‘The Beach’ reopens in Thailand
Officials in Thailand have announced a reopening date for one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions, according to CNN Travel.
Maya Bay, the beautiful, secluded cove made famous by ‘The Beach’, a 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, will reopen to tourists on 1st January 2022.
However, unlike many tourist destinations in Thailand and around the world, Maya Bay wasn’t originally closed due to the pandemic.
In June 2018, the decision to close the beach was taken by officials when they embarked on a rejuvenation programme aimed at reviving the corals decimated by tourism. According to Travel and Leisure, scientists have worked hard trying to restore the coral, even using superglue to regrow it.
Originally, Maya Bay was to be closed for just four months, but the closure was extended by two years, with the authorities citing the need for more time to replant coral in the bay and expand visitor facilities.
“Maya Bay has been continuously receiving interest from tourists around the world. But this has also caused (the natural area) to deteriorate, especially the corals,” said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-Archa in a statement issued on 14 November.
“After shutting down Maya Bay to revive and restore it, up until the present, it has returned to a good condition.”
Now, with the popular beach located in Thailand’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ready to reopen, there will be a few conditions to try and protect the area from further harm.
Only eight speed boats and 300 tourists will be able to dock by the cove at any one time. Each visit will be limited to one hour, and only between the times of 10am and 4pm daily.
Boats also won’t be able to enter the actual bay itself, instead, passengers will be dropped off at a nearby pier.
Currently, tourists can only view Maya Bay from a boat and snorkelling is permitted in front of the bay in specific areas.
