What’s not to love about Thailand? Beautiful beaches, amazing nightlife, friendly locals… but the more popular Thailand becomes, the more important it is for us to ensure that its natural beauty isn’t affected.
Thai Authorities Announce Indefinite Maya Bay Closure
You may have heard rumours recently about the closure of Maya Bay, in Koh Phi Phi Leh, Thailand.
The bay, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie, The Beach, is had previously been closed for 4-months as of June 1st 2018 in order to conserve the surrounding National Park. The Bay was due to reopen in October 2018, however officials have decided to close ‘The Beach’ indefinitely to give the area more time to recover from environmental damage.
Though this may be disappointing news for those travelling to Thailand, this closure is for the greater good of Maya Bay and is a very important step towards sustainable tourism in Thailand.
What you Need to Know
- Maya Bay’s closure is to allow regrowth and regeneration of the surrounding National Park
- The Beach is closed indefinitely until Thai officials decide that the bay’s ecosystems have recovered
- Our 11 day Ultimate Thailand tour will have a slight change of itinerary during this time, offering more amazing snorkel spots and island hopping
Why is Maya Bay Closing?
Seeing over 4000 visitors every single day, the marine life and surrounding nature has suffered, and needs revitalisation to remain as beautiful as it once was.
This is not unusual.
Many marine parks in Thailand are closed between May and October every year for revitalisation, however, Maya Bay has remained open due to popular tourist demand. Supporting sustainable tourism, we are happy to see the Thai government is taking steps to ensure these popular areas do not suffer due to tourism.
How Will This Affect My Trip?
If you are travelling with Ultimate Thailand, you may be disappointed to hear of Maya Bay’s closure, however, rest assured that Maya Bay is only one of the fantastic locations that we visit and your overall Thailand experience will not be affected by this closure!
You’ll still get to experience stunning Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding area, as we will be replacing our time in Maya Bay with a visit to spectacular islands in the Anderman sea, snorkelling and relaxing on a traditional longtail boat!
Have Any More Questions?
If you have any questions about the Maya Bay closure, feel free to leave a comment down below and we will get back to you as soon as possible! Otherwise, drop us a private message on our Facebook page!
