Thailand’s Maya Bay beach to close down, thanks to damage caused by tourists

Maya Bay, a popular beach among tourists visiting Thailand from all parts of the world, has been closed down for the first time in order to prevent it from further damage due to increasing visitors.
Located on the popular Koh Phi Phi island, this beach has banned the entry of tourists until the month of September this year as a move aimed at reversing the damage caused in all this time.

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This beach rose to popularity and started propelling the growth of Thailand’s tourism business after it was made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer Hollywood flick, The Beach, in the year 2000.

Although the tourist ban imposed on this Thai beach between the months of June and September will greatly affect the boat tours from the place to the surrounding attractions, it will help the Maya Bay beach recover well as far as its environmental factors are concerned.


In a shock revelation made by marine expert from Bangkok’s Kasetsart University, Thon Thamrongnawasawat has said that 77 percent of the coral reef at the place has been damaged by tourism.

He said, “Temporary closures can help to a certain extent. But an ideal solution is a permanent closure, which is not possible due to our reliance on tourism revenue."

The damage caused in the last 10 years alone has increased from 30 percent to the current 77 percent.