Maya Bay in Thailand, famous for being the set of Leonardo Di Caprio’s 2000 movie “The Beach,” has seen an increase in numbers of blacktip reef sharks since tourists were banned from visiting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tour boats and tourists caused a significant decrease in shark numbers, but they have since returned after a tourism ban between 2018 and 2022. Currently, up to 40 blacktip reef sharks can be seen in the bay’s cyan shallows, while approximately 4,000 tourists visit the white-sand beach flanked by towering cliffs. This increase in shark numbers is a promising sign of recovery for the area’s marine life.