Thai cave where football team were trapped becomes tourist draw - in pictures

One year on from the rescue, more than 1.3 million tourists have visited Tham Luang cave

Visitors walking down the road away from the Tham Luang cave, where 12 boys from the "Wild Boars" football team and their coach were trapped last year, in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province. AFP

A visitor buying a souvenir T-shirt on the road leading to the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Motorists along the road from the Tham Luang cave, in which 12 boys from the "Wild Boars" football team and their coach were trapped last year, in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province. AFP

This aerial picture shows visitors exploring the visitor centre for the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Visitors looking at an infographic illustrating the rescue of the “Wild Boars” football team. AFP

Visitors boarding a shuttle car to take them to the entrance of the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Volunteers planting trees near the Tham Luang cave complex. AFP

Vendors selling souvenir photos near the entrance of the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Visitors taking photos in front of a mural, illustrating the rescue of the 12 boys and their coach. AFP

This picture taken shows visitors posing for photos in front of a statue of Saman Gunan, the Thai diver who died during the efforts to rescue the boys and their coach. AFP

Vendors selling souvenir photos on the road leading to the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Visitors taking photos near the entrance of the Tham Luang cave. AFP

This picture taken shows a girl looking through a gate at the entrance of the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Vendors selling souvenir T-shirts near the entrance of the cave. AFP

Visitors take photos in front of artwork illustrating the rescue of the 12 boys. AFP

This picture shows a visitor taking photos of a mural illustrating the rescue of the members of the “Wild Boars” football team. AFP

Visitors posing for photos near the entrance of the Tham Luang cave. AFP

Girls riding a pony on the road leading to the Tham Luang cave. AFP

This picture shows vendors selling memorabilia, illustrating the rescue of the 12 boys from the "Wild Boars" football team and their coach. AFP

This picture taken shows visitors walking up the road leading to the Tham Luang cave, in which 12 boys from the "Wild Boars" football team and their coach were trapped last year. AFP

What was once a serene mountainside in northern Thailand has been transformed into a tourist hot spot, with more than 1.3 million people travelling to see the flooded cave where the 'Wild Boars' football team were saved by divers.

Tourists snap selfies by a bronze statue of the diver who died in the rescue mission, while mementos fly off the shelves from a makeshift gift store.

"It's amazing what happened here. I followed everything from Australia," tourist John McGowan said after taking photos at the visitor centre, situated around 100 metres from the Tham Luang cave entrance.

"I wanted to see it with my own eyes," the 60-year-old said, adding he was a little disappointed the cave is still off limits to visitors.

For a few dollars, tourists can get framed photos at the site, pick up posters of the footballers and take home a souvenir t-shirt – some printed with the face of Saman Gunan, the Thai diver who died in the bid to save the group.

There has been extraordinary global interest in the picturesque rural backwater of Mae Sai since 12 youngsters – aged between 11 and 16 – and their coach entered the Tham Luang cave on June 23, 2018.

They quickly became trapped by rising water levels and the daring, unprecedented mission to extract them through twisting flooded passageways captivated the world for 18 nail-biting days.

When they emerged – after being heavily sedated and manoeuvered out by expert divers – they did so into the centre of a global media frenzy.

The cave, which previously received around 5,000 visitors a year, has since been inundated by visitors both Thai and foreign.