Considered one of the most naturally beautiful archipelagos in Thailand, Phi Phi Islands are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! From the stunning Maya Bay to hidden coves surrounded by impressive limestone cliffs, this guide covers ALL of Phi Phi Islands Beaches.
Get your summer bag ready and let’s dive in head first!
Also read: Phi Phi Islands – The ULTIMATE 2023 Travel Guide
Maya Bay
The number one reason most people know Phi Phi Islands (that whole Leonardo DiCaprio getting in trouble in paradise on a moderate box office success) and it’s easy to understand why – Maya Bay is indeed out of this world! Especially now that it has been reopened to a much more sustainable and ethical tourism.
Maya Bay was closed in 2018 up until 2022 after extensive damage caused by unregulated tourism, which destroyed its rich coral reef and marine life. Nowadays, you can’t swim on the beach, but you can spot a few reef baby sharks in the shallow crystal clear waters!
How to Visit Maya Bay
This is the only beach on the island of Koh Phi Phi Lee, and accessible only by boat. Most of the tour operators visit Maya Bay as part of a complete Day Tour of the Phi Phi Islands. These are really nice if you don’t have much time to explore on your own and usually include other big highlights such as Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, and sometimes even Bamboo Island.
Day Tour from Phuket or Krabi: the boat ride from Phuket/Krabi to Phi Phi takes about 1:30 hours and tours cost around 1,500-1,900 bahts per person, going up to around 3,000-4,000 bahts for a private tour.
Day Tour from Phi Phi Don: these can cost anywhere from 600-1,500 bahts per person, going up to around 2,500-3,500 for a private tour.
Note: a National Park Fee of 400 baht per person is required to visit Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon. Some tours include this fee and others don’t, always double-check!
If you’re looking for the coolest party boat, we highly recommend the Phi Phi Pirate Boat (1,500 bahts, including National Park Fee). For a private longtail trip, we recommend Che (WA: +66 98 076 4105). A sunset tour with him costs around 2,500 bahts for 4 people + National Park Fee.
If you’re staying on Phi Phi Don, you can find very cheap day trips by longtail that cost around 500 to 600 bahts + National Park Fee. These cheap tours are usually a Russian Roulette – some people love it, and some think they wasted their time. We were lucky and really enjoyed our cheap tour!
To avoid the crowds, it’s best to visit early morning or late afternoon. Some tour operators offer a sunset tour, which allows you to visit Maya Bay right before it closes at 5 PM when the crowds are mostly gone.
Also read: 9 BEST Things to Do on Phi Phi Islands in 2023
Phi Phi Don – Top Beaches
Tonsai Beach & Loh Dalum Bay
Tonsai Beach is where the main pier of Phi Phi Don is located. Swimming next to a pier is never advised (even though on Phi Phi the water is always looking perfect) but the stretch of beach on the far right, in front of Phi Phi Cliff Beach Resort is great!
Right on the opposite side of Tonsai is Loh Dalum Bay, the most accessible beach on the island, it’s a great spot to relax and soak up the sun during the day, and party during the night.
Monkey Beach
Known for its adorable and curious inhabitants, Monkey Beach is filled with little monkeys that are always ready to mess with the tourists!
This popular spot is included in most day tours of the islands and can also be accessed by arranging a private longtail boat at the Tonsai Pier. For the adventurous, kayaking or SUPing to Monkey Beach is also an option, and the journey takes about 40 minutes.
Note: it is crucial to remember that monkeys are wild animals and therefore should not be touched or fed by tourists. Please avoid bringing food and plastic bags to this beach.
Long Beach
Just a 30-minute walk from Tonsai Village, Long Beach is another popular option for a day on the beach! The area is particularly well-liked by tourists for being right next to Shark Point, a snorkeling area that offers good chances of reef sharks spotting. The beach is also lined with beautiful beachfront hotels and restaurants.
For those who don’t fancy a long walk under the Thai sun, a taxi boat to Long Beach from Tonsai costs only 100 bahts one way during the day and 150 bahts one way at night.
Viking Beach
Situated between Tonsai Village and Long Beach are two small bays, both named Viking Beach. They’re considered private, and only accessible through the Viking Nature Resort, although we have seen lots of people kayaking from Long Beach to them. The bays are not super secluded like the ones on the northern part of the island but do offer quieter surroundings.
Loh Moo Dee Beach
On the opposite side and just a short 15-minute walk from Long Beach, is Loh Moo Dee Beach. This is probably the quieter beach you can easily access by foot on the whole island! There used to be a small bar here but it’s been demolished, and there are no hotels or other buildings here. The beach is great and it has a beautiful coral reef suitable for snorkeling.
Phi Phi Don – Hidden Beaches
Nui Beach
Our absolute favorite! It used to be a very hidden gem a couple of years ago but it’s now becoming a bit more popular due to the amazing limestone cliffs that surround it.
Nui Beach is located in the northern part of Phi Phi Don and can be accessed by a quick 15-minute boat ride from Loh Dalum Bay (around 250 baht per person one way) or by a 2-hour adventurous jungle hike. If you opt for the jungle hike, you can follow Google Maps up to Loh Lana Bay and then follow this map to reach Nui Beach.
Alternatively, you can join a guided tour with @jungletrekphiphi, which includes all Viewpoints on the way to Nui Beach, sunset on the beach, and the boat back with a quick stop to see the glowing plankton.
Note: to fully enjoy your time at Nui Beach, make sure to bring some snacks and water as there are no restaurants or bars nearby. You can reach Loh Lana Beach and then walk to Loh Ba Kao Bay for some food too, but it’s a 20-30 minute walk.
Loh Lana Beach
Situated between Nui Bay and Loh Ba Kao, Loh Lana is a 500-meter-long beach with shallow waters perfect for snorkeling! The sandy beach is completely undeveloped, apart from an abandoned resort, and connected with Loh Ba Kao by a cement path.
Note: as there is no infrastructure on this beach, you either bring your own bottle of water and snacks or walk a bit further to Loh Ba Kao where you can find restaurants and shops.
The best way to access Loh Lana is by getting a longtail boat from Loh Dalum Bay, for around 1,500 bahts per person, one way. The journey takes around 25 minutes. Alternatively, the 2-hour jungle hike to Loh Lana Bay is a more adventurous option.
Loh Ba Kao Bay
Loh Ba Kao Bay is a gem! The beach itself is breathtaking – it’s no wonder one of the most luxurious resorts on the island is located right here. On the northern end of the beach, there’s a river that flows from a mangrove forest. If you follow it, you’ll reach a very quiet village filled with charming hipster cafes and restaurants and more affordable accommodations.
Despite being isolated from the main village in Phi Phi, from here you can walk to Loh Lana and Nui Beach, as well as take a quick boat ride to the hidden Phak Nam Bay. If you’re feeling adventurous, a 30-minute jungle hike to the northernmost part of the island, Laem Tong, is also an option.
The best way to access Loh Ba Kao Bay is by getting a longtail boat from either Tonsai Pier or Loh Dalum Bay, for around 1,000 bahts per person, one way. You can also take the 2-hour jungle hike to Loh Lana and walk around 10 to 15 minutes more to Loh Ba Kao.
Phak Nam Bay
Despite being located right next to Loh Ba Kao, Phak Nam Bay is only accessible by boat as there is no trail connecting the two beaches. This very remote bay is home to only one hotel and a restaurant! The boat fare from Tonsai Pier to Phak Nam Bay is only 150 bahts one way per adult and the boat runs 5 times a day (schedule here).
Rantee Beach
Another hidden cove between Phak Nam Bay and Loh Moo Dee Beach is Rantee Beach. Only accessible by boat, this bay is home to one exclusive hotel only, and due to its secluded location, the snorkeling opportunities here are amazing! The boat fare from Tonsai Pier to Rantee Beach is only 200 bahts one way per adult and the boat runs only twice a day (schedule here).
Laem Tong Beach
The northernmost beach on the island, Laem Tong is definitely one of Phi Phi Island’s hidden gems! Quite the opposite of the bustling Tonsai Village, here you have a 1-km-long beach that’s only perturbed by the occasional longtail passing by.
Laem Tong is a great destination for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts and offers a good range of dining options and beachfront resorts.
The best way to reach this part of the island is by longtail boat, and the journey takes about 45 minutes one way. You can arrange a private boat for around 1,200-1,500 per person one way, or take the hop-on hop-off boat which sails at fixed times throughout the day for around 200 bahts one way per person.
From Tonsai Pier the boat departs three times a day at 10 AM, 12:30 PM, and 5:30 PM. These stop first at Long Beach and then head to Laem Tong. The opposite route is also available, departing from Laem Tong to Tonsai at 8 AM, 11 AM, and 2 PM.
Wang Long Bay
By far the most secluded bay in all of Phi Phi Islands! Nestled between two towering limestone rocks, access to the beach is only through a barely noticeable crevice on the island‘s side. The strip of sand that forms a small bay only appears for a few hours each day before being consumed by the tide.
This spot is usually overlooked by tourists as it’s only accessible by private boat tours, but if you want to swim among limestone cliffs on crystal clear waters all by yourself, make sure not to miss this one!
Mosquito & Bamboo Islands
Out of the 6 islands in the Phi Phi Archipelago, 5 are uninhabited and protected as National Parks. One of them is Phi Phi Lee where Maya Bay is located, two are simply limestone cliffs jutting out from the sea, and the other two are Mosquito and Bamboo Islands. These two are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Archipelago!
Mosquito Island
Famous for the splendid soft coral reefs and exotic marine life that surround it, Mosquito Island has two paradisiacal beaches that were rarely visited due to the reason for its very name – way too many mosquitos.
The island has been closed since 2016 for preservation and no boats are allowed near it. Considering that Maya Bay was nearly destroyed by tourism and has recovered most of its marine life when closed, we hope that the same can be achieved for this beautiful island and that tourism can return (with a bit of mosquito repellent).
Bamboo Island
To the East of Mosquito Island, you’ll find another tiny island shaped almost like a heart and covered in bamboo trees and soft white sandy beaches. Bamboo Island – named after, you got it by now right?! – looks straight out of a travel magazine: insanely beautiful!
It is a popular spot and most of the local operators add it to their Phi Phi Islands Day Tour, including those coming from Krabi and Phuket. Therefore, it can get quite crowded during the early afternoons. If you want to avoid crowds, arranging a private tour in the early morning is the best way to visit!
Longtails can be arranged from Tonsai Pier, taking about 40-1 hour to reach Bamboo Island, or from Laem Thong Beach, taking only about 15-30 minutes.
Note: a National Park Fee of 400 baht per person is required to visit Bamboo Island. If you’re on a Day Tour that includes Maya Bay, you only have to pay it once.
