Krabi
Phi Phi with an early start, and four islands
- Early start for Phi Phi
- Four islands as well
- Best for
- An early start for Phi Phi, and four more islands the same day
- Skip if
- You get seasick or want a short day near Ao Nang
Islands · Phi Phi Leh, south of Phi Phi Don
Maya Bay
The bay of The Beach, on Phi Phi Leh: you walk in from the back of the island, you do not swim, and it closes every August and September.
Access
By boat only
Entry
National park fee
Time to allow
A stop on a Phi Phi day
Best time
Any month but August and September, when it is closed
Why go
It is the bay most Phi Phi day trips are sold on, the filming location of the film The Beach. The visit has changed since it reopened: boats no longer enter the bay, swimming is not allowed, and it closes for two months every year.
What you will find
A sandy bay on Phi Phi Leh, the island south of Phi Phi Don. Boats land at a pontoon at Loh Samah, on the other side of the island, and a boardwalk takes you through to the beach.
Visits are capped and organised in time slots.
Getting there
By boat only, almost always on a Phi Phi day tour from Krabi, which lands you at the Loh Samah pontoon.
Before you go
Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September, with the neighbouring bays of Loh Samah and Loh Ko, and reopens on 1 October. Phi Phi tours keep running during the closure, but they do not land here.
Swimming is banned. You may step into the shallows, no further; sources disagree on whether that means ankle or knee deep, so follow the rangers.
The national park fee is often not included in the tour price: ask before you book, and carry cash.
Days out that go with this
Krabi
Phi Phi by speedboat, with lunch
- Maya Bay and the Viking Cave
- Buffet lunch
- Best for
- Phi Phi without spending the whole day on a boat
- Skip if
- You want the sunset or Bamboo Island
Krabi
Phi Phi at sunset, with plankton
- Sunset at Koh Poda
- BBQ dinner
- Best for
- One long island day with the most named stops
- Skip if
- You want an early night or travel with small children
Where this place leads
- Krabi islands
- Phi Phi Islands
- Travel info
- Phi Phi Don
- Phi Phi from Krabi: a day trip or a night on the island
- Krabi in the rainy season: what stays open, and how to read an alert
- Phi Phi beaches: which one to swim at, sleep on or skip
- Is Krabi worth it?
- Krabi in December: the weather, the crowds and the holidays
- Two weeks in Krabi: a plan with three bases
- Phi Phi with an early start
- Maya Bay with the first group
- Private longtail around Phi Phi
- Phi Phi by speedboat
- Phi Phi at sunset, with plankton
- Islands
- Map
Common questions
When is Maya Bay closed?
Every year from 1 August to 30 September. It reopens on 1 October. Tours to the Phi Phi islands still run in those months, without landing at Maya Bay.
Can I swim at Maya Bay?
No. Swimming has been banned since the bay reopened; you may only step into the shallows.
How do boats reach Maya Bay?
They no longer enter the bay. They land at a pontoon at Loh Samah, on the back of the island, and you walk through to the beach on a boardwalk.