Three years ago we spent a week in and around Ao Nang and so have a general idea of the Phuket/Krabi/Phi Phi area. Now am planning week in Phi Phi in January and wondered if I could tap into your recent experience, please. Here's the laundry list of my quandaries (so far!):

- Am thinking of the resorts on the NE side. Do they all have great house reefs? I.e. can one find good snorkelling/diving within swimming reach of the shore?
- Is Zeavola really worth 3X the price of the Holiday Inn?
- HI is very convenient to book with. Should I bother trying anywhere else?
- Why can I get better quotes on the HI from online agencies than from the HI site?
- Is Ton Sai functioning in any meaningful way (hotels, restaurants, shops) or is it still basically a building site?
- Are transfers easier/quicker from Krabi or Phuket airports?
- If I'm forced to overnight in Phuket/Krabi inbound and/or outbound, what would be a good resort/hotel to use?
- Has anyone used speedboat transfers? Anything to be aware of (apart from the huge price tag)?

Any information most gratefully recieved. TIA