Maya Bay, the famous beach on Phi Phi Leh made globally known by the film The Beach, closes annually from 1 August to 30 September so the surrounding reef and marine life can recover during the south-west monsoon season. This year's closure is now in effect.
What actually changes
Beach landings stop for the two-month window, but Phi Phi day trips from Phuket continue running as normal otherwise. Boats pass Maya Bay and it remains visible from the water — the rest of a typical itinerary (Bamboo Island, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, snorkelling stops) is unaffected. See our Phi Phi Islands day trip guide for the full itinerary shape.
Why the closure happens
Maya Bay underwent a longer, multi-year full closure and restoration between 2018 and 2022 after severe coral and reef damage from overtourism. Since reopening, Thailand's national parks authority has run this shorter annual closure every monsoon season specifically to let the bay rest and continue recovering, alongside daily visitor caps and a no-swimming, no-beach-landing rule outside the closure that's stricter than the pre-2018 free-for-all.
Booking a Phi Phi trip during the closure
Reputable operators continue running full-day Phi Phi trips throughout August and September — if Maya Bay's beach itself is the main draw for you, it's worth knowing in advance that you'll see it from the boat rather than landing, and planning your visit around the other stops (or around November, once the beach reopens) accordingly.