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Thailand holidaymakers will be saddened to hear that popular day-trip destination Maya Bay will remain closed indefinitely.
The film The Beach, released in 2000 starring Leonardo DiCaprio, made the beautiful spot famous, but damage caused by tourists forced authorities to close the beach in June.
The closure was set to be temporary, with Maya Bay due to re-open this month, but today Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) announced the bay on the island of Koh Phi Phi Leh will remain closed indefinitely.
As Thailand has become popular with backpackers and luxury resort tourists, the damage to the island and the coral has intensified.
Plastic has also washed up on the shores as tourists throw their waste into the ocean.
The planned four-month closure intended to follow a rejuvenation program which would revive the area’s decimated corals, install additional boat jetties and more.
But in a letter from the DNP, signed by director-general Thanya Nethithammakul, it was announced the marine ecosystem needs more time to recover.
“The ecosystem and the beach’s physical structure have not yet returned to its full condition,” said the letter, in Thai.
The announcement added the closure would be extended from October onwards “until natural resources return to normal.”
Maya Bay is part of Thailand’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.
According to the DNP, the park would see as many as 2.5 million visitors in 2018, a year-on-year rise of half a million.
Tourists come to sunbathe, snorkel, and snap photos of the beautiful spot.
The closure will affect the travel industry, as one of the largest economies for Thailand.
Boat tours regularly travel to the island, with an estimated 5,000 tourists per day using small speedboats and larger party boats.
Maya Bay has no hotels and staying overnight on the island is not allowed.
Twitter users have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the beach’s closure.
“One of the most beautiful spots in the world…nice to see some patience for restoration vs pressure of tourism dollars,” one person tweeted.
Another commented: “A rapid growth in #tourism helps economic growth but also damages its #ecological development.
“I am so glad that #Thailand understood that and a big salute to their decision for closing tourist visits to #Mayabay for an indefinite time! As long as it takes!”
Thailand is far from the only country suffering from overtourism. Santorini in Greece is struggling to cope as record 32m tourists land on shores while Amsterdam has culled boozy bike tours and Venice has banned takeaway stores opening in the city.
