Thailand / Andaman Coast / Koh Phi PhiKoh Phi Phi
Maya Bay, Turquoise Lagoons and Viewpoint Sunsets
Two islands between Phuket and Krabi: Phi Phi Don, where everyone stays (no cars, a busy village at Tonsai and quieter bays beyond), and uninhabited Phi Phi Leh with Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon. Maya Bay is closed to landings every year from 1 August to 30 September. Beds are dear for what you get; a night or two is plenty for most. A few Indian restaurants in Tonsai village.
Highlights
- Maya Bay (closed 1 Aug–30 Sep)
- Pileh Lagoon swim
- Phi Phi viewpoint sunset
- Long-tail trip to Bamboo Island
- Monkey Beach snorkel
- Viking Cave
- Long Beach sunset
- Night snorkel with plankton
- Fire shows on Loh Dalum beach
Things to do
- Maya Bay & Pileh Lagoon long-tail tripMorning · 4h
- Phi Phi viewpoint hike at sunsetEvening · 2h
- Bamboo Island & Mosquito Island snorkellingMorning · 5h
- Monkey Beach kayakAfternoon · 2h 30m
- Long Beach afternoonAfternoon · 3h
- Loh Dalum beach fire showEvening · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: November – April
Worth knowing
Maya Bay Closed to Landings
Maya Bay is closed every year from 1 August to 30 September for reef recovery. Boat tours still run round Phi Phi Leh and Pileh Lagoon but cannot land at Maya Bay; it reopens on 1 October.
Worth knowing
Andaman Monsoon: Rough Seas and Red Flags
The south-west monsoon brings rain most afternoons and rough seas from May to October, worst in September. Red flags (no swimming) are common on Phuket's west-coast beaches, where rip currents drown swimmers every year; speedboat trips are cancelled at short notice and the crossings are bumpy. Hotels are much cheaper than in the high season.
- Buddhist holy days (Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asahna Bucha) · Visakha Bucha 31 May; Asahna Bucha and Buddhist Lent 29–30 Jul — Candle-lit processions round the temples at dusk, worth seeing in Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya. Alcohol may not be sold anywhere, bars included, for 24-48 hours (hotels and airport duty free excepted); the Full Moon Party moves a night.
- Christmas and New Year peak — The most expensive fortnight of the year on the islands: resorts set 5-7 night minimums and compulsory gala-dinner charges on 24 and 31 December, and Phi Phi, Samui and Phuket ferries and flights fill a month ahead. Indian school holidays add to it. Book by October.
Part of a longer route
Koh Phi Phi is a stop on a curated circuit through Thailand.