Maya bay in Thailand
After being closed for three years due to a massive rehabilitation program, the famous Maya Bay is now welcoming tourists. We’ve found that the best way to explore the breathtakingly beautiful bay is to stay at the neighbouring luxury resorts of SAii Laguna Phuket and SAii Village on Phi Phi Island.
Tourism is a double-edged sword that Thailand has grappled with. On the one hand, it drives and sustains its economy; on the other hand, there are adverse effects of excessive tourism. Nowhere is this more so than in Maya Bay, with pristine white sand beaches and coral reefs surrounded by gigantic limestone cliffs. Famous as the location for the 2000 film The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, it was packed with millions of tourists wanting to experience this slice of heaven. The ecosystem has been severely damaged by shipping and pollution, destroying almost 80% of the bay’s coral reefs.
In 2018, the Thai government decided to close this popular tourist destination in favor of a comprehensive rehabilitation program. The result is a newly opened Maya Bay, a magical beach getaway, attracting tourists, blacktip sharks, and dolphins to its sparkling shores.
Maya Bay is one of the most famous beaches in Thailand. The beautiful beach is located on the island of Koh Phi Phi Leh, near Koh Phi Phi Don. Maya Bay is also called Maya Beach and owes its fame to the film The Beach. with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. This film was partly shot in 1999 on the beautiful beach of Koh Phi Phi Leh. Unfortunately, this fame has resulted in more than 4,000 visitors daily.
If you know that Maya Bay is less than 300 meters wide, you also know that many tourists stay on a tiny part of the beach. While Maya Bay is still stunningly beautiful, visiting Thailand’s most famous coast is becoming a disappointment for more and more people. And what’s worse, nature just kept getting worse! Due to the many long tail boats, speed boats, and party boats full of tourists, it wasn’t easy to enjoy the beauty of the area, and the beach was crowded. You could find a quiet spot or take a picture without other tourists; then you’re in luck!
You could avoid the hustle and bustle by going early, but more and more people are getting there. And early in the morning, there is hardly any water in the bay (low tide), and the sun does not shine on the high limestone cliffs. There’s something special about being alone on the beach at Maya Bay, and it may be a little hard to tell. But it’s not Maya Bay at its best because that’s with the water and sunlight on the bay.
