Koh Phi Phi, the Thai island made famous by the film The Beach, has become so overcrowded that a recent video showing hundreds of tourists packed shoulder-to-shoulder has sparked outrage online. The footage, posted on Reddit, shows a dense crowd near the dock, prompting comments such as 'nothing about that looks fun' and 'what a nightmare'.
The island's Maya Bay, where Leonardo DiCaprio's 2000 film was shot, has been particularly affected. After a three-year closure to allow coral and wildlife to recover, it reopened in January 2022 with restrictions including timed entries and a ban on sunscreen. However, a 'boat limit' of a few hundred visitors at a time still results in large numbers standing in the same shallow bay.
Koh Tours, a local operator, noted that the larger island Koh Phi Phi Don is also severely overcrowded, with foot traffic in the village on Tonsai Bay surpassing that of most Thai cities. The company's blog post stated that efforts to manage overtourism have proved difficult.
Jub Yata, a destination manager at sustainable tourism firm Intrepid Travel, described the situation: 'Right now, you just walk around, you take the photos, then you have to leave. Everyone wants to see the beach from the DiCaprio film. It is beautiful, I can't deny, but there are too many people.'
In response, Intrepid Travel now directs tourists to less crowded islands such as Koh Thap, Koh Poda, and Koh Khai. These offer similar scenery and activities, including snorkelling and swimming, without the overwhelming crowds.
