The short answer
Phi Phi in December is the weather everyone imagines and the crowds nobody plans for. Two Decembers coexist:
- 1 to 19 December: regular high season. Flat sea, blue sky, Maya Bay open, prices high but reasonable, crowds manageable on the morning slots. Frankly excellent.
- 20 December to 5 January: the absolute peak. Hotels at +50 to 80%, transfer speedboats full, Maya Bay quota reached by 9:30, Tonsai packed in the evening. Still gorgeous, but you have to book everything ahead and accept sharing.
If you have the choice, aim for the first half. If your holidays fall on the festive period, it is doable and very beautiful, provided you follow the rules below.
What is open in December
| What | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Bay | ✅ Open every day | Reopened on 1 October 2026, no weather closures in normal conditions. Quota 300, entrance fee 400 THB adult / 200 THB child 4-11 in cash. From 20/12 to 5/01, quota reached by 9:30 |
| Pileh Lagoon, Loh Samah, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island | ✅ Open | Maximum visibility, 15 to 25 m |
| All resorts, beach clubs, dive schools | ✅ Open | Full capacity, festive parties at Loh Dalum |
| Ferries and speedboats | ✅ Maximum rotations | Sold out several days ahead from 20/12 to 5/01 |
The weather, minus the marketing
December is the heart of the dry season: 25 to 30 °C, 0 to 3 days of rain over the month, a flat sea from morning to evening and the best underwater visibility of the year (15 to 25 metres on the Phi Phi Leh sites). Evenings are a little cooler than in April, perfect for dining outside. In normal conditions, no crossing is suspended for swell. The only December weather "risk" is sunburn.
What we tell our clients: in December, the weather won't play tricks on you, the calendar will. Whoever books their boats and transfers five days ahead has a perfect holiday. Whoever lands on 27 December thinking "we'll sort it out there" spends their first day hunting for a seat on a speedboat. The team
To compare December with January and February, which have the same weather at different prices, see our Koh Phi Phi calendar and the best time to visit Maya Bay.
The tours we recommend in December
The rule of the month: leave early or go private. The Phuket and Krabi speedboats unload 60 to 75 people at a time at Loh Samah between 10:00 and 12:00.
- Morning Maya, 900 THB per person, departure 6:30, back at 11:00, 10 travellers maximum. In December it is the most requested tour in our catalogue, and for good reason: Maya Bay at 7:45 with 30 people instead of 300. Book 1 to 2 weeks ahead for the holidays. Park fee extra.
- Private speedboat, from 12,700 THB per boat, custom route and schedule, guide included. For families and groups of 6 to 10 it is often cheaper per person than you would think, and you choose your arrival time at Maya Bay.
- Private long-tail, 2,500 THB for 2 h, 3,700 THB for 3 h, 4,500 THB for 4 h, 6,500 THB for 6 h, price per boat for 4 people. Leave at 7:00 for Maya Bay and Pileh, or in the late afternoon for Pileh and the sunset once the speedboats have gone home.
- Magic Day by speedboat, from 1,900 THB per person, the full group day with national park fees included and a French-speaking guide from November to June. The right choice if you want to see everything in one go and a fixed timetable doesn't bother you.
- Pirate Boat, 2,200 THB per person, the party option: music, bar, kayaks, Pileh Lagoon and Maya Bay at sunset. In high demand between Christmas and New Year, book early.
Transfers
This is the item to plan ahead in December. The Phuket ↔ Phi Phi and Krabi / Ao Nang ↔ Phi Phi ferries run at full capacity, but the mid-afternoon shared speedboats from Phuket sell out several days ahead from 20 December to 5 January. Book 3 to 5 days ahead, and if you are coming from Phuket airport, allow extra time for the traffic on the road to Rassada pier. All options are on our transfers page and in how to get to Koh Phi Phi.
Prices and crowds
December is the peak of the year. Until the 20th, hotels are at the regular high-season rate, already well above October. From 22 December to 5 January they climb by 50 to 80%, and most resorts impose a compulsory gala dinner on the 24th or the 31st. Group tours keep their rates (Magic Day from 1,900 THB, Pirate Boat 2,200 THB) and private boats their per-boat price, which makes them relatively the best deal of the month. Crowd-wise: Tonsai is packed in the evening, the Loh Dalum beaches are full in the afternoon, and Maya Bay hits its 300-person quota by 9:30 on holiday dates. To understand how the quota and time slots work, read our Maya Bay 2026 guide.
In your bag, and our tips
- Book in this order: hotel (several months for the holidays), then transfers (3 to 5 days ahead), then tours (3 to 5 days ahead, 1 to 2 weeks for the Morning Maya and private boats).
- Cash in 500 THB notes for the national park fees (400 THB per adult at Maya Bay), the Tonsai ATMs are often empty between Christmas and New Year.
- Reef-safe SPF 50 sunscreen and a hat, the December sun is full-on from morning to evening.
- Your own mask and snorkel to make the most of the year's best visibility at Pileh and Loh Samah.
- For calm, stay at Long Beach or in the north of the island, and take your tours on the morning of 25 December and on 1 January, the two emptiest mornings of the fortnight.
Who December is actually good for
- Anyone who wants guaranteed weather: divers, snorkelers, families with young children.
- Organised travellers who book ahead and leave early in the morning.
- Atmosphere lovers: Christmas and New Year on the beach, fireworks over Loh Dalum.
- Groups and families who can charter a boat and free themselves from shared-tour timetables.
Who it suits less: tight budgets and crowd-allergics. In that case, November offers the same weather in its second half with fewer people, and October gives you an almost empty Maya Bay at low-season prices. For the full contrast, our Phi Phi in September guide shows the other end of the spectrum.
