004 - Paradise on Earth

---

This tiny spot in the Andaman Sea is nicknamed "Paradise Island" - a title many of the other small islands in the area could easily earn.

Yet this particular bay truly has a special setting, surrounded by vertical cliffs - it is a hiding place one can easily imagine was fought over by pirates and outlaws in olden days.

Nowadays, masses of tourists are fighting over every square inch of it during the daytime. Try to come early in the morning and leave nothing but your footprints behind!

---

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Though the Phang-Nga Bay between Krabi and Phuket is a spectacular area with tiny pearl-like islets and hidden beaches, mass tourism has taken over a long time ago, with all its downsides. Look for paradise and sustainability together a bit further away, and don't ache for McDonald's and Starbucks, but be happy with the local market, fruit juice and the small cafés instead.

• http://www.kohphrathong.com/andaman_sustainable_tourism.html

• http://www.surinislands.com/index.html

Mass tourism produces mass debris everywhere. As ocean currents flow, there are specially endangered corners in the world where debris coming from even other continents pile up in unsustainable amounts. If anything, this is truly a global issue. 'Dive Against Debris' is a fantastic project calling all divers to bring up any debris they encounter. Check out their site:

• https://www.projectaware.org/diveagainstdebris

If you're not a diver but wish to help their work, please donate here.

If you're observing endangered marine and aquatic life from a broader view, we recommend looking into the 'Mission Blue' Alliance, an umbrella for many organizations devoted for the protection of marine life. Also, they have initiated the 'Hope Spots' reservation network of endangered locations connected organically to the seas:

• https://mission-blue.org/

You can donate money to them here.