Information is starting to firm up regarding the redevelopment of Maya Bay, made famous from the movie ‘The Beach’. Maya Bay was shut to tourists in June of 2018 by Thailand’s Department for National Marine Parks. It was closed due to concerns that mass-tourism was harming the bay and the beach.
However the government has reacted with Thailand’s DNP presenting solutions which will allow the popular Maya Bay to possibly begin to welcome visitors as early as November 2020.
Construction plans are underway in an effort to re-open the beach to tourists while abiding by conservation principles as well. Recent years have seen a tremendous effort being put into the restoration project, designed to provide a way forward for sustainable and manageable tourism.
The recently announced plans, provide for new infrastructure to be built on Koh Phi Phi Leh. They include a viewing platform, a new rigid pier to be built on the other side of the beach, at Loh Samah Bay. To allow tourists to move freely, a boardwalk will be built between the new pier at Loh Samah Bay and Maya Bay beach. This is designed to prevent ongoing and further damage to the area.
In order to make all of this happen, development contracts were awarded to Suchardti Karnchang Company (สุชาติการโยธาจำกัด) in order to improve the facilities at Maya Bay. The first project involves construction of a rigid wooden pier at Maya Bay’s back entrance. The new pier will provide a safe area for speedboats and long-tail boats to moor.
Thailand’s Department for National Parks has invested 6,050,000 baht for the construction of the new pier. The aim is to be finished before the end of 2020. This 3D rendering shows the soon to be constructed rigid pier, which will be constructed at Loh Samah Bay incorporating a ramp elevating over the cliffs at Loh Samah Bay.
Boats will be able to dock on the rear of Maya Bay and tourists will be guided over the bridge, leading directly onto a new boardwalk. The boardwalk will pass through Loh Samah Bay and out onto a viewing platform at Ao Maya.
The second project (also awarded to Suchardti Karnchang Co.) will construct an elevated boardwalk from Loh Samah Bay then leading out onto Maya Bay beach, where a large viewing platform will be available for tourists, which will also will overlook the bay. There will be secondary viewing platforms as well as new seating areas, bathroom facilities and food and drink kiosks.
The aim of the boardwalk is to replace the existing infrastructure, with a large difference in approach being that moving forward, the new system is looking to keep all tourists on the designated walkways. It is hoped that the new boardwalks will ensure protection of the nature in the area, with ongoing opportunities for the sustained growth and re generation of the area. However it is currently unknown if tourists will be allowed to swim in the ocean (potentially damaging corals) or have access to Maya Bay Beach.
Story Source – https://fivestarthailandtours.com
