Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai): The Snorkel Stop

If Maya Bay is about the view, Bamboo Island is about the water. This little crescent of sand north of Phi Phi Don is where tours go to snorkel, sunbathe and let everyone catch their breath after the crowds of the bay. For the wider area, see our Phi Phi Islands guide.

What is Bamboo Island in Phi Phi?

Bamboo Island — Ko Mai Phai in Thai — is a tiny, uninhabited island just north of Phi Phi Don, ringed by some of the whitest sand and clearest shallows in the archipelago. The reef starts just off the beach, so you can wade in and be floating over coral within moments.

Snorkelling at Bamboo Island

That gentle, shallow setup makes it the best beginner snorkelling near Phi Phi, and a favourite with families. Expect parrotfish, butterflyfish and the occasional reef shark over the coral — see what else you’ll spot in our Phi Phi snorkelling guide. Bring your own mask if you can, and reef-safe sunscreen only.

Bamboo Island fees and rules

It sits inside Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, so park rules apply and there may be a small separate fee on top of the Maya Bay park fee. Like the rest of the park, it can close in the low season to rest the reef — check current status in is Maya Bay open?

Facilities on Bamboo Island

Facilities are minimal — there’s little more than sand, sea and a few shade trees — so bring water, snacks, sun protection and ideally your own snorkel gear. That lack of development is exactly what keeps it beautiful; treat it as a leave-no-trace stop.

Which tours include Bamboo Island?

Bamboo Island is a standard stop on many full-day tours, especially from Phuket and Krabi. Trips that pair it with Maya Bay give you the best of both — the icon and the snorkelling — in one day. See our Maya Bay & Bamboo Island tour and full-day catamaran to Khai & Phi Phi.

Bamboo Island vs the other stops

Where Maya Bay is about scenery and Pileh Lagoon is about a dramatic swim, Bamboo Island is about easy beach time and the best shallow reef. Most well-planned tours include all three, plus a pass by Monkey Beach, for a complete day on the water.

Getting to Bamboo Island

Bamboo Island lies a short boat ride north-east of Phi Phi Don and is reached only as part of a tour — there’s no independent ferry. It features on many full-day itineraries from Phuket and Krabi, usually as the snorkelling-and-relaxation stop after the busier Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon. If easy snorkelling and beach time are your priority, check that Bamboo Island is explicitly named in the itinerary before you book, as not every Phi Phi tour includes it.

The beach and the reef

Bamboo Island’s appeal is its simplicity: a broad arc of fine white sand, water so clear and shallow you can see the bottom metres out, and a coral reef that begins just a short wade from the beach. That combination makes it the most beginner-friendly snorkelling spot in the area — you can float over living coral and reef fish without ever being out of your depth. It’s also a lovely place to simply sunbathe and swim between the more structured stops of a day tour.

Best time to visit Bamboo Island

Like the rest of the national park, Bamboo Island is at its best in the dry season (November–April), when the water is clearest and the sea calmest. It can close during the low-season reef-rest period, so check current status in our is Maya Bay open? guide if you’re travelling between roughly May and October. Early in the day is quieter; by midday the tour boats cluster offshore.

What to bring and leave-no-trace tips

With minimal facilities on the island, come prepared: water, snacks, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and your own mask if you have one. Take all your litter back to the boat, never touch or stand on the coral, and give the marine life space. Bamboo Island stays beautiful precisely because it’s undeveloped and protected — treating it gently is the price of admission. For the wider reef picture, see our Phi Phi snorkelling guide.

Why Bamboo Island earns its place on the itinerary

In a day full of dramatic cliffs and famous names, Bamboo Island is the gentle counterpoint — a simple, beautiful beach with the easiest snorkelling around, where you can actually relax. It’s where families let the kids splash safely, where nervous snorkellers find their confidence, and where everyone catches their breath after the crowds of Maya Bay. If your tour includes it, treat it as the day’s chance to slow down. For the wider underwater picture, see our Phi Phi snorkelling guide, and compare tours that stop here on the tours page.

Plan your visit

Compare tours that include Bamboo Island on the tours page, and use our Phi Phi Islands guide and this maya tour phi phi hub to plan the rest of your trip.