Phi Phi in October: Maya Bay reopened, monsoon fading, prices still low. The honest verdict

The short answer

Phi Phi in October is the month when everything reopens and nobody is there yet. Two very different halves:

• 1 to 15 October: still the monsoon, but a tired one. Showers, the odd grey morning, a sea that can be bumpy. Maya Bay has been open again since the 1st, tours run almost every day.
• 16 to 31 October: the switch. Squalls get shorter, the sea flattens, the light comes back. The last week of October already feels like November, at October prices.

Come if you are flexible about what time the boats leave and if Maya Bay with 40 people instead of 300 sounds appealing. Skip it if you cannot stand a drop of rain and your schedule is timed to the minute from the first to the last day.

What changes on 1 October

For the full Maya Bay rules (landing via Loh Samah, 1 hour on site, swimming zone), read our Maya Bay 2026 guide.

The weather, minus the marketing

October is the end of the southwest monsoon, not yet the dry season. Expect 26 to 31 °C and 12 to 18 days with rain in the month, but the curve is heading down: September's half-day rain spells become one-hour showers, often in the late afternoon or at night. The sea follows about a week behind. In mid-October a Phuket to Phi Phi crossing can still be lively; by late October it is usually flat.

What we tell our clients: in October, don't book your tours from home down to the hour. Book the day before, we look at the marine forecast together, and we put you on the right slot. Nine times out of ten, that's the morning. The team

If you want the month-by-month numbers, they are in our Koh Phi Phi calendar.

What works in October

• Phi Phi Leh tours, Maya Bay included. Captains pick the sheltered side depending on the day's wind, exactly like in September, except they now have Maya Bay on the programme.
• Diving, with visibility improving week after week. Bida Nok and Bida Nai become reachable most days again.
• Bioluminescent plankton, at its best in October: warm water, dark nights, no light pollution at sea. Details in our bioluminescent plankton guide.
• Tonsai Village, restaurants, bars, massage, dive schools: everything is open and the mood is relaxed.
• The viewpoint, with post-squall skies you simply don't get in January.

What is still a gamble: very early departures on days with residual swell, and the west-facing beaches on windy afternoons. To understand how we handle weather cancellations (spoiler: you don't lose your money), read our page on monsoon cancellations.

The tours we recommend in October

1. Morning Maya, 900 THB per person, departure 6:30, back at 11:00, 10 travellers maximum. In October you reach Maya Bay before the Phuket speedboats and the bay is almost empty. Park fee extra (400 THB).
2. Magic Day by speedboat, from 1,900 THB per person, the full day: 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.
3. 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. In October it is the most flexible format: we shift the departure time to the morning's weather.
4. Pirate Boat, 1,800 THB per person until 31 October (2,200 THB from 1 November). Music, bar on board, kayaks, Pileh Lagoon and Maya Bay at sunset. Last month at the low-season rate.
5. Discover scuba diving, 3,700 THB for 2 supervised dives down to 12 m. Ideal in the second half of the month when the water clears.

Transfers

The main Phuket ↔ Phi Phi and Krabi / Ao Nang ↔ Phi Phi ferries run normally. Shared speedboats gradually resume their full rotations from mid-October. Book the day before, not earlier: if a rough sea is forecast, we move you to the next day's ferry at no charge. All options and timetables are on our transfers page and in how to get to Koh Phi Phi.

Prices and crowds

October is still low season in the price lists: hotels stay close to the September floor (around 3,200 THB per night for a 4-star versus 6,500 THB in January) and last-minute availability is real. Crowd-wise, it is the ideal month for Maya Bay: the 300-person quota is almost never reached, even at 11:00. The price switch happens on 1 November: the Pirate Boat goes from 1,800 to 2,200 THB, and hotels start climbing from mid-November.

In your bag, and our tips

• A light rain jacket, not an umbrella: it rains hard and briefly, often with wind.
• A waterproof pouch for phone and passport, useful on long-tails.
• Cash in 500 THB notes for the national park fees (400 THB per adult at Maya Bay), the rangers have no card terminal.
• One buffer night in Phuket or Krabi before your international flight, especially if you leave before 15 October.
• Book the Morning Maya the day before, not three weeks ahead: we confirm the slot with the day's marine forecast.

Who October is actually good for

• Anyone who wants Maya Bay without the crowds: this is THE month when the bay is open and almost empty.
• Tight budgets who don't want to give up Phi Phi Leh the way September forces you to.
• Photographers and plankton lovers: dramatic skies by day, glowing sea by night.
• Flexible travellers happy to pick their boat time on the morning itself.

Who it suits less: very tight flight connections early in the month, and anyone who needs a guaranteed permanent blue sky. In that case, aim for November or December. And if you are still hesitating with the previous month, our Phi Phi in September guide explains why October is a notch above.