Images by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

In a world full of stress and conflict, it is no wonder that leisure time and peace of mind have become the two most valued lifestyle elements. At a small, award-winning home stay project on an idyllic island in southern Thailand, visitors from all around the world are finding both in plentiful supply.

Seeking refuge from the cut-throat intensity of a highly competitive and hectic life in the city, dozens of annual visitors, mostly from Germany, Scandinavia, Italy, UK, France and USA, are flocking to the Koh Yao Noi community-based tourism village, specifically its home stay programme, to spend a few days living a simple lifestyle amidst simple people with ordinary habits.

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Home stay guests stay with local fishing families in traditional homes, providing opportunities for discussion and cultural exchange using translators of English and Thai. Sightseeing trips around Koh Yao Noi island can also be organized. Other activities available on the island include demonstrations of rubber tapping and fishing, kayaking, hiking, snorkelling and swimming.

Accessible by boat from Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga, the island’s home stay village has gained prominence since being conferred the 2002 World Legacy Award by National Geographic Traveler. It also meets many of the UN Millennium Development Goals. It helps alleviate poverty at a grassroots level, and creates jobs for women — all in an environmentally friendly and culturally sensitive way.

The website Phuket.com describes the island thus: “Koh Yao Noi does not have any particular landmark or stunning view point. Nevertheless, while driving around, you will discover a place that has changed very little in 20 years, aside from a few more motorbikes and a new 7-Eleven. A drive around its quiet roads reveals a place of true peace and simplicity for the traveller.

“Wooden houses all along the roads, buffalos taking mud baths in the rice paddies, the cool, shaded roads passing through the many rubber plantations and the beauty of the mangrove with its trees standing in the middle of the sea are just a few of the natural charms of this simple island. The laid-back feeling of the island is contagious, time slows down and nothing seems to pressure the inhabitants who spend a lot of time chatting in small groups, and lounging in the afternoon under salas or in hammocks.”

According to Samroeng, 80 per cent of the local islanders are fishermen, 10 per cent are farmers involved in rubber and coconut plantations and another 10 per cent are in commercial business.

Between 1987 and 1992, fish stocks were facing a crisis, largely because of over-fishing caused by heavy demand for exports. The use of commercial trawlers and heavy equipment boosted the size of catches, whilst other illegal activities such as dynamiting did considerable damage. The rest of the island, too, began to suffer environmental pressure.

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

In 1994, the fourth generation of Koh Yao Noi people combined to set up a group to combat this trend. According to the Koh Yao Noi Community Based Tourism Ecotourism Club and the Responsible Ecological Social Tours Project (REST), “These efforts met a good measure of success. Marine species increased in number, mangrove forests recovered and sea grass was replenished. Villagers even stopped commercial trawlers from entering conservation zones.”

Encouraged by support from their visitors, the local villagers now ensure that the objectives of Koh Yao Noi Community Based Tourism Ecotourism Club are set in stone. These are to preserve and promote the lifestyle of the local fishermen, offer visitors the option of a different experience whilst helping them to understand the history of the local people, preserve the local environment and, of course, provide the local people with an alternate source of income.

“There are no nightclubs, bar beers or other forms of entertainment. These things tourists can find anywhere else,” notes Samroeng. A positive cultural impact is a tremendous fringe benefit. Samroeng says that in recent years, visitors have left with a better understanding of Muslims and Islam.

“Before they visit Koh Yao Noi, they have a different attitude. But after they visit, and learn that in Koh Yao Noi, 98 per cent are Muslims and 2 per cent Buddhist, and see us all living together peacefully, they change their view. We have no problems here. We all help each other, sharing our ceremonies, joys and sorrows. That’s the way of life on Koh Yao Noi,” he says.

In line with these social and religious traditions, visitors are also expected to abide by some basic rules. The dress code has to be proper and modest when in the village community. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed. No littering is allowed, or gathering of seashells or coral from the sea. Samroeng says that every year, a few students, academics and researchers also come on study trips to gather information for their degree courses. Indeed, interest in Koh Yao Noi has peaked since the December 2004 tsunami which left it unaffected. It is thus considered a safe destination, but the islanders are still having to learn to cope with the challenges of the success of the home stay scheme.

“In the past three or four years, we did not expect to receive quite so many tourists,” admits Samroeng. “Some other groups tried to create imitation projects but they did not meet the home stay standards, and the Ministry of Tourism of Sports cancelled their license.” The key issue now is better language training to improve communication with visitors to help them better understand the local activities, culture, lifestyle and history.

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

Image by Sathit Buathet, Copyright Or Sor Tor

The Tourism Authority of Thailand helps with marketing promotion, language training, education exchange, roadshows and free booths at travel marts. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports provides some financial support, helps with the development process and networking with other community-based tourism projects in different parts of Thailand. It also ensures the maintenance of standards.

Administrative matters are handled by a well-organised committee with members responsible for different aspects such as communications, management, transport, finance and reception. Many of these committee members are women. There is also an advisory board of 15 members including the local representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the district police. A local community-based tourism club operates a rotation system for tourism activities, guides and home stay accommodation to ensure equal opportunity to participate in the local tourism industry, and to spread economic benefits around fairly.

Clearly, success begets success. At the World Travel Market 2007 in London, Koh Yao Noi was chosen as one of 15 exemplary Thai community-based tourism projects. Directly as a result of that, ten UK travel agents have expressed interest in sending visitors, and will be taking a look at the project over a four-day period in early April. As numbers rise, managing this growth will take on added importance.

For further information, please visit www.homestaykohyaonoi.com (in English and Thai) or www.kohyao-cbt.com (in Thai)