Krabi has two seasons that matter for a boat trip. From about November to April the southwest monsoon has eased, the Andaman Sea is calmer and the 45 to 60 minute speedboat crossing from Ao Nang is usually comfortable. From May to October the rain and swell come back, tours still run, and some days are called off. Maya Bay is open again since 1 October 2026 after its annual closure. If you want to see it with fewer people, the time of day matters as much as the month, which is why the Phi Phi Small Group Tour & Early Maya Bay puts Maya Bay first.
Semi-Private Phi Phi & Early Maya Bay
The short answer: December to April
For a first trip, aim for December to April. The rain drops off sharply after November, the sea settles, and the long boat days on the Phi Phi circuit are at their easiest. January and February are the driest months in Krabi, with only about five rainy days each.
November is the shoulder month. It still gets a fair amount of rain, but the islands are less busy than over Christmas. We cover each month below.
Tours run through the rainy months too, with a route change at Maya Bay in August and September. Every tour we review has free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so you can move a day if the forecast turns.
Maya Bay closes every August and September
The national park closes Maya Bay from 1 August to 30 September each year to let the bay recover, and the closure in 2026 also covered Loh Samah Bay, where boats moor. It reopened on 1 October 2026.
During the closure, tours change their route. Some swap Maya Bay for time on Phi Phi Don, others show you the bay from the boat without landing. Two of the operators we list already note a closure from 1 August to 30 September 2027. That matches the usual pattern, but the park has not published 2027 dates yet, so treat it as expected until it does.
Even when the bay is open, you cannot swim at the front beach. Boats tie up on the Loh Samah side and you walk in for about 5 to 10 minutes. Our Maya Bay rules guide has the details.
Month by month, November to February
These are long-term averages for Krabi. A rain day is any day with measurable rain, so a short storm counts the same as a wet day.
| Month | Rain | Rain days | Average high / low | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | About 180 mm | About 18 | 31 °C / 22.5 °C | About 18:02 |
| December | About 68 mm | About 10 | 31.4 °C / 21.7 °C | 18:04 to 18:14 |
| January | About 32 mm | About 5 | 32.9 °C / 21.6 °C | 18:17 to 18:24 |
| February | About 43 mm | About 4 to 5 | 34.2 °C / 22 °C | 18:31 to 18:35 |
The sea stays warm all winter, around 28 to 29 °C, so you will not need a wetsuit for snorkeling in any of these months.
November
November is the change of season. The first half can still feel like the tail of the monsoon, with more showers and a lumpier crossing, and the month averages about 180 mm of rain over roughly 18 days. That is far less than October, though, and by the end of the month the dry pattern is usually in place.
What I like about November is the timing: Maya Bay has only just reopened and the Christmas crowds have not arrived. Keep a spare day in your plans in case a trip is moved for weather.
December
December is when the high season starts. Rain falls to about 68 mm over around 10 days, and the sea is usually calm. The last ten days of the year are the busiest of the season: from about 20 December to the first days of January, expect full boats and book a few days ahead. Outside that window, early December is a good month.
The days are short at this latitude all year. Sunset is around 18:05 to 18:15, which only matters if you book a sunset tour.
January
January is the driest month, with about 32 mm of rain on around five days, and the sea is at its most reliable. It is also busy from New Year until the middle of the month. If you have a choice of dates in January, the second half is usually a little quieter than the first.
February
February is the hottest of the four months, with highs around 34 °C, and only slightly wetter than January. Chinese New Year falls on 6 February in 2027, and the days around it bring more visitors from across Asia, so book ahead for that week. The rest of February is as good a time to go as any in the year.
March and April continue the dry season. We have not set out monthly figures for them here, but the pattern is the same: calm water and heat, building towards the start of the rains in May.
May to October: the monsoon months
The southwest monsoon runs from about May to October. Tours keep operating, but the swell is bigger and the crossing is rougher, and operators cancel when the sea is unsafe. October is the wettest month, with about 323 mm of rain on around 21 days.
Small speedboats are the first to stay ashore. Operators generally run in waves up to about a metre or two and start cancelling the far-island trips when they reach two to three metres. If your tour is cancelled for weather, what happens next depends on the operator. The Small Group Tour & Early Maya Bay and the Phi Phi & 4 Islands Sunset tour both offer a new date or a full refund, while the Sunset Tour with BBQ Dinner + Plankton goes ahead in rain if it is safe and does not refund for it.
In the monsoon, a tour with free cancellation and a flexible date is the sensible booking. If you get seasick, read our packing list before you go.
The best time of day: get there early
Maya Bay opens at roughly 7 am and closes around 6 pm. It does not open at sunrise, and nobody is on the beach before about 7. Visitors land in rounds of up to an hour, with up to 375 people per round, and the load builds from late morning, when most standard tours from Krabi and Phuket arrive.
That is the reason early-bird tours exist. The Phi Phi Early Bird & 4 Islands by Speedboat picks up in Ao Nang between 05:50 and 06:30 and reaches Maya Bay early in the opening hours, after a coffee stop on Tup Island. It costs $79 on the dates we checked in early November 2026, against $50 for the standard 9:00 start of the Phi Phi Speedboat Tour with Lunch. The Small Group Tour & Early Maya Bay ($116, with the park fee included) runs from 8:00 to 15:30 with Maya Bay as its usual first stop, in groups of up to 17.
Early does not mean empty. Some reviews of the early tours still describe crowds, just fewer than at midday. Our early bird guide weighs up whether the extra cost and the 6 am alarm suit you, and our review → covers the small-group tour.
So when should you go?
If your dates are flexible, January and February give you the best odds of dry weather and a calm crossing. Early December and late January are a good compromise if you would like a little less company. November works well if you can keep a spare day for a moved trip. In any month, book a morning departure, and budget the 400 THB park fee in cash on top of the tour price on most tours.
If you are still choosing between tours, our guide to the best Phi Phi island tour from Krabi compares them, and the Phi Phi early bird page lists every early departure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Phi Phi Island from Krabi?
January and February are the driest months in Krabi, with about five rainy days each, and the sea is usually calm. December is also a good month, and the dry season usually lasts into April. Late December and early January are the busiest weeks.
Is November a good time to visit Phi Phi?
Yes, with a little flexibility. November still gets about 18 rainy days, and the sea can be lumpy early in the month. It is quieter than December and Maya Bay has just reopened.
Can you visit Phi Phi in the rainy season?
Yes. Tours run from May to October, but the crossing is rougher and operators cancel when the sea is unsafe. Maya Bay is closed in August and September, so tours swap it for another stop or view it from the boat.
When is Maya Bay closed?
Every year from 1 August to 30 September. It reopened on 1 October 2026, and the 2027 closure is expected on the same dates.
What is the best time of day to visit Maya Bay?
Early in its opening hours, which start at about 7 am. Early-bird tours from Krabi pick up around 6 am and reach the bay before the late-morning wave of boats. The bay does not open at sunrise.
Pick your Phi Phi day and check the boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on the tours we review. The national park fee (400 THB per adult) is usually paid in cash on the day.
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