Maya Bay is on Phi Phi Leh, the small uninhabited island next to Phi Phi Don, and the usual way to reach it from Phi Phi Don is a longtail boat or speedboat from Tonsai Pier. The ride is short, about 20 to 30 minutes by most accounts, but the rules are not simple: the bay is closed every August and September, boats no longer land on the front beach, and swimming in the bay is banned. This page explains the options, the current rules and what to check before you pay.
Rules here come from the national park (Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, part of the Department of National Parks) and from dated news reports. Hours, fees and booking systems can change, so confirm the figures marked "reported" with the park or your boat operator on the day. Last checked 2026-10-16.
Is Maya Bay open right now?
Maya Bay was closed to visitors from October 2018 and reopened on 1 January 2022 with limits on visitor numbers and boats. Since then it has also had a seasonal break: the park announces a two-month closure each year from 1 August to 30 September for Maya Bay and neighbouring Loh Samah Bay (Matichon, 18 July 2025). Reports in 2026 describe the same schedule and say the bay reopened on 1 October 2026 (secondary sources also report about 07:00-18:00 hours and a cap of 300 visitors at a time; we could not read those figures on the park's own page, so confirm them locally) (Time Out Bangkok).
In practice this means:
- Visit between 1 October and 30 July and you can go ashore, subject to the park's timed rounds.
- Visit in August or September and you cannot land. Some boats still run past the bay for a look from the water, but there is no beach stop.
- Access can also change at short notice for bad weather or maintenance, so ask your captain or hotel that morning.
Do not rely on a boat seller who says the bay is "open" in August or September. The park's own closure announcement is the check; see the DNP site or the park's notices.
How to get from Phi Phi Don to Maya Bay
Everything leaves from the boats around Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don, or from beaches nearby. There is no road or bridge to Phi Phi Leh, and no scheduled public ferry to Maya Bay. You have three practical choices.
Option 1: private longtail charter
A private longtail is the most flexible way to do it from the island. Operators near Tonsai Pier display price boards, and the boat is hired by the trip, not by the seat. Travel writers describe the run to Phi Phi Leh as about 20 to 25 minutes, with a typical half-day trip of three to four hours covering Maya Bay and a few nearby stops (Nothing Familiar, 2022).
What to check before you agree:
- The destination. Say clearly that you want to stop at the Maya Bay national park landing, not just to pass by it.
- Park fee. Charter prices usually do not include it. Ask.
- What stops are included. Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach and Loh Samah are all common add-ons.
- Life jackets and a covered boat. Ask to see them before you board.
- The price. We do not quote a charter price here because rates change with season, boat size and fuel; use the pier board and the operator's own page.
Option 2: shared speedboat or small-group trip
Several operators on Phi Phi Don sell seats on a shared speedboat or longtail loop. This costs less per person than a private boat, but you follow the group's schedule, and the group may be larger than you expect. Tickets are usually sold at kiosks around the pier and in the walking street, and some hotels resell them. Ask how many passengers, what the stops are, and whether the park fee is in the price.
Option 3: a day tour from Phuket or Krabi
If you are still on the mainland, a day tour is the simplest way to see Maya Bay, because transport, the park fee (check the tour page) and a boat that knows the landing procedure are bundled. It is not a Phi Phi Don departure: the tour offered below leaves from Phuket, with hotel pickup arranged by the operator. If you are already on Phi Phi Don, options 1 and 2 are usually the better fit. For a comparison of tour formats see the Phuket Phi Phi tour comparison and, from Krabi, the Krabi islands guide.
Decision table
| Private longtail from Phi Phi Don | Shared boat from Phi Phi Don | Day tour from Phuket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departure | Tonsai Pier or a beach near your hotel | Tonsai Pier area | Phuket, usually with pickup |
| Ride to Phi Phi Leh | Roughly 20-30 min (reported) | Roughly 20-30 min (reported) | Longer: you cross from Phuket first |
| Flexibility | You choose time and stops | Fixed group programme | Fixed programme |
| Park fee | Usually extra | Check | Check the tour page |
| Good for | Small groups, early starts | Solo travellers, tighter budgets | Visitors based on the mainland |
| Weak point | Price depends on negotiation | Larger groups, set times | Long day, crowds at peak hours |
Where boats actually dock
This is the biggest change from before 2018. Boats may not park on the front beach any more. Thai PBS reported in November 2021, ahead of the reopening, that boats must stop at a pier built behind the beach at Loh Samah Bay (Ao Lo Sama), sized for about eight boats (Thai PBS). A 2023 Thairath explainer repeats that boats dock at the pier on the back side, and that only longtail boats, speedboats and rubber boats may use it (Thairath).
From the pier, visitors walk to the beach. Travel writers describe about five minutes; a tour operator's 2026 guide says 5 to 10 minutes on a wooden boardwalk. Wear shoes you can walk in and carry only what you need.
Hours, rounds and visitor limits
Reports differ because the system has been adjusted since 2022:
- At reopening (2021 news): 10:00-16:00, with up to 300 people per round and about one hour per visitor.
- April 2023 (Thairath): landing allowed 07:00-18:00, up to 4,125 people a day in 11 rounds of up to 375 people, each round up to one hour.
- 2026 operator and travel-site guides: most repeat roughly 07:00-18:00 and 375 people per round.
Treat the later figures as the best current indication, and treat all of them as "reported". The park or your operator can confirm the schedule that day. Rounds mean you cannot stay as long as you like: expect about an hour ashore.
Park fee
The Department of National Parks publishes its entrance rates as open data (DNP fee list, data updated 2 June 2023, read on 2026-10-16). For the zone that covers Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh (where Maya Bay is) and Bamboo Island, foreign adults pay THB 400 and foreign children THB 200; Thai adults pay THB 40 and Thai children THB 20. The rest of the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi park is listed at THB 200 and 100 for foreigners. A list dated 2023 can be superseded, so the park's current notice wins. Payment is made through the national park's e-ticket system (reported as the QueQ app in 2023). Carry cash as a backup, because a longtail captain may collect the fee on the spot.
No swimming, and other rules
- No swimming in Maya Bay. The front beach is for photos and walking. Thairath says swimming and shallow snorkelling belong at the back beach (Loh Samah), not in the front bay.
- Reef-safe sunscreen only. Sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor or butylparaben have been banned in Thai national parks since August 2021, with fines reported up to THB 100,000.
- Drones need permission.
- No feeding or chasing wildlife. Blacktip reef sharks come into the shallows; keep your distance.
- Take all rubbish away and do not collect sand, shells or coral.
The park says the annual closure lets corals and the beach recover, and uses the two months for reef work and mooring buoys. Respecting the rules is what keeps the bay open.
What else is on the usual loop
Longtail and speedboat trips from Phi Phi Don generally combine Maya Bay with a few of these. Which ones you get depends on your charter and the sea.
- Pileh Lagoon: a green-water inlet with cliffs on all sides. Many tours stop here for swimming or snorkelling.
- Loh Samah Bay: where the Maya Bay pier is located; calmer water than the open front of the island.
- Viking Cave: a limestone cave where bird's nests are harvested. Boats look from the water.
- Monkey Beach: long-tailed macaques on Phi Phi Don. Do not feed them and keep food out of sight.
- Bamboo Island or Mosquito Island: longer add-ons that appear on some itineraries from Phuket and Phi Phi Don; availability depends on the boat and weather.
Best time of day and season
- Early is better. Writers report that most large tours head out around 9-10 a.m., so a departure around 8 a.m. from Phi Phi Don tends to be quieter. Timed rounds also cap how many people are ashore at once.
- Sunrise. We found no official source for sunrise landings. Ask the park whether early rounds exist before you plan around this.
- High season, November to April, has calmer seas and the best visibility. February and March are the busiest months, according to a 2026 travel-site guide.
- Monsoon season. Seas get rougher in the wet season, and the August-September closure falls inside it. The Thai Meteorological Department (tmd.go.th) publishes marine forecasts; if waves are high, boats may cancel and the captain's decision stands. See Phuket best time to visit for the broader seasons.
- Tides and sea state. Ask your captain which stop to do first on the day; conditions decide the order.
Combine with the Phi Phi Viewpoint
A good plan from Phi Phi Don is a morning boat to Maya Bay, lunch on Tonsai, and the viewpoint over Loh Dalum and Tonsai bays in the late afternoon, when the heat has dropped. The viewpoint is a climb on the island itself, so no boat is needed.
What to bring
- Cash for the park fee and a tip.
- Reef-safe sunscreen (none of the banned ingredients), hat, sunglasses.
- A rain jacket or dry bag: a ride in an open boat gets wet in any breeze.
- Water and a small snack, but no food to leave on the beach.
- Closed shoes or sandals with grip for the walk and the pier.
- A phone in a waterproof pouch.
Safety
Longtails are open and can take spray. Insist on life jackets, do not sit on the bow in rough water, and avoid overloaded boats. If the captain advises against crossing because of waves, do not push for it. Note the operator's name and the boat number before you pay.
Staying nearby
If you want to be on Phi Phi Don for an early start, see Koh Phi Phi where to stay. For the arrival side, ferry routes are in how to get to Koh Phi Phi. The island overview is the Koh Phi Phi hub. If your base is nearby, see the Phuket hub, the Krabi hub and the Koh Lanta hub.
FAQ
Is Maya Bay open?
It is open from 1 October to 30 July and closed from 1 August to 30 September every year, according to the national park announcements. Reports in 2026 say it reopened on 1 October 2026. Check the park's notices before you go, because access can change.
Can you swim in Maya Bay?
No. Swimming in the bay is not allowed. You can walk on the beach and stay in shallow water; swimming and shallow snorkelling are done at other spots such as the back beach or Pileh Lagoon.
How much is the Maya Bay fee?
The DNP fee list (updated 2 June 2023) gives THB 400 for a foreign adult and THB 200 for a foreign child in the Phi Phi Don / Phi Phi Leh zone, and THB 40 / 20 for Thai adults / children. Some tours include it; most longtail charters do not. Confirm on the park's ticket page or with your operator.
How long does it take to get from Phi Phi Don to Maya Bay?
About 20 to 30 minutes by longtail or speedboat from Tonsai Pier, based on traveller reports. Add the walk from the pier to the beach and your time ashore, which is limited to roughly an hour per round.
What is the best time of day to visit?
Early morning, before the larger tours arrive around 9-10 a.m. Landing is by timed rounds, so also ask which round your boat is booked for.
Where do boats stop at Maya Bay?
At a pier on the Loh Samah side, behind the beach. Boats do not park on the front beach any more, and you walk a short way to the sand.
Can you stay overnight at Maya Bay?
No. Phi Phi Leh is uninhabited and there is no accommodation on the beach. Stay on Phi Phi Don and take a day trip. We found no official option for overnight stays at the bay.
Is Maya Bay worth it?
The scenery is the reason to go: steep limestone walls around a turquoise bay. The limits are real, though: no swimming, a timed visit and crowds at peak hours. If you want to swim, Pileh Lagoon and Loh Samah Bay on the same trip give you that.
Can I go from Phuket instead?
Yes. A day tour from Phuket covers Maya Bay and other stops in one day. The product below is a Phuket-departure speedboat tour, so it suits you if you are still on the mainland, not if you are already on Phi Phi Don.
Official sources and further reading
- DNP national park entrance fee dataset (Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh, Bamboo Island zone)
- Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park (DNP)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand
- Matichon, annual closure announcement (18 Jul 2025)
- Thai PBS, reopening rules (15 Nov 2021)
- Thairath, rules explainer (5 Apr 2023)
- Time Out Bangkok, 2026 reopening
- Thai Meteorological Department
Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
