Maya Bay Ao Nang Thailand
Do you remember that awesome Leonardo Di Caprio movie, “The Beach”? It’s about this young English guy backpacking through Thailand, hunting for real adventure off the usual tourist track. Things get wild when he finds a map left by his roommate (who, let’s just say, isn’t around anymore) that’s supposed to lead to a secret beach. He teams up with a French couple and they all head to this island, thinking they’ve found heaven on earth: white sands, turquoise waters, and a stunning jungle.
They join a group of people who’ve dropped out of the rat race and are living it up there. But, plot twists – the island isn’t the peaceful paradise it seems, and their dream holiday quickly turns into something out of a horror movie.
Well, that beautiful island where the movie was set is in fact a real island just off the coast of Southern Thailand. It is called Ko Phi Phi Le. and the area where a lot of the movie is set is called Maya Bay. Which was only recently reopened as it had been closed to protect the local ecosystem from damage related to over-tourism.
As the Thai people are entrepreneurial this island and especially Maya Bay have become a huge tourist attraction cashing in on the fame of the movie. I recently visited this island, and the reality now is over 1000 people a day visit this beach to take the classic Insta photo, I was disappointed as what I had envisaged and what actually happens are worlds apart.
Yes, it is beautiful, and I know coming from Australia I am spoiled with beautiful islands like in the Whitsundays or Rottnest in the West but where is the line drawn as a tourist over a hyped tour which is expensive and the impact of over-tourism?
Now this is my opinion, and many may not agree but I was disappointed that reality was far from the fantasy. Love MyLifestyle
