After 19 years, I finally returned to Ko Lipe, the Thai island where I spent nearly a month in 2006. At that time, it was one of those truly off-the-beaten-path spots that only the most adventurous travelers dared to explore, where electricity was available for only a few hours daily, basic beachfront bungalows were around $2 USD, and there truly was a final boat for the season.
There was plenty to do here, but that was the charm. You lounged on the beach, read a book, snorkeled, returned to the beach, enjoyed beers at the island’s sole beach bar, alternated meals among the five restaurants, and went to bed early.
It was paradise – a place where many found themselves lingering. Days easily transformed into weeks.
If you asked me to name the highlight of all my travels, I would point to my time on Ko Lipe. I forged incredible friendships, relaxed, connected with the locals, picked up some Thai, and, overall, embraced that dreamy backpacker lifestyle we all fantasize about.
Over time, I’ve held back from revisiting Ko Lipe because the memory of my time there is so vivid that I feared tarnishing it. Any return would risk attempting to recapture a magic that couldn’t be recreated without the people who made it special. I would be pursuing travel phantoms. And, knowing my tranquil paradise has changed significantly, I worried that seeing that would dishearten me.
Tourism in Thailand often leans towards the unsustainable. No island seems to develop positively. It’s always build, build, build.
I didn’t want to encounter my Ko Lipe in such a state.
However, while planning my recent Southeast Asia trip, revisiting Ko Lipe seemed logical. I was traveling down the Indian Ocean side of Thailand on my way to Malaysia and would be passing by it.
Additionally, since I was seeking a lively location for New Year’s Eve, it appeared to be the perfect choice. I knew there would be other travelers there, and there weren’t any alternate nearby islands that would suit, especially since Ko Lipe has a ferry to Langkawi, my next destination.
So, I went ahead and made the trip.
Unfortunately, I must report that Ko Lipe has embraced the Ko Phi Phi model of tourism and is now excessively developed.
Unsustainably so.
The majority of the island is now paved, with old dirt paths replaced by concrete for vehicles and construction machinery. Large sections of palm trees have been transformed into sites for upscale resorts complete with pools (on an island lacking a natural water source). The construction of additional resorts is underway at a rapid pace. The coral around the island is deteriorating, suffering from boats, anchors, pollution, and overfishing. Beaches are now crowded with boats, their exhaust polluting the ocean, leaving a thin film visible as you swim. And the restaurants cater to tourists craving subpar Western cuisine instead of authentic Thai fare.
The island’s boom has displaced numerous locals, who were compelled to sell to mainland developers, and much of the workforce on the island now hails from the mainland. They reap little of the rewards from this tourism boom.
Thus lies Ko Lipe, yet another casualty of Thailand’s widespread overdevelopment and exploitation of limited resources.
I encountered many people there who adored the island. If it’s your first visit, I can understand why you would love it. After all, the scenery is postcard-perfect, the water a stunning azure, the sand a lovely white, and with national park surroundings, many tours take you to secluded islands.
In comparison to Ko Phi Phi, Krabi, or Phuket, it is less developed, so I can’t fault someone experiencing it for the first time for exclaiming “wow!”
Yet, as I ponder the island and its overdevelopment, I’ve reached the same conclusion regarding Ko Phi Phi: people shouldn’t visit.
I’m not opposed to growth, but I oppose this kind of growth. It’s not sustainably managed, and visiting will only further strain the island’s limited resources. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle, and no local is going to agree to “stay broke so you can have an idealized vision of the world.”
But this is not the way.
With so many other islands that are well-managed (Ko Lanta, Ko Jum, and Ko Mook, to name a few nearby), I believe you should pass on Ko Lipe.
A visit there will only exacerbate the situation.
It saddens me to say that because it was such a beautiful place, and my initial visit had a profound effect on my life. But if we aim to be responsible stewards and travelers,