Much-loved tourist attraction made famous by huge Hollywood movie to close AGAIN – just two years after reopening

A HUGELY popular tourist spot is set to close for two months, leaving travellers disappointed.

Thailand is a hugely popular destination for Brits, with its mix of culture, food and amazing beaches all high up on the list of reasons for people to visit.

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However, one of its most popular beach spots is going to prevent tourists from visiting for two months, starting from August.

Maya Bay in Phi Phi Islands is among the most famous in Thailand, thanks in no small part to Leonardo DiCaprio.

The bay is where scenes were filmed for the 2000 Danny Boyle film The Beach, based on a novel by Alex Garland, in which DiCaprio’s character Richard joins a hidden community of travellers with catastrophic consequences.

Its turquoise waters and perfect white sand made it the ideal place to film the movie, in which Tilda Swinton, Robert Carlyle and Paterson Joseph all also featured among the films stars.

Anyone looking visit the amazing island destination between now and the end of September has only a few days to do so.

From August 1 until September 30, Maya Bay will be closed off from visitors.

This is to allow natural resources and ecosystems to recover, with the number of visitors having a negative impact on the beach.

The beach was closed for more than two years by the Thai Government to combat the effects of over-tourism.

It reopened in January 2022 with new rules and regulations that help to manage the tourists and how they access the bay.

The closures are part of those new regulations, and help to prevent damage to coral reefs and other marine life.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said: “We want to ensure that future generations can enjoy the pristine beauty of Maya Bay.

“This temporary closure is a small sacrifice for a greater good.”

The closure is an annual one, which is also partly done for safety reasons.

explained: “It’s also intended to ensure tourist safety during the rainy season when sea conditions are rough, especially at the Loh Samah Bay pier, which is crucial for boat access to Maya Bay.”

Due to its popularity, an entrance fee was implemented at Maya Bay several years ago.

It costs visitors 400 Thai baht (£8.60) for adults and 200 Thai baht (£4.30) for children.

warned: “Some tours to Phi Phi Islands include the Maya Bay fee in the price of the tour.

“However, longtail boat tours from Phi Phi Don usually don’t include it. So make sure to check this with your tour operator.”

For those heading to Thailand over the next couple of months, there are other places in the Phi Phi Islands that can still be explored and that will remain open.

said: “The park offers numerous alternative destinations, including pristine beaches, lush forests, and vibrant coral reefs.”

Meanwhile, this popular UK tourist attraction has reopened after being closed for more than a year.

And this £250m attraction being built in the UK has suffered a setback and will now be delayed.