Should You Visit Maya Bay?

Because of our recent visit to Maya Bay, I felt the need to watch the movie again. There were a couple of inconsistencies about Maya Bay presented in the film that might confuse movie fans and prospective tourists. The first one is Maya Bay’s location, which is actually within the Koh Phi Phi archipelago and nowhere close to Koh Phangan, as suggested in the movie. The second fallacy is that the bay is completely closed off to the ocean by limestone karsts. And although there are indeed spectacular limestone cliffs protecting the bay; a huge opening to the ocean exists. These fallacies, however, do not take away from the beauty of Maya Bay.

“The Beach” Controversy

It is also important to note that the Maya Bay we see today is not how it used to look before the movie was filmed on the island.   Environmentalists were shaken up and controversy stirred when the film production decided to alter the ecosystem on the island by removing original trees and plants, and replacing them with palm trees; all in the name of making Maya Bay appear more “tropical” for the movie.  Complaints were lodged by environmentalists, who were baffled by the government’s decision to allow the production to make such alterations, especially because Koh Phi Phi Leh is part of a protected marine park.  The movie ironically talks about environmental conservation; and its lead star DiCaprio has eventually become an outspoken Hollywood crusader for Mother Nature.

Thoughts on the Famous Bay

Having seen Maya Bay, I cannot deny that it is truly a stunning beach. It has white pearly powdery sand and possibly the clearest water out of all the bays in the region.  The limestone karsts that jut out of the water and look like mighty guardians give the bay a unique character. It is hard to find any other beach in the world that has those picturesque limestone formations set up the way there are at Maya Bay. What’s surprising is that the beach itself is not that long, barely 500 meters long; but the number of tourists it receives on a day-to-day basis is mind boggling.

Maya Bay is definitely beyond gorgeous, but it is hard to enjoy its beauty when there’s about a thousand people crammed on this small bay. I couldn’t really enjoy the view of the water and karsts, as they were disrupted by almost 70 longtail and speed boats coming in and out of the bay.  It was a ‘superlative’ display of mass tourism.  Admittedly, the visit made me feel uneasy and torn.

There’s no doubt that Maya Bay is a money-maker for the local tourism industry and at this point, nobody can stop people from coming to see one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I normally would have no problem with crowded attractions, especially when such places deserve their popularity. A museum, concert, and even an ancient city can handle the crowd, but can Maya Bay’s fragile ecosystem, which has already been altered, do the same?

Given that it’s officially part of a marine park, and to ensure the preservation of its natural beauty, I personally feel that regulations must be set to limit the number of people and boat operators coming into Maya per day. Perhaps this is one of those things that are easier said than done, and you may think it’s more convenient for me to voice out this wishful thinking as I already had the opportunity to see the enchanting bay myself. So if you are still wondering whether you should visit Maya Bay or not? Only you can answer this question my dear travelers, only you.

Take note that Maya Bay is separate from Koh Phi Phi Don, where accommodation is available for tourists. If for some reason you won’t be able to see Maya Bay, your visit to Koh Phi Phi Don will not be in vain, as this place is stunning on its own.