This was once an idyllic seascape, teeming with life and welcoming to human swimmers ... then came the tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 and everything changed.

Huge rocks (right) were dredged up by the power of the waves and left on the foreshore.

The natural wonder of a raised sandbank has been used for restaurants. They were washed away and today you can walk out, at low tide, to see where they once offered their culinary delights in an unforgettable setting (below).

When you have marvelled at Nature, walk round the shoreline to Ao Thong and the beaches, eateries and welcome shade from the palm trees.