Made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film “The Beach”, Maya Bay, Thailand was one of the top tourist destinations before it was locked down for rehabilitation. The beautiful pristine waters are open to the public again but this time officials are strict on environmental conservation. Here’s everything you need to know before visiting.
It’s the perfect illustration of The Beach
Maya Bay is located on Koh Phi Phi Leh, a part of the About 17,000 people reside in the tropical paradise, and tourism is the main source of their income. The Beach, a 2000 Hollywood movie based on the same-named Penguin Books bestseller, made the location well-known and starred a young Leonardo DiCaprio. Every year since the film’s release, millions of people have visited the island.
Maya Bay was the victim of over-tourism
The four-month closure of Maya Bay in Thailand in 2018 was due to both ecological rehabilitation and severe weather. Later, authorities declared that the island will be permanently closed due to irreversible environmental harm. Thousands of snorkelers and day trippers would be dropped off at Maya Bay each day before the closure by multiple speedboats that would race back and forth from the bay. Its coral reefs were 80 per cent polluted as a result.
Boats are the only way to reach the bay
The majority of Maya Bay’s visitors are daytrippers from Krabi resort hotels, Phuket, and Phi Phi Don. The sole means of transportation to the bay are speedboats and long-tail boats. At Krabi, Phuket Airport, or other nearby sites and resorts such as Avani+ Koh Lanta Krabi Resort, you can reserve a boat to get to the Bay.
Treasures at the bay
One of the nicest things to do at Maya Bay is snorkelling. The water is incredibly clear and mostly calm from November to April, making it ideal for snorkelling. Visitors can also trek to the neighbouring Viking Cave, which lies on the island’s northeastern edge and has ancient artwork that dates back thousands of years.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}