What makes it different
Unlike Phi Phi's dramatic limestone cliffs, Bamboo Island (known locally as Koh Mai Phai) is flat and small — walkable end to end in about 30 minutes — with a fine white-sand beach and a coral reef spreading up to 500 metres offshore. Being further from Phi Phi's main pier than Maya Bay, it tends to hold onto quieter beaches even in high season.
Getting there
Bamboo Island isn't reachable directly from Krabi — you first travel to Phi Phi Don, then take a longtail boat (15-20 minutes from Laem Thong, about 40 minutes from Tonsai) or join a Phi Phi day tour by speedboat from Ao Nang or Krabi Town, which typically includes 45-60 minutes on the island as part of a longer itinerary.
Snorkelling
The reef fringing Bamboo Island is one of the better easily-accessible snorkelling spots in the Phi Phi area — shallow, close to shore, and usually calmer than open-water sites further out.
Practical details
As part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, a park entrance fee applies (paid as part of most tour packages). There's no accommodation on the island — a couple of drink stands are the extent of the infrastructure — so it's a day-trip stop rather than an overnight destination, though camping trips from Phi Phi Don do exist for those wanting a night under the stars.