Maya Bay: Thailand's famous beach has now closed for four months When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. Maya Bay has been damaged over time by the huge influx of tourists that visit every year. Since the release of the famous film The Beach 18 years ago, many travellers have headed to the island to explore it for themselves. 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. Maya Bay has now closed from today (June 1) and will remain shut for tourists for the next four months.<doc-sep>(CNN) — It's 9 a.m. on a May morning in Thailand's Maya Bay in the Andaman Sea, a destination made famous by "The Beach" movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. But instead of the pristine, empty shores seen in the film directed by Danny Boyle, the scene is far more chaotic. Selfie-taking tourists line the sand, which is crammed full with speed boats. Visitor numbers multiply by the minute as boats pour in an out of the bay, dropping off more bodies to sunbathe and snorkel. But as of June 1, the bucket list Thailand hotspot is blocking its shores to visitors. Well, temporarily. Part of the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Maya Bay will be closed from June 1 to September 30, 2018 on the orders of Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) as part of a four-month rejuvenation program. Maya Bay, on Ko Phi Phi Leh island, will be closed to tourists for four months. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images According to a statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), boats will not be allowed to enter the bay in front of the beach or drop anchor at Loh Samah Bay, both part of the tiny Ko Phi Phi Leh island. Travelers can instead see the bay between the two cliffs that form a natural entrance to the lagoon, under the strict supervision of the DNP. "During the four-month period, the DNP will undertake a coastal and marine environment quality evaluation study on the condition of reef and beach resources, environmental control and tourism management," says the TAT's statement. "This is to properly determine measures for environmental sustainability of Maya Bay during future off-tourist seasons." Tourists snorkel in the water near Maya Bay. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images First Boracay, now Maya Bay Thailand does close national parks annually for a variety of reasons, from extreme weather to ecological recovery, but this is the first time Maya Bay has been shut -- though environmentalists have been pushing the move for years. Maya Bay is part of Thailand's Krabi province and close to Phi Phi Don, a popular beach holiday destination. Data released by the DNP suggests that the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park could see as many as 2.5 million visitors in 2018, a year-on-year rise of half a million. The Philippines has announced a six-month closure of the popular tourist destination of Boracay over concerns its beaches and water have suffered environmental damage. The move to close Maya Bay follows on the heels of the Philippines government's decision to close the popular tourist destination of Boracay for six months, beginning April 26, over concerns the island's famous beaches and clear blue waters have been transformed into a "cesspool" due to sustained environmental damage.<doc-sep>The Thailand beach made famous in the Leonardo DiCaprio film “The Beach” is being closed to give it a break from tourists. The beach sits on Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh island, off the coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. The government ordered that no visitors will be permitted to go to the bay from June through September 2018. Thai officials say the decision is aimed at giving the area’s coral reefs and sea life a chance to recover. Tourism officials say up to 5,000 visitors travel to the beach every day. Thon Thamrongnawasawat is an ocean scientist and member of a government committee on environmental development. He told the Associated Press the closure is needed to help the beach heal. “It’s like someone who has been working for decades and has never stopped,” he said. “Overworked and tired, all the beauty of the beach is gone. We need a timeout for the beach.” Maya Bay was used as the main filming area for the 2000 movie “The Beach.” It starred Leonardo DiCaprio as an American traveling through Asia with friends. The group is given a map that promises to lead them to paradise on earth. The film showed the world the bay’s beautiful white sandy beaches and bright blue waters. Many of Thailand’s ocean national parks are closed from mid-May to mid-October. But high tourist demand led officials to keep Maya Bay open the whole year. Recent studies by ocean biologists found a large part of coral reefs in the area had disappeared. Most sea life was also gone. Thon had urged the government to close the area to visitors for many years. He said he thinks the action should have been taken at least 10 years ago. “But you know in Thailand we are a tourism industry country, and we need a lot of money, so before not so many people listened.” A Thai official in the tourist area of Phuket told Reuters the closing of Maya Bay was one way to protect part of the country’s natural beauty, which will be important for tourism in the future. But some local people are not completely happy. The head of the Phi Phi Tourist Business Association, Watrapol Jantharo, said he was surprised when the closure was announced. He said he and others in the area thought Maya Bay would only be closed to boats, while visitors would still be permitted to walk to the beach from the other side of the island. “We are not against protecting our environment,” Watrapol said. “We know full well that Maya Bay is our important resource, like a rice field to a farmer. But we wish there were more communications about the government’s plan before the decision was made.” Other Southeast Asian beach resorts have also come under threat because of continued increases in the number of visitors. ​In the Philippines, the government began in late April a six-month closure of its popular tourist island of Boracay. The island is known for its soft, white sand beaches and lively nightlife. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had called the area around Boracay a “cesspool” because of large amounts of waste going directly into the ocean. “The germ content is already very high there. It only looks good because of the white coastline,” Duterte said. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure coral reef – n. a long line of coral that lies in warm, shallow water (coral: a hard material formed on the bottom of the sea by the skeletons of small creatures) paradise – n. a perfect place or situation resource – n. natural substances such as water and wood that are valuable in supporting life cesspool – n. large, underground hole or container used for collecting and storing human waste and dirty water germ – n. a very small organism that causes disease<doc-sep>
Maya Bay, the popular beach in Thailand made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie The Beach, will be closed to tourists after Friday. The beach, located on the Phi Phi Leh Island in the Andaman Sea, has seen a huge influx of crowds since the movie came out in 2000. It will be closed for four months each year, which should allow the coral reefs and sea life to recover. The massive amounts of sand kicked up by tourists have damaged the reefs. You've probably seen it somewhere on your Instagram explore feed. It's become a popular destination for influencers, travelers, and tourists. Many of Thailand's beaches are closed mid-May to October because of Monsoon season, but Maya Bay usually stays open year-round because of its popularity. When the beach does reopen, there will be a limit of 2,000 tourists per day. "I tried to push this campaign for many, many years, but you know in Thailand we are a tourism industry country and we need a lot of money, so before not so many people listened," marine biologist and member of a government committee on development and the environment Thon Thamrongnawasawat said. "It should have been done 10 years ago but at least it has been done," he said. The Thai people hope to find a balance between preservation and profit, but some locals aren't happy about the closure. "We are not against protecting our environment," Phi Phi Tourist Business Association head Watrapol Jantharohe said. "We know full well that Maya Bay is our important resource, like a rice field to a farmer, but we wish there are more communications about the government's plan before the decision was made." Additional reporting by the Associated Press. Follow Emma on Instagram.