Skip to main content
Visit Thailand Today

Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai)

A small, flat island of white sand about 5 km north of Phi Phi Don, a regular stop on Phi Phi and Krabi island tours.

4.8(82)
Directions

Why go, and how to do it well

Bamboo Island, Koh Mai Phai in Thai, is a small, low island of white sand and clear water about 5 km north of Phi Phi Don, and five of the Krabi island guides I checked include it. It's low and flat, a ring of beach and trees, which sets it apart from the limestone islands around it.

Most people arrive on a Phi Phi or Krabi island-hopping tour, which stops here for swimming and a long lunch break on the sand. From Ao Nang, one guide puts it at about an hour by speedboat.

Written by Mac Kiley · Updated Oct 2026

Stay within reach of Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai)

Sponsored

Search Krabi hotels with your dates. Filter for free cancellation if you want to hold a room and decide later.

See hotels near Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai)

Opens Booking.com with your dates

Also compare on Expedia · Trip.com

Tours that include Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai)

Guided visits and day-tour combos that include Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai).

Sponsored · GetYourGuide

Experience hints

Visitor favorite

Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District

Open in Google Maps

Tips for Visiting Islands

Check Island Closures

Similan Islands, Surin Islands, and Koh Tachai close mid-May to mid-October. Some smaller islands reduce ferry service in monsoon season. Always verify schedules before planning your route.

Snorkel Gear Is Cheap to Buy

Rental gear is often scratched and ill-fitting. Buy a decent mask and snorkel at a Big C for 300–500 THB — cheaper than two days of rentals and much more hygienic.

Bring Cash to Smaller Islands

ATMs on smaller islands like Koh Kood, Koh Mak, and Koh Yao charge high fees and sometimes run out of cash. Withdraw enough on the mainland before heading over.

Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai): Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai) worth visiting?

Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai) holds a 4.8★ rating from 82 Google reviews, placing it among the highest-rated islands in Krabi.

When is the best time to visit Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai)?

The best months to visit Krabi are November – April, with the most reliable weather. Crowds peak in December – February — going early in the day usually means fewer people. Months to think twice about: May – October (rough Andaman seas).

Where is Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai) located?

Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Phai) is at Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, in Krabi. Getting around Krabi: Long-tail boats (islands & Railay Beach); Songthaews in Ao Nang.

Also popular in Krabi

Klong Muang Beach

Klong Muang Beach

4.6(2,716)
Klong Muang Beach, Nong Thale, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
A long, quiet resort beach 15 to 20 minutes north of Ao Nang, facing the Hong Islands, with calm, shallow water from November to April.
Thale Waek

Thale Waek

4.7(3,496)
Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81180, Thailand
Time it with the tide and get there before ten, or you'll be sharing a sandbar with a hundred boats.
Kodam Kitchen branch 1

Kodam Kitchen branch 1

4.7(10,224)$$$$
228 หมู่ที่ 3 Thanon Khlong Hang, Tambon Ao Nang, Amphoe Mueang Krabi, Chang Wat Krabi 81180, Thailand
Curries with real depth, budget prices, and a line at dinner unless you book ahead.
Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort

Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort

4.7(4,946)
155 Tambon Nong Thale, Amphoe Mueang Krabi, Chang Wat Krabi 81180, Thailand
A stay-put beach resort where the service is the thing people remember, not just the pools.

Similar Islands across Thailand

Ko Phi Phi Don
Featured

Ko Phi Phi Don

4.6(930)
Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District
The largest island in the Ko Phi Phi archipelago, balancing vibrant beach life with dramatic natural scenery.
Koh Ngai

Koh Ngai

4.6(319)
Ko Lanta Yai, Kantang District
A tiny Trang island with one long east-facing beach, no town and no roads, just turquoise shallows, coral you can swim to, and three islets in the view.
Koh Kood
Featured

Koh Kood

4.7(881)
Koh Kood
Koh Kood (Ko Kut) is Thailand's fourth-largest island and arguably its most unspoiled — empty white beaches like Klong Chao and Ao Noi, water clear enough to shame the Andaman, waterfall swims in the jungle interior, and mangrove canals made for kayaking.
Koh Sak

Koh Sak

4.5(406)
Bang Lamung District
A mostly uninhabited island next to Koh Larn, 20 to 25 minutes by speedboat from Pattaya, visited on island-hopping tours for its east-side reef.