Yes — Maya Bay is open. It reopened on 1 October 2026 after its annual conservation break (1 August – 30 September), and runs daily from 7:00am to 6:00pm, weather permitting. Thailand's most famous beach on Phi Phi Leh now operates on a strict, conservation-first system. Here's exactly where things stand for the 2026–27 season: the hours, what it costs, and the rules you'll need to follow — including the one that surprises most people (you can't actually swim).
Want to be on the sand before the crowds? Our Phi Phi Sunrise tour leaves Boat Lagoon Marina early: you catch the sunrise at sea during the ~1hr 10min crossing and arrive at Maya Bay before the day-tripper fleet. It runs small-group (maximum 18 adults) with national park fees included.
Is Maya Bay open right now?
Yes. Maya Bay reopened on 1 October 2026 and is open daily, 7:00am – 6:00pm, year-round — except for its annual recovery closure each August and September (in 2026: 1 Aug – 30 Sep) and occasional weather closures. The closure rests the bay so the reef and the blacktip shark nursery can recover; the national park confirms the dates each year. During that window, operators — us included — keep running Phi Phi tours and substitute another stop such as Bamboo Island.
The current rules at a glance
| What | 2026 rule |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | 7:00am – 6:00pm daily · reopened 1 Oct 2026 · annual closure Aug–Sep |
| Entry fee | ฿400 adult / ฿200 child (foreign visitors) — included in all Simba Sea Trips tour prices |
| Swimming | Not allowed — you may wade to knee depth only |
| Landing | Via Loh Samah Bay + a 5–10 min boardwalk; no boats anchor on Maya Bay sand |
| Capacity | ~380 people at once · ~1-hour on-site limit |
| Also banned | Standing on coral, taking shells, non-reef-safe sunscreen, drones |
Can you swim at Maya Bay?
No — swimming is not permitted. Since the 2022 reopening you may only wade into the water up to your knees. It sounds strict, but it's the reason the bay recovered: the shallows are a nursery for blacktip reef sharks and the replanted coral is still fragile. You'll still get the water, the sand and the cliffs — you just admire the sea rather than swim in it. If snorkelling and swimming are what you're after, that happens at the other Phi Phi stops on a day tour, not in Maya Bay itself.
How you actually get onto the beach
Boats no longer pull up on the famous sand. Instead you arrive at Loh Samah Bay on the back of the island, step onto a floating pier, and walk a short wooden boardwalk (about 5–10 minutes) through the jungle that opens dramatically onto Maya Bay. It's a calmer arrival than the old free-for-all — and it keeps boat traffic off the beach entirely.
When to go — and how to beat the crowds
With hourly capacity limits, timing is everything. The bay is quietest right at opening, before the mainland day-boat fleet arrives. Our Phi Phi Sunrise tour is built around exactly this: we leave Boat Lagoon Marina early, you catch the sunrise at sea during the ~1hr 10min crossing, and you step onto Maya Bay before the day-tripper fleet. Want the bay on your own schedule? The Luxury Phi Phi Sunrise Private Charter runs the same early-arrival route for your group only. National park fees are included in both — no cash needed at the pier. November to April is the best season: calmest seas, clearest water.
For the full picture — the history, the The Beach legacy, the wildlife and how to build a day around it — see our complete Maya Bay guide. Curious about the sharks that returned to the shallows? Read about the blacktip reef sharks at Maya Bay.
Rules current as of 5 October 2026 — Thai national park policies can change; check locally or ask us before you travel.
Maya Bay sits within the Phi Phi Islands; for how it fits into a day tour, see the Maya Bay & Viking Cave destination guide.
