Preserving Paradise

Resisting the development of too many tourist facilities, which choked the neighbouring islands, the residents of Lanta Island are welcoming eco-sensitive tourism.

As the tourism industry in Thailand is allowed to ruin gorgeous beach areas and islands as if these precious locations of natural beauty were ordinary coal mines, a group of hotel owners and locals on Koh Lanta are determined to avoid the development that would ravage the valuable quality of their living environment. Their greatest wish is to retain the island’s natural and pristine landscape for many generations to come.

They’ve learned enough from the disastrous developing mistakes made on the neighbouring island, Phi Phi Don. Not that long you could read in almost every Thailand guide book about Phi Phi Don being Krabi’s true gem. Tourists to Thailand were recommended to experience the serenity and beauty of the country’s natural seashores. No more! The crescent twin bays boasting fabulous white sandy beach areas and Phi Phi Don’s geographically uniqueness have been drastically changed. Today, this destination is crammed with too many beer bars, shops and guesthouses ravaging what once was a pristine natural environment.

What happened on Phi Phi Don made Paninart Tiyaphorn realise that Koh Lanta must be saved. In 2001 she and her friends built the Pimalai Resort & Spa on the island. Perhaps this is Thailand’s last spot of untouched natural beauty.

Koh Lanta has the reputation being a beloved backpackers’ destination. The island with its numerous neat, broad and relatively seclude beaches provides the perfect getaway as it has truly the ambience that so many travellers to Thailand are looking for. However, this atmosphere is little by little changing, causing concerned locals and environmentalists to fear that Koh Lanta might be the profitable mass tourism’s next victim. 

Hotel establishments and first-class resorts have begun to replace the common thatch-roofed bungalow accommodations, but fortunately until now the island’s relaxed tranquil charm is still present. Also the sea-gypsies are starting to get worried and Som Changnam, who is the head of one of their communities, said: “If we do not demonstrate against the development of profit-driven tourism projects we will lose our houses. Over the past 20 years we all have witnessed the forced departure of our sisters and brothers off Koh Phi Phi due to the lack of shoreline for their boats and houses while also the living costs have decreased to levels which can not longer be afforded by most of the natives.”

Having watched themselves how tourism industry has driven away locals from their homeland, communities of local islanders have come to the conclusion that they really need to put down deeper roots on Koh Lanta in order to survive. The local youth needs decent education so they will be proud of their roots. A cultural centre and living museum should also be necessary to reach this goal.

Koh Lanta houses three different cultures. The Muslims, indigenous sea-gypsies and the Chinese all have integrated well and live peacefully together. Lanta is positioned on a historic trade line between China and India and for a long time travellers have been drawn to settle on the island mainly due to the availability of numerous natural resources. Having prevailed on the island for generations, subsistence livelihoods are the main reason Lanta remains in its natural condition.

Paninart was always aware of this fact and when tourists started to get interested travelling to Lanta her business partners wanted to make sure that their resort would complement and not overrun the area of exceptional natural beauty. They constructed the Pimalai Resort in a way it perfectly blends in with the natural environment. During the building activities there weren’t any trees cut down and until today there was never even one tree cut of by the resort.

There’s not much room between the resort’s bungalows as this spared many trees. Indeed, when approaching it from the ocean, the resort and spa is hardly noticeable. Guests here have the feeling they’re lodging in the middle of the jungle. Pimalai Resort is facilitated with its own state-of-the-art water treatment device, which also clearly explains the determination of this unique resort to preserve Koh Lanta.

By now Pimalai’s actions to preserve Lanta have been noticed and the resort is rightfully receiving one award after the other. More comprehensive info on the resort’s facilities and location is available on their online booking service.