Famous Thai beach closes ‘to recover’

The secluded Thailand bay made famous by Leonardo Dicaprio movie The Beach is being closed to visitors after being pushed close to exhaustion by mass tourism.

Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh Island in the Andaman Sea will close to tourists for four months from today to give its coral reefs and sea life a chance to recover from an onslaught that began nearly 20 years ago.

A daily influx of dozens of boats has seen thousands of visitors unsuccessfully scrambling for an unspoiled view of glistening white sands and emerald waters, as featured in the film directed by Danny Boyle.