Hilltop hostel above Phi Phi Don with panoramic sea and sunset views, a dormitory bed and private sea-view doubles, free WiFi and famously friendly staff.
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The View Hostel is a friendly three-star hostel perched on the hillside above Phi Phi Don, the larger and livelier of Thailand's two Phi Phi islands. True to its name, its biggest draw is the outlook: a terrace with panoramic views over the island, the bay and some of the finest sunsets in the Andaman Sea. Backpackers rate it a superb 9.3 across more than 1,100 reviews.
Accommodation mixes the sociable and the private. You can book a single bunk in a bright, air-conditioned 10-bed mixed dormitory, or choose one of two spacious sea-view double rooms, one of them with its own balcony. Every room has a private bathroom, air conditioning and that signature sea view, and dorms and bathrooms are kept spotless.
Free WiFi reaches every corner, there is a relaxed shared lounge, and the team is known for carrying guests' luggage up from the pier. It is an adults-only place, a short but steep walk from the village, the beaches and the famous viewpoint.
The View Hostel keeps things simple with three ways to stay, all making the most of the island's sea views. Solo travellers and budget-minded backpackers can book a single bunk in the 10-Bed Mixed Dormitory, a 40 m² air-conditioned room that keeps costs down and the mood sociable. Couples and anyone wanting privacy can pick one of two 30 m² Deluxe Double Rooms, each with a private bathroom and a proper sea view; the second adds a private balcony to sit out and watch the sunset. Whichever you choose, you get air conditioning, a private bathroom and the same hilltop outlook, with the beaches and village a short walk downhill.
For a small hilltop hostel, The View Hostel covers the essentials that matter most to island travellers. Free WiFi reaches all areas, every room is air-conditioned and non-smoking, and each comes with a private bathroom stocked with free toiletries, a hairdryer and slippers. The social heart of the place is up top: a shared lounge and a sun terrace where guests gather for the panoramic island, bay and sunset views that give the hostel its name. Staff are a genuine highlight, often meeting arrivals at the pier and helping carry bags up the hill. It is an adults-only property, so expect a calm, grown-up atmosphere, with the village and beaches just downhill.
Reaching The View Hostel is part of the adventure, because Phi Phi Don has no airport and no cars: the only way in is by boat. Most visitors sail from Phuket's Rassada Pier, a crossing of roughly two hours by standard ferry or 60 to 90 minutes by speedboat, with several departures a day. From Krabi and Ao Nang the trip is a little shorter, at around 90 minutes to two hours. Ferries dock at Ton Sai Pier in the heart of the village, and from there it is a short but genuinely steep walk uphill to the hostel; the nearest airport, Krabi International, lies about 67 km away across the water. The team is well known for meeting guests and helping carry luggage up the final climb, which many reviewers single out for praise.
Once you arrive, everything is explored on foot or by longtail boat. The hostel sits just minutes from the island's celebrated viewpoint, whose staircase rewards the effort with a postcard panorama over the twin bays. Downhill, wide and shallow Loh Dalum Beach is about a four-minute walk and turns lively after dark, while Ton Sai Beach fronts the arrival pier with its cafes and dive shops. Phi Phi is one of Thailand's top snorkelling and diving bases, and half-day longtail trips reach quieter coves such as Rantee and Phak Nam bays. The island's headline sight, Maya Bay on neighbouring Phi Phi Leh, is a 20-minute boat ride and best visited early to beat the crowds. The dry season from November to April brings the calmest seas and clearest water; if you want to avoid nightlife noise, ask about a room away from the beach-party bars.
