Maya Bay Closure Dates: When It Closes and Reopens

Featured image: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Maya Bay Closure Dates at a Glance

Maya Bay closes to landings every year from 1 August to 30 September and reopens on 1 October. Loh Samah and Lo Ko Bays reportedly close over the same two months. Reports say the 2026 closure followed those dates, so landings resumed on 1 October 2026. Park authorities set the window and can change it, so confirm the current notice before paying for a trip. Tours may still run in August and September and view the bay from the water. Viewing from a boat is not the same as landing on the sand.

• Annual closure: 1 August to 30 September
• Reopening: 1 October
• Open now (10 November 2026): yes, according to recent reports; confirm on the day you book
• Typical hours when open: 07:00 to 18:00

Why Maya Bay Closes Every Year

Rehabilitation is the main reason. Reef, beach and vegetation get two months without boats each year. Monsoon swell adds a practical reason, because rough water makes docking unreliable, and our Phi Phi rainy season guide covers how that affects boat trips beyond the closure itself. History explains the rest. Maya Bay first closed in June 2018 for a planned four months. Officials then extended the closure, and a royal gazette published on 1 October 2018 said restrictions would stay until the ecosystem fully recovered, as the Guardian reported at the time. Overcrowding was the trigger. Coverage cited up to 5,000 visitors and 200 boats a day, and an estimate that more than 80% of the coral around the bay was destroyed. Maya Bay reopened in January 2022 with visitor limits. Treat the 2018 indefinite-closure framing as history only.

Maya Bay Closure Timeline

This table summarizes the dates above. Confirm any date that matters for your booking against the park's current notice.

What Is Open on Phi Phi While Maya Bay Is Closed

Phi Phi tours generally keep running between 1 August and 30 September, but boats do not land at Maya Bay. Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, Viking Cave and Bamboo Island are typical stops on those trips. Confirm each stop with your operator, because sea conditions and park rules change. Tonsai village on Phi Phi Don stays your base for food, boat bookings and sunset views. Do not assume prices drop in the closure months. Ask each operator what the trip includes.

If You Visit When It Reopens

Open hours run from 07:00 to 18:00, and visits come in hour-long rounds of up to 375 people. Boats do not enter the bay. They drop you at the Loh Samah pier, and you walk about 300 m on a boardwalk to the sand. Swimming is not allowed, so plan to wade and take photos instead. For water time, ask your operator about snorkel stops on the same loop. Park fees are reported at ฿400 for adults and ฿200 for children. Tours from Phuket and Krabi often include the fee, while private longtails may ask for cash, so confirm before you board. Dry-season months suit the bay best, and our Phi Phi in December guide shows how an open-bay month looks.

How to Get to Maya Bay

Maya Bay is on Phi Phi Leh, an island with no lodging, so every visit is a boat trip. From Tonsai on Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh is 20 to 30 minutes by longtail. Phuket speedboat day tours run 8 to 11 hours. From Krabi, Phi Phi is about 45 minutes by speedboat. The table gives indicative costs as of November 2026. Agree price, park fee and stops before leaving the beach.

Plan Around the Closure: Day Trip or Stay on Phi Phi?

Day boats from Phuket and Krabi reportedly reach Maya Bay between about 09:30 and 11:00. A 07:00 longtail from Tonsai gets you there earlier. That favors sleeping on Phi Phi Don if the bay is the point of your trip. A day trip still suits a Phuket-based itinerary, and a flexible tour is easier to rebook in monsoon months. Use this month-by-month guide, then check Phi Phi weather by month. For forecasts close to your dates, see the Thai Meteorological Department. Our best time to visit Phi Phi guide helps you choose travel months.

• 1 August to 30 September: closed to landings, with monsoon swell
• October: reopened, but still wet, so keep a spare day
• November to April: dry season with the calmest seas, best for landing at the bay

Mistakes to Avoid

Tour operators may sell Maya Bay trips during closure months. Ask whether the trip lands or views only, and get the answer in writing. Request refund and rebooking terms at the same time.

• Booking for 1 August to 30 September without confirming landing
• Assuming the dates never change from year to year
• Expecting to swim in the bay
• Arriving after 09:30, when day boats reach the sand
• Skipping the park fee question on a private boat

How to Confirm Maya Bay Is Open Before You Book

Check the Department of National Parks notice before making a non-refundable booking. The usual landing closure runs from 1 August to 30 September, with reopening on 1 October. Those dates can change if park authorities need more recovery time or weather affects access.

Then ask the boat operator for written confirmation that the itinerary includes a landing, rather than a view from the water. Ask whether visitors will use the Loh Samah pier and the roughly 300 m boardwalk. Confirm the planned visit is within the normal 07:00 to 18:00 opening hours.

Your Phi Phi Don accommodation can provide a useful second check shortly before departure. Ask the operator about cancellation, refund and rebooking terms if a landing is cancelled. This matters most during the closure period, when tours may still visit the surrounding waters without stopping on Maya Bay’s beach.