THAILAND: Maya Bay Remains Closed

Thailand's popular Maya Bay will be continue to be closed to tourists until the end of October due to unfinished restoration and dangers associated with the current monsoon season.

The pristine beach on the southern island of Koh Phi Phi popularized by the 2000 movie "The Beach" was closed for the first time in June after it was discovered that most of its coral had been damaged by boat anchors.

The part of the bay where damaged corals are rehabilitating and new corals are being planted has been closed to boats permanently, the National Park Department has said.

Initially, the beach had been set to reopen for tourists on October 1 but the temporary closure has been extended as a tourist bridge has not been completyed, according to Nopparat National Park chief Worapoj Lomlim.

We're also concerned about the tourists' safety amid the current monsoon season, Worapoj said, adding that damaged corals have rehabilitated fast and officials have managed to plant more than 2,000 new coral colonies during the closure.

The temporary closure will continue each year to prevent further damage to the environment.

Thailand's overall coral damage has reached a critical level, with an alarming increase to 78 per cent from 30 per cent a decade ago, said Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a prominent marine ecologist overseeing the effort.

The famous Maya Bay in Thailand has been closed for three months to give its coral reefs a chance to recover. After the reopening on October 1st, each visit will be limited to one hour.

Since June, more than 500 new coral colonies have been planted in Maya Bay, on Phi Phi Leh island in the Andaman Sea.

The young corals are growing at an unbelievably fast pace. We will soon see the return of this paradise, said Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a prominent marine ecologist overseeing the effort.

Maya Bay — popularized by "The Beach," a Hollywood movie released in 2000 — was closed for the first time in June after it was discovered that most corals in the area had been damaged by boat anchors.

The front of Maya Bay, where damaged corals are rehabilitating and new corals are being planted, has been closed to boats permanently, according to the National Park Department.

Tourists can access the bay from the back entrance when it reopens on October 1. The four-month temporary closure will continue each year to prevent further damage to the environment.

Thailand’s overall coral damage has reached a critical level, with an alarming increase to 78 per cent from 30 per cent a decade ago, Thon said.

The country aims to balance the booming tourism industry and the protection of ecosystems. Thailand welcomed about 35 million international visitors last year, a five-fold increase in little more than two decades.

At Maya Bay alone, there were some 4,000 tourists each day. After the reopening, the government has set a limit of only 2,000 tourists a day who will be allowed to visit the beach, with each visit limited to one hour.

The once-pristine Thai bay which became a tourist magnet after the 2000 movie "The Beach" will be closed to boats for several months to prevent further damage to its coral, an official said Wednesday.

Hordes of tourists flock daily to Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Ley for selfies in front of the famed limestone cliffs and blue waters, leading to complaints of environmental damage to the water and sand.

But the picture-postcard beach of the Leonardo DiCaprio film will be closed to boats from June to September this year, Worapoj Lomlim of the Phi Phi islands National Parks told.

For around 20 years the bay has welcomed boats to moor in front of the beach but their engines have damaged coral reefs and caused problems with the sand, he said.

Overcrowded tourist boats have also blocked the view, he added, saying tourists will still be able to reach the beach by foot from an adjacent bay where boats can park.

The closure is the latest effort to mitigate damage caused by tourism, a crucial pillar of Thailand's economy with more than 35 million travellers visiting last year.

But environmental experts and officials are worried the mass tourism is causing irreversible damage to idyllic beaches, with litter and unchecked development disrupting local ecosystems.

Smoking has already been banned on 20 of the country's most famous beaches this high season, with a hefty fine or even jail for those who flout the new rule.


Tourism Observer

SOUTHEAST ASIA: Disasters Impact Tourism In Southeast Asia, 600,000 Chinese Tourists Cancelled Trips To Thailand In July

Summer 2018 has been an eventful one, not least for some of Southeast Asia’s top tourist destinations, which have endured more than their fair share of tragedy and turmoil.

On August 5, the Indonesian island of Lombok was hit by a second deadly earthquake in less than a week, this one killing at least 108 people, and sparking a desperate search for survivors and a mass exodus of tourists.

That followed the Phoenix boat disaster on July 5, in Phuket, in which 47 Chinese nationals lost their lives.

In the wake of the accident, as many as 600,000 Chinese tourists cancelled July trips to Thailand.

According to the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, this represents a 37-billion-baht (US$1.1 billion) loss of revenue and a 26 per cent reduction in arrivals from China, compared with the same period last year.

Officials predict the downturn to continue throughout August, with as many as 930,000 Chinese visitors staying away, although many have suggested it could have been worse.

Coverage of the tragedy was largely eclipsed by the feel good story of the summer, the Tham Luang cave rescue.

Elsewhere in Thailand, the closure of Maya Bay on June led to a dramatic decline in tourism revenues at Nopparat Thara Beach-Phi Phi Islands National Park, in Krabi province.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) estimates a loss of almost 57 million baht from June to July.

DNP deputy chief Jongklai Worapongsathorn said, We are not too concerned as we have made it our priority to rehabilitate the bay’s ecosystem.

In an effort to alleviate the environmental pressures placed on the beach by the influx of tourist boats it received prior to closing, the DNP is building a jetty that is expected to be completed by the time the bay reopens on October 1, with the hope that tourists and the revenues they bring return.

Despite revising downwards its forecast number of Chinese tourist arrivals for the second half of 2018 by almost 670,000, to 5.1 million, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is working hard to ensure that its top tourist market rebounds in time for China’s golden week holiday, from October 1 to 7.

Special immigration lanes for Chinese passport holders are being opened at airports serving Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai. Authorities are also considering providing multiple-entry visas.

It is not all doom and gloom in the Philippines, where popular island destination Boracay has been closed since April 26.

According to Department of Trade and Industry figures, tourist arrivals rose by more than 10 per cent, to 3.2 million, from January to May.

Lance Gokongwei, president and chief executive of airline Cebu Pacific said: Even with the closure of Boracay, we’re seeing tremendous growth in tourism.

We saw an opportunity to redeploy the aircraft flying to Boracay to additional destinations, such as Busuanga, Siargao and Negros Oriental.

Those that are not quite in the limelight like Boracay, they suddenly sprouted. And I think it’s good because it’s creating opportunity to build more legs to our tourism strategy.

Not only Boracay and Cebu, said Gokongwei. Now there’s four or five jewels.

Earlier this year, Lombok was identified by Indonesian authorities as being one of 10 destinations that could replicate the success of its neighbour, the hugely popular Bali, which, let’s not forget, has its own worries, the highly active Mount Agung keeping volcano watchers and other local officials on their toes.

As it has transpired, the impact of both the quake and the mass evacuation of tourists on the lives and livelihoods of inhabitants of the increasingly popular Lombok are likely to be felt for some time.


Tourism Observer

PHILIPPINES: Guimaras Island A Beacon For Bliss

Known for their sweet mangos, Guimaras is a province island in Western Visayas that is favorite tourist destination because of its many attractions.

Having many Islets surrounding the main island, it is no wonder why Guimaras has so many beautiful white sand beaches which captivates the hearts of many of its guests. Jordan is the capital of Guimaras

The Navalas Church built in 1880 to 1885 is the oldest existing Catholic Church in Guimaras Island. It is said that the church used to have a four feet tall bell but was taken and dumped into the sea near the area of Siete Pecados.

To date, the interior and other parts of the church are already modern but the old facade made of coral stones and stone fence remain untouched.

You might get curious about some buzz about Roca Encantada or Enchanted Rock. The place is the summer vacation house of the Lopez Clan. Built atop a rock but since some landscaping was made the appearance of the rock cannot be noticed anymore.

Constructed in 1910, despite its modern architectural design, the mansion was declared by the National Heritage Institute as a heritage house.

The place offers an amazing vista and the famed Islas de Siete Pecados which can be seen from the balcony.

SAN LORENZO WIND FARM (GUIMARAS WINDMILLS)

Another added attraction on the Island of Guimaras is the 27 windmills constructed in San Lorenzo Guimaras.

Just like the windmills in Bangui, Ilocos, these windmills also attracts tourists visiting the island.

The windmills are sporadically constructed atop the hills of the place giving the tourists nice vistas.

HOLY FAMILY HILLS

The Holy Family Hills is a religious site which also attracts various tourists visiting Guimaras Island. Numerous life-size statues are dotting the place with the big statue of the Holy Family being the focal point as you enter the place.

LifeSize station of the cross statues are spread along the area which caused pilgrims to visit the place, especially during the Lenten season. The place has a Chapel and a Prayer room.

NATIONAL MANGO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Located in Guimaras Circumferential Rd, Jordan, Guimaras, the National Mango Research and Development Center is specializing in Research Extension and Production of Mango. The place has 8.87 hectares of planted mango used for production and research.

Guests visiting the place can buy seedlings or grafted mango at PHP 50/pc.

TRAPPIST MONASTERY

Founded in 1972, the Trappist Monastery in Guimaras is the only Trappist monastery in the Philippines. Many visitors visit the place because they have a pasalubong center selling their own food products such as mango jam, polvoron, mango tarts and much more. The place is also available for retreats.

GUISI LIGHTHOUSE AND BEACH AREAS

The Guisi lighthouse completed in 1896 is said to the be the 3rd oldest lighthouse in the country.

Made of metal, the Guisi lighthouse is already rusty and the new one is already installed adjacent to it. The place offers an amazing view of the sea, especially during sunset.

TAKLONG ISLAND NATIONAL MARINE RESERVE

Taklong Island National Marine Reserve located in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. Covering a total area of 1,143.45 hectares (has.), with 46 islands and islets and 963.45 has. of marine waters which are home to various species of flora and fauna, including corals and seagrasses.

Tourists are usually brought by thebangkeros during the Island Hopping to the Floating Cottage found in the Area. The floating cottage duly operated by San Roque Coastal Environment Program Association (SARCEPA). While at the place you can enjoy swimming while enjoying the sceneries of the place.

MANGGAHAN FESTIVAL

Guimaras Island is known for its sweet mangos, because of this the festival of the Province known as Manggahan Festival held every month of May was created.

Of course, apart from mango this festival also shows the culture of the people of Guimaras. Street and Arena Dance Competition are just one of the highlights of the said festival.

Here’s the link to the Manggahan Festival Schedule. We are updating this regularly so don’t forget to bookmark this page.

The tourist packed island paradise of Boracay off the northern coast of Panay has been given half a year off to recover on the order of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, to the south temptingly dangles mango shaped Guimaras, and a waterworld ripe with possibilities.

Natago Beach – Hiding Beach – lives up to its name with a sparseness of visitors, subtly delighting in ways reflective of intriguing Guimaras, which quietly produces some of the tastiest mangoes found in the central Philippines.

While never approaching the epic grandeur of Koh Phi Phi Leh’s Maya Bay, Natago’s tempting alcoves can still trigger recollections of the enchanting spot popularised by the film - The Beach - before the Thai idyll, like Boracay, recently temporarily closed to visitors, a victim of its own beauty.

For the time being, like one of its fat, juicy carabao mangoes, Guimaras hits the traveller’s sweet spot engaging vibes and precious few visitors.

Laid-back locals, convenient proximity to vibrant Iloilo City, a range of water sports and ample opportunities for solitude help make this emerald isle a perfect place to disappear for awhile.

While other local mangoes suffer from smallness and imperfections, the best Guimaras mangoes are second to none in the world. The matrix of rigging lashed to the ferries plying the short, exhilarating Iloilo-Jordan route show their readiness for the times of the year when mangoes aren’t in season.

This is when gusting winds and monsoon rains are busy nourishing the fruit’s goodness towards another triumphant harvest.

This central Philippines islands group is known as the Visayas, a name etymologically linked to the English word victory but more particularly to the Indian-inspired Sri Vijaya Empire.

Malay migrants from the culture based in what is now Malaysia, southern Thailand and western Indonesia settled here, bequeathing their name to the islands.

A bracing 15-minute ferry ride from Iloilo, the isle of Guimaras is most easily entered from the port of Jordan, the main jumping-off point to its multiple attractions.

Among these are an 18th-century lighthouse, countless beaches, unique rock formations, tours of the mango groves and sampling anything and everything made from Guimaras’ famous fruit, including biscuits, biscotti, drinks and chips, as well as shopping for souvenirs bearing its likeness.

Bouncy jeepney rides spiral out from Jordan to all parts of Guimaras. One road passes restaurants advertising mango-topped pizza on the way to Alubinod Beach, which looks like something waiting at the end of the world and is a popular spot to embark on island-hopping tours.

The summer monsoon wind, the habagat, blows strong, but not so strongly as to dismay the fun-loving residents who’ve endured Indian, Spanish, American and Japanese colonisation.

The skies over Guimaras lash out more juicily during summer and winter typhoons, darkened by storm clouds lending mood to the otherwise brightly coloured seascape, a dazzling array of aquamarine, turquoise and the like.

Flanked to the north and south by two island groups named after their biggest islands – Luzon and Mindanao – the Visayas, like much of the archipelago, are an outpost of raw natural beauty.

With towns named in Spanish superlatives, Buena Vista and Nueva Valencia with most residents adept at English thanks to the US occupation, Guimaras most deeply delights with its natural scenery.

It is blissfully far beyond the great sweep of influences of conquerors and travellers who left behind remnants of cultural flotsam.

Raymen Beach offers an ideal spot for bobbing in the wild but accommodating sea, as well as journeying off for an exciting island hop with any of the many tour operators.

Besides the mango sweetness of this idyll and of Natago Beach, made for quiet romantic moments also within reach are abandoned nunneries with epic sea views and countless under-appreciated attractions and surprises that only the locals know about.

Particularly deserving a look is Buho Ramirez Cave, well worth a few hours’ exploring by boat. Also known as Baras Cave, this darkened environment unveils vistas that are likely to stay with visitors for a lifetime.

As the boatman silently guides guests past fruit bats in their perches, the sunlight fades and then disappears, only to return at the end of the ride, which can be as short or as long as desired.

It’s a mysterious place that gradually transitions into a beautiful seascape of colours, now all the more radiant as you emerge from the gloom.

Getting to Guimaras is easy via the short flight from Manila, touching down in nearby Iloilo, a small city offering excellent seafood, bustling malls and opportunities for dancing and gambling. There are Spanish-era delights like Jaro Cathedral and colonial mansions.

The extraordinary Esplanade walkway lining both banks of the beautified Iloilo River is an amazing testament to the public’s will to restore areas previously pockmarked by industrial blight.

The colonisation of the Philippines has been likened to spending three centuries in a convent, followed by 50 years in Hollywood. Many Spanish-era sights in the region go under-appreciated and show signs of physical neglect.

Similarly, American-era mega-malls offer far too many cheap thrills. But the intrinsic beauty of less-discovered spots, well developed but not overdeveloped, like those that dot Guimaras reflect the timeless quality of the Philippines’ smaller islands, which seem ideally designed for capturing flavours previously undiscovered.

ISLAND HOPPING

One of the best things to do when visiting Guimaras is to do Island Hopping. Island Hopping will enable any guests to beautiful Island and islets as well as various white beaches around the island.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Thailand Approves New Phuket Airport For 10 Million Additional Tourists

Phuket International Airport
Thailand’s Maya Bay, the beach made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio, officially closed to tourists for four months on June 1, becoming the latest addition to a growing list of destinations that have become victims of their own appeal.

Others include Boracay, in the Philippines, which is almost six weeks into its six-month hiatus, and Koh Tachai, another Thai island, which stopped receiving visitors in May 2016, although it has since reopened.

How, then, do officials in Thailand hope to combat the problem of overtourism led by a sharp increase in the number of Chinese travellers? By investing in infrastructure to facilitate yet more arrivals, of course.

Airports of Thailand, which became the world’s most valuable airport services company earlier this year, recently approved second airports for Chiang Mai and Phuket.

With a combined budget of 120 billion baht (US$3.7 billion), construction on both is expected to begin next year, with completion slated for no later than 2025.

Any one of the 3.5 million passengers who passed through immigration at Phuket International Airport in the first four months of this year might welcome the news.

That figure represented a not insignificant 19 per cent rise on the same period in 2017, according to a report by hospitality consulting firm C9 Hotelworks.

But Phi Phi Leh, home to Maya Bay, Koh Racha Yai and Koh Khai Nok – all favourite destinations for Chinese tour groups and individuals from Phuket – may be less accommodating to an additional 10 million visitors a year.

The economic rewards for such investments are obvious the tourism industry accounted for 9.2 per cent of Thailand’s GDP in 2016, a contribution that is expected to grow to 14.3 per cent by 2027, as detailed in a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

However, even high-ranking officials have expressed concerns over the country’s aggressive approach to tourism.

Science and technology minister Suvit Maesincee said: Our strategy was more for less, not less for more, so we invited a lot of tourists from China. I think in the near future we need to change from volume to value.

We are trying to push for CBT or community-based tourism to disperse tourists away from popular sites beyond Bangkok, Chiang Mai or the beaches to promote the unseen Thailand, said Jiraporn Prommaha from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, speaking to travel industry publication TTG Asia.

Building additional airports at two of the country’s most popular entry points might not seem an obvious strategy for the dispersal of tourists, but who are we to judge!


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Crowded Maya Bay Closed To Tourists For Rejuvenation Because Of Overtourism, New Phuket Airport For 10m More Tourists

News of a second airport in the Thai hot spot might be welcomed by tourists.

However, environmentalists and overwrought destinations are likely to be less than enthusiastic.

Thailand’s Maya Bay, the beach made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio, officially closed to tourists for four months on June 1, becoming the latest addition to a growing list of destinations that have become victims of their own appeal.

Others include Boracay, in the Philippines, which is almost six weeks into its six-month hiatus, and Koh Tachai, another Thai island, which stopped receiving visitors in May 2016, although it has since reopened.

How, then, do officials in Thailand hope to combat the problem of overtourism led by a sharp increase in the number of Chinese travellers?

By investing in infrastructure to facilitate yet more arrivals, of course.

Airports of Thailand, which became the world’s most valuable airport services company earlier this year, recently approved second airports for Chiang Mai and Phuket.

With a combined budget of 120 billion baht (US$3.7 billion), construction on both is expected to begin next year, with completion slated for no later than 2025.

Any one of the 3.5 million passengers who passed through immigration at Phuket International Airport in the first four months of this year might welcome the news.

That figure represented a not insignificant 19 per cent rise on the same period in 2017, according to a report by hospitality consulting firm C9 Hotelworks.

But Phi Phi Leh, home to Maya Bay, Koh Racha Yai and Koh Khai Nok – all favourite destinations for Chinese tour groups and individuals from Phuket – may be less accommodating to an additional 10 million visitors a year.

The economic rewards for such investments are obvious, the tourism industry accounted for 9.2 per cent of Thailand’s GDP in 2016, a contribution that is expected to grow to 14.3 per cent by 2027, as detailed in a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

However, even high-ranking officials have expressed concerns over the country’s aggressive approach to tourism.

Science and technology minister Suvit Maesincee said: Our strategy was more for less, not less for more, so we invited a lot of tourists from China. I think in the near future we need to change from volume to value.

We are trying to push for CBT - community-based tourism to disperse tourists away from popular sites beyond Bangkok, Chiang Mai or the beaches to promote the unseen Thailand, said Jiraporn Prommaha from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, speaking to travel industry publication TTG Asia.

Building additional airports at two of the country’s most popular entry points might not seem an obvious strategy for the dispersal of tourists, but who are we to judge!

Thailand's Maya Bay is taking a break from tourists.

Starting this month, the world-famous tourist destination, part of the Phi Phi Islands in the Andaman Sea, will be closed for a much needed but unpredicted rejuvenation.

Thai authorities are giving the short strip of sand on the island of Ko Phi Phi a chance to recover from the strain of thousands of daily visitors.

Environmentalists say years of increasing tourism has caused damage to Maya Bay and its surroundings.

We are a beautiful country but we have to protect our natural resources, says Thon Thamrongnawasawat, an advisor to Thailand's national parks department.

We have significant information that all the boats that come in and out really impact the coral reef.

We won't close it to tourism forever but have to do something to save our sea, and we have to start at Maya Bay.

Even if you've never seen the 1998 film with Leonardo DiCaprio, Maya Bay has become a bucket list destination for travellers, gap year students and holiday makers.

Thailand has increased in popularity too with 467,000 visits by UK tourists in 2016.

Most of those who visit Maya Bay only stay for a couple of hours. They have a paddle, a stroll and a selfie - but it's not quite the paradise they'd imagined.

A tourist from Cologne thinks what you see and what you get are very different.

The beach in the film is very relaxing, there are no people to be seen, and you get this idea of a very lonely place in the middle of nowhere.

Then you come here and you think you're in Times Square in New York with lots of people or Tourists.

The beach is stunning but definitely not relaxing.

There's the constant sound of the speedboat engines, their propellers churn up the water and it's hard to get a patch of the sand to yourself.

The area is generally clean but there are still some pockets of litter which tourists leave behind.

Tourism is one of Thailand's biggest sources of income so Maya Bay is being shut during the relatively low season, until 30 September.

Its Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation issued a notice saying it realised the deterioration of the ecosystem in the area of Maya Bay.

When it reopens later this year, it's thought the number of people allowed to visit the beach will be reduced.

It is hectic though beautiful.

I didn't realise how busy the beach would be but shutting it temporarily is a great idea. It's crazy how many boats there are. I'm just glad I got to see it said a tourist at Maya Bay


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Chinese Tourists Quarrel At Thai Beach

A video in which a mainland tourist tells of scolding another who wanted to take home a piece of wood from a Thai beach has recently become very popular on China’s video streaming websites.

In the video, taken at Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh, about an hour’s speedboat ride from Phuket, a woman who is part of a group tour recalled a group mate’s rude behaviour and called for her compatriots to abide by rules in sometimes vulgar language, and her three-minute speech has been widely applauded.

According to the middle-aged woman, wearing sunglasses and sporting short hair, a tourist from Jiangsu province saw a piece of wood on a beach they were visiting and wanted to keep it as a souvenir. She quarrelled with the tour guide after being told that was against the local law.

The offending tourist gave up after the woman intervened, the second woman said, and told the tour guide to let the former take the piece and let the customs authorities deal with her.

The woman telling the story said on the video that it was such disrespect of other nations’ laws that had made Chinese tourists unpopular.

“Without such a law, I think Chinese tourists would take all the sand here back home within one year,” she said, “and what for? To put it in fish tanks!”

She also recalled a Chinese boy who tried to take a bottle of water that belonged to her group without asking for permission and, when she stopped him, the boy’s mother said it was nothing and offered to exchange it for another bottle of drink.