Islands
Phi Phi Leh
Phi Phi Leh is the island everyone comes to see: a wall of limestone cliffs hiding two of the most photographed places in Thailand, Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon. It is uninhabited and can only be visited by boat.
What you will see
- Maya Bay: the white-sand bay made famous by the film The Beach, reached via a pier and boardwalk at Loh Samah Bay.
- Pileh Lagoon: an emerald lagoon enclosed by cliffs, where boats stop for a swim.
- Viking Cave: a cave used for collecting swiftlet nests, viewed from the boat.
- Loh Samah Bay: a small bay on the south side, now the landing point for Maya Bay.
- Snorkel spots: along the cliffs, with reef fish, corals and sometimes turtles.
How to visit
From Phi Phi Don, the options are a shared longtail tour (usually half a day, with a snorkel stop and often a stop at Monkey Beach), a privately chartered longtail, or a speedboat tour. From Phuket and Krabi, most day trips include Phi Phi Leh. Details and prices in Boat tours.
Rules on Phi Phi Leh
- No swimming at Maya Bay; stay ankle- or knee-deep only where rangers allow.
- No boats inside Maya Bay. Boats moor at the Loh Samah pier.
- Do not touch or stand on coral, and do not feed fish.
- No drones without a permit.
- Take all rubbish back with you.
More in National park rules & fees.
Frequently asked questions
Can you swim at Phi Phi Leh?
Not at Maya Bay, but swimming and snorkelling are allowed at Pileh Lagoon and at designated snorkel stops around the island.
Is the national park fee included in tours?
Sometimes, sometimes not. Ask when you book. If not, it is paid in cash to rangers, 400 THB for foreign adults and 200 THB for children.