Phi Phi Islands Tour Price Guide

Maya Bay's status changes seasonally — check before you book

Maya Bay closes every year for annual marine rehabilitation — in 2026 this ran August 1 to September 30, scheduled to reopen October 1. Boats still run to Phi Phi during the closure but cannot enter Maya Bay; some operators substitute Bamboo Island instead. Always check current status before booking a tour that promises Maya Bay specifically.

Confirmed via Asian Trails travel-news (dated 2026-08-04) and directly on Simba Sea Trips' own site (fetched 2026-09-16), which states it substitutes Bamboo Island during the closure.

When open, real hard caps and time limits apply

Since reopening in 2022, Maya Bay operates under a daily visitor cap (commonly cited around 4,000/day, roughly 375 on the beach at once), roughly 1-hour visit windows per boat, swimming/wading-only rules (no anchoring/mooring damage to the reef), and set opening hours (7am-6pm).

Consistent across multiple 2026 guide sources; not independently confirmed against a Thai DNP primary source.

The park fee is real, separate, and easy to confuse with a lower rate

Foreign adults pay 400 THB / children 200 THB to enter the marine section of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park — the cheaper 200/100 THB rate applies only to the park's mainland-only areas, a frequent source of confused online pricing. Operators often collect this fee in cash at the pier rather than including it in the advertised tour price.

Confirmed directly on 5 Star Marine Phuket's and Blueview Divers' own fee pages; a historical Thaiger news report quoting park officials supports the marine-area 400 THB rate.

A wide real price spread for similar-sounding trips

Real Phuket listings range from around 1,990 THB (a basic big-boat cruise, without Maya Bay) up to 8,990 THB (a luxury yacht, full day, with Maya Bay when open); typical mid-range speedboat/catamaran day tours land around 3,000-5,600 THB. The national park fee is often not included at any tier — check before you book.

Source: Love Phuket Tours listing, fetched directly 2026-09-16.

Overcrowding is a real, current complaint even under the cap

Recent 2026 reviews describe speedboats carrying 40-60+ people despite "small group" marketing, and even early-morning Maya Bay stops (when it's open) report meaningful crowds. Most reputable operators now cap on-site time to 30-60 minutes per stop — a small-group operator's own site explicitly listing a passenger cap is a real, checkable signal worth looking for.