Thailand’s Maya Bay, made famous by ‘The Beach,’ is finally ready to reopen

Bangkok (CNN) — Officials in Thailand have announced a reopening date for one of the country’s most famous attractions.

Maya Bay, a beautiful cove made famous by “The Beach” — a 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio — will reopen to tourists on January 1, 2022, according to a statement issued by Thailand’s Department of National Parks.

But unlike the many attractions that have been reopening in recent months, Maya Bay’s initial closure had nothing to do with the pandemic.

The popular destination has been off limits to tourists since June 2018 as officials embarked on a rejuvenation program aimed at reviving the popular area’s decimated corals.

Located in Thailand’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Maya Bay is part of Phi Phi Leh — one of the two main Phi Phi islands in Krabi province.

Unlike the much larger Phi Phi Don, home to an abundance of budget and mid-range…