The Ghost of Paradise: The Cost of Overdevelopment in Ko Lipe
Nineteen years ago, the island of Ko Lipe was a whisper in the backpacker circuit—a remote, jagged emerald set in the Andaman Sea. For those who found it in 2006, it was the pinnacle of the "off-the-beaten-path" experience. Electricity was a…
The Ghost of Paradise: Why It’s Time to Stop Visiting Ko Lipe
Nineteen years ago, the Thai island of Ko Lipe was a sanctuary for the intrepid. It was a place defined by its limitations: electricity hummed for only a few hours each night, the soundtrack was the rhythmic lapping of the Andaman Sea rather than the…
The Vanishing Paradise: Why Ko Lipe Serves as a Warning for Modern Tourism
Nineteen years ago, the Thai island of Ko Lipe was a whisper in the traveler’s lexicon—a secluded sanctuary where electricity was a luxury provided for only a few hours each day, and the cost of a beachside bungalow hovered around two dollars. For those…
The Price of Paradise: Why Ko Lipe Has Become a Cautionary Tale of Overtourism
Nineteen years ago, the island of Ko Lipe was a whisper in the ears of the intrepid. It was a place where electricity was a luxury provided only for a few hours at dusk, where bamboo bungalows cost the price of a cup of coffee, and where the "last…
The Price of Paradise: Why Ko Lipe’s Transformation Should Serve as a Warning to Travelers
Nineteen years ago, Ko Lipe was a whisper in the backpacker circuit—a remote speck of sand in the Andaman Sea that demanded grit, patience, and a willingness to disconnect from the modern world. Today, that whisper has become a roar of construction…
The Cost of Paradise: Why Ko Lipe Has Become a Cautionary Tale of Overtourism
Nineteen years ago, the island of Ko Lipe in southern Thailand was the quintessential backpacker’s dream. It was a place where electricity was a luxury available for only a few hours each evening, where a rustic beachside bungalow cost roughly $2 a…
