The islands are reachable by ferries, speedboats or long-tail boats, most often from Krabi town or from ports in Phuket Province.

[3] This attracted criticism, with claims that the film company had damaged the island's environment—the producers supposedly bulldozed beach areas and planted palm trees to make it better resemble descriptions in the book,[3] an accusation the filmmakers contest.

The name refers to the Pokok Api-Api, or "fiery tree" (grey mangrove) which is found on the islands.

Average rainfall per year is about 2,231 millimetres (87.8 inches), with wettest month being July and the driest February.

In the "green season" (Jun-Oct), travel to and from Ko Lanta is via Krabi town only.

It takes in the main ferry boats from Phuket, Krabi, and Ko Lanta.

The islands feature beaches and clear water, and the natural environment is protected by national park status.

At the beginning of the year 1992, the government began imposing a 5 baht fee on each visitor to the islands, in order to pay the laborers who collect and burn refuse and who also help "to provide waterway transportation and security for tourists".

There are two Private Hospitals, The World Med Center is on Tonsai Bay, and a second smaller branch is near Loh Dalum Beach.

Apart from these breaches, the east side of the island experienced only flooding and strong currents.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the permanent residents were housed in a refugee camp at Nong Kok in Krabi Province.

[13] As of 6 December 2005, nearly 1,500 hotel rooms were open, and a tsunami early-warning alarm system had been installed by the Thai government with the help of volunteers.

Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, an environmental activist and member of Thailand's National Reform Council, is campaigning to have Phi Phi tourist numbers capped before its natural beauty is completely destroyed.

With southern Thailand attracting thousands more tourists every day, Dr Thon makes the point that the ecosystem is under threat and is fast disappearing.

"Economically, a few people may be enriched, but their selfishness will come at great cost to Thailand", says Dr Thon, a marine biology lecturer at Kasetsart University and an established environmental writer.

The money is then used to pay a private company to haul the rubbish from the island to the mainland in Krabi to be disposed of", Mr Pankum Kittithonkun, Ao Nang Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President, said.

The boat takes about 25 tonnes of trash from the island daily, weather permitting.

During high season, an Ao Nang OrBorTor boat is used to help transport the overflow of rubbish.

Our only hope is that hotels, restaurants and other businesses act responsibly – but I have no faith in them," Mr Pankum said.

"They of course have to treat their own wastewater before releasing it into the sea, but they very well could just be turning the devices on before officers arrive to check them."