Maya Bay, a beautiful cove made famous by 'The Beach' -- a 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio -- will reopen to tourists on January 1, 2022, according to Thailand's Department of National Parks
Officials in Thailand have announced a reopening date for one of the country's most famous attractions.
The popular destination has been off limits to tourists since June 2018 as officials embarked on a rejuvenation program aimed at reviving the popular area's decimated corals.Located in Thailand's Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Maya Bay is part of Phi Phi Leh -- one of the two main Phi Phi islands in Krabi province.
"The Beach," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Alex Garland.On a CNN visit to the area several weeks prior to its closure, visitor numbers multiplied by the minute as boats poured in and out of the bay. Many visitors to the area were day-trippers from Phuket, which is less than an hour's ride away by speedboat. According to official figures, the bay was receiving an estimated 5,000 visitors per day on average in 2018.
This picture taken on October 4, 2019 shows boats at the Maya Bay boundary line set by the Thai National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. The beach is off limits.In the statement, Varawut said the government is now working to finish the new piers and set up designated areas for water activities, which will be ready for the January 1 reopening.extended the closure
Incoming fliers who meet the updated requirements only need to stay one night in a government-approved hotel while they await the results of a Covid-19 test administered upon arrival.