'The Beach' with Leonardo DiCaprio seems to be still a major magnet for people to visit the Phi Phi Islands, even though it was made many years ago -- in 2000 to be specific, that is just shy of a decade. The one great thing about 'The Beach' has been indeed Maya Bay on Phi Phi Ley. One gets to see this bay for the first time when coming with the Phi Phi Cruiser ferry from Phuket. The boat does not anchor there of course, but it gives a first glimpse of what can be seen on a later trip from Phi Phi Don Village to here.
Maya Bay from Phi Phi Cruiser ferry, June 2008
"Tourism has increased dramatically on Phi Phi island since Koh Phi Phi Leh was the backdrop for the 2000 movie 'The Beach', starring Leonardo DiCaprio." and other breathless statements can be read in any brochure about Phi Phi, giving great insistence that people do indeed come because they have seen the movie. I personally thought of 'The Beach' as rather mediocre, the psychology of the group of backpackers going at each other being obvious too fast and their characters flat and mainly uninteresting. But then I do think that most Americal moviews in recent years do lack personality, as they need to appease to everybody.
What I really believe is this: the majority of visitors coming to Phi Phi are not hidden rebels who want to flee civilization, they are much more like you and me and come because they want to experience nature (Maya Bay and the limestone cliffs of the region) without giving up too much on the exciting side of their holiday (the beach bars on nearby Phi Phi Island); scuba diving, snokeling, having a day on the beach and then a nice evening with friends in Reggae Bar...
And Maya Bay is really an icon for this kind of thing: tantalizingly beautiful, as natural a spot in this world as one can easily get to, full of romance. If you are doing your honeymoon on Phi Phi or nearby Krabi or Phuket, chances are very high that Maya Bay is on the list of must-see places.
Maya Bay on Phi Phi Ley
But see for yourself in this
Maya Bay image gallery.
Links of Interest:
