Maya Bay: a bay that learned to say no
Since 2022 you only reach the beach on foot via the back of the island, and the water not at all.
Maya Bay lies on the west side of Ko Phi Phi Le in Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Krabi province. In 2017, according to the tourism authority, almost 5,000 people came every day. On 1 June 2018 the park authority DNP closed the bay; only on 1 January 2022 were visitors allowed back on the beach.
Since then, boats no longer moor off the beach but at the jetty in Loh Samah Bay at the back of the island. From there you walk across the narrow neck of land to the beach. When it reopened, the authority set rounds of one hour, with 375 people each between 7:00 and 18:00. Swimming is banned.
Every year in the southwest monsoon the park authority closes the bay for two months, in 2026 from 1 August to 30 September. On 2 September 2026, during the closure, it counted up to 278 blacktip reef sharks off the beach.
In numbers
- Visitors per day in 2017
- almost 5,000
- Closed
- 1 June 2018 to 31 December 2021
- Reopening
- 1 January 2022
- Round at reopening
- 1 hour, 375 people
- Visiting hours at reopening
- 7:00 to 18:00, 11 rounds
- Closure 2026
- 1 August to 30 September
- Reef sharks during the long closure
- around 161
- Reef sharks on 2 September 2026
- up to 278
- Park fee for foreigners
- 400 baht
