Ao Maya

Dramatically flanked by green-clad cliffs, majestic Ao Maya sits on Phi-Phi Leh's western shoreline. In 2000, its beautiful sands were controversially used as a film set for The Beach, based on Alex Garland's novel, and the site quickly became a pilgrimage of sorts for travellers. More than a decade of over-tourism led to devastating ecosystem damage; in 2018, Thai authorities temporarily closed Ao Maya to visitors to try to combat the damage. The closure has been extended to 2021 and possibly beyond.