Why Maya Bay is Closed 2 Months per Year
Effect of mass tourism on Maya Bay
'The Beach' movie released in 2000 starting Leonardo DiCaprio. Because of the movie, Maya Bay got a lot of attention from travelers. Once social media started to adapt the already famous beach, things got out of hand. Corals were getting destroyed, marine life got disturbed.
Mass tourism was slowly but surely destroying this paradise which is why the government and national park decided to close the beach for public in 2018. This was done to give nature and wildlife a well-deserved big break. At that time it was not clear yet for how long the beach would be closed.
The grand reopening
On 1 January 2022, Maya Bay finally reopened its doors after being closed for more than 3 years. To not make the same mistakes again, the national park came with a set of rules in order to avoid another big closure of multiple years:
A maximum of 380 people can be in Maya Bay at the same time, monitored by the national park.
Boats cannot enter the bay of Maya Bay anymore. Parking is only possible at Loh Sama Bay at the backside and tourists dock at the floating pier, after which visitors need to walk 5 mins to get to Maya Bay.
Visitors cannot swim and cannot enter the water anymore, to protect the rebuilt corals and sharks.
A yearly closure of 2 months to continue the preservation of this beautiful bay. This closure starts from 1 August and lasts until 31 September. 1 October tourists can enter Maya Bay gain. (Important note: Phi Phi Islands remain open during these months. Only Maya Bay cannot be visited, all other spots can still be visited)
The impact of the preservation
The results were phenomenal and great improvements were noticed to the ecosystem. Newly planted corals started to bloom again and hairy leg mountain crabs were even spotted a few days after the reopening.
Before the closure, there were nearly no sharks in the bay anymore due to mass tourism. Today, more than 150 (!) blacktip reef sharks are living in this bay. When you take a sunrise tour, you are almost guaranteed to see dozens of them swimming around just next to you.
What to do in Koh Phi Phi in August and September?
You are probably wondering, why should I even visit Phi Phi Islands in August and September. Let me tell you that the wonders of Koh Phi Phi are far more than just Maya Bay alone. The 7 islands of the archipelago are absolutely gorgeous with places like Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Bay, Monkey Beach, Nui Bay and many more waiting for you to be discovered.
Mostly all of our tours are running in August and September. You can check the tours at the button below, the calendar and information is always up-to-date. See you soon!