Maya Bay Closure: Thailand's iconic beach to take a break from tourists

Tourists who plan to spend their holiday in Thailand shortly will surely not be pleased with this information. One of the most popular places has announced a temporary closure. According to Thai media, nature "needs a break" from tourists.

Maya Bay is one of Thailand's most famous beaches and the world. It gained massive fame in 2000 when it appeared in the Hollywood film "The Beach." Since then, everyone has dreamed of visiting this paradise spot.

Unfortunately, as reported by Thai media, visiting Maya Bay beach will be impossible for the next two months. The paradise beach will be closed again on 1 August and will reopen on 1 October. Authorities emphasise that these measures were necessary for two reasons.

Firstly, it's about protecting nature, which needs to rest from the constant mass influx of holidaymakers. On the other hand, authorities are also concerned about the tourists' safety.

"This aims to ensure tourist safety during the rainy season when sea conditions are challenging. Especially at the Loh Samah Bay pier, which is crucial for boat access to Maya Bay," said Yutthapong Damsrisuk, head of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, as quoted by Nation Thailand.

Let’s recall that this is not the first time Maya Bay has been closed for a specific period. In 2018, it was announced that the beach would be unavailable to visitors for three months. However, this period significantly extended, and tourists returned to the paradise beach only after the COVID-19 pandemic, which was at the start of 2022. At that time, certain restrictions, such as limits on boats that could dock there, were introduced. Additionally, it was announced that temporary closures would be implemented regularly.