Richard lands in East Asia in search of an earthly utopia. In Thailand, he is given a map promising an unknown island, a secluded beach — and a new way of life. What Richard finds when he gets there is breathtaking: more extraordinary, more frightening than his wildest dreams. But how long can paradise survive here on Earth? And what lengths will Richard go to in order to save it?

«Close your eyes … imagine idyllic white sands and coral gardens». Richard arrives in Thailand. He hears about ‘the beach’, a secret island. It is paradise on earth. He goes there, but paradise soon turns into hell…»