Let's KO!

Maybe you've seen pictures of southern Thailand's sugar-sand beaches with grass-roof huts snuggled into the shade of coconut palms. Or you've heard of the ridiculously cheap prices: beachside bungalows for $10 a night, spicy meals for $3. Or you've dreamed of discovering some hidden lagoon that lies beyond the reach of guidebooks, just as the characters did in Alex Garland's cult novel The Beach (which, like the Leo DiCaprio film based on the book, was set here).

The problem is that if you've seen, heard, or read about a place, chances are others have too. And, as Garland's characters learn, anywhere hailed as a paradise on earth has to fall short of expectations. The tourism industry has taken its toll on some of Thailand's islands: claptrap towns, ubiquitous 7-Elevens, longtail-boat touts haranguing passersby, and bungalow operations and hotels elbowing for room on crowded ...