Thailand's famous Phi Phi Island was once a true tropical paradise where acoconut grove offered views of two stunning bays, with white sandy beaches framed by jungle-covered limestone mountains.
But even before the island was pounded by the Indian Ocean tsunamis, paradise had already been lost. In defiance of an early 1990s hotel ban, developers built a concrete jungle of bungalows and hotel blocks. Phi Phi also got a tawdry, narrow "main street" jammed with bars, pizza parlours, internet cafes, souvenir shops and even a Seven-Eleven convenience store.
