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That of Maya Bay, located on the island of
Phi Phi Leh
, is a not uncommon story of our time.
Victim of excess tourism, the small (barely 15 meters wide by 250 long) but extraordinary sandy area was about to die of success.
At the peak of its popularity, back in 2018, some
6,000 people
walked its idyllic white sand every day.
From both Krabi and Phuket, the ferry trip to Phi Phi took about 90 minutes.
Too easy.
That same year, the Thai authorities made a drastic decision: the total closure of what had become one of their star destinations.
The hordes of tourists had
ruined the coral reefs
and much of their marine life.
They needed time to recover from the damage of mass tourism.
The arenal in 2015, in the midst of a flood of tourists SHUTTERSTOCK
Maya Bay became world famous in 1999 for appearing in the movie
The Beach
, starring
Leonardo DiCaprio
and directed by
Danny Boyle
(
Trainspotting
,
Slumdog Millionaire ...).
Based on Alex Garland's cult novel, the film was shot in Phi Phi amid rumors of some green vandalism, as the greenery had to be rearranged to appeal to Hollywood producers.
The 2004 tsunami and the effect of tourism did the rest ... Until the Thai government said enough, following in the wake of other endangered destinations, such as
Koh Yoong,
also in the Phi Phi archipelago, and
Koh Tachai
, in the Park Mu Ko Similan National, both closed in 2016.
In the summer of 2018, a line was established that boats could not cross so that
no one would get too close
to the bay.
Meanwhile, a plan was designed to rehabilitate the island's natural wealth.
A plan that seems to have worked.
From today, January 1, it is allowed to visit the island again, but with restrictions.
The number of tourists who can access the beach has been limited to
375 at a time
.
Also, swimming will not be allowed because the sea around Maya Beach is home to a large number of blacktip reef sharks.
Finally, tourists who want to explore this corner of Thailand will have to pay the entrance to the marine national park and an extra if they also want to visit DiCaprio's beach.
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