What you will see on Bamboo Island
Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai) is small: according to Wikipedia it covers 0.265 km² and is the third largest of the six islands in the Phi Phi group. It is part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park and has a DNP ranger post. The sources list no hotels on the island, and people stay overnight on Phi Phi Don.
What people do on the island during a trip:
- The beach. White sand and shallow water by the shore; according to Wikivoyage boats usually go to one swimming bay
- Swimming and snorkelling. Phuket Tour writes about fish, starfish, octopus and turtles around the island, but does not guarantee sightings
- A rest after Maya Bay. The island is placed in the second half of the day, after lunch on Phi Phi Don
- A quieter place in the closed months. While Maya Bay is closed the island stays on the route and takes over some of the swimming
Opening hours and how to spend your time
The island has no opening hours: visitors arrive on day trips. Operator timetables on 18.10.2026:
- Love Andaman: Bamboo at 14:30, departure at 15:30, swimming and relaxing on the beach
- Tisland Travel catamaran: on the beach from 13:40, leaving at 14:40, about an hour ashore
- Phuket Tour premium catamaran: leaves for Bamboo at 14:00 and for Phuket at 15:30
- Phuket Tour, two days on Phi Phi: Bamboo at 13:00 on day one, then lunch on Phi Phi Don and a night on Phi Phi Don
What to do there: swim, snorkel along the shore, sit in the shade of the trees. Facilities on the island (cafe, toilet, shower) are not described in the park’s sources, so assume there may be none.
How long it takes and when to go
Bamboo does not need a day of its own: it is the last beach in the Phi Phi programme and the whole tour takes 8-10 hours including the transfer. The island has no seasonal closure. Every year from 1 August to 30 September Maya Bay and Loh Samah are closed, while Bamboo stays on the route. On 18.10.2026 the DNP had closed only diving at Ko Yung and on the west side of Ko Kai in the park.
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| December-March | calm sea, the best time for swimming and snorkelling |
| April | hot, sea still calm, first thunderstorms possible |
| May-July | rain and swell, trips are cancelled in storms |
| August-September | the island stays on the route, the wettest months |
| October-November | the sea is still choppy and gradually settles |
More in Phuket climate by month.
Getting there and how long it takes
- On a tour from Phuket. From Rassada Pier to the island is about 42 km in a straight line (Thaipedia calculation from OpenStreetMap), and a speedboat or catamaran takes 45-75 minutes to Phi Phi Leh and then follows the programme. Operators place the Bamboo stop in the second half of the day
- From Phi Phi Don. About 9 km in a straight line north-north-east of Tonsai Pier. You hire a longtail or boat on the spot, so agree the price and time in advance
- From Ao Nang. About 24 km in a straight line from Ao Nang pier; we found no official timetable for this route
To choose a boat, the Phi Phi catamaran is easier for a group, and a private boat gives you freedom with the route.
National park fee and what is included
| Area | Foreign adult | Foreign child | Thai citizen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh, Bamboo | THB 400 | THB 200 | THB 40 / 20 |
Source: DNP table of entrance fees for individuals, revision of 02.06.2023, checked 18.10.2026. There is no separate ticket for the island, keep your ticket on you all day.
Options: how to get to Bamboo
| Option | Time | Best for | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Phi day by speedboat | 8-9 hours, Bamboo around 14:30 | people who want to see all the islands | about an hour is left for Bamboo |
| Catamaran | 8-10 hours, Bamboo in the middle or end of the day | families and people who like a deck | groups of 40-55 with Tisland Travel |
| Two days with a night | 2 days, Bamboo on day one | people who find a day trip too tight | a night on Phi Phi Don |
| Private boat | by arrangement | groups who want their own route | terms and the fee are agreed separately |
If Maya Bay matters more, read the page about the bay.
What to do in rain and rough seas
The TMD forecast for the Andaman Sea on 18.10.2026 reads: waves about 1 m, above 2 m in thundershowers (TMD page). According to Tisland Travel, at 2-3 m waves speedboats to far islands are cancelled first, and the captain decides on the day. If a trip is cancelled, the operator offers a reschedule or a refund, so check the terms before you pay. The operator decides on the day how a landing at Bamboo goes in a storm.
Safety
- Life jackets. Love Andaman and Tisland Travel provide them, and under the 2018 rules everyone on a Phuket tourist boat must wear one (TAT Newsroom, 17.07.2018)
- Snorkelling. Masks and snorkels are included in the Phuket Tour and Tisland Travel programmes (for adults with Tisland, children need their own)
- Sunscreen. Since 4 August 2021 sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4MBC and butylparaben are banned in national parks, with a fine of up to THB 100,000
- Wildlife. Do not stand on coral and do not feed the fish
Who it suits and who should skip it
- Suits. People who want a beach and swimming at the end of the day and do not mind a short stop
- Skip it. Anyone who wants to stay overnight on the island, looks for cafes and sunbeds or copes badly with a speedboat
What is nearby
- Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon on Phi Phi Leh
- Monkey Beach on Phi Phi Don
- Khai Islands as an alternative to Bamboo, closer to Phuket
FAQ
Where is Bamboo Island and which province is it in?
Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai) lies north of Phi Phi Don in Krabi province and is part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. By OpenStreetMap coordinates it is about 9 km in a straight line from Tonsai Pier and about 42 km from Rassada Pier in Phuket. The OpenStreetMap tag names Phang Nga, but the DNP places the park and its islands in Krabi.
How much does it cost to enter Bamboo Island?
A foreigner pays the park THB 400 and a child THB 200: that is the fee for the Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh and Bamboo zone in the DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023. There is no separate ticket for the island. Phuket Tour and Tisland Travel include park tickets in the programme, other operators should be asked.
How long do you get on Bamboo Island on a Phi Phi tour?
In Tisland Travel's catamaran programme the beach takes about an hour, from 13:40 to 14:40. Love Andaman schedules arrival at 14:30 and departure at 15:30. Phuket Tour's premium catamaran leaves for Bamboo at 14:00 and leaves the island at 15:30. If you want longer, look at the overnight option on Phi Phi Don or a private boat.
Is Bamboo Island open when Maya Bay is closed?
Yes. The 1 August-30 September closure in the park's announcements applies to Maya Bay and Loh Samah. Tisland Travel wrote in 2026 that in those months Bamboo stays on the route and swimming and snorkelling move there. On 18.10.2026 the DNP status for the park shows only diving at Ko Yung and on the west side of Ko Kai as closed.
Can you stay overnight on Bamboo Island?
We found no confirmation. On the DNP page the park's bungalows are listed on Ko Phi Phi, Sum Hoi, Ko Pode and Talaek Waek, Bamboo Island is not named among the places to stay and the DNP does not describe camping there. People usually stay on Phi Phi Don, for example on Phuket Tour's two-day trip.
Can you swim and snorkel at Bamboo Island?
Yes, that is the main activity on the island in operator programmes. Phuket Tour describes snorkelling with fish, starfish, octopus and turtles, but the operator does not guarantee sightings. Life jackets are provided on board, keep them at hand when you enter the water.
Why is Bamboo Island called Bounty?
Operators use the name: Phuket Tour calls the island Bamboo (Bounty) in its one-day and two-day programmes. The official Thai name is Ko Mai Phai (เกาะไม้ไผ่), and the OpenStreetMap record has the variant Ko Mai Pai. The sources do not explain where the word Bounty comes from.
Sources
- DNP. Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park (Bamboo in the list of sites and posts)
- DNP. Opening/closing status of national parks on 18.10.2026
- DNP. National park entrance fees (dataset, CSV, revision of 02.06.2023)
- Thai PBS. The park announces the closure of Maya Bay and Loh Samah from 1 August to 30 September (01.08.2023, in Thai)
- Wikipedia. Phi Phi Islands (island areas)
- Wikivoyage. Ko Phi Phi (Bamboo Island section)
- Traveltomorrow. Thailand bans use of sunscreen in all national parks (06.08.2021, citing the DNP announcement)
- OpenStreetMap. Ko Mai Phai (way 23 605 775), Tonsai Pier (way 407741133), Rassada Pier (node 260742667)
- Tisland Travel. Phi Phi Islands day trip by catamaran: itinerary
- Tisland Travel. Maya Bay closes on 1 August 2026: what stays on the route
- Love Andaman. Phi Phi Islands and Bamboo Island: day trip itinerary
- Phuket Tour (TAT licence 34/03743). Bamboo Island: description
- Phuket Tour. Phi Phi and Bamboo by premium catamaran: itinerary
- Phuket Tour. Phi Phi, Rang Yai and Bamboo by speedboat, 2 days 1 night
- TMD. Shipping weather forecast, Andaman Sea on 18.10.2026
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.
