanent or henna tattoos, especially in the alleys near Loh Dalam Bay. But always remember basic health precautions. Cleanliness, hygiene, sterilization of tools.