Humans frolic with sharks as eco-tourism flourishes in Maya Bay

Maya Bay in Krabi is open and teeming with life again after four years of rehabilitation since being closed to tourists in 2018.

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Made famous by “The Beach” (2000), a Hollywood blockbuster starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Maya Bay in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park became the victim of its success as the tourism industry took a toll on its pristine coral reefs, aquamarine waters, and beach.

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But visitors are now back, literally immersing themselves in the rebirth of the natural surroundings. Tourists are now paddling with sharks, as Maya Bay strikes a balance between wildlife and the tourism industry on which locals depend.