An impressive seven-storey cruise ship, tucked away in the deep jungle on the beautiful Thai island of Koh Chang, was once envisioned as a luxurious stopover for thousands of visitors. The Galaxy, also known as the Grand Laguna Hotel, began its life as a US Navy vessel before being converted into a traditional Thai ship. A resident billionaire later purchased it to fulfil his dream of owning a floating hotel.
The resort, now abandoned, sits deep in the jungle on Koh Chang, Thailand’s third-largest island, seven hours south of Bangkok. In the late 1990s, it was a tourist hotspot, offering bungalows and accommodation aboard the ship itself. The seven-storey hotel boasted plush carpets, chandeliers, and highly trained staff. The first and second floors housed meeting rooms and staff areas, while the third, fourth, and fifth floors contained around 200 guest bedrooms. It even featured a restaurant spanning the two top levels.
However, due to growing financial pressures, the hotel closed its doors to paying guests in 2012. Visitors still flocked to the ghost ship, buying tickets to explore its decks, but the COVID-19 pandemic halted this. US social media influencer Joshua T Yozura, known for his YouTube series Exploring with Josh, explored the abandoned ship, finding a dilapidated wreck covered in brown rust.
The Galaxy’s bad luck began when a Banyan tree was knocked down to make way for the ship’s lagoon location, angering local spiritual beliefs. This started rumours that the hotel was cursed. Josh revealed that when the hotel was active, many workers and guests became sick, had falls, and even died. “There’s a lot of legends and rumours that say people used to jump from the top of the ship to the bottom,” he said. One Reddit user claimed: “People have killed themselves by jumping [off] the top.”
The hotel also suffered from its tropical location, surrounded by water and infested with mosquitoes, leading to outbreaks of Dengue fever and malaria. The extreme humidity made the ship difficult to keep cool, offering little comfort. The final blow came in December 2024, when the ship mysteriously caught fire and was destroyed. Around 50 emergency workers attempted to put out the blaze but failed due to strong winds. The cause remains unknown. As of mid-2025, only the hull remains, with the upper sections shipped to the mainland and sold for scrap.
