'Take me to my beach'

'I'm moving, I'm coming
Can you hear what I hear
It's calling you, my dear
Out of reach (Take me to my beach)
I can hear it calling you
I'm coming, not drowning
Swimming closer to you'

That is how the lyrics from 'Pure Shores' from All Saints goes, and that is the one damn song I had in my head the whole time while I was walking around on the legendary Maya Bay on the island of Koh Phi Phi Leh in the Southern part of Thailand.

Maya Bay doesn't ring a bell to you? Well, Maya Bay is the place where the movie 'the Beach' with Leonardo diCaprio was recorded back in 2000.

Honestly, I have never seen this movie at all, but I know this beach became famous after this movie and since then has been flocked with people visiting. And even though it is a beautiful beach (it really is!), is it that special that we have to kill it by visiting? That I am not really sure about.

Maya Bay is a nature preserved area these days, which also means you have to pay an entrance fee to enter the national park these days. I heard about this before we headed over, but I wasn't really aware of how this would look like, and I also wasn't aware that we would step out of the boat (you can reach Pho Phi Leh only by boat and it is inhabited) and walk to the other side of the island

And then I also understood why there was an entrance fee throughout this park, because with this walking path through the hills and also little toilethouses (okay gross ofcourse, but still functional) there has been some infrastructure created.

There is one little tourist trap there also located where I decided to get a drink and then we actually reached the beach itself, getting to this grande entree first.

I know, I know nice and cheesy but it deserves to be in the snap there as well right?

But then the reaching of Maya Bay, I had little to no idea what to expect and honestly I was really surprised by the beauty surrounding the area. The water is pristine and crystal clear and because of the weather that day, there were hardly any people around.

While I was walking over the beach to a bit more of the far end I got the scare of my life because there was actually a lifeguard / nature preserver sitting in the back in camouflage clothing making sure people would not go into the water. You are allowed to step in with your feet, but not go in too far. All of this to get nature back in its feet after it was knocked down in this bay for so long.

I had always made a bit of fun about the camouflage clothing, but I literally did not see this dude, so maybe I should change my opinion about this a little bit.

The good thing about the rule not being able to go in the water?

A rascal like this little baby shark passing by in the shallow water. How cool is this?

Around that time it started to drizzle for a bit, which lead to even more people leaving the Maya Bay and we really almost had it to ourselves which felt kind of unique.

I do realize that I am writing about all of the tourists flocking in killing nature around there that I am also doing this, which means I am aware that I am also a part of the problem. I get it I really do, there is no excuse about this....

Maybe that is why enjoyed visiting this place so much in low season. Realizing this might be something unique before potentially they close Maya Bay again, which also would be something valid. You can not have it all as mankind.You can have everyone enjoy somewhere without someone making money out of it, and also one suffering because of it. That is where balance comes in.

I know I appreciated visiting here a lot and that is why I had one of Thailands classic Chang beers at a priceless place on an almost empty beach while the drizzle came down

What a way to enjoy to a beer. That is how it always should be.

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