Is Maya Bay Open?
Maya Bay reopened on 1 October 2026; it was closed from 1 August to 30 September 2026. The dates, what the tours do in the closed months, and where to check before you go.
Maya Bay reopened to visitors on 1 October 2026 (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 20 October 2026). It was closed from 1 August to 30 September 2026 for the bay to recover (Department of National Parks, 14 September 2026). When we read the national parks department’s closure list on 8 November 2026 it carried no entry for Maya Bay. The department announces the closure each year; no notice for 2027 had been published when we checked in November 2026.
The dates
| Year | Closed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 August to 30 September: Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay and Ao Lo Ko; the rest of the park stayed open | Government Public Relations Department, 30 July 2024 |
| 2026 | 1 August to 30 September; reopened 1 October | Department of National Parks, 14 September 2026; Tourism Authority of Thailand, 20 October 2026 |
| 2027 | No notice published as of November 2026 | Department of National Parks, Government Public Relations Department and Tourism Authority of Thailand sites, checked November 2026 |
In the department’s September 2026 news, its marine parks director called it the bay’s annual closure: a rest for nature to recover and, the department adds, a safety measure in the south-west monsoon. Two years with the same dates are not an announcement, though; check the year you travel.
What the tours do while the beach is closed
The boats keep running in August and September; they just do not land at Maya Bay. Of the tours on this site, Discover Thailand’s speedboat spends longer at the other stops in those months, and on Blue Flow’s private longtail the beach stop is not possible from 1 August to 30 September, though the boat may enter the bay from the other side if the sea allows.
Reviewers of Sawasdee Phi Phi’s longtail who went in August 2026 noticed. One said there was no visiting Maya Bay that month and they got off the boat only at Monkey Beach and two snorkelling stops; another said the closure took something away from the trip. If Maya Bay is the reason you are going, do not book for August or September without checking the year’s dates.
No swimming, even when it is open
Open or not, you cannot swim at Maya Bay. The Department of National Parks forbids it because the bay is a home and nursery of blacktip reef sharks, and warns of fines up to 100,000 baht (DNP news, 4 August 2026). The tours swim at Pileh Lagoon and the snorkelling stops instead.
Where to check
- The Department of National Parks’ news (news.dnp.go.th), in Thai, where the 2026 closure was reported.
- The department’s list of national park closures (portal.dnp.go.th), in Thai. On 8 November 2026 its only entry for the Phi Phi park was a ban on diving off the west side of Ko Kai, in force since 16 May 2026.
- The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s newsroom (tatnews.org), in English, which reported the 1 October 2026 reopening.
- Your tour’s page. Many tours carry a closure note; read it before you book a date in August or September.
More from Phi Phi
Boat Trips from Phi Phi Don with Open Dates
Half days and full days from Ton Sai with live availability. What each one includes, and whether the park fee is in the price, shows before you book.
Maya Bay by Longtail from Ton Sai
Sawasdee Phi Phi's 4-hour longtail from Ton Sai Pier: Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, Viking Cave and Maya Bay on foot. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
See longtail dates