The Thai bay that features in the movie The Beach will be closed indefinitely to allow it to recover from the impact of hordes of tourists.
Maya Bay, ringed by cliffs on Ko Phi Phi Ley island, was made famous when it was used in the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
It was initially shut for four months earlier this year due to beach erosion and pollution resulting from thousands of day-trippers arriving by boat.
Besides beach erosion, heavy traffic around the azure waters can also damage sensitive coral reefs, already vulnerable to rising sea temperatures and climate change.