1Twenty years ago, this quiet fishing town attracted only a small handful of adventurous foreign backpackers each summer.
2Today, its narrow lantern-lit streets welcome well over a million visitors from every corner of the world each year.
3The harbour, once crowded with wooden fishing boats, now fills up with modern vessels offering romantic sunset cruises.
4Many families have converted their ancestral homes into guesthouses, restaurants, or shops selling mass-produced souvenirs.
5While tourism has brought undeniable prosperity, some residents quietly mourn the rhythms of the old life.
6Elderly fishermen often complain that their grandchildren now prefer serving coffee to tourists rather than mending nets.
7Local authorities have recently introduced strict building rules in order to protect the ancient houses from careless and hasty development.
8Visitors are now encouraged to travel in smaller groups and to stay overnight rather than rush through.
9Some thoughtful travellers deliberately arrive during the rainy season, when the town slowly recovers its quieter and more authentic character.
10The difficult challenge facing this town today is one that is shared by countless beautiful places around the world.
11How to welcome the world without losing the soul that first attracted it remains an open question.