The islands people book from Phuket follow two different calendars. The marine national parks, the Similans and Surin, close for the monsoon on fixed dates. Maya Bay closes for two months to rest the reef. The nearer islands (Racha, Coral, Khai) and Phang Nga Bay have no annual closure, and weather decides. The dates below come from the DNP closure table for 2569 (2026), a published sheet with data as of 7 January 2026 that we read on 3 November 2026, and from the October 2026 season openings. Rainfall is the TMD 1991-2020 normal for the Phuket station. Tour prices are Phuket Tour’s, our site’s partner, on 3 November 2026.
Month by month
Rain is the TMD normal for the Phuket station: millimetres and the number of rainy days. The sea column follows DNP’s wording for monsoon waves and our tour pages; it describes a tendency, not a forecast for your day.
| Month | Rain, mm (rainy days) | Similan and Surin | Maya Bay landing | Sea and the other islands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49.9 (5.6) | open | open | northeast monsoon, calm waves |
| February | 24.0 (3.4) | open | open | driest month, calm |
| March | 80.7 (7.5) | open | open | calm |
| April | 135.1 (11.7) | open | open | usually calm, thunderstorms on 7.5 days |
| May | 236.9 (18.9) | open until 15 May, closed from 16 May | open | southwest monsoon, moderate to rough sea |
| June | 249.4 (18.6) | closed | open | moderate to rough sea, some departures called off |
| July | 240.2 (19.1) | closed | open | moderate to rough sea, some departures called off |
| August | 308.7 (19.5) | closed | closed from 1 August | Phi Phi tours run, the bay is seen from the water |
| September | 350.4 (21.7) | closed | closed until 30 September | wettest month |
| October | 336.0 (22.7) | closed until 14 October, open from 15 October | open from 1 October | second wettest month, moderate to rough sea |
| November | 178.2 (15.9) | open | open | about half the rain of October, waves can be heavy |
| December | 82.0 (10.3) | open | open | northeast monsoon, calm waves |
In 2026 the Similans and Surin closed on 16 May and opened on 15 October, and Maya Bay closed on 1 August and reopened on 1 October. Weather by month, hotels and events are in when to go to Phuket, and normals for two stations are in Phuket weather by month.
Islands and parks in one table
Park fee for a foreign adult and a child, baht, from the DNP table of 2 June 2023. Where the fee column says none, the place is not in the DNP fee table.
| Island or park | Season | Closed | Park fee, adult / child | Our page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Similan Islands | 15 October-15 May | 16 May-14 October; six dive and snorkel sites closed with no end date | 500 / 250 | Similan Islands |
| Surin Islands | 15 October-15 May | 16 May-14 October | 500 / 250 | Surin Islands |
| Maya Bay and Loh Samah, Phi Phi Leh | all year except the closure; no swimming | 1 August-30 September | 400 / 200 | Maya Bay |
| Phi Phi Don, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, Bamboo | all year in calm weather, calmest December-March | no annual closure in the DNP rows | 400 / 200 | Phi Phi, Bamboo Island |
| Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island, Ko Panyi, Ko Hong) | almost all year, calmest December-April | Ko Lawa Yai, Ao Khian, Ko Boi Yai, the overnight zone and the campsite 1 August-30 September; Ko Tapu is not in the rows | 300 / 150 | James Bond Island |
| Hong Islands, Krabi (Than Bok Khorani) | all year, best January-April | no annual closure in the DNP rows | 300 / 150 | Hong Islands |
| Krabi 4 Islands (Poda, Tup, Chicken) | all year when the sea is calm, best January-April | no annual closure in the DNP rows | 200 / 100 | Krabi 4 Islands |
| Racha Islands | all year in calm weather, calmest December-April | not in the DNP tables | none | Racha Islands |
| Coral Island | all year in calm weather, calmest December-April | not in the DNP tables | none | Coral Island |
| Khai Islands | all year in calm weather, calmest December-April | not in the DNP tables | none | Khai Islands |
| Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake | all year, best late December-April | Tham Nam Thalu cave 1 June-30 November | 200 / 100 | Khao Sok |
Ko Rok in the Lanta park has its own dates and is covered on the islands around Phuket page.
What closes inside open parks
These closures in the DNP table apply even when the park is open (the status page of 3 November 2026 still lists the Similan ones):
- Similan Islands. Fantasy Reef, Hin Muan Diao, Ruean Kluaimai, Ao Nguang Chang, Ao Fai Waep and Ko Tachai with its reefs: closed with no end date, so ask your operator or dive centre which sites the trip uses
- Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi park. Ko Yung is closed with no end date, and diving off the west side of Ko Kai (Ao Khang Khao, Bat Bay) is closed temporarily from 16 May 2026
- Sirinat, Phuket. Ko Pling and the reef around it are closed temporarily from 8 May 2026
- Khao Sok. The Bua Phut site at km 111 is closed 1 April-30 November, and Tham Nam Thalu cave 1 June-30 November
What to book in each period
Phuket Tour fares on 3 November 2026, adult / child in baht. Park tickets are listed as included on these pages.
| Period | What is open | Book | Adult / child, THB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October-15 May | everything | Similan Islands by speedboat | 2,300 / 2,100 |
| 15 October-15 May | everything | Surin Islands by speedboat, the longer day | 3,600 / 2,900 |
| December-March | calmest sea | Phi Phi and Bamboo by speedboat | 2,600 / 2,100 |
| December-March | calmest sea | Racha and Coral by speedboat | 1,150 / 1,000 |
| 1 August-30 September | Maya Bay landing closed, the Similans and Surin closed | Phang Nga Bay, big boat with canoeing | 1,600 / 1,400 |
| 16 May-14 October | the Similans and Surin closed | Khai Islands half day | 1,000 / 800 |
| 16 May-14 October | the Similans and Surin closed | Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake, on land | 2,600 / 2,200 |
Which single tour fits which traveller is in the best Phuket tours for first-timers. Prices for every tour are in how much tours in Phuket cost.
What we did not confirm
- The DNP closure table is dated 7 January 2026. We read it on 3 November 2026 and it matches the DNP status page and the October 2026 openings, but the park can change dates by order
- The end of the 2026/27 season (15 May 2027) comes from the press and the annual table. We found no separate DNP order for it
- Daily visitor caps for 2026/27 and the current rules for Maya Bay beach are not published on the pages we read
FAQ
When do the Similan Islands open in 2026?
On 15 October 2026. The DNP closure table closes the park to tourists every year from 16 May to 14 October, the press reported 1,409 visitors on the first day, and the 2026/27 season runs to 15 May 2027. Phuket Tour's Similan page carries no season note, so ask for your date before you pay.
When are the Surin Islands open?
On the same dates as the Similans: the DNP closure table lists Surin with an annual closure of 16 May to 14 October, and the Thai press (Naewna, 15.10.2026) reports that both parks opened their season on 15 October 2026 and run to 15 May 2027. Surin is the longer day: 3,600 baht per adult at Phuket Tour on 3 November 2026.
Is Maya Bay open now?
Yes. It reopened on 1 October 2026 after the annual closure of 1 August to 30 September. You land at a jetty on the far side of the island and walk to the beach, and swimming in the bay is banned all year. Time Out Bangkok said on 29.09.2026 that the beach reopens but not for swimming.
Do Phi Phi tours run when Maya Bay is closed?
Tisland Travel wrote in 2026 that its Phi Phi day tours keep running in August and September without the beach stop, and that Maya Bay is seen from the water. Bamboo Island and Pileh Lagoon stay on its route. Ask your operator what changes in the programme and the price.
Which islands near Phuket are open in the rainy season?
The Similans and Surin are closed from 16 May to 14 October. Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi, Racha, Coral and Khai have no annual closure, so tours run when the sea allows, and operators call off individual departures for weather. Khao Sok is a land alternative. For a plan by month see Phuket in the low season.
When is the sea calmest around Phuket?
DNP's Phang Nga page describes calm waves in the northeast monsoon and moderate to rough seas in the southwest monsoon, with November as the exception: mild to moderate, sometimes heavy. TMD puts the southwest monsoon between May and October. Our tour pages call December to March the calmest months. It is a seasonal tendency, not a forecast for your day.
Do I pay the park fee on top of the tour price?
It depends on the seller. Phuket Tour lists national park tickets under Included for its Phi Phi, Similan, Surin, Racha and Coral, Khai and Khao Sok programmes, and its James Bond catamaran page has no Included block. If you pay separately, a foreign adult pays 500 baht at the Similans and Surin, 400 at Phi Phi and 300 in Phang Nga Bay.
Sources
- DNP. National park closure table 2569 (2026), published sheet, tab for national parks, data as of 7 January 2026
- DNP. Opening and closing of tourism in national parks (page that embeds the closure table)
- DNP. Current national park closure status (in Thai)
- DNP. Mu Ko Similan National Park: season 15 October-15 May, closed 16 May-14 October (in Thai)
- DNP. Ao Phang-nga National Park: waves by monsoon
- DNP. National park entrance fees for individuals (CSV, edition of 02.06.2023)
- TMD. Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period (1991-2020), Phuket station 48 564
- TMD. Seasons and climate of Thailand: northeast monsoon October-February, southwest monsoon May-October (in Thai)
- Naewna. Similan and Surin open, first day of the season, 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027 (15.10.2026, in Thai)
- Pattaya Mail. Similan Islands welcome 1,409 visitors on opening day (18.10.2026)
- Time Out Bangkok. Maya Bay reopens on 1 October after the annual closure (29.09.2026)
- Tisland Travel. Maya Bay closes on 1 August 2026: what stays on the route
- Phuket Tour. Similan Islands by speedboat
- Phuket Tour. Surin Islands by speedboat
- Phuket Tour. Phi Phi and Bamboo by speedboat
- Phuket Tour. James Bond Islands with canoeing by big boat
- Phuket Tour. Racha + Coral by speedboat
- Phuket Tour. Khai Islands half day
- Phuket Tour. Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake, 1 day
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.