The Beach

The Beach is an adventure fiction novel written by Alex Garland and originally published in 1996. Garland wrote the book during his time in the Philippines and was inspired by the landscape there, as well as historical events such as the Vietnam War. It was adapted into a successful major motion picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Danny Boyle in 2000, and the novel was included on a BBC list of most-read novels in the UK in 2003.

This guide uses the 1997 Riverhead Books edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The Beach and this guide contain references to death by suicide, sexual assault, and drug use.

Plot Summary

Protagonist and narrator Richard, born in 1974 during the Vietnam War, arrives in Bangkok, Thailand, with a thirst for adventure. He is disappointed that it is like his own home, full of strange people and uncomfortable circumstances. In his guest house, he meets a man named Daffy who talks to himself about a beach and throws a joint at Richard. The next day, Richard finds a map on his door indicating a mysterious beach on an island near Koh Samui.