Maya Bay: Thailand’s Iconic Paradise Reopens with New Sustainable Rules

Thailand’s iconic Maya Bay, made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach, has finally reopened to visitors after four years of closure and is making strides towards its sustainability goals with new visitor rules.

With dramatic karst cliffs, fine white sand, and a coin-shaped turquoise-hued bay, Maya Bay, part of the Hat Noppharat Tara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, meets Hollywood’s standards for a tropical paradise. If you’ve visited Thailand, it’s likely you experienced its beauty firsthand; at its peak popularity in 2018, around 6,000 people descended upon Maya Bay each day.

However, at only 15 meters wide and 250 meters long, this relatively small bay became a victim of its own allure. Visitors often littered, damaged plants and sand, frightened wildlife, and boat anchors are believed to have harmed nearly 50% of Maya Bay’s coral. Consequently, images of throngs of tourists in what was supposed to be a protected area led to outrage among Thai citizens. In 2018, park officials closed the bay abruptly.

Initially, the closure was set for four months. However, it became clear that a longer period was needed for the natural environment to recover, as well as to install the necessary protective infrastructure. Consequently, the closure extended to four years, finally reopening on January 1, two months after Thailand began welcoming vaccinated tourists.

“Maya Bay has been continuously receiving interest from tourists around the world, which has contributed to the degradation of the natural environment, particularly the corals,” stated Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-Archa. “After shutting down Maya Bay to revive and restore it, it has returned to a good condition.”

What’s Changed? New Entry Rules and Sustainable Goals

Following the entrance barricading in 2018, Maya Bay underwent thorough cleaning; trees, plants, and corals were replanted. The installation of new tourism infrastructure then commenced. A boardwalk was constructed to limit damage to sand and plants, and future visitors will access Maya Bay via a floating dock located behind the karst cliffs, ensuring that boats cannot anchor in the bay itself. Additionally, designated areas for swimming have been established.

Most importantly, the park has implemented a cap on the number of visitors allowed in Maya Bay. Vorapot Lomlim, head of Hat Noppharat Tara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, announced that visitor numbers would be limited to 300 people in one of seven or eight shifts per day between 10 AM and 4 PM, effectively restricting the total daily visitors to 3,000.

Animals Return to Maya Bay

The closure has benefitted the natural environment of Maya Bay. Last year, the national park shared photos and videos showcasing a seemingly pristine, untouched bay, drawing stark contrasts to previous years filled with tourists. Furthermore, wildlife is beginning to return, with underwater cameras having documented as many as 100 black-tipped sharks; a significant increase from only six observed in 2018.

This article was first published on August 31, 2020, and updated on January 6, 2022.