Thailand is one of those places that I never thought twice about visiting, until one day, I finally did. I was aware of the country’s existence, of course. But the way I heard it, the kingdom was mostly a destination for backpackers and partygoers. A place of natural beauty, spoiled by all the grungy hippies who’d swarmed in over the years.
If that opinion sounds grossly stereotypical, then yeah, I guess it is. But what can I say? I place the blame for my bias squarely on author Alex Garland, and his amazing debut novel “The Beach.”
Just in case you’ve never read this book, or even seen the movie adaption that came along afterwards, “The Beach” is the story of Richard, a backpacker who winds up in Bangkok during his global search for… something. There, he encounters Daffy, a drug-abusing Vietnam veteran suffering from a number of mental issues. Just before committing suicide in a run-down hostel, Daffy passes Richard a hand-drawn map to a nearby archipelago, including directions to a secret beach. His curiosity piqued, Richard teams up with two other backpackers to explore the lead, eventually stumbling across a group of fellow travelers who’ve claimed this hidden paradise for their own private colony.
More astute readers than myself have helpfully pointed out that “The Beach” is actually a thinly-veiled critique of society. Even as Richard and his fellow backpackers journey to the ends of the Earth to escape societal pressures, they manage to carry all of their petty, toxic behaviors over to their new community. But honestly, even though a reader could dive as deep as they wanted to into the theme of this book, what drew me in was Mr. Garland’s vivid portrayal of the backpacker subculture. So of course, when my traveling circus finally presented an opportunity to visit Thailand— albeit as a white-collar business traveler— I jumped at the chance. The flight to Bangkok was only six hours, just enough time to re-read one of my favorite books, and immediately upon landing, I realized that Mr. Garland had absolutely nailed the place.
Out in the city, even making a conscious effort to avoid the red-light districts, it seemed that no matter what direction I wandered there was always something worth seeing. Temples were everywhere. Some were massive affairs, featuring huge statues of the Buddha in all his forms, but most were nothing more than street-corner shrines, tucked in alongside a countless number of Seven-Eleven convenience stores.
And after venturing down the infamous Khao Sanh Road— albeit in full daylight— it really did feel as if I was following the map from Mr. Garland’s novel. The transient residents of budget hostels provided ample opportunity for people watching, and eventually, being in the presence of so many adventurous souls inspired me to tuck away the guidebook and set off on a meandering tour of open-air markets.
For some vague reason or other, the traveling circus which pays my bills actually dispatched me back to this mysterious kingdom on two more occasions. And since all of these trips were fully comped, I was determined to exploit each opportunity to the fullest. As I did my best to ignore the roving bands of unwashed backpackers and middle-aged hippies on journeys of self-discovery, I strove to immerse myself in such a thrillingly foreign country…
…and in my final excursion, our troupe even ventured out to Phuket, a quintessential stop on the backpacker circuit. This journey turned out to be infinitely simpler than Richard’s— the hotel concierge promptly chartered a sightseeing boat for us, and after a morning spent snorkeling off the pristine sands of Phi Phi Island, we drifted offshore of Ko Phi Phi Le, the picturesque inlet where “The Beach” was filmed.
Of course, we weren’t alone. Dozens of other boats drifted along beside us, their passengers all standing up along the railings, waiting in line to snap selfies in front of such a beautiful background. Actually visiting The Beach, though, was not possible— the entire inlet was roped off, holding this armada of tourists safely back in deep water. Our guide explained how the island had become a victim of its own popularity, with hordes of visitors trailing across the dunes, and countless boat anchors doing serious damage to the ocean floor.
We closed out this December 2019 junket with a few more days in Bangkok, the last big road show for our traveling circus before somebody sneezed in Wuhan and blew the whole world off its axis. International travel quickly ground to a near-halt, sending the tourism industry into a perilous downward spiral. Like most other countries, Thailand closed itself off to tourists, and over the months that followed my thoughts often turned to how all those guides, drivers, cooks, servers, and customer service staff were going to support their families.f I guess the one bright spot of all this madness was that Ko Phi Phi Le, along with all of Thailand’s other natural areas, would finally get some much-needed time to recover.
As the pandemic recedes, global adventure travel may soon become a possibility again. But if you’re still packing and unpacking your suitcase, patiently waiting for that day to come, I’d recommend picking up a copy of “The Beach.”
Because as we all know, when you’re not able to actually do something, the next best option is to read about it.
My favorite book of all time. And Garland was only 26! Even more meaningful now, IMO, in an era of social media.
You’re not wrong. It’s an absolute classic.