Maya Bay’s battle between mass tourism and the blacktip reef sharks

[snoop1130]

 

Maya Bay, located on Koh Phi Phi Leh in between Krabi and Phuket in Phang Nga Bay, was made famous as the location for the movie “The Beach” in 2000. The bay was a stunning backdrop for parts of the film and turned the natural lagoon into a tourism magnet, now one of the most poplar attractions in Thailand. Its lagoon is also home to blacktop reef sharks.

 

Tourists flocked to the area, but the influx of visitors had a negative impact on the local ecosystem, including the blacktip reef shark population. A tourism ban and the Covid pandemic resulted in a pause in mass tourism between 2018 and 2022, allowing the shark population to recover along with the rest of the Bay’s fragile ecology.

 

A new pier was added on the other side of the island, keeping boats out of the actual Maya Bay. Limited tourism resumed in 2022, but shark numbers have once again started to decline as the hordes of tourists return to the famous beach.

 

Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-travel/maya-bays-battle-between-mass-tourism-and-the-blacktip-reef-sharks/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-03-28

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[cheapcanuck]

Cut the "hordes of tourists" down to just "tourist." Problem solved.

[richard_smith237]

 

Quote

A new pier was added on the other side of the island, keeping boats out of the actual Maya Bay. Limited tourism resumed in 2022, but shark numbers have once again started to decline as the hordes of tourists return to the famous beach.

Blame the tourists..  how are they getting in the bay without the boats then ???... 

 

Where is this pier they talk of on the other side of the Island ?

Do they mean the pier on Phi Phi Don ???

 

 

Could it be the noisy songthaew boats that are causing the impact ??

Could that be reduced if the boats were quieter ?

 

 

 

[Adumbration]

My first visit to Maya bay was nearly forty years ago.  Reef was entirely destroyed from anchor and fin damage even back then.  So it cannot be any better than coral rubble nowadays.

 

I am absolutely astounded why people still visit Thailand for these "natural attractions".  They are all just destroyed and overpriced tourist traps at best.

 

Go and have a look at how repugnent Koh Tapoo is (James Bond Island) now days.  It is silted up and the surrounding sea is polluted and muddy at best.  Thai greed rode that destination into total collapse.  Absolutely no reason whatsoever to think that Maya bay will not suffer the same fate.

[sammieuk1]

Probably hanging up fermenting in a Wuhan market like most of the worlds wildlife ????

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A new pier was added on the other side of the island, keeping boats out of the actual Maya Bay. Limited tourism resumed in 2022, but shark numbers have once again started to decline as the hordes of tourists return to the famous beach.

Why hoards of tourists?

I thought the daily tourist numbers were going to be capped to protect the area?

Guess that got forgotten.