Krabi’s famed Maya Bay will be off-limits for the next two months to allow the environment to rejuvenate before the tourist high-season restarts. The picturesque bay, renowned for its role in the movie ‘The Beach’, will welcome visitors again on September 30th of this year. This strategic shutdown is aimed at offering the bay’s marine ecology respite from the continuous influx of tourists, while also addressing safety concerns during the monsoon season’s rough waves. This annual closure, as suggested by the national park’s Head, prioritizes the wellbeing of this pristine paradise. Shaun Stenning of 5-Star Marine (Phuket’s top boat charter) said that they “fully support the annual closure of Maya Bay. When it’s open, the Bay receives a lot of visits from tourists and the 3 year closure in 2018 proved that giving Maya Bay a break is an important part of sustainable tourism for the area into the future.”

Our Take

Funny enough, I was down in Maya Bay just 3-weeks ago with my parents. I knew that the park closed once a year but didn’t realize how close we cut it! I feel extra lucky that we got in when we did now. That beach is absolutely spectacular if you’re able to arrive by 8 AM and enjoy it without the crowds. World class to say the least.