Tonsai Bay
Loh Dalum Bay
Long Beach (Hat Yao)
Loh Samah Bay
Laem Tong Bay
Visit Maya Bay by tender (knee-deep only, no anchoring)
Snorkel the turquoise waters of Pileh Lagoon
Hike to Phi Phi Viewpoint above Tonsai
Snorkel the reef off Bamboo Island
See the swiftlet nests inside Viking Cave
Tonsai Village
Phi Phi Leh
Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai)
Monkey Beach
Loh Dalum
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November through April brings the calmest seas and clearest water, with the northeast monsoon keeping most of the archipelago sheltered on its western, Andaman-facing side. The southwest monsoon from roughly May to October brings more rain and rougher crossings from Phuket or Krabi, and Maya Bay itself closes each August and September for ecological recovery. Peak crowds arrive between December and February, so guests wanting quieter anchorages often prefer November or April.
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Phi Phi has no airport, so every visitor arrives by boat, most commonly from Phuket’s Rassada Pier, around two hours away by ferry or under an hour by speedboat, or from Ao Nang or Krabi Town, roughly one and a half to two hours away. Charter guests typically join or leave their yacht directly at Tonsai Pier, where a small environmental fee is collected on arrival. Phuket International Airport (HKT) is the nearest major air gateway for onward travel.
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Tonsai Bay, between Phi Phi Don’s two limestone wings, is the main hub for provisioning and going ashore, though it can be busy with ferry traffic. Loh Dalum Bay, just over the isthmus, offers calmer water and a quieter beachfront for an overnight stop. On Phi Phi Leh, Loh Samah Bay is the customary anchorage for tenders visiting Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon, since anchoring directly off Maya Bay itself is no longer permitted.
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Two nights is a reasonable minimum, enough time for a full day at Phi Phi Leh covering Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave, plus a second day around Phi Phi Don for the viewpoint hike, Bamboo Island and Monkey Beach. Guests short on time sometimes visit as a single long day trip from Phuket or Krabi instead, though staying overnight allows an early morning visit to Maya Bay before the day-tripper boats arrive.
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Maya Bay was made globally famous by the 2000 film The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which drew visitor numbers the fragile cove was never designed to handle. The islands were also devastated by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which struck Tonsai Village directly and killed thousands of residents and visitors before being almost entirely rebuilt in the two decades since. Both events shape how the islands are managed today, from strict visitor caps to tsunami evacuation signage throughout Tonsai.
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