5
He Wei Xuan -
a month ago
My partner and I went for a tour of the Phi Phi Islands with V. Marine Tour about a month ago and it was, without a doubt, our best day in Phuket. Our tour guides for the day, Ray and his crew, were really friendly and welcoming; they made a conscious effort to check that everyone on the tour was comfortable and having a good time, and constantly showered us with the freshest of fruits and light bites. They also went out of their way to stop at spots which were less crowded with tourists, and recommended that we go to certain parts of the islands with the best views. Ray and his crew really have experience with the Phi Phi Islands and that really shone through the advice he gave and the knowledge they shared with us. Ray also speaks very good English even though it's not his first language, which really just bolstered the confidence we already had in him and his crew.
The day itself was nothing short of perfection; we were taken for the best ride in the Andaman Sea, to Bamboo Island (where we got to snorkel), then to an amazing beach-side lunch buffet, and then to Phi Phi Don (Ton Sai Bay) for another breath-taking snorkel, before heading up Monkey Bay, Viking Cave, and lastly Maya Bay. It is not an exaggeration to say that every single minute of this tour was picture-perfect, it didn't matter where we were or where we looked, it was always just picturesque. If you're thinking of going island hopping, don't look further than V. Marine Tour, and you're in for a real treat if you're lucky enough to end up with Ray.
We also paid the ฿1,500 top-up fee for the photography service; basically, you hire a photographer for the day who follows you around with both a DSLR and a GoPro to take photos of you and your loved ones both on land and under water. We were so lucky to have gotten Nin from Mac Photography as our photographer, he was such a sweetheart sometimes even doubled up as our personal guide on top of being our personal photographer. He took the best photos of us, proposed photo and video ideas, and really went the extra mile, both on land and in the sea, for us. Nin really went the distance when we were snorkelling, diving deep (he's a really good swimmer, no surprise there) to get the best angles of us flopping about in our snorkel gear, with all kinds of fish between us. He put in so much work even towards the end of the day at Maya Bay, just so we could enjoy the marvellous views without worrying about capturing the moments. The photography service is definitely worth it, and highly recommended. Also, for those wondering, yes they will arrange for uncompressed photos to be sent to you so you get the true blue HD shots.
All in all, a wonderful day spent getting flung around in a speedboat with Ray, Nin, and the crew. It was the highlight of our trip, and we wouldn't have it any other way. If you're seeing this, and I sure hope you are, thank you so much! :)
P.S. I was also extremely impressed that Ray and his crew constantly made sure that the trash and litter from guests were properly disposed; it's really heartening to see them so invested in keeping the environment pristine so that people that follow after can enjoy the same things as we did. As they say, take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. Keep it up!
