Best time to visit Phi Phi is the dry season, roughly mid-December to March, when seas are calm, rain is rare and boats run all day. It is also when the island is most crowded and hotels charge the most. The wet months, from about May to October, bring heavy showers, rougher crossings and cheaper rooms, and Maya Bay closes every August and September.
This guide to the best time to visit Phi Phi compares the seasons month by month using climate records for the nearest long-term station, Climates to Travel and Weather Spark, plus Champion Traveler, Hoteles.com, ThailandBoatTickets, Time Out and Phuket 101. Phi Phi has no long-term weather record of its own, so the numbers are for Krabi and the islands can differ. Sources also disagree on the quietest month, and we say where.
- Best weather
- Mid-December to March
- Driest months
- January and February
- Wettest months
- September and October
- Sea temperature
- 28 to 30 °C all year
- Maya Bay closed
- 1 August to 30 September
- Fullest ferry timetable
- November to April
When is the best time to visit Phi Phi?
The best time to visit Phi Phi is mid-December to March. Weather Spark's beach score peaks in the third week of January, Krabi records only 30 to 45 mm of rain in January and February, and seas are calm. Expect the biggest crowds from December to January. For fewer people and lower prices, choose November or April, and avoid September and October, the wettest months.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi at a Glance: Dry and Wet Seasons
Phi Phi has two seasons rather than four, so the best time to visit Phi Phi comes down to rain and wind. Weather Spark puts the wetter half of the year at 21 April to 9 December, when any given day has a better than 39% chance of rain, and the drier half at 9 December to 21 April. Its beach and pool score is best from mid-December to early March. Climates to Travel agrees that December to February is the best stretch and adds that March and April are hot, with pre-monsoon showers becoming more frequent.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dry and peak | Mid-December to March | Little rain, calm seas, the clearest water and the biggest crowds |
| Hot and humid | April | Hottest weather, more showers, and Songkran, the Thai New Year |
| Early monsoon | May to June | Rain on about half the days, often in short bursts; fares and rooms get cheaper |
| Peak monsoon | July to October | Heavy rain, choppy seas, fewer boats; Maya Bay closed in August and September |
| Recovery | November | Rain tapers off, skies clear by late month and ferry timetables fill out |
If you are still choosing where to go on the island, read our Koh Phi Phi guide first, then come back here to fix your dates.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi Month by Month
The table below uses the Climates to Travel averages for Krabi, 1981 to 2010. Hoteles.com says Phi Phi's climate is similar to Phuket's, about 40 km away, with temperatures of about 24 to 32 °C through the year. Our read of the best time to visit Phi Phi in each month is a judgement from the data and the guides, not an official rating.
| Month | Rain | Rainy days | Sun a day | Max temp | Sea | Our read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30 mm | 5 | 6.5 h | 32.9 °C | 28 °C | Peak dry season, crowded |
| February | 45 mm | 5 | 7.5 h | 34.2 °C | 28.5 °C | Sunniest, very few wet days |
| March | 100 mm | 9 | 6.5 h | 34.3 °C | 29 °C | Hot, still mostly dry |
| April | 145 mm | 12 | 6.0 h | 34.1 °C | 30 °C | Hot, showers start |
| May | 170 mm | 16 | 5.0 h | 32.9 °C | 30 °C | Rain returns, cheaper |
| June | 195 mm | 16 | 5.0 h | 31.9 °C | 30 °C | Showery, lower prices |
| July | 200 mm | 18 | 5.0 h | 31.5 °C | 29.5 °C | Wet, rougher seas |
| August | 265 mm | 18 | 5.0 h | 31.4 °C | 29 °C | Wet, Maya Bay closed |
| September | 275 mm | 19 | 5.0 h | 31.2 °C | 29 °C | Very wet, Maya Bay closed |
| October | 325 mm | 22 | 3.5 h | 31.3 °C | 29 °C | Wettest month |
| November | 180 mm | 18 | 4.5 h | 31.1 °C | 29 °C | Improving, boats ramp up |
| December | 70 mm | 10 | 6.0 h | 31.4 °C | 28.5 °C | Dry, peak crowds begin |
Sea temperature barely moves: Weather Spark lists 83 to 86 °F, about 28 to 30 °C, in every month. Warm water does not change the best time to visit Phi Phi, so choose by rain, wind and crowds.
Mid-December to March: the best weather and the biggest crowds
This is the headline answer to the best time to visit Phi Phi. Krabi averages only 5 rainy days in January and February, and Champion Traveler says seas are flat and underwater visibility climbs toward 30 m. The cost is crowds: Champion Traveler rates December and January the busiest months, though it also rates February the quietest by visitor volume, so sources disagree on that month.
An Amazing Lanta page last modified in 2019 says the peak pricing period runs from 16 December to 15 January, when hotel prices rise another 20 to 30 per cent, and that some upmarket hotels charge for compulsory Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners. That page is old, so treat the figures as a guide only, but the lesson stands: book early for the holidays. Our guides to where to stay in Phi Phi and Phi Phi hotels show the areas and price levels.
April and May: hot, humid and the first rains
April is the hottest month in the Krabi record, with a 34.1 °C average high, and 12 rainy days. Hoteles.com gives a range of about 27 to 36 °C for April and May, with frequent short showers, and notes that Songkran falls in April. By May the monsoon is back, with 16 rainy days. Champion Traveler says afternoon squalls can cut boat trips short but also calls May a budget option, with showers that usually come in short bursts.
June to October: the southwest monsoon
Rain climbs from 195 mm in June to 325 mm in October, the wettest month, with 22 rainy days. Weather Spark's record shows the windiest period from 27 May to 4 October and the highest daily chance of rain, 69%, on 19 October. Hoteles.com says June to August is popular with Thai visitors, with somewhat lower prices and brief heavy showers between sunshine, and that September to early October brings frequent heavy downpours.
Monsoon does not mean constant rain. An Amazing Lanta page on September says it will not rain all the time but expects prolonged downpours and strong winds, and the photos here, taken in August, show blue sky. Plan for flexibility instead of fixed outdoor days.
November: the in-between month
November averages 180 mm of rain and 18 rainy days in Krabi, but Champion Traveler says the weather improves as the monsoon retreats and skies clear by late November. ThailandBoatTickets lists November as the start of the fullest ferry timetable, which makes it a sensible shoulder month for a cheaper trip with improving weather.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi for Calm Seas and Reliable Boats
Boats matter as much as rain when you choose the best time to visit Phi Phi, because most people arrive by ferry or speedboat. ThailandBoatTickets says operators run their fullest schedules from November to April, with departures as often as hourly in daylight, morning ferries from about 08:00 and last mainland departures around 15:00. From May to October it says departures drop to roughly two to four a day.
In the monsoon, speedboats are the first to be affected, and the same guide says some operators suspend them in rough weather. Standard ferries keep running but can face delays or cancellations, and fares are discounted. It advises flexible itineraries, refundable tickets and travel insurance that covers weather disruption. An Amazing Lanta page on September also recommends a ferry over a speedboat from Phuket or Krabi because ferries are larger and more stable.
Schedules vary by route, so check our guides to the Phi Phi ferry, Phuket to Phi Phi and Krabi to Phi Phi for current times and prices. In the monsoon, leave a buffer day between your ferry off the island and any flight home.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi for Snorkeling, Diving and Maya Bay
Water clarity also shapes the best time to visit Phi Phi. Champion Traveler says the visibility peak runs from January to April, up to about 30 m, and falls to 10 to 15 m in the monsoon months, when diving continues but conditions get choppier in September and October. For the best snorkeling, aim for January to April, and read our guide to snorkeling in Phi Phi for the sites.
Maya Bay closes for about two months each year. Phuket 101 says the closure usually runs from 1 August to 30 September, that the national park confirms exact dates in July and that they can shift by a day or two. During the closure, day trips can view the bay from the water but cannot land. Time Out reported on 29 September 2026 that the bay reopens on 1 October 2026, and that swimming remains prohibited to protect the coral.
Our Maya Bay guide has the current rules and fees. If you want to land on the beach, travel between October and July.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi for Fewer Crowds and Lower Prices
When you pick the best time to visit Phi Phi, crowds and prices rise and fall together, and the cheapest months are not always the quietest. Use the pattern below to balance the two.
- Busiest and most expensive: December and January, with the peak pricing period running from 16 December to 15 January according to the older Amazing Lanta page.
- Busy for other reasons: Champion Traveler lists July as busy because of European school holidays, and Hoteles.com says Thai visitors come in June to August. Songkran in April also brings crowds.
- Cheaper and quieter: Hoteles.com says beaches and restaurants are quieter in September and early October, and ThailandBoatTickets says fares are discounted from May to October.
- Shoulder months: November and late March to April sit between peak and monsoon, with improving weather in November and hot weather in April.
Backpackers can stretch a budget further in the wet months; see our guide to Phi Phi hostels. If you plan to party, Visit Thailand Today says crowds at the beach bars peak from December to February, as covered in our Phi Phi nightlife guide.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi by Traveler Type
The best time to visit Phi Phi depends on what you want from the trip, so use this table to match your priorities to the months.
| If you want | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Beach days and photos | January to March | Driest, sunniest months; calm seas |
| Snorkeling and diving | January to April | Visibility up to about 30 m |
| Fewer people, decent weather | November, April | Shoulder months between peak and monsoon |
| Lowest prices | May to October | Discounted fares and rooms, with rain and rough seas |
| Landing on Maya Bay | October to July | The bay is closed in August and September |
| Cheapest crossing with the most boats | November to April | Fullest ferry timetable |
The months to avoid unless you have a flexible plan are September and October: they are the wettest, the sea is choppy, and Maya Bay is closed for most of that stretch.
Is the Rainy Season the Best Time to Visit Phi Phi? Pros and Cons
The rainy season can be the best time to visit Phi Phi if you value price over certainty. Here is what the sources say about travelling between May and October.
Good in the rainy season
- Lower fares, says ThailandBoatTickets, and cheaper rooms, says Hoteles.com
- Quieter beaches and restaurants in September and early October, says Hoteles.com
- Long sunny spells between downpours, per Hoteles.com
- May showers usually come in short afternoon bursts, says Champion Traveler
Not so good
- Heavy rain, with 16 to 22 rainy days a month from May to October at Krabi
- Rough seas, with speedboats suspended in bad weather and only two to four departures a day
- Visibility drops to 10 to 15 m for snorkeling and diving
- Maya Bay is closed in August and September, and longtail trips may not run in bad weather
If you go anyway, pick a hotel with a pool or cafe you do not mind being stuck in, and keep a day free for a storm. Our things to do in Phi Phi guide has indoor and low-weather options alongside beach days.
Best Time to Visit Phi Phi FAQ
What is the best month to visit Phi Phi?
January and February are the driest months at Krabi, and Weather Spark's beach score peaks in the third week of January. Champion Traveler picks February as the best month, but January is busier.
What is the best time to visit Phi Phi on a budget?
May or early June, when Champion Traveler says prices drop and rain usually comes in short afternoon bursts. November is a cheaper shoulder month with improving weather.
What is the best time to visit Phi Phi for snorkeling?
January to April, when Champion Traveler says visibility peaks at up to about 30 m. In the monsoon it falls to 10 to 15 m.
When is the rainy season in Phi Phi?
The wet season runs roughly from May to October. Weather Spark counts the wetter half of the year from 21 April to 9 December, with September and October the wettest.
Is it worth visiting Phi Phi in the rainy season?
Yes, if you want lower prices and quieter beaches and can accept heavy showers, rougher boats and a closed Maya Bay in August and September. Keep your itinerary flexible.
What is the weather in Phi Phi like?
Hot all year. Krabi's average high is 31 to 34 °C and the sea is 28 to 30 °C every month. The difference between the seasons is rain and wind, not temperature.
When is Maya Bay closed?
Usually from 1 August to 30 September. Time Out reported that it reopened on 1 October 2026, and swimming is still not allowed.
When is the cheapest time to visit Phi Phi?
May to October, when ThailandBoatTickets says fares are discounted and Hoteles.com says rooms are cheaper. Expect rain and rougher seas.
Do ferries run all year to Phi Phi?
Yes, but with far fewer departures from May to October, and speedboats can be suspended in rough weather. Standard ferries usually keep going, with delays.
When is Phi Phi busiest?
December and January, with the peak pricing period from 16 December to 15 January in an older guide. July is also busy with European school holidays, according to Champion Traveler.
Ready to plan your crossing?
Compare ferries, speedboats and travel times to Phi Phi from Phuket, Krabi and Koh Lanta.
Photo credits: Longtail boats, 19 August 2013 by Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons); Beach at Koh Phi Phi by Caitriana Nicholson (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons); Loh Bagao Beach by Fabio Achilli (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons); Maya Bay by Fabio Achilli (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons).
This guide is compiled from published climate records, travel guides and ferry information, checked on 30 October 2026. Weather varies from year to year, so check the forecast and your operator's notices before you travel.
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