11 Famous Tourist Attractions That No Longer Exist Because We’ve Destroyed Them

As countries use all available resources to attract tourists to their local destinations they may be oblivious of one thing that is slowly killing the industry. It’s been determined that growing popularity for attraction sites.

Not only for the graffiti left in the walls and garbage choking the flora and fauna, but humans can also cause damage even by simply breathing. So hey, intentionally or not, we can get pretty destructive. Here are 11 popular sites we have ruined over the years.

1. Maya Bay in the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

After the movie, The Beach by Leonardo DiCaprio, tourists flocked this spot. Over 5,000 people a day flocked the beach to experience what they saw in the movie. Unfortunately, the spot was dilapidated and was closed indefinitely by the local authorities for recovery.

2. Coral on Christmas Island, Australia

In a record Less than 10 months after the spot was discovered, 90% of the reef was destroyed. Global warming was responsible for bleaching of some corals while the rest died due to heat stress.

3. Guaira Falls on the Brazil-Paraguay border

This place was once graced by a cascade of waterfalls. It was a breathtaking scenery until 1982 when they were flooded by the reservoir formed by the hydroelectric Itaipu Dam. The rocks were blown off by dynamite to give way for water.

4. Cave of Altamira in Spain

The damage caused by big tourist groups was starting to show off. Forget the graffiti, the ancient wall paintings were being destroyed by simply breathing. The water vapor and carbon dioxide from the huge tourist populations made some of the paintings moldy. It was ultimately closed to visitors in 2002 and a replica cave and museum built nearby to allow tourists to enjoy similar reproductions.

5. Chacaltaya Glacier in Bolivia

The glacier was once one of the highest in South America. formed over 18,000 years ago, its area began to rapidly decline as the ice melted. In 2009, the glacier completely disappeared all thanks to global warming.

6. Nohmul pyramid in Belize

Whether intentionally or not, this 2,300-year-old Mayan pyramid was destroyed in 2013 by the DeMar's Stone company using bulldozers. They used limestone from this ancient spot to fill roads in a nearby town. An investigation into the case found the excavator driver, the foreman and 2 company managing directors at fault. disappointingly, they were punished with court fines.

7. Lake Poopo in Bolivia

As if in defiance, this lake once disappeared in 1994 due to climate change, nearby developments involving mining and agriculture. However, it was revitalized by rains but completely dried up again in 2016.

8. Wedding Cake Rock in Australia

Back in 2015, the rock was very popular, but when concerns about its stability were raised, it was closed off to the public. Despite the hefty court fines, police presence, and bold warning signs, tourists still jump over the fence in search of a quick photo posing alongside the amazing scenery. The spot will, however, remain closed until it disappears for natural reasons.

9. Reef on the Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia

This was a huge blow to marine life conservationists. In 2017, 1600 square meters of coral reef was destroyed by cruise ships and scientists estimate it might take decades for it to recover. The spot, popular among divers was estimated to be worth around $18.6 million.

10. Duckbill, Oregon

This rock formation was loved by tourists until August 29, 2016, when it met its untimely end. It was allegedly destroyed by a group of trespassers because earlier on their friend had broken a leg there.

11. Pont des Arts in Paris

This global renown bridge was full of locks weighing an astonishing 45 tons. Fearing over public safety, the government removed tens of thousands of locks and put glass panels up to prevent people from locking their love there.