Maya Bay Opening Dates and Swimming Rules (2026–27)

The annual closure, and 2027

Every year the park closes Maya Bay from 1 August to 30 September, for conservation and because the southwest monsoon makes the sea rough. It reopens on 1 October. This pattern has held for several years, and in 2026 the closure also covered Loh Samah and Loh Ko bays.

For 2027, two Krabi operators already carry the dates on their listings: Srisawat’s Phi Phi Speedboat with Buffet Lunch and the Phi Phi & 4 Islands Sunset Catamaran say Maya Bay will be closed from 1 August to 30 September 2027, with “sightseeing around the bay only (no beach landing)”. That matches the usual pattern, but we have not found an official 2027 notice from the park, so treat it as expected and check again before you book for late July or early October.

During the closure, tours either view the bay from the boat, as Oh-Hoo’s Maya Bay, Bamboo & Phi Phi Day Tour describes, or swap Maya for another island, as GR Rungtawan’s Phi Phi Speedboat Tour with Lunch does. Pileh Lagoon, Bamboo Island and the rest of the day carry on. Our best time guide covers the months either side.

Why you can’t swim at Maya Bay

Swimming is banned at the front beach, the famous one. You may wade to about knee depth, walk the sand and take photos. Swimming and shallow snorkeling are allowed only on the back side, at Loh Samah, where the boats tie up. Tours with Maya Bay in the itinerary say the same: no swimming or snorkeling at the bay.

The ban belongs to the park’s conservation rules for the bay, the same reason the operators give for the annual closure (“for conservation and restoration, as officially announced by the Department of National Parks”, in Krabi Ezy Trails’ words). We could not retrieve an official statement setting out the reasoning for the swimming ban itself, so we will not guess at it. For your day, the practical point is that you will swim at Pileh Lagoon and the snorkel stops, not at Maya.

Time limits, caps and opening hours

Maya Bay is open roughly 7 am to 6 pm. Some sources give 8 am to 5 pm, so the exact hours may vary; either way, it does not open at sunrise, and no tour has you on the beach at dawn.

Visits run in landing rounds of up to one hour. Thai press reported a cap of 375 people per round and 11 rounds a day, about 4,125 visitors in total; that figure dates from 2023 (2022 reports gave 300 a round), and we could not confirm a 2026 update. In practice it means your guide works to the round your boat was given, and the late-morning rounds, when most boats arrive, are the fullest. Early tours aim for the first rounds after opening.

Getting onto the beach: Loh Samah

Boats are not allowed into Maya Bay itself. Longtails, speedboats and rubber boats moor at a floating pontoon in Loh Samah Bay, on the back of Phi Phi Leh, and a boardwalk of about 5 to 10 minutes leads through to the beach. Sandals or water shoes help on the pontoon and the boardwalk, and a towel is useful for the swim stops later. The walk is flat and short, but it is a step-on, step-off pontoon, so travelers with limited mobility should ask the operator first.

The full rules list

These apply on every visit, whichever tour you book:

• No swimming at the front beach; wade to knee depth only.
• Stay within the visiting round; it lasts up to an hour.
• No drones without permission from the Department of National Parks, which the Phi Phi park rarely grants.
• Sunscreen: Thai marine national parks ban products containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and butylparaben. “Reef-safe” on the label is not a legal term, so check the ingredients. Fines can reach 100,000 THB.
• Single-use plastics: several operators ask you not to bring them.
• Keep your park receipt; the 400 THB adult fee covers the whole park for the day, including Pileh Lagoon, Phi Phi Don and Bamboo Island.

What this means for booking

From October to July, any of the full-day tours from Krabi will land you at Maya Bay. If seeing it quietly matters to you, book an early start: Sea Eagle’s early bird at $74 or the Phi Phi Early Bird & 4 Islands at $79 reach the bay early in its opening hours (is the early bird worth it?). If you are travelling between 1 August and 30 September, expect a view from the boat at most. Krabi to Maya Bay compares every tour’s timing, and you can check availability for the early bird above.

Frequently asked questions

Is Maya Bay open in 2026?

Yes. It reopened on 1 October 2026 after its closure from 1 August to 30 September, and it was open when we checked on 7 November 2026.

When does Maya Bay close in 2027?

It is expected to close from 1 August to 30 September 2027, the same as every year. Two Krabi tour listings already give those dates, but we have not seen an official park notice yet.

Can you swim at Maya Bay?

No. Swimming at the main beach is banned; you can walk on the sand and wade to about knee depth. Swimming is allowed at Pileh Lagoon and at the snorkel stops on most tours.

How long can you stay at Maya Bay?

Up to an hour per visit. The bay takes visitors in timed landing rounds, and tours give 40 minutes to an hour there.

What time does Maya Bay open?

Roughly 7 am to 6 pm. It does not open at sunrise, so early bird tours arrive early in the opening hours, not at dawn.

Do boats go into Maya Bay?

No. Boats moor at Loh Samah Bay on the back of Phi Phi Leh, and you walk about 5 to 10 minutes along a boardwalk to the beach.