Thailand: Swimmers at Laem Thian, Ko Tao (Turtle Island), southern Thailand. Ko Tao or Turtle Island, located in the midst of the Gulf of Thailand, was named by early settlers for the island’s hump-backed, turtle-like shape, though it is also a significant breeding ground for both Hawksbill and Green Turtles. The economy of the island, which was once uninhabited except for transient fishermen, now revolves almost exclusively around tourism and scuba diving. The rapid development of tourism in recent years has had a negative impact on turtle breeding.

---

Size: 3401px × 5120px
Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: asia, asian, beach, beaches, cape, coast, coastal, david, dive, diving, gulf, henley, image, images, island, islands, ko, koh, laem, landscape, photo, photograph, pictures, rock, rocky, scuba, sea, southeast, stone, surat, swim, swimmer, swimmers, swimming, tao, thai, thailand, thani, thian, tourism, tourist, travel, turtle