The seaside at Maya Bay is likely one of the most well-known and photogenic locations in Thailand, and it’s the primary factor answerable for bringing vacationers to the Phi Phi islands. Actually, it’s now one of the crucial well-known white sand seashores on the earth.
Maya Bay is open once more for 2024! It was briefly closed for conservation from August 1 to September 30, but it surely reopened for vacationers on October 1, so now is a good time to plan a go to!
All the seaside is surrounded by tall limestone cliffs, with clear turquoise water, child sharks swimming round, and sand that’s white as snow. Every little thing about it appears to be like good. Yep, that is paradise!
After all, the great thing about Maya Bay has attracted the vacationer hordes, identical to any of the wonderful locations on the earth, however for those who plan your go to proper you may nonetheless benefit from the seaside with out too many individuals.
This journey information will clarify the best way to go to Maya Bay in Thailand, what to see there, and the best way to know when it’s open or closed!
Day Excursions For Maya Bay
To start with, for those who’re on a good schedule or wish to skip the additional steps concerned in arranging your individual journey to Phi Phi island and Maya Bay, GetYourGuide has prearranged day trips to Phi Phi from Phuket or similar day trips from Krabi, full with resort transfers, boat tickets, island tour, lunch, and identical day return.
These day excursions go to the entire prime sights within the Koh Phi Phi islands, together with Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, and Monkey Bay. In addition they have private tours or semi-private tours for those who want that as a substitute of a shared tour, though the costs are a bit increased until you deliver associates.
We’ve used GetYourGuide for plenty of day excursions and actions all over the world, they usually’re nice! Extremely beneficial.
E book Now: Maya Bay Tour From Phuket / Krabi / Khao Lak / Koh Lanta
The place Is Maya Bay?
Maya Bay is a part of Phi Phi Leh island, which is positioned within the Andaman Sea of Thailand, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of Phuket and about the identical distance from Krabi.
There are six Phi Phi islands in complete, with the 2 most important islands being Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don, they usually’re all thought of a part of the Krabi province of Thailand.
The one inhabited island is Phi Phi Don, which has inns, eating places, and every thing else you may want for a brief keep.

Drone view of Phi Phi Leh island and Maya Bay Thailand
How To Get To Maya Bay In Thailand
The one strategy to attain the Phi Phi islands is by boat from Phuket or Krabi, and you should utilize both a ferry or a speedboat to get there.
There’s no airport in Koh Phi Phi, so the closest place to fly is the worldwide airport in Phuket (HKT) or the one in Krabi (KBV). Each of those have low cost flights from Bangkok. You may shop for flights to Thailand on Skyscanner.
There are a bunch of boat firms making the journey to Phi Phi every day from both Phuket or Krabi, they usually normally embody free resort pickup and drop-off. You may also do the day journey from Koh Lanta, or as far-off as Khao Lak Thailand.

Welcome to the seaside! That is Maya Bay!
The slow ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi Don takes about 2 hours, whereas the fast ferry (speedboat) takes half as lengthy. For those who’re ranging from Krabi as a substitute of Phuket, the boat journey occasions to Phi Phi are about half-hour shorter.
Be mindful these are simply transfers to the primary island of Phi Phi Don. When you arrive, you’ll want to rearrange a longtail boat journey if you wish to go touring Maya Bay and the opposite sights within the Phi Phi islands. You may organize this on the spot at Ton Sai Seashore in Phi Phi Don, and it’s normally fairly straightforward.
The opposite possibility is booking a day tour to Phi Phi by speedboat with a Phuket or Krabi-based tour firm. There are shared or non-public excursions, they usually go to many of the most important sights, together with Maya Bay, in a single full day. This generally is a nice possibility for those who’re on a good schedule or wish to skip the trouble.

Maya Bay from above
Visiting Maya Bay: What To Count on
Maya Bay is accessed by touchdown a ship at Loh Samay Bay (on the again facet of Phi Phi Leh island), after which doing a brief and straightforward shaded stroll by way of the jungle to get to the seaside. The stroll is flat and takes about 5 minutes.
Previously, boats may go inside Maya Bay and land straight on the seaside, however they don’t do this anymore. The Thai authorities has spent the final a number of years engaged on conservation, so the one strategy to get to the seaside now could be to stroll to it from the again facet of the island.
I believe this variation was a good suggestion as a result of it retains the bay away from boats, though I do miss these good postcard photographs of Thai longtail boats sitting on the seaside at Maya Bay.
The principle seaside is extremely photogenic. It’s about 250 meters lengthy, and the top of the seaside has a shallow cave that’s good for photographs. If you wish to escape the crowds, there are normally much less folks on the far finish of the seaside.

The shallow cave at Maya Bay
Most Phi Phi island tour packages provide you with one hour at Maya Bay, which is loads of time to discover the seaside, take footage from each angle, and dip your ft within the water (swimming isn’t allowed at Maya Bay anymore).
I’ve to say the seaside has been saved very clear, and we didn’t discover hardly any trash, despite the fact that as many as 5,000 vacationers come to this seaside generally in a single day! The park rangers have carried out a great job with cleanup.
Maya Bay was popularized by a Hollywood film in 2000 known as ‘The Beach,’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film itself was a little bit of a vital flop, but it surely opened peoples’ eyes to the pure great thing about the Thai islands.
Total, Maya Bay is an incredible expertise, and it’s certainly one of our favourite seashores on the earth!

The seaside is about 250 meters lengthy.

You may look and take footage, however they don’t allow you to swim at Maya Bay anymore. Solely dipping the ft.
Thai Nationwide Park Charge
There’s a nationwide park price of 200 baht per particular person (~$6 USD), which is collected in money if you disembark at Maya Bay. The ticket additionally consists of entrance to Bamboo Island and the opposite sights within the Phi Phi islands.
This price is charged each day you go to both of those two places, so for those who go to Maya Bay two days in a row, then you definitely’ll should pay the nationwide park price twice.
Some Phi Phi excursions might already embody this price within the value, however normally you pay it individually in money if you get off the boat.
Is Maya Bay Open / Closed?
Maya Bay is as soon as once more open for vacationers in 2024! It was closed from August 1 to September 30, but it surely reopened on October 1.
The Thai authorities first closed the seaside for conservation in June 2018, hoping to provide the coral and wildlife a while to get well. The remainder of Phi Phi island stayed open throughout this time, and solely Maya Seashore was closed.
Maya Bay stayed closed for a whopping 4 years, however lastly reopened for vacationers in January 2022. Within the off-season of 2022, 2023, and 2024, Maya Bay was once more closed for two months (August and September), but it surely reopened for enterprise on October 1, 2024.
It appears doubtless that Maya Bay can be closed for at the least a few months yearly for conservation (normally in August and September), in order that’s one thing to bear in mind, particularly for those who’re enthusiastic about visiting within the wet season, when a closure is extra more likely to occur.

This wood signal greets you if you enter Maya Bay.
The place To Keep
Maya Bay is uninhabited apart from Thai nationwide park workers. It has a small store with snacks and drinks, and there are restrooms by the trail if you first disembark at Loh Sama Bay.
There aren’t any inns at Maya Bay or Phi Phi Leh island, though you may keep in close by Phi Phi Don island. This generally is a nice thought if you wish to spend some further time exploring all of the sights in the Phi Phi islands.
You will discover a few of our prime Phi Phi resort suggestions under.
Phi Phi Island Accommodations
Is Maya Bay Price It?
Sure, Maya Bay is unquestionably price it, even when you need to courageous the crowds! That is bucket list surroundings, and the costs are very reasonably priced.
I’d say Phi Phi is the only greatest place to go to in Thailand, and in addition probably the greatest locations in Southeast Asia. These are extremely stunning islands.

Maya Bay Thailand
Finest Time To Go to
The perfect time to go to Maya Bay is dependent upon what you’re on the lookout for.
The climate within the Andaman Sea of Thailand (together with Phi Phi) is greatest from November to April, when it’s extra dry and sunny, and the ocean situations are higher for boat excursions. Nonetheless, that is additionally the height vacationer season, so it’s extra crowded.
The climate shouldn’t be pretty much as good from Might to October. There are extra wet days, and there are frequent storms within the evenings. Nonetheless, there are much less vacationers in these months and it’s nonetheless attainable to have an important journey in case your time is a little more versatile.

‘The Seashore’
For those who go to Phi Phi within the wet season, it’s good to have a number of further days to spare in case there’s some junky climate resulting in the boats being canceled for a day or two.
You’ll additionally wish to ensure that Maya Bay is open, as a result of like I discussed earlier, generally it’s closed for a part of the wet season.
We’ve visited Phi Phi within the dry season and in addition within the wet season, on separate journeys. In each circumstances, we had an incredible time and the climate was largely nice for weeks!
Extra Issues To Do In Phi Phi Island
Maya Bay is unquestionably one of many prime sights within the Phi Phi islands, however there are many different nice issues to see and do, together with blue lagoons, limestone caves, viewpoint hikes, hidden bays for kayaking, and far more.
Most excursions to Maya Bay additionally embody stops at Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Bay, and Bamboo Island. These are all spectacular locations and effectively price seeing. Pileh Lagoon is known for its vibrant turquoise water.
Don’t overlook to take a look at my full Phi Phi island travel guide for extra data earlier than you go to Maya Bay in Thailand!

Learn my full Phi Phi island guide for extra issues to do right here!

Pileh Lagoon is one other great place to see close to Maya Bay, and it’s included in most Phi Phi excursions.
What To Carry
Listed below are some packing solutions in your journey to Maya Bay in Thailand.
- Snacks & Drinks: You’ll wish to pack some snacks and drinks within the boat, as a result of it’s tougher to purchase them at Maya Bay. You may deliver these from Phuket or Krabi, or there are many low cost snack and drink stands in Phi Phi Don close to the port.
- Sunscreen: There’s normally some shade within the speedboats and longtail boats, however you may nonetheless get roasted whereas swimming or strolling on the seaside, so that you’ll wish to deliver a hat and sunscreen for the boat excursions.
- Waterproof Bag: Important for maintaining your electronics secure on the boats. I introduced a 30 liter bag and was in a position to match my drone, pill, digital camera, cellphone, and a bunch of different stuff inside. Every little thing was saved dry, even once I took the bag swimming a number of occasions!
- Waterproof Phone Pouch: Identical as above, however these are in your cellphone solely. Nice for those who don’t produce other electronics and simply want one thing small to guard your cellphone at Maya Bay.
- Snorkeling Gear: Good for exploring the clear waters round Koh Phi Phi island. Snorkels and masks might be borrowed or rented from the boat firms too, however for those who plan to remain on the island or do a number of excursions then it’s higher to deliver your individual gear.
- Water Shoes: These can turn out to be useful generally whereas snorkeling in case you could stroll on rocks to get out of the water.

The dramatic limestone cliffs of Koh Phi Phi Leh island
Can You Fly A Drone At Maya Bay?
Thailand is fairly relaxed about drones, and you’ll fly them in many of the islands, however they don’t help you fly them within the nationwide parks.
That features Phi Phi Leh and Maya Bay, that are patrolled by park rangers who will tremendous you for those who’re caught flying a drone. They’re particularly strict at Maya Bay, and the rangers there are watching all areas of the seaside always.
Nonetheless, for those who’re discreet it’s nonetheless attainable to fly from different places. For instance, you may park your boat at Pileh Lagoon or Viking Cave and launch the drone from there, and normally nobody is more likely to discover or care until a park ranger boat occurs to drive by and see you do it.
The drone restrictions don’t apply to Phi Phi Don island in any respect. You may fly drones wherever on Phi Phi Don and not using a drawback, though you’ll nonetheless wish to be thoughtful and solely fly in locations the place it received’t trouble folks, in fact.
Phuket Accommodations