Maya Bay, one of the most popular tourist attractions on Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands in Krabi province, has been closed to visitors since mid-2018, due to over-tourism. The province is now pushing for its reopening.

Permanent-Secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, Jatuporn Burutpat, explained that the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation ordered the closure of Maya Bay for rehabilitation and improvement of the infrastructure, to enable the welcoming of tourists without affecting its environment.

He explained that, before the closure, Maya Bay used to welcome a lot of tourists, along with many boats, which had major effects on its natural environment. Therefore, all the improvements must be completed before considering reopening, including limiting the number of tourists.