Thailand's famous beach from 'The Beach' is closing after damage by too many tourists by Alison Millington on May 31, 2018, 6:42 AM Advertisement
 - Thailand's Maya Bay, made famous in 1998 film "The Beach," is closing to tourists for the first time.
- The crowds it attracts have caused damaged to the beach and its surroundings.
- The beach is also unlike the one depicted in the film due to its crowds, litter, and the noise of boat engines.
- It will close on June 1 and reopen on September 30.
Thailand's Maya Bay, made famous in the 1998 film "The Beach," is closing down on Friday, June 1 because it has been damaged by too many tourists.
A bucket list tropical spot for all travellers, the stunning beach became extra popular with visitors after Leonardo DiCaprio graced its shores in Danny Boyle's film. 467,000 UK tourists visited Thailand in 2016 — but their trips to Maya Bay have caused damage to the beach and its surroundings, according to environmentalists. According to the BBC, Thai authorities will close the beach, a short strip of land on the island of Ko Phi Phi, to tourists for the first time to give it "a chance to recover from the strain of thousands of daily visitors." 
The current beach is also unlike the one depicted in the film, according to tourists, as it is much more crowded and "definitely not relaxing" with the sound of speedboat engines in the background and some litter on the sand. One 23-year-old tourist, Lara Vogelsberg, told the BBC: "The beach in the film is very relaxing, there are no people to be seen, and you get this idea of a very lonely place in the middle of nowhere. "Then you come here and you think you're in Times Square in New York." You can watch the trailer for "The Beach" here: Thon Thamrongnawasawat, an advisor to Thailand's national parks department, said: "We are a beautiful country but we have to protect our natural resources. "We have significant information that all the boats that come in and out really impact the coral reef." The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in Thailand also recognised "the deterioration of the ecosystem in the area of Maya Bay" in a notice. 
However, as tourism is a massive source of income for the country, the beach won't be closed forever, and is set to reopen on September 30 ahead of high season. "We won't close it to tourism forever but have to do something to save our sea, and we have to start at Maya Bay," Thamrongnawasawat said. SEE ALSO: We asked a travel expert whether booking cheap flights or collecting air miles will save you the most money — and the answer was clear
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