The Paper Island

By Linda Tancs

Thailand’s southernmost island is Koh Lipe, a quiet paradise in the Andaman Sea near Malaysia.  Its name has been roughly translated from the local language to mean “paper island.” From the looks of it, that’s an apt description.  The island is flat, and its pure white beaches (three main ones) resemble a sheet of white paper. Now in low season, the good weather is coupled with low tourism (although the island in no way approaches the hustle and bustle of Phuket even in high season). Accessible only by boat, in low season the main transport hub is the pier at Pak Bara in Satun.  Don’t go there via Phuket, though; the ride to Pak Bara is about seven hours’ long. From Hat Yai it’s only two hours by taxi to the pier.