Koh Phi Phi · Phuket · Thailand
Maya Bay
The bay's hourglass entrance compresses between cliffs before opening to the crescent where Leonardo DiCaprio's character discovered fictional utopia. You'll arrive with thirty other boats, all timing their approach to the hour.
Reading live conditions…
Live from Open-Meteo · sea surface temperature and wave data modelled at 1-km grid resolution for Maya Bay. Numbers refresh at the hourly tick.
- Purity
- 0%
- Conditions
- 0%
- Crowd
- 0%
- Vibe
- 0%
The OnlyBeaches Index weighs four pillars against your chosen persona. Purity comes from water clarity and air-quality heuristics; Conditions from Open-Meteo waves, wind and temperatures; Crowd from historical patterns; Vibe from nearby events within 50 km. The score rebalances throughout the day.
The bay's hourglass entrance compresses between cliffs before opening to the crescent where Leonardo DiCaprio's character discovered fictional utopia. You'll arrive with thirty other boats, all timing their approach to the hour.
Photos
8 captures from Maya Bay
About this beach
Where it is
Maya Bay
Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, Thailand
7.6773°, 98.3043°
Top things to do
At Maya Bay
Floating in Restrictions
Controlled access, timed visits
Recovering Coral Observation
Staghorn regrowth, juvenile fish
Limestone Wall Perspectives
Three-hundred-foot cliff faces
Cliff Base Exploration
Shallow-to-deep drop-offs
Near this beach
Places, rentals, tours and events within walking and driving distance of Maya Bay.
Questions people actually ask about Maya Bay.
Is Maya Bay open and can you swim there?
Maya Bay reopened to tourists in January 2022 after a closure for environmental recovery. However, swimming is no longer permitted in the bay to protect the recovering coral reefs and marine ecosystem. Visitors can walk on the beach for limited time periods, typically one hour maximum, and only during specific hours (usually morning to early afternoon). Boats must anchor at designated areas away from the beach. The number of daily visitors is capped, and strict environmental rules are enforced to prevent further damage to this sensitive ecosystem.
When is the best time to visit Maya Bay?
The best time to visit Maya Bay is during the dry season from November to April when seas are calmer and weather is sunny, making boat trips more comfortable and reliable. The bay is accessible year-round but may close temporarily during severe weather. Early morning visits (first boats arriving around 7-8 AM) offer the best experience with fewer crowds and better photo opportunities before tour groups arrive. Note that Maya Bay typically closes during the monsoon season (roughly August to September) for safety and environmental reasons, though exact dates vary annually.
