Don’t Go to Ko Lipe

After 19 years, I lastly went again to Ko Lipe, the Thai island I spent near a month on in 2006. Again then, it was a kind of tremendous off-the-beaten-path locations that few however essentially the most intrepid vacationers visited, the place electrical energy solely ran a couple of hours a day, primary bungalows proper on the seashore value one thing like $2 USD, and there actually was a final boat for the season.

There was a lot to do right here however that was the purpose. You frolicked on the seashore, learn a guide, went snorkeling, went again to the seashore, drank beers on the one seashore bar on the island, rotated meals between the 5 eating places there, and went to mattress early.

It was paradise – and a spot lots of people acquired caught. Days simply became weeks right here.

If you happen to requested me what the spotlight of all my travels was, I’d be the time I spent on Ko Lipe. I made unimaginable pals, lounged round, acquired to know the locals, discovered a little bit of Thai, and, general, lived that idyllic backpacker life all of us dream about.

Over time, I’ve averted going again to Ko Lipe as a result of the reminiscence of my time there may be so sturdy that I didn’t wish to wreck it. Any re-visit would merely be making an attempt to recreated a magic that couldn’t be recreated as a result of the those that it particular wouldn’t be there. I’d be chasing journey ghosts. And, since I do know my sleepy paradise has been developed enormously over time, I used to be additionally too afraid seeing that might make me unhappy.

Tourism in Thailand tends towards the unsustainable. No island actually develops in a great way. It’s all construct, construct, construct.

And I didn’t wish to see my Ko Lipe like that.

However as I used to be planning my current journey by Southeast Asia, returning to Ko Lipe made sense. I used to be heading down the Indian Ocean aspect of Thailand on my means into Malaysia and I’d move by it.

And, since I used to be on the lookout for a energetic place for New 12 months’s Eve, it appeared preferred your best option. I knew there could be vacationers there and there have been no different close by islands that might work, particularly since Ko Lipe has a ship to Langkawi, which was my subsequent cease.

So, I sucked it up and went.

And I’m unhappy to report that Ko Lipe took the Ko Phi Phi mannequin of tourism and is now extraordinarily overdeveloped.

Unsustainably so.

Many of the island is now paved over, the previous dust footpaths having develop into concrete for the vehicles and development vehicles. Swaths of palm timber are actually the websites of high-end resorts with swimming pools (on an island with no pure water provide). Development of extra resorts continues at a quick tempo. The coral across the island is dying, a sufferer of all of the boats, anchors, air pollution, and overfishing. Seashores are actually lined with boats, their exhaust spilling into the ocean, leaving a shiny movie you’ll be able to see as you swim. And the eating places cater to vacationers on the lookout for dangerous Western meals, not nice Thai delicacies.

The island’s growth has displaced many locals, who have been pressured to promote to mainland builders, and far of the island’s workforce is now from the mainland. They see little of the advantages this tourism growth.

So lies Ko Lipe, one other sufferer of Thailand’s all too widespread overdevelopment and exploitation of restricted assets.

I met numerous folks there who beloved the island. If it’s your first time, I can see why you’ll adore it. In any case, the world is postcard excellent, the water is completely an azure blue, the sand is a phenomenal white, and because you’re surrounded by a nationwide park, quite a lot of excursions take you to some secluded islands.

And, compared to Ko Phi Phi, Krabi, or Phuket, it’s much less developed so I can’t fault somebody stepping right here for the primary time going “wow!”

However, as I mirror on the island and its overdevelopment, I’ve come to the identical conclusion I’ve about Ko Phi Phi: folks shouldn’t go to.

I’m not in opposition to progress, however I’m in opposition to this sort of progress. It’s not sustainably managed and going there’ll solely tax the island’s restricted assets even additional. You possibly can’t put the genie again within the bottle and no native goes to say “positive, I’ll keep broke so you’ll be able to an idealized imaginative and prescient of the world.”

However this isn’t the best way.

And, with so many different islands to go to which might be nicely managed (Ko Lanta, Ko Jum, and Ko Mook, to call three close by), I feel you need to skip Ko Lipe.

A go to there’ll solely make issues worse.

It pains me to say that, as a result of it was such a phenomenal place, and my unique go to had a big impact on my life. But when we’re going to be good stewards and vacationers, typically you simply need to say sufficient is sufficient.

And Ko Lipe is a spot the place sufficient is sufficient.

Go someplace else that’s higher managed.

As a result of your decisions do have an effect.

Driving elephants in Thailand went away when customers turned extra aware of it. Eco lodges acquired massive due to customers. Overtourism is talked about by customers as a lot as it’s by locals.

Perhaps if sufficient folks begin to do one thing, Ko Lipe will change.

I doubt it however one can hope.

However, on the very least, by not going you might be at the least no contributing to the issue.

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