Maya Bay is definitely still worth visiting, however you should temper your expectations somewhat, as the experience has changed in recent years. We can only imagine what it would’ve been like back in the 90s, when you could pull up in a private longtail, swim in the emerald waters, and have one of Thailand’s most spectacular beaches pretty much all to yourself.

It might’ve resembled The Beach movie, where Leonardo DiCaprio was frolicking around on the pristine sands before the rest of the world discovered it. Those days have well and truly gone, but there’s still plenty of reasons to visit Maya Bay today. The scenery is just as staggering as it was decades ago - limestone cliffs encircling the bay like an amphitheatre - except for the fact that you have to share it with a sea of tourists.

This is what we experienced when we took the early morning boat tour here from Koh Phi Phi. It was quiet and peaceful for the first ten minutes or so, and then the crowds started pouring in and completely disturbed the atmosphere. That being said, we think there’s better places to check out in the Phi Phi Islands these days - bays and beaches that are just as beautiful as Maya Bay but with far less visitors (we’ll go into more detail below).

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Early Morning Tour — *Maya Bay*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Still Beautiful — *Maya Bay*

The New Rules at Maya Bay

Did you know that Maya Bay closed its doors for a whopping three and a half years? From June 2018 to January 2022, the famous beach was shut in order to allow for ecosystem recovery - specifically the coral reefs which were severely damaged due to mass overtourism. At one point, up to 5,000 visitors were landing each day (and staying for hours on end) but that’s now been capped at around 4,000 with strict time limits (up to one hour).

As Maya Bay was closed, marine biologists were put to work replanting thousands of coral colonies and eventually even blacktip reef sharks returned. Nowadays, there are restrictions on the entire visitor experience including no swimming (you can still dip your feet in), and arriving via a new Floating Pier and short jungle track from the back of the island.

You can no longer cruise through the gap in the limestone cliffs at the front of the bay, as incredible as that would be. Unfortunately, when a fragile piece of nature gets this popular, rules and regulations are necessary to protect it for future generations. We fully accepted this reality and did our best to enjoy Maya Bay even in a much more limited way.

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - New Boat Arrival via a Floating Pier at the Back — *Arriving at the new floating pier*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Clean — *Dipping our feet in the water*

How to Get to Maya Bay

From Phi Phi Don

Speedboat tours and private longtail trips are the two main ways of reaching Maya Bay. The most obvious starting point is Phi Phi Don, which takes about 20 minutes via speedboat. These tours can easily be organized in Tonsai village when you arrive - a bustling area home to dozens of little travel stalls. Normally, you meet at the McDonalds and go from there. During busier times, say between Christmas and early February, it might be a good idea to book your Maya bay tour online before you go.

Book the tour here: Phi Phi Avoid the Crowds Tour

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Koh Phi Phi — *Phi Phi Don*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - McDonalds at Koh Phi Phi — *The McDonalds meeting point*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Speedboat Tour — *Speedboat tour to Maya Bay*

From Krabi

Another popular departure point is Krabi, usually from the beaches of Ao Nang or Railay. It’ll take longer on the speedboat, however the route naturally takes you to other amazing islands along the way such as Ko Thap and Ko Poda. These tend to be full days, rather than the half-days from Koh Phi Phi, so just know what you’re getting into beforehand.

Book the tour here: From Krabi: Phi Phi Early Bird & 4 Islands Tour

From Phuket

You can go from Phuket, but the distance makes it harder to arrive early enough to beat the crowds. Typically, tours also stop at other islands such as Khai Nai Island and Bamboo Island - so chances are you’ll arrive at Maya Bay mid-morning along with dozens of other boats. It can still be a fun day though full of beautiful scenery, hidden gems and classics like Maya Bay.

Book the tour here: From Phuket: Phi Phi Sunrise Boat Tour

How to Beat the Crowds in Maya Bay

The surefire way to avoid the crowds in Maya Bay is to find a tour departing from Phi Phi Don at around 7:00 AM. Our trip left a little later, at 8:30 AM, but we still got to see Maya Bay for a short period without too many people. The only downside to the early morning tour is that the beach gets covered in shadows, as the sun isn’t high enough. By 9:30 AM though, the darkness disappears and the sun shines down on the water.

Another dilemma with the speedboat tours is you have no control over the departure time. But on a private longtail trip, you can select your starting time as early as 6:00 AM or as late as 3:00 PM. The afternoon trips can be just as good by the way - Maya Bay closes at 6:00 PM and most of the daytrippers leave in the early afternoon, which gives you another way of beating the crowds and avoiding the early morning shadows.

Book the tour here: Phi Phi Private Longtail Tour

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Shadows in the Morning — *Early morning shadows*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - No Swimming — *Early morning shadows*

Is Maya Bay Still Worth the Hype?

The Pros of Maya Bay

From our experience, the beach was very clean with soft white sand and crystal clear waters. The authorities have clearly done a great job of controlling the crowds and mitigating any rubbish issues. And the views of the limestone cliffs, which rise up 100 meters around you, are incredibly impressive. We didn’t see any marine life such as blacktip reef sharks, but we have heard they can swim close enough to the shore to see them.

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Limestone Cliffs 100 Meters — *Maya Bay*

The Cons of Maya Bay

We didn’t mind not being able to swim, however what bothered us slightly was the strict one hour time limit. This can make the tour feel rushed and like you haven’t really got your money’s worth. Although, most tours do include stops at Pi Leh Lagoon and Monkey Beach which stretches out the day a bit. All in all, we do believe that Maya Bay is still worth visiting - with the small caveat that a private longtail trip is probably the best way to go.

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Pi Leh Lagoon — *Pi Leh Lagoon*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Swimming at Pi Leh Lagoon — *Pi Leh Lagoon*

Better Alternatives to Maya Bay

Wang Long Bay

If you’re staying in Phi Phi Don, one trip we recommend taking is the longtail ride just around the corner to Wang Long Bay. This tucked away lagoon is hidden from plain sight, and much smaller in scale than Maya Bay, but it offers similar towering limestone cliffs. You enter via a narrow inlet to shallow emerald waters and a tiny little beachhead with a swing rope. It’s often empty - especially in the early morning or late afternoon.

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Wang Long Bay — *Wang Long Bay*

Nui Beach

Another hidden gem in Koh Phi Phi is Nui Beach, reached by longtail from Loh Dalum Beach. This small cove is framed by jagged limestone walls and sea karsts, with white sand and incredibly emerald green waters. The beach gets reasonably busy during the day but it’s nothing compared to the constant flow of tourists like Maya Bay. And, importantly, there are no swimming or time limit restrictions at either Nui Beach or Wang Long Bay.

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Nui Beach Great Alternative — *Nui Beach*

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Emerald Waters of Nui Beach — *Nui Beach*

FAQs About Visiting Maya Bay

When does Maya Bay close every year?

Maya Bay is back and fully open now. The beach only closes for a two month period running from the 1st of August to the 30th of September. This falls within the monsoon season, so the seas are often too rough anyway, but it also gives the ecosystem time to recover free of tourists. The reef sharks use the shallow water as a nursery and need the time to breed.

Maya Bay Worth Visiting - Turquoise Waters — *Maya Bay*

Do you have to pay national park fees?

The Phi Phi Islands sit in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park and like most national parks in Thailand, visiting comes with a fee. For places like Maya Bay and Bamboo Island, you’ll need to pay 400 THB or 200 THB for children - giving you single day access. Most tours incorporate this fee into their pricing, however private longtail tours often don’t. So be sure to bring some cash with you to pay the park rangers when you arrive.

Are there bathrooms or food stalls?

There are no major restaurants or food stalls at Maya Bay, another step taken to reduce the tourism footprint on the beach. You can find bathrooms though, situated on the jungle walking path behind the beach. Don’t expect the cleanest toilet in the world - especially if you arrive in the afternoon after hundreds of tourists have already passed through.

Can you stay overnight in Maya Bay?

You can’t stay overnight in Maya Bay or (as a matter of fact) anywhere on Phi Phi Leh. However, there is a unique loophole that you can take advantage of - sleepaboard tours departing from Phi Phi Don where you can visit the beach before sunset, sleep on a boat anchored just outside the protected bay, and visit again once the sun rises the next morning.

Can you fly drones at this famous beach?

Flying drones is banned at Maya Bay but standard cameras are fine. There’s also no way to get a drone permit, unless you have some sort of special exemption, which is pretty much impossible. Don’t be silly and risk it: fines can be huge (up to 100,000 THB) and we’ve seen how strict authorities are, forcefully removing people who try to go swimming. For more tips and cultural etiquette on Thailand travel, be sure to check out our article below.

Maya Bay After Reopening: Is it Still Worth the Hype?