Bamboo Island Krabi: a white beach near Phi Phi – and how to combine it with Maya Bay

Bamboo Island, Koh Mai Phai in Thai, is a small island of the Phi Phi group. The group consists of the inhabited main island of Phi Phi Don with hotels, restaurants and Ton Sai pier, the uninhabited, rocky Phi Phi Leh with Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave, and smaller islands such as Bamboo Island and Mosquito Island to the north.

The area belongs to Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. From Ao Nang the speedboat ride to Phi Phi takes about 45 to 60 minutes in calm seas. Bamboo Island is therefore not a destination for a short afternoon but part of a day trip, where the ride is worthwhile because you combine several highlights.

That is why anyone looking for Bamboo Island from Krabi almost always ends up with a Phi Phi tour. A ferry to the big piers does not take you straight to this beach; for that you need a boat that stops there.

Bamboo Island is above all a beach stop. Instead of high cliffs as at Phi Phi Leh, you find a white sand beach with shallow water that is good for swimming, also for children who cannot yet swim confidently, as long as an adult is with them. Shade is under the trees inland, not directly by the water.

For snorkelling, the areas around the island where shallow water drops into deeper reef are a good choice. What you see there depends on visibility, weather and luck; we cannot promise particular animals. We provide snorkel gear free of charge, please tick it when booking.

Our private tour “Phi Phi Early Bird – before everyone else” combines exactly these destinations. We leave Ao Nang at 7 am, so we reach Maya Bay before the ferries arrive. After that you swim in turquoise Pileh Lagoon, pass Viking Cave and take a lunch break on Bamboo Island’s white beach. The tour takes 8 hours.

The order has a reason: Maya Bay is the place where timing matters most, so it comes first. Bamboo Island as a beach stop fits well at the end, when after the lagoon and the cliffs you simply want to lie in the water and eat. The table shows what you can do at each stop.

The price is from 28,500 THB per boat for up to 5 guests, not per person. According to the inclusion list the price covers the private speedboat with captain, time to snorkel, swim and relax, free snorkel gear (select when booking), water, soft drinks and fruit. You travel in a white hardtop cabin boat that gives shade.

The lunch break on Bamboo Island’s beach is a fixed part of the tour, but lunch is not included in the tour price. Water, soft drinks and fruit are on board. For a proper meal you add food as an extra, for example the Thai lunch box with pad thai or green curry (450 THB per person) or the catering package with two freshly prepared meals and drinks (500 THB per person), which suits the long day well.

Please tell us about food intolerances or vegetarian wishes when you enquire. For children there is a separate kids’ menu as an extra.

Maya Bay closes every year for about two months during the southwest monsoon, most recently from 1 August to 30 September, reopening on 1 October. The exact dates are set by the national park authority and can change; check the status for your date before booking. Our article on Maya Bay opening and closing dates keeps the details together.

A closed Maya Bay does not have to make the Phi Phi day worthless. Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave from outside and Bamboo Island remain worthwhile destinations, and the bay itself can be seen from the water at a distance. Bear in mind, though, that the sea is more often rough at this time. With a storm warning we reschedule free of charge or refund 100%.

Some islands or national parks charge an entrance fee; it is not included in the tour price and is paid on site to the rangers. Our article on national park fees in Krabi explains the background.

A Phi Phi day is long and starts early. With a little preparation you enjoy the beach stop at the end much more: