Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay
Six islands of limestone and turquoise water, two hours by boat from Phuket, with Maya Bay at the centre.
Phi Phi consists of six islands 40km east of Phuket, with Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh the famous one. Day trips from Phuket run from about 1,900 baht. Maya Bay closes annually for reef recovery, usually from August to the end of September — check before booking.
Open Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay in Google Maps7.6772, 98.7660
Phi Phi park fee THB 400 extra; Maya Bay closes roughly 1 Aug – 30 Sep
Entry fee checked against operator or park publication, October 2026. Hours can change without notice — confirm on the day.
Six islands of limestone and turquoise water, two hours by boat from Phuket, with Maya Bay at the centre.
Maya Bay was made famous by The Beach in 2000 and then loved to death: by 2018 up to 5,000 visitors a day were anchoring in a 250-metre-wide bay, destroying most of its coral. Thailand closed it for three and a half years, reopened it with a pier instead of beach landings, capped visitors and banned swimming in the bay itself. The closure is now the standard example in Southeast Asia of how to reverse reef damage.
Maya Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and also one of the busiest. Going at sunrise by private longtail is the difference between a memory and a crowd.
What you’ll actually see
- Maya Bay from the new boardwalk — the cliffs still read exactly like the film
- Pileh Lagoon, a green-walled pool you swim in rather than photograph
- Viking Cave, where swiftlet nests are still harvested for bird's-nest soup
- Bamboo Island's shallow reef, the best snorkelling on a day trip
How to visit it well
- Maya Bay has seasonal closures for reef recovery — check dates.
- Leave at 5:30am; you will arrive before the speedboat fleet.
- Phi Phi Don is for lunch and a walk, not for sleeping if you want quiet.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Booking a trip in August or September without checking whether Maya Bay is open
- Expecting quiet — Phi Phi Don's Tonsai Bay is one of the busiest places in Thailand
- Snorkelling with no reef-safe sunscreen or standing on coral
Is it worth it?
Worth one day, and best as a small-group speedboat that reaches Maya Bay first. Phi Phi Don itself is a party island and not a place to stay if you want calm — the scenery is the point, not the village.
Common questions
It closes annually, usually from 1 August to 30 September, for reef recovery. It is also closed for shorter periods after coral bleaching events.
No. Swimming in the bay is banned; you wade at the shore and use the boardwalk. Swimming is allowed at Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island.
About 45 minutes by speedboat from Phuket's east coast, or two hours by ferry to Phi Phi Don.
Only if you want the party scene. For scenery and quiet, stay on Phuket or Railay and visit on a day trip.
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Last updated: October 2026 · Prices and hours checked by Nattapong Srisuwan