Skip to main content

Thai beach made famous by DiCaprio flick to close indefinitely

News
James Chapple
3 October 2018

Thailand’s famous Maya Bay beach is to close indefinitely to allow it to recover from the stresses and strains of overtourism.

Maya Bay.jpg

Every year, millions of tourists visit the iconic bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh island, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach.


According to The Guardian, the beach hosts as many as 5,000 tourists and 200 boats a day and is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.


The beach was initially closed in June for four months. However, Thailand’s department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation this week announced the closure would be extended for an indefinite period to allow the bay’s wildlife and beach ecosystems to recover.