Phi Phi in November: high season begins, without the crowds or the prices of December yet
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Yes, and it is probably our favourite month. November marks the start of high season: from mid-November the sky is dry and sunny most days, the sea is flat again, Maya Bay has been open since 1 October, and Loy Krathong (24-25 November 2026) lights up Tonsai Bay. Prices rise (the Pirate Boat moves to 2,200 THB on 1 November) but hotels stay reasonable until mid-December. The one thing to watch: availability fills up, so book tours and transfers a few days ahead.
The short answer
Phi Phi in November is high season starting without its downsides. The sky dries up, the sea flattens, Maya Bay has been open since 1 October, and the island does not yet have December's density. If you can pick your dates freely, the second half of November is one of the best windows of the year: January weather, shoulder-season crowds and prices.
Come if you want the right weather / peace / budget ratio, or if you dream of seeing Loy Krathong on a beach rather than in a city.
Think twice if you are aiming at the very first days of the month with a tight schedule: a shower or a slightly lumpy sea is still possible, especially before the 10th.
What is open in November
What
Status
Detail
Maya Bay
✅ Open every day
Reopened on 1 October 2026, occasional closures rare in November. Quota 300, entrance fee 400 THB adult / 200 THB child 4-11 in cash
Pileh Lagoon, Loh Samah, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island
✅ Open
Calm sea, visibility rising fast
Northern resorts and beach clubs
✅ Reopened
Laem Tong and Loh Bagao back on their high-season rhythm
Ferries and speedboats
✅ Full rotations
High-season timetables, more daily departures
The weather, minus the marketing
November is the switch month: a gentle end to the monsoon, the start of the dry season. Expect 26 to 31 °C, 3 to 6 days with rain over the month, and a real difference between the two halves. Before the 15th, a late-afternoon shower is still possible and the sea can keep a little swell in the morning. After the 15th, it is the postcard: blue sky, flat sea, sharp light. Underwater visibility goes quickly from decent to excellent.
What we tell our clients: if you can only come once in the year and you want Maya Bay, sunshine and peace all at once, set your dates between 15 and 30 November. We repeat it every year, and every year the people who follow it write back to thank us. The team
The month-by-month detail, with the comparison against December and January, is in our Koh Phi Phi calendar.
Loy Krathong, 24 and 25 November 2026
Loy Krathong falls on the November full moon: in 2026 that is 24 and 25 November. In Phi Phi it happens on Tonsai beach and at Loh Dalum: Thai families, hotel staff and travellers float krathongs on the water (small banana-leaf rafts with flowers, incense and a candle), and the bay fills with hundreds of floating lights. No tourist overload, no tickets, just a very beautiful evening. If you want to experience it from the water, a 2-hour private long-tail at sunset is the best vantage point, then walk back to the beach for the ceremony.
The tours we recommend in November
Magic Day by speedboat, from 1,900 THB per person: the full day of Maya Bay, Pileh, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island, Mosquito Island and Nui Bay, lunch included. The only tour where national park fees are included, and the guide is French-speaking from November to June.
Morning Maya, 900 THB per person, departure 6:30, back at 11:00, 10 travellers maximum. In November the sea is flat from dawn and you have Maya Bay before anyone else. Park fee extra.
Pirate Boat, 2,200 THB per person from 1 November: music, bar on board, kayaks and SUP, Pileh Lagoon, Maya Bay at sunset. November is its ideal month: calm sea, crisp sunsets.
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. Perfect for Loy Krathong at sunset or a 7:00 Maya Bay departure.
Discover scuba diving, 3,700 THB for 2 dives down to 12 m, with visibility turning excellent again in the second half of the month.
Transfers
The Phuket ↔ Phi Phi and Krabi / Ao Nang ↔ Phi Phi lines switch to high-season timetables, with more daily departures and comfortable crossings. Shared speedboats fill up on weekends and around Loy Krathong: book 2 to 3 days ahead. Everything is on our transfers page and in how to get to Koh Phi Phi. The buffer night before an international flight remains a good habit, but in November it is rarely needed.
Prices and crowds
November is the climb in steps. On 1 November the Pirate Boat goes from 1,800 to 2,200 THB (high-season rate 2026-27). Hotels climb gradually from mid-November, but stay well below late December, when they jump by 50 to 80% between 22 December and 5 January. Crowd-wise: Tonsai fills up, but Maya Bay stays manageable, especially on the 7:30 to 9:00 slots. To pick the calmest moment of high season, see also the best time to visit Maya Bay.
In your bag, and our tips
Reef-safe SPF 50 sunscreen, the November sun is already the high-season one.
Cash in 500 THB notes for the national park fees (400 THB per adult at Maya Bay).
Your own mask and snorkel if you are picky: Pileh and Loh Samah deserve better than the boat's gear.
Book the Morning Maya 2 to 3 days ahead, it sells out several times a week in November.
For Loy Krathong, book your hotel one to two weeks ahead of 24 and 25 November.
Who November is actually good for
Almost everyone: couples, families, divers, photographers.
Anyone who wants Maya Bay in perfect conditions without December's saturation.
Travellers who love local festivals: Loy Krathong on a beach, not in a packed street.
Mid-range budgets: hotels have not yet reached their holiday rates.
26 to 31 °C, 3 to 6 days with rain over the month, and a clear switch around the 15th: the first half can still bring a late-afternoon shower, the second half is almost dry. The sea is flat again from mid-November, crossings are comfortable and underwater visibility improves fast.
Yes, every day. Maya Bay reopened on 1 October 2026 after the annual closure from 1 August to 30 September, and swell-related closures become rare in November. Quota of 300 visitors at a time, entrance fee 400 THB per adult and 200 THB per child aged 4 to 11, in cash, included only on our Magic Day. Swimming in the buoyed zone, no fins or mask.
Loy Krathong falls on the November full moon: 24 and 25 November 2026. Thais float small banana-leaf rafts with a candle on the water, and in Phi Phi it happens right on Tonsai and Loh Dalum beaches. It is one of the most beautiful evenings of the year on the island, with no tourist overload. Book your hotel a little earlier for those two nights.
Yes, in steps. On 1 November the Pirate Boat goes from 1,800 to 2,200 THB per person (high-season rate 2026-27). Hotels climb gradually from mid-November but stay well below the late-December rates, when they jump by 50 to 80%. Group tours like the Magic Day stay from 1,900 THB.
A few days ahead is enough, but don't leave it to the last minute like in October: the Morning Maya (10 seats) regularly sells out, and transfer speedboats fill up on weekends. For Loy Krathong and the last week of the month, book hotel and tours one to two weeks ahead.
Yes: on the Magic Day by speedboat, the guide is English-speaking all year and French-speaking from November to June. For a trip fully at your own pace, the private long-tail remains the best option, and our team on the island briefs you before departure.
