The World Famous Maya Bay

I'm not that humongous a DiCaprio fan but I saw some of his movies like the Titanic, Blood Diamond, The Aviator, Catch me if you can, Romeo and Juliet and the Man in the Iron Mask. Last year we saw his movie shot in Thailand titled " The Beach" directed by Danny Boyle. The context of the film is basically simple but I was fascinated by the location of the film. I scoured the internet for information and viola it was shot in Thailand the world famous Maya Bay. You can read my post Backpacking to the Pearl of Andaman Sea.

We booked our Maya Bay tour in our hotel and paid P1,300THB or Php 1,798.00 ($45-50) for a private tour or Php 200-300 /person per hour ($5-7) if your joining a tour group. We chose to ride the long tails than the speedboat because they are much cheaper and for the experience as well.



ENROUTE TO PHI PHI LEY

Phi Phi Leh is an uninhabited island that lies 1.5km off the southernmost tip of Phi Phi Don. Your Phuket trip will not be complete without visiting this islands. Approaching Maya bay at the east side of the island passing Palong Bay. It took us 30 min to get to Maya Bay.









MAYA BAY
We arrived around 8:00 am. The view is stunning and breathtaking and reminds me of the film "The Beach" This mystic paradise is sheltered by 100 meter limestone cliffs on three sides . We only have 2 hours to enjoy the place. Why? you will know it later =). We went to the booth just in front of the beach to pay for the admission fee. Luckily no one was around to collect it.







The pathway to the comfort room. I'm not sure if this is the correct path from the movie" The Beach " that will lead you to their village.



More tourist are arriving from Phi Phi Don. My hubby wave at me to come near him and told me to swim only within the designated swimming area. A chinese tourist was accidentally struck in the head by the long tail's long propeller shaft last year.



The producers of 20th Century Fox's movie 'The Beach' gained permission from local authorities to use the tiny plot of land at the back Maya Bay as the location for the movie's ultimate beach paradise. 'Styling' Maya's beach to fit the needs of the movie required moving some of the very few trees there and adding coconut palms for a more tropical look.



This is a good photo opportunity because its not yet overcrowded by tourist. Floating buoys on the right is the swimming area. The famous attractions here is snorkeling because of the colorful corals and exotic fishes.

IT GETS OVERCROWDED

It's 10:15 am and this is the reason why you should visit the beach early. Hundreds of people visit Maya Bay each day. According to our boatman, there will be 30+ speedboats and long tail boats in the beach carrying hundreds of tourist everyday. I do hope that this God-given natural beauty will be preserve for the next 10 years or more. Stay tuned for Pi Leh Bay and Viking Cave on my next blog post.





Tuklasera Travel Tips

• Bring sufficient drinking water to keep you hydrated
• Dry Bag, towel and sunscreen is a must
• Snorkeling gear recommended
• Bring some cash. Remember that Maya Bay is a national park and you are required to pay the admission fee of 400THB (Php 500.00 or $10) per person upon arrival.
• Swim only within the designated area to avoid accidents.
• Be sure to get there before 10am to enjoy the place.
• The best time to visit Maya Bay is between November and April during the high season when seas are calm and access to the bay is easy. Rough seas from May to October may hinder access but rarely deny entry.

Rundown of Expenses

Maya Bay tour - Php 1,798 / boat
Maya Bay admission fee - Php 500.00/ pax
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