If I tell you we can find Ma Ya Beach on Phi Phi Leh Island in Thailand this may not ring any bell but if I say “The Beach” featured in the movie of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio then it may be a different story. The movie is a bit old, it came out in 2000, but quite good so, if you haven’t seen it yet, go to the video store and rent it. We indeed went to that paradise beach and were wondering how in the world did they managed to empty it from the 500 or so tourists visiting the beach every day! Chances are that the tourist rush significantly increased after the movie came out and the place became the major economic drive of the area. We were maybe not on a deserted island lost in Asia but the place was still one of the most beautiful scenery we’ve seen so far; crystal clear water and powdery fine white sand you find nowhere else.
We couldn’t go with Chocobo as the bay is relatively small and shallow so we did like everybody else and moored at the neighbor island of Phi Phi Don and hired one of these Long Tail Boats who took us at Ma Ya Beach as well as other places around the island. Of course the name of the boat comes from the long propeller shaft that allows them to maneuver in very shallow waters. We walked a bit on the island but unfortunately the scenes of the village and especially the ones in the marijuana field were shot somewhere else as the island is made only of high peeks surrounding the bay with barely any flat area. We so much wanted to see … the village! As for a shark attack you need to actually go somewhere else to get one as the local reef sharks are as dangerous as a cow in a hay field. By the way, the name of the island, Phi Phi Leh, is pronounced “pee-pee-lay” and no I’m not kidding!
