Marine Discovery Centre

The first of its kind in Thailand, our Centre aims to educate and inspire both the local community and resort guests on how we can all make a huge difference to the environment. The Centre, which was developed around the UN’s Sustainability Development Goal 14, houses four zones — Shark Room, Phi Phi Islands Room, Clownfish Room, and Auditorium — and showcases colourful, interactive displays explaining the life cycles and habits of the unique marine species endemic to the region.

Activities

Our innovative Marine Discovery Centre creates week-long series of educational and entertaining activities, especially for families and younger guests. The aim of this activity programme is to educate, entertain and inspire the next generation of guests to preserve the world’s marine environments, which are currently under threat from a range of factors including plastic, pollution and climate change.

Excursions
Kayaks
Stand up paddle boarding (SUP)
Snorkelling
Bicycle service
Beach cleaning
Coral propagation
Curated tour to learn about sharks and clownfish

*Please make your reservations at the Marine Discovery Centre.

Excursions

Explore the best experiences in the Andaman Sea by shared speed boat. Experience your own slice of paradise on our full-day or half-day island hopping tours with attractions you cannot miss:

Viking Cave
Pileh Lagoon
Lohsanok Bay
Maya Bay
Monkey Bay
Loh Mu Dee Bay

Marine Discovery Package

Experience barefoot luxury and breathtaking adventure in nature at SAii Phi Phi Island Village with our Marine Discovery package. Explore the island’s coastline on a long-tail boat, visit the Marine Discovery Centre and enjoy complimentary daily breakfast. Your Phi Phi Island adventure awaits.

Maya Bay

Having been off limits to the public for three and a half years to allow for environmental rejuvenation, Maya Bay in Krabi’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park has officially reopened to tourists since 1 January 2022.

The bay on the uninhabited island of Phi Phi Leh was closed in June 2018 when it was determined the area’s coral and other marine life needed time to recover from the damage being caused.

Daily visitor numbers to Maya Bay are now controlled to protect the local environment and marine ecosystem, and a specific area is designated for swimming.

The Marine Life of Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island is an indisputable top destination for the underwater world. The warm, crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean surrounding Phi Phi Island are the perfect place from which to embark upon marine adventures and explore what lies beneath the surface. Let’s dive deep into the ocean and get to know our native marine life.

Clownfish and Sea Anemones
Sea anemones live attached to the surface of coral reefs, offering a protected environment for clownfishes, while clownfish provide anemones nutrients in the form of waste and scares off predator fish in return. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship or mutualism where both creatures benefit from having the other around.

Bamboo Sharks
Bamboo sharks are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s “Near Threatened” red list, so rehabilitation of the animal was crucial. We are working in collaboration with Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) to save bamboo sharks in southern Thailand.

Mangroves

Surrounded by mangrove forests, SAii Phi Phi Island Village is committed to protecting this fascinating habitat. This incredibly important ecosystems is home to a teaming biodiversity and should be protected at all cost.

Here are five things you may not know about Mangroves:

They help mitigate climate change
They are a natural coastal defense
They provide a home, nursery and feed ground for many species
They help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
They help maintain water quality

Sharks Species

Blacktip Reef Sharks
The black tip reef shark gets its name from the pointed snout and black tips on its fins (especially its dorsal fin). This is considered one of the most beautiful sharks in the Ocean and is often seen by divers since this species prefers shallow waters. This Shark can reach 2.9 metres (9.5ft) in length, but is usually closer to 1.6 metres (5ft). They weigh about 130 kilograms (286 pounds) as adults.

Bamboo Sharks
Bamboo Sharks have large “Spiracles”. These openings just behind the eyes occur on all rays and some sharks. They are modified gill slits that allow fish to take in oxygenated water. Spiracles help a shark to breathe when it is lying on the sea bottom, or even buried right under the sand. So they are very small or absent in active, deep-water sharks, who don’t need the extra help breathing. Bamboo Sharks also have many “cirri” on their heads. These are small, fleshy skin flaps that grow on some fish and invertebrates. They can help a fish to camouflage itself. In some fish species they are found near the mouth and may be linked to feeding.

Phi Phi Island Attractions

Phi Phi Island is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Thailand as it is an unbeatable tropical island with limestone cliffs, turquoise waters, white sand beaches and tons of unmissable attractions, including:

Noppharat Thara Beach
Railay Bay
The Shell Cemetery
Ngon Nak Mountain Nature Trail
Poda Island
Talay Waek
Mai Phai Island
Maya Bay

Coral Propagation

Marine Discovery Centre is a pioneering project that is spearheading cutting edge coral propagation projects and aims to educate visitors about conservation issues. It features a marine biology laboratory, coral propagation, a clownfish release programme, and interactive activities such as coral nursery exploration and marine conservation courses.

Sustainability and Community

Supporting collective well-being and environmental sustainability is central to SAii Phi Phi Island village to create a value for local communities. By organising cleaning activities, visiting local villages, supporting local arts and crafts, and providing environmental education, we aim to serve local communities first and foremost, and offer a promising path toward greater social well-being and environmental health.