Maya Bay, Thailand's most famous beach: the paradise we almost lost
Closed for four years, thirty thousand hand-planted corals, and over one and a half million visitors a year. The full story, and what you'll find if you go.
Photos by Rakel · Maya Bay, June 2026
Maya Bay dates
Every year, from August 1st to September 30th, there is nobody in Maya Bay. Not a boat, not a footprint.
- Open
- Of the October 1st to July 31st, every day
- Closed
- Of the August 1st to September 30th, every year
- Reopening 2026
- October 1, 2026
- Hours
- Opens at 7:00. The park sets the closing time.
- Entrance
- 400 baht foreign adults · 200 children
Before you take a visit for granted, take a look: The reopening may be moved a day or two depending on the sea, and the park may close any morning for safety reasons.
Two hundred and fifty meters of sand
Island of Ko Phi Phi Leh, Krabi province. Two square kilometers and no one living: no hotels, no roads, not a single building. A ring of vertical limestone surrounding two shallow bays.
Manuel Antonio Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi, declared on October 6, 1983. Number forty-seven in Thailand. 40 km southeast of Phuket and 30 km southwest of Krabi.
At low tide the boats could never get in. The water is too shallow and the coral is too close to the surface. The bay had been giving warning signs from the beginning.
The coral isn't next to the beach. The coral is is the beach: reef ground down by the waves and by parrotfish. When the reef dies, the sand factory stops.
Why did they choose this bay?
Danny Boyle was looking for a beach that seemed impossible to find. He came from Trainspotting and adapted Alex Garland's 1996 novel, with DiCaprio fresh out of Titanic. Maya Bay served him for a geographical reason: the cliffs enclose it on three sides.
But three sides weren't enough. In the film, the bay appears completely closed. That fourth wall doesn't exist: it was added by computer. If you go today and look for the gap between the rocks, you'll find it. It's always been there.
The producers weren't satisfied with just the vegetation either. They planted dozens of coconut palms—a species that wasn't native to the area—and uprooted the plants from the dunes.
The roots were what held the sand in place. When they were pulled out, the sand began to drift away to sea.
Even before its premiere, environmentalists tried twice to stop it through legal channels. They lost both times. The Beach premiered on February 11, 2000: it cost $50 million and grossed about $144 million. DiCaprio said at the time that he had seen Fox taking meticulous care of the island. Fox always maintained that he left the beach just as he found it.
Twenty-three years of trial
They asked for one hundred million baht. They paid ten. In between, a judge showed up to see it with his own eyes.
Krabi authorities, conservationists, and the Ao Nang administration are suing five parties: the Minister of Agriculture, the Forestry Department, its Director General, 20th Century Fox, and the Thai co-producer. They are seeking 100 million baht in damages.
The case remained stalled for almost ten years. It was finally unblocked by a judge who traveled to Maya Bay to see it: an unusual on-site judicial inspection.
The Supreme Court confirms that the filming damaged the environment and orders an assessment of the damages.
A civil court declares the Forestry Department responsible for the rehabilitation.
Agreement: Fox contributes 10 million baht. One tenth of what was requested, and around 0.2% of what the film grossed worldwide.
On September 13, twenty-three years later, the Bangkok Supreme Court closed the case and ordered a rehabilitation plan to be submitted within thirty days.
Pure Shores, Porcelain and an entire generation
There is one thing the film did better than the movie. The score was composed by Angelo Badalamenti, the composer of Twin Peaks, and Pete Tong coordinated the album's production. It operated independently, separate from the film.
You put Porcelain and you see cliffs. Twenty-five years later it is still working.
What happened next
The film showed the world a deserted beach. The world went to see it.
8.000
daily visitors at the worst times
The damage was caused by six things happening simultaneously. Propellers kicked up sand that blocked sunlight from reaching the coral. Anchors broke the seabed. Fuel was left in the water. People were unknowingly stepping on the reef. Creams containing oxybenzone and octinoxate were killing the larvae. And the noise scared away anything with fins.
In annual figures, 1.38 million people visited in 2016 and 1.65 million in 2017, according to marine biologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat of Kasetsart University. The bay was closed in June 2018. Initially planned for four months, the closure was extended indefinitely in October.
In the 2017-18 season, the park took in 555 million baht, a quarter of what the 154 Thai national parks combined raised. Following the closure, revenue fell from 638.3 million in 2018 to 373.6 million in 2019.
And it wasn't just the administration that paid the price. There were between five and six hundred small boats that made a living ferrying people to the bay. They lost four years of work, and yet, the local tourism association agreed with the closure.
What they did while no one was around
Thon and his team didn't just close the door. With the Ministry of Natural Resources and private funding, they transplanted more than 30,000 coral fragments, cultivated near the island of Koh Yung. Half survived and continued to grow on their own.
They replanted native vegetation in the dunes, built a floating dock in Loh Samah, and laid this wooden walkway for people to cross over instead of walking on it.
The sharks returned first
They were there three months after the closure. In December 2019, a female was documented giving birth inside the bay. Figures from the Shark Watch Project, using drones and cameras baited underwater.
How to visit today
Maya Bay reopened on January 1, 2022 with a set of rules that are nothing like the previous ones.
Sunscreen has its own rules. Since August 4, 2021, creams containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, or butylparaben have been banned in Thai marine parks, with fines of up to 100,000 baht. They won't confiscate it; they'll store it for you at the entrance. Bring reef-safe from home. More at Thailand's curious laws.
Pileh Lagoon
A marine lagoon nestled between vertical limestone walls on the island's east side. Still, green, and very shallow water. This is where people jump off the boat and snorkel. For many, it ends up being the highlight of their day.
Loh Samah Bay
The bay behind it, the one with the pier where you enter Maya. It's not just a boat parking area: you can swim there and it has an interesting seabed. Add Bamboo Island and you've got a full day out.
The calendar that ruins plans
And there is an important nuance: What's closing is the landing at Maya Bay, not the Phi Phi Islands. The excursions continue to run daily throughout August and September. You'll go snorkeling, visit Pileh Lagoon, Bamboo Island, and the Viking cave. The only thing missing from the tour is stepping on that sand.
The exact date may shift a day or two depending on sea conditions, and the park may close the bay any morning for safety reasons. Notice is given the night before through their official channels. If you book a tour, check the terms and conditions to see what happens if the park closes: a reputable agency will reschedule or refund your money.
The time changes everything.
If you can choose the time slot, that decision outweighs any other you make about the visit.
You gain silence and lose light. You can't have both at the same time.
From November to April, the Andaman Sea is calmer. From May to October, it's the rainy season, and there are days when sailing is not possible. It's only accessible by sea: from Phuket, it takes between 45 and 90 minutes by speedboat, depending on the port.
The real trick: sleeping on Phi Phi Don. It's the inhabited island, just a few minutes from Phi Phi Leh, and those who stay there leave much earlier than any excursion from the mainland. While the boats are still sailing, you'll already be on the sand. And read the fine print: two tours with the same price may not include the same things. If you're planning it on your own, what we wrote about whether it makes sense to travel independently.
What you're really going to find
This is where you decide whether the visit leaves you with a good feeling or disappoints you. It depends almost entirely on what expectations you have.
What it no longer is
- A deserted beach. That ended in the year 2000.
- A secret. It's one of the most famous places on the planet.
- A place where you can swim and snorkel at your own pace.
- A place to spend the afternoon. You have one hour.
- The enclosed bay from the movie. That wall was digital.
What it is
- Cliffs one hundred meters high enclosing a bay of very fine sand.
- One of the very few documented cases of an ecosystem that was reversed.
- A place to see blacktip sharks from the shore, harmless and busy with their own business.
- Regenerating coral, visible from the surface.
- A silence that was unthinkable in 2017, with no engines inside the bay.
What almost no one notices as they pass by
The Viking cave
A kilometer and a half away, on the northeast cliffs. It's named for paintings that resemble Scandinavian ships, although the Vikings never painted anything in Thailand. Its Thai name is Tham Phaya Nak.
You can't go inside: it's a nesting site for swiftlets, birds that build their nests with their own hardened saliva. These nests are the ingredient in bird's nest soup. They are collected by climbing bamboo scaffolding, more than ten meters high, and barefoot. When you pass by, look at the wall: the scaffolding is still there. There's more in curious facts about Thailand.
What happened on the next island over
On December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami struck Phi Phi Don simultaneously through both of its bays. The village sits on the flat strip of land separating the bays, with no higher ground in between and no early warning system. Around 70% of the island was destroyed.
Maya Bay, on the uninhabited island opposite, was largely protected by its own cliffs. Today, Tonsai has a memorial park for the victims, and evacuation routes are marked throughout. More stories like this in incredible stories of Thailand.
Maya Bay is not safe: it is holding on.
A 250-meter-long beach received 8,000 people a day for almost 20 years. They closed it for four. Then the sharks returned. It's not a happy ending—the coral isn't where it used to be—but it is a story with a conclusion. And in marine conservation, there aren't many like it.
The same number of people are still going as before. What changed was the way it happened. The problem was never really how many people went, but what each person did upon arrival.
No one is asking to go back to the old model because this one has proven its worth on the ground. But the bay is still full and the sea is warming. It's worth going. And it's worth going knowing this.
Maya Bay Quick Profile
| Where | Ko Phi Phi Leh, Krabi, Andaman Sea |
|---|---|
| Park | Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi, 1983 |
| Size | 250 m × 15–20 m |
| Cliffs | Up to about 100 m |
| Movie | The Beach, Danny Boyle, 2000 |
| Closed | June 2018 – January 1, 2022 |
| Year-end closing | August 1 – September 30 |
| Reopening 2026 | October 1 |
| Hours | It opens at 7:00 |
| Entrance | 400 THB adult · 200 child · 40 Thai |
|---|---|
| Capacity | About 300–380 at a time, in shifts |
| Time at the beach | About 1 hour |
| Take a bath | No. Only up to the knee. |
| Boats in the bay | No. You enter through Loh Samah. |
| Where you can swim | Pileh Lagoon, Loh Samah, Bamboo |
| Best base | Phi Phi Don |
| Season | November to April |
| Visitors | 1.68 million in 2023-24 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maya Bay open?
Yes, except between August 1st and September 30th, when it closes every year for ecosystem recovery. It reopens on October 1st.
Is it possible to swim?
No. You are only allowed to get wet up to your knees in the marked areas. The ban protects the coral and the blacktip reef sharks that breed in the bay.
So where can I swim?
At Pileh Lagoon and Loh Samah Bay, on the same island, and on Bamboo Island. Almost all tours include them.
How much does it cost to enter?
400 baht for foreign adults and 200 baht for children. The boat trip is separate and not always included.
How long can you stay?
Around one hour, in shifts, with a limit of about 300 to 380 people at a time on the beach.
Are there sharks? Are they dangerous?
There are blacktip reef sharks, and their return is the best sign that the bay is recovering. They are not dangerous to people.
Is it overcrowded?
Yes. Between October 2023 and July 2024, more than 1.68 million people visited, almost the same number as in 2017. What changed is how people visit, not how many go.
Is it the most beautiful beach in the world?
No authority decides that, and the 2026 rankings place it far from first place. What
Is it possible to sleep in Maya Bay?
No. Ko Phi Phi Leh is uninhabited and a national park: there is no accommodation. You can stay overnight in Phi Phi Don, Krabi, or Phuket.
Do I need to make a reservation?
The tour operator handles the booking, requesting the time slot from the park. During peak season, bookings should be made in advance.
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The bay reopens on October 1st. The sharks are already there.
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Rakel and Toni. Photos of Maya Bay, June 2026.
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