In paradise, it’s easy to rise at dawn

THIS string of small, forested rocks edged by white beaches two hours from the western coast of Thailand could indeed be called ‘paradise islands’.

Tourism is in its infancy; many of the islands in view from ours are uninhabited or Burmese, and not developed at all. Each evening, the sun sets behind these islands on the near horizon and the dark, wooded hills of Burma-Myanmar beyond.

We refrain from taking sunset photos unless there is one of the picturesque ‘longtail’ boats in the foreground, and picturesque people unloading supplies for our ‘resort’ — natives and beach-clad foreigners wading out to lend a hand. There are no roads on the island, and no wheeled vehicles apart from a few motorcycles driven by locals.