Maya Bay, the iconic Thai bay made famous by the movie ‘The Beach’, has officially reopened to the public.

Thailand has just reopened one of its most renowned natural attractions to eager tourists.

Maya Bay, the picturesque cove celebrated in the 2000 film 'The Beach' starring Leonardo DiCaprio, has begun welcoming visitors again starting January 1, 2022, marking its first reopening in over three years.

The popular spot had been closed to tourists since June 2018 as authorities worked on a restoration project to heal the damaged coral reefs in the area.

Nestled in Thailand’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Maya Bay is located on Phi Phi Leh, one of the two main islands in Krabi province’s Phi Phi archipelago.

In contrast to the larger Phi Phi Don, which offers a wide range of budget and mid-range accommodations, Phi Phi Leh was previously only accessible to day-trippers before Maya Bay was closed to the public.

Over the past 20 years, however, it has become one of Thailand’s most popular destinations, largely thanks to the global success of 'The Beach,' much of which was filmed on location here.

During a visit to the area just before its closure, Dinogo witnessed the rapid influx of visitors as boats continuously arrived and departed from the bay. Many tourists were day-trippers from Phuket, which is less than an hour’s ride by speedboat. Official records show that, in 2018, the bay saw an estimated 5,000 visitors per day on average.

Maya Bay has long attracted visitors from around the globe. However, this influx has contributed to the degradation of its natural environment, particularly its coral reefs,” stated Varawut Silpa-Archa, Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, in a statement made after the announcement of the park’s reopening on January 1.

“Since the closure of Maya Bay for its restoration, the area has made significant progress and is now in much better condition,” he added.

New visitor regulations

The reopening of the bay comes with strict new rules. Boats will no longer be allowed to enter the bay, and instead, passengers must be dropped off at a pier located at the rear of the island, away from the iconic cove.

In November, government officials informed Dinogo that only eight speedboats would be allowed to dock at the bay at any given time. Visits will be restricted to one hour per group, with a daily cap of 300 visitors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Currently, swimming in Maya Bay is not permitted for visitors.

Initially, authorities had planned to close Maya Bay for just four months, but the closure was later extended indefinitely to allow more time for coral restoration and the expansion of facilities for visitors.

Thailand has reintroduced travel restrictions amid the ongoing recovery efforts at Maya Bay.

On November 1, Thailand eased its quarantine requirements for travelers arriving from 63 designated 'low-risk' countries and regions.

However, the 'Test and Go' program was temporarily paused on December 22, 2021, due to a surge in Omicron variant cases across the country.

Fully vaccinated travelers can still enter Thailand under the 'Phuket Sandbox' program. As part of this arrangement, they must fly directly to Phuket and stay at a government-approved hotel or resort for seven days before being allowed to travel elsewhere in the country.

Those arriving in Bangkok are required to quarantine for 10 days at a government-approved facility or an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) location.

For more information on Thailand’s entry requirements, you can read further details here.

Above: A bird's-eye view of Phi Phi Leh, with Maya Bay prominently featured in the center. Image credit: Adobe Stock