Watch the Sun setting down the horizon, spend the night in the wilderness of woods, spot planktons illuminating in the sea and sleep under the starlit sky. One of the most exotic and adventurous experiences in Thailand, this is Maya Bay Sleep Aboard in a nutshell.
I am talking about the magical beach of Leonardo di Caprio’s movie, ‘The Beach‘. The stunning Maya Bay is snuggled by high cliffs on three sides and several small beaches inside, some of which are located at low tide. The longest, main beach has velvety white sand, crystal clear water, colourful coral underneath and an exotic sea life.
You can choose the day trip if you just prefer snorkelling, kayaking, diving and chilling; but I highly recommend the sleep aboard. It is to be noted that private tours can be taken in the daytime but only the tour organiser has the permission for an overnight stay. The night trip leaves from the pier of Phi Phi Don at 3:00 pm and takes a tea and snorkelling halt at Phi Phi Leh to see the Viking Cave. The boat arrives at Maya Bay before sunset. Strong and ambitious swimmers can jump into the water and directly reach the shore by swimming.
While arriving you will witness the day trippers winding up and leaving, just in time for the breathtaking sunset. You can then swim, chill, get to know your co-travellers, explore the place and do some photography. We had a good conversation with an Australian couple on honeymoon, just like ourselves. At 8:00 pm the party starts with local rum or vodka buckets, games and music. The dinner spread is laid around 10:00 pm with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. By this time, we were hanging out with 2 friendly girls from the UK with Indian origin carrying Indian munchies, much to our delight! 😀
You can then head for a swim in tranquil waters to spot and play with planktons. 11:00 pm is bedtime, and your bed is under a clear sky with plenty of shooting stars. You can wake up to sunrise, have breakfast with your brand new friends, snorkel again and get on the board for Phi Phi Don.
P.S.- National park entry fee, food, liquor, snorkelling equipment and sleeping bags are all included in the package.
Food, Health, Travel, Lifestyle 