The seashore at Maya Bay is likely one of the most well-known and photogenic locations in Thailand, and it was the primary factor chargeable for bringing tourism to Phi Phi island. In reality, it’s now one of the crucial well-known white sand seashores on this planet.
Maya Bay is open once more! It simply reopened for vacationers in 2022 after being closed by the federal government of Thailand for nearly 4 years, so now is a superb time to go to the Koh Phi Phi islands!
The total seashore is surrounded by tall limestone cliffs. The water is obvious turquoise with child sharks swimming round, and the sand is white as snow. Everything about it seems good. Yep, that is paradise!
Of course, the great thing about Maya Bay has attracted the vacationer hordes, identical to any of the wonderful locations on this planet, however in the event you plan your go to proper you may nonetheless benefit from the seashore with out too many individuals.
This journey information will clarify easy methods to go to Maya Bay Thailand, present entrance charges at Koh Phi Phi Leh island, open / closed standing, and every little thing else you must know earlier than you go!
Maya Bay Day Tour Packages
First of all, in the event you’re on a decent 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 journeys to Phi Phi from Phuket or comparable day journeys from Krabi, full with lodge transfers, boat tickets, island tour, lunch, and identical day return.
These day excursions go to all the prime sights within the Koh Phi Phi islands, together with Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, and Monkey Bay.
We’ve used GetYourGuide for many day excursions and actions around the globe, they usually’re nice! Highly really useful.
Book Now: Maya Bay Tour From Phuket / Krabi
Where Is Maya Bay?
Maya Bay is a part of Phi Phi Leh island, which is situated 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 important islands being Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don, they usually’re all thought-about a part of the Krabi province of Thailand.
The solely inhabited island is Phi Phi Don, which has inns, eating places, and every little 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
The solely approach to attain the Phi Phi islands is by boat from Phuket or Krabi, and you need to use 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). You can store for flights to Thailand on Skyscanner.
There are a bunch of boat firms making the journey to Phi Phi day by day from both Phuket or Krabi, they usually often embody free lodge pickup and drop-off.
Welcome to the seashore! This is Maya Bay Thailand!
The gradual ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi Don takes about 2 hours, whereas the quick ferry (speedboat) takes half as lengthy. If you’re ranging from Krabi as a substitute of Phuket, the boat journey occasions to Phi Phi are about half-hour shorter.
Keep in thoughts these are simply transfers to the primary island of Phi Phi Don. Once 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 can prepare this on the spot at Ton Sai Beach in Phi Phi Don, and the costs are very cheap.
The different choice is reserving a day tour to Phi Phi by speedboat with a Phuket or Krabi-based tour firm. There are shared or personal excursions, they usually go to a lot of the important sights, together with Maya Bay, in a single full day. This generally is a nice choice in the event you’re on a decent schedule or wish to skip the trouble.
Maya Bay from above
Maya Bay Thailand: What To Expect
Maya Bay is accessed by touchdown a ship at Loh Samay Bay (on the again aspect of Phi Phi Leh island), after which doing a brief and simple shaded stroll by means of the jungle to get to the seashore. The stroll is flat and takes about 5 minutes.
In the previous, boats may go within Maya Bay and land straight on the seashore, however they don’t do this anymore. The Thai authorities has spent the final a number of years engaged on conservation, so the one approach to get to the seashore now could be to stroll to it from the again aspect of the island.
I feel this modification was a good suggestion as a result of it retains the bay away from boats, though I do miss these good postcard images of Thai longtail boats sitting on the seashore at Maya Bay.
The important seashore is extremely photogenic. It’s about 250 meters lengthy, and the tip of the seashore has a shallow cave that’s good for images. If you wish to escape the crowds, there are often much less individuals on the far finish of the seashore.
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 seashore, take footage from each angle, and dip your toes within the water (swimming isn’t allowed at Maya Bay anymore).
I’ve to say the seashore has been stored very clear, and we didn’t discover hardly any trash, despite the fact that as many as 5,000 vacationers come to this seashore typically in a single day! The park rangers have performed 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, however it opened peoples’ eyes to the pure fantastic thing about the Thai islands.
Overall, Maya Bay is an incredible expertise, and it’s one in all our favourite seashores on this planet!
The seashore is about 250 meters lengthy.
You can look and take footage, however they don’t allow you to swim at Maya Bay anymore. Only dipping the toes.
National Park Fee
There’s a nationwide park price of 200 baht per individual (~$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 daily you go to both of those two places, so in the event you go to Maya Bay two days in a row, you then’ll need to pay the nationwide park price twice.
Some Phi Phi excursions might already embody this price within the value, however often you pay it individually in money if you get off the boat.
Is Maya Bay Open / Closed?
Good information: Maya Bay is as soon as once more OPEN for vacationers since October 2022!
The Thai authorities closed the seashore for conservation in June 2018, hoping to provide the coral and wildlife a while to get better. The remainder of Phi Phi island stayed open throughout this time, and solely Maya Beach was closed.
Maya Bay stayed closed for a whopping 4 years, however lastly reopened for vacationers in January 2022. In the off-season of 2022, Maya Bay was once more closed for two months (August and September), however it reopened for enterprise on October 1, 2022.
It appears seemingly that Maya Bay will likely be closed for a minimum of a few months yearly for conservation, in order that’s one thing to control, particularly in the event you’re fascinated about visiting within the wet season.
This picket signal greets you if you enter Maya Bay.
Where To Stay
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 are not 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 concept if you wish to spend some further time exploring all the sights within the Phi Phi islands.
You can discover a few of our prime Phi Phi lodge suggestions beneath.
Phi Phi Island Hotels
Is Maya Bay Worth It?
Yes, Maya Bay is certainly value it, even when it’s important to courageous the crowds! This is bucket listing surroundings, and the costs are very reasonably priced.
I’d say Phi Phi is the one greatest place to go to in Thailand, and likewise among the finest locations in Southeast Asia. These are extremely stunning islands.
Maya Bay Thailand
Best Time To Visit
The greatest time to go to Maya Bay is dependent upon what you’re in search of.
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 circumstances are higher for boat excursions. However, that is additionally the height vacationer season, so it’s extra crowded.
The climate is just not nearly as good from May to October. There are extra wet days, and there are frequent storms within the evenings. However, there are much less vacationers in these months and it’s nonetheless potential to have a terrific journey in case your time is a little more versatile.
‘The Beach’
If you go to Phi Phi within the wet season, it’s good to have a couple 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 be certain that Maya Bay is open, as a result of like I discussed earlier, typically it’s closed for a part of the wet season.
We’ve visited Phi Phi within the dry season and likewise within the wet season, on separate journeys. In each instances, we had an incredible time and the climate was largely nice for weeks!
More Things To Do In Phi Phi Island
Maya Bay is certainly 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 value seeing. Pileh Lagoon is legendary for its brilliant turquoise water.
Don’t neglect to take a look at my full Phi Phi Island Travel Guide for extra data earlier than you go to Maya Bay Thailand!
Read my full Phi Phi Island Guide for extra issues to do within the Phi Phi islands!
Pileh Lagoon is one other great place to see close to Maya Bay, and it’s included in most Phi Phi excursions.
What To Bring
Here are some packing options on your journey to Maya Bay Thailand.
- Snacks & Drinks: You’ll wish to pack some snacks and drinks within the boat, as a result of it’s more durable to purchase them at Maya Bay. You can carry 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 is often some shade within the speedboats and longtail boats, however you may nonetheless get roasted whereas swimming or strolling on the seashore, so that you’ll wish to carry a hat and sunscreen for the boat excursions.
- Waterproof Bag: Essential for retaining your electronics secure on the boats. I introduced a 30 liter bag and was in a position to match my drone, pill, digicam, telephone, and a bunch of different stuff inside. Everything was stored dry, even after I took the bag swimming a couple of occasions!
- Waterproof Phone Pouch: Same as above, however these are on your telephone solely. Great in the event you don’t produce other electronics and simply want one thing small to guard your telephone at Maya Bay Thailand.
- Snorkeling Gear: Good for exploring the clear waters round Koh Phi Phi island. Snorkels and masks will be borrowed or rented from the boat firms too, however in the event you plan to remain on the island or do a number of excursions then it’s higher to carry your individual gear.
- Water Shoes: These can come in useful typically whereas snorkeling in case you must 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 a lot of the islands, however they don’t permit you to fly within the nationwide parks.
That consists of Phi Phi Leh and Maya Bay, that are patrolled by park rangers who will positive you in the event you’re caught flying a drone. They’re particularly strict at Maya Bay, and the rangers there are watching all areas of the seashore always.
However, in the event you’re discreet it’s nonetheless potential 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 often nobody is prone 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 can fly drones wherever on Phi Phi Don with out a drawback, though you’ll nonetheless wish to be thoughtful and solely fly in locations the place it gained’t hassle individuals, in fact.
Phuket Hotels
See Also
