How to visit Koh Mai Thon (Maiton Island) from Phuket and if you can land

What we know about Maiton Island

Koh Mai Thon (เกาะไม้ท่อน) is a small private island southeast of Phuket, near Chalong Bay. According to maitonislandtour.com it lies about 9 km off the southeast coast of Phuket, with white sand, thick greenery and clear water. Operators call it Honeymoon Island, as Thai Holiday Guide and Trazy do.

By OpenStreetMap coordinates the island is 15 km in a straight line from Chalong Pier and 14 km from Rassada Pier. It is not a national park and does not appear in the DNP fee table. There was once a resort on the island: Wikivoyage lists its phone number as 076-214954, while maitonislandtour.com says the island and resort are closed until further notice.

The main question is if you can come ashore at all. The Phuket101 blog (updated 12 March 2026) says access has been suspended, and its author is not sure you can walk on the beach. On the same site maitonislandtour.com lists a season of 15 October-15 May, which contradicts the closure notice. So we describe what operators’ programmes show and mark what is confirmed.

What you actually do at Maiton today

• Snorkelling beside the island from the boat. In Phuket Tour’s Phi Phi (Bamboo, Khai, Maiton) trip there is snorkelling around 15:00 “in the clean water near Maiton with a look at the coral reef”, and the page does not mention a landing
• A stop within the Racha tour. In the dolphin-spotting programme (Racha and Maiton) the boat stops at Maiton at 15:00, and the text mentions a chance to see dolphins
• Dolphins. Aussie Divers and PADI say the dolphins here are shy and show up on about 60 % of dives, and on Thai Holiday Guide’s tour they are possible but not guaranteed. There is no guarantee anywhere
• Diving. Depth is about 10-12 m, visibility can be poor, and most dives are on the east side (Aussie Divers, PADI). It is a back-up site on days when wind and swell close other places

How the day goes if a landing is on

If an operator has confirmed a landing, this is Trazy’s morning speedboat programme as of October 2026:

1. 8:00-8:30 hotel transfer to the pier
2. 10:00 departure, under 30 minutes on the water
3. 10:15 arrival: beach, swimming, snorkelling
4. 12:00 Thai buffet lunch
5. 12:45 guided walk on a nature trail to a viewpoint
6. 13:30 beach games and water sports
7. 15:30 departure, at the pier around 16:00

Trazy also offers a catamaran: in the morning it leaves Ao Makham Pier at 9:30, in the afternoon at 13:30 with dinner around 16:00 and a return to the pier at 19:00 after passing Cape Panwa. maitonislandtour.com describes the same format with a 10:00 departure and a return to the pier at 16:00-17:00. Given the island’s unconfirmed status, treat this as a guide to the format, not a promise.

How long it takes and when to go

A whole tour with transfers takes 5-6 hours (Thai Holiday Guide, Trazy), and a stop within a combined tour is about an hour. The best time is November-April, when the sea is calmer and visibility is better.

More in Phuket climate by month.

Getting there and how far it is

You cannot get there on your own: Thai Holiday Guide says there is no regular ferry and you need a booked boat or tour. Piers in operators’ programmes:

By OpenStreetMap coordinates the island is 15 km in a straight line from Chalong and 14 km from Rassada. Thai Holiday Guide recommends departing from Ao Po (Panwa) rather than the busier Chalong Pier.

National park fee and what is included

There is no DNP fee: the island is not in the table, checked on 18 October 2026. The price of a tour usually covers masks, snorkels, life jackets, insurance and lunch (Trazy), and Phuket Tour lists “national park tickets” in its combined Phi Phi trips. Ask the seller what, if anything, is paid separately for Maiton.

Options: speedboat, catamaran, private boat

What to do in rain and swell

Aussie Divers calls Maiton a back-up site when other places are closed by wind and swell. Our own inference, not the source’s data: on its east side the island often stays usable for a stop from the boat in poor weather. A landing depends on the operator’s decision and the island’s status. Ask about the terms for a change or refund if the operator cancels before you pay: Thai Holiday Guide offers a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure.

Safety

• Life jackets. Trazy and maitonislandtour.com provide jackets and gear. Put a jacket on a child or a nervous swimmer even in shallow water
• Pregnancy. Trazy and maitonislandtour.com do not recommend the speedboat
• Health conditions. maitonislandtour.com does not recommend the speedboat for people with asthma or heart conditions, and Trazy for people who have had back surgery
• Coral. Do not stand on reefs or touch animals. See the page on snorkelling around Phuket for which sunscreen to bring
• Passport. Trazy asks for passport details when you book and a copy 4 days before the tour. Do not bring valuables

Who it suits and who should skip it

Suits:

• Anyone who wants a snorkel stop near Phuket. A stop within a combined tour or a short trip
• Anyone who likes watching for dolphins. There is a chance, with no guarantee

Skip it if:

• You are going for a beach and lunch ashore. A landing is not confirmed as of 18 October 2026
• You are pregnant or have back, heart or asthma problems. Operators do not recommend the speedboat
• You want a reliable plan with children. Coral Island or the Khai Islands work better

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