Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters

You get two real hours of swimming over a living reef, with white sand all the way around a heart-shaped island and every park fee already paid. It’s the half of the Phi Phi day most people never think to ask about.

TL;DR: Maya Bay reopened on 1 October 2026, and the rules haven’t budged: no swimming, you can step in only to your knees, and you get about an hour on the sand before the next group arrives. So whenever someone asks me whether “Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters” is just a sales line, I tell them the truth. Bamboo Island is where your swim happens.

On the afternoon stop you get roughly three hours on Koh Mai Phai, with snorkeling along a fringing reef and real shade under the casuarina trees. That’s why “Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters” decides which boat I recommend. Book 24 to 48 hours ahead, because the good departures sell out.

I’ve run this route more than 200 times. Picture the moment. The speedboat cuts its engines off Bamboo Island at around 1:30 PM, and the whole boat goes quiet because the water below the hull has turned from navy to pale green. Someone always says “wait, we can swim here?” Yes. All of it.

Most guests book a Phi Phi tour from Phuket for one reason: The Beach. Fair enough. But that famous bay is a look-don’t-touch stop now, and it’s going to stay that way. Ignore the Instagram ranking for a second and look at what you actually want from a day at sea: swimming, fish, sand you can lie on, and time that isn’t counted in slots. That list points to Bamboo Island, and the rest of this guide explains why.

Quick answer box Is Bamboo Island worth it if Maya Bay is already on the tour? Yes, because it covers what Maya Bay can’t. Since 2022, swimming at Maya Bay has been banned under rules set by the Phi Phi national park. Bamboo Island lets you swim and snorkel freely, with reef life starting close to shore. Best pick from Phuket: our Phi Phi Bamboo Island speedboat tour. Park fees, lunch, snorkel gear and hotel transfers are all included. Book: at least 24 to 48 hours ahead.

The Island Nobody Puts on the Poster (and Everyone Talks About at Dinner)

Here’s a pattern I see every week. At breakfast, guests talk about Maya Bay. At dinner, they talk about the clownfish.

Bamboo Island, which Thai locals call Ko Mai Phai, is a small, flat island that measures about 600 by 700 meters. From the air it really does look like a heart. There are no cliffs and no viewpoint climbs. It’s a ring of white sand with bamboo and casuarina in the middle and a reef wrapped around the outside.

It sits about 5 km from Phi Phi Don, at the northern tip of the archipelago. That’s far enough out that the big ferry crowds rarely make the trip.

Why Does Bamboo Island Matter When Maya Bay Gets the Headlines?

Put simply, Maya Bay gives you a photo and Bamboo Island gives you the swim. That’s the core of “Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters”, and it holds up even on busy days.

What you’ll find in the water there:

• Shore snorkeling. You can swim calmly as far as 50 meters from the shore and still be over coral. Nervous swimmers love this, because the sand is always right behind them.
• Clownfish. The three-banded “Nemo” is the resident star, and kids go wild for him.
• Shallow, warm water for floating, with no swell to fight on most dry-season afternoons.

Premium Phi Phi Bamboo island tour by speedboat from Phuket [All Included with Snorkeling, Buffet Lunch, National Park Fees and Hotel Transfer]

What Changed at Maya Bay in 2026 (and Why Should You Care?)

The current trend is tighter control, not looser. Maya Bay closed from 1 August to 30 September for its annual recovery and reopened on 1 October 2026. Boats no longer go into the bay itself. You land at Loh Samah on the far side of Phi Phi Leh and walk a wooden boardwalk for 5 to 10 minutes to reach the beach.

Some numbers help explain the rules. Back in 2016, about 5,000 people a day packed onto a beach roughly 250 meters long, and an estimated 80% of the coral around it was lost. The bay closed in 2018. During the closure, blacktip reef sharks returned and more than 15,000 corals were replanted, and the beach reopened in January 2022.

Today’s Maya Bay rules, in plain terms

• Each slot is capped at 375 visitors per hour, with about an hour on the beach.
• No swimming. You can step in to your knees, and that’s it.
• Sunscreens containing oxybenzone and three related chemicals are banned, with fines of up to 100,000 THB.
• Around 40 blacktip sharks cruise the shallows on a typical day. Watch them from the sand.

Demand hasn’t dipped either. The park counted 1.68 million visitors between October 2023 and July 2024. That’s exactly why the swimming has shifted to stops like Pileh Lagoon and Bamboo Island.

Key takeaway: Maya Bay is now a guided walk-and-look stop. If you came to get wet, the afternoon at Bamboo Island is your payoff.

How the Bamboo Island Tour Day Actually Runs

Here’s the real rhythm of the day, the way I’ve watched it play out hundreds of times.

1. 7:00 to 8:40 AM: Hotel pickup. Times depend on where you’re staying.
2. Around 9:00 AM: Light breakfast at the pier, a briefing, and the speedboat leaves.
3. Morning: Monkey Beach, then Viking Cave, then snorkeling in Pileh Lagoon, where emerald water sits between limestone walls.
4. Lunch: A buffet at a halal restaurant on Phi Phi Don, followed by Maya Bay.
5. 1:30 to 4:30 PM: Bamboo Island, with snorkeling, a beach nap or both.
6. About 6:00 to 6:30 PM: Back at your hotel.

One honest tradeoff: tides here move 2.7 to 3 meters every day, so our guides sometimes change the order of stops. I’d rather swap two stops than drop you at a lagoon that’s half drained.

Hotel Transfers Across Phuket’s North and East

Free transfers cover all of the northern beaches. That includes Mai Khao, Nai Yang, Nai Thon, Layan, Bang Tao, Laguna Phuket, Surin, Pansea Beach and Kamala, plus resorts like JW Marriott Phuket, Banyan Tree Phuket, Angsana Laguna, Dusit Thani Laguna, Saii Laguna, Anantara Layan, Trisara, Amanpuri, InterContinental Phuket and Hyatt Regency Phuket.

On the east side we pick up from Cape Panwa, the Panwa Peninsula, Ao Yon, Koh Sirey, Rassada, Phuket Town, Chalong Bay, Ao Makham, Cape Yamu and Laem Hin. Hotels there include Veranda Resort Phuket (Autograph Collection), Hotel Tide Phuket, Baan Panwa Resort and Spa, So View Phuket Resort, Craft Resort and Villas and The Passion Nest. Panwa is first at 7:30 AM, and Mai Khao follows at around 8:00 AM.

Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters for Your Money

Let’s talk value, because this is where tours quietly differ.

With us, national park fees are ALWAYS included in the price. For foreign adults that’s 400 THB per person, so a family of four doesn’t get hit with a surprise at the ranger hut. You also get soft drinks, coffee, tea, water, snorkel gear, insurance and an English-speaking guide. The only extra is fins, at 200 baht to rent.

Here’s my mild opinion: a Phi Phi day without Bamboo Island is a sightseeing cruise. One with Bamboo Island is a beach day. Both are fine, but know which one you’re paying for. And that’s the whole point of “Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters”. The second half of the day is what makes the first half worth it.

Who Should Skip It?

Not everyone, but some people should think twice. This tour isn’t suitable for pregnant women or babies under one year old. And if fast boats make you seasick, take something before you board.

Other Phi Phi Tours Worth a Look

Want a different pace? These are the options I point people toward.

Sunrise Phi Phi by speedboat

This departure gets you to the islands before most boats arrive. It suits photographers and early risers. Have a look at the Phi Phi sunrise tour.

Phi Phi by catamaran

It’s slower and steadier, with more deck space for lounging. Families with seasick-prone kids often prefer the Phi Phi catamaran tour.

Phi Phi and Khai Islands

This one swaps the long Bamboo stop for the sandbars at Khai, closer to Phuket. Try the Phi Phi Khai Island tour.

Phi Phi by big cruiser

It’s the budget-friendly option and the gentlest ride on the list. See the Phi Phi cruiser tour.

Staying in Khao Lak or Krabi?

Book the Bamboo Island tour from Khao Lak, or the shorter Krabi to Phi Phi speedboat.

From our blog

For first-hand trip stories, read our Bamboo Island snorkeling diary and the Bamboo Island day trip photo post. If you want to compare every route, browse the Phi Phi island tours hub.

Practical Details Before Your Boat Day

• Booking window: At least 24 to 48 hours ahead. Popular dates in December and January go first.
• Arrival paperwork: File your Thailand Digital Arrival Card within 72 hours before entry. Children need one too.
• Season: October still averages around 315 mm of rain, and the steady dry season starts in December. Keep a spare day.
• Pack: A swimsuit, a light shirt, a towel, sunglasses and reef-safe sunscreen.

Decision callout: If swimming and snorkeling are on your list, book a tour that includes Bamboo Island. If photos are all you’re after, any Maya Bay tour will do.

Final Summary

Maya Bay is back open, but it’s a strict, slotted, no-swimming stop now. The cap is 375 people per hour and you get roughly an hour on the sand.

Bamboo Island fills that gap. It has a fringing reef you can swim to from the beach, clownfish within 50 meters, and about three hours of free afternoon time.

Our premium speedboat tour includes both stops, with park fees, lunch, snorkel gear and transfers from Mai Khao down to Cape Panwa.

Book 24 to 48 hours ahead, file your TDAC, and pack reef-safe sunscreen.

Conclusion

After 200-plus trips, my favorite moment still isn’t Maya Bay. It’s watching a nervous first-time snorkeler at Bamboo Island lift their head out of the water and shout that they found Nemo. That reaction is what “Maya Bay Isn’t the Only Reason to Book a Phi Phi Tour: Why Bamboo Island Matters” really comes down to.

Key takeaways: Maya Bay is for looking. Bamboo Island is for swimming. Fees are included with us. Times shift with the tides.

Your roadmap:

1. Pick a date in the first half of your holiday so you have a backup day.
2. Reserve the Bamboo Island speedboat tour at least 24 to 48 hours ahead.
3. Confirm your hotel pickup when your second email arrives with your guide’s number.
4. Pack reef-safe sunscreen and a towel.

Looking ahead: Every rule change since 2018 has tightened access at Maya Bay, and the August to September closure looks set to stay. I expect swimming stops like Bamboo Island to matter more each season. Got questions about pickups or private options? Message our team through our contact page.

Resources

These are the references behind the facts above:

• Premium Phi Phi Bamboo Island Tour
• Maya Bay 2026 reopening rules
• Maya Bay closure history
• Bamboo Island park fees
• Thailand Digital Arrival Card
• TDAC official FAQ