Some of our favourite Thai islands

Thai Islands

Precisely how many islands Thailand includes within its boundaries is a tricky question. When is a clump of rocks sticking out of the sea an island and when is it…just a few rocks? They come in all shapes and sizes from the previously mentioned tidal outcrop that a local fisherman has seen fit to give a name to, up to an entire province in its own right. (That’s Phuket btw.) Some are inhabited, others not, certain still pristine and others developed to the hilt so here’s a brief rundown on our favourite Thai islands or – more accurately – which ones we choose to include on our tours, which we don’t, and why.

It’s not just a case of which is the prettiest or has the best beaches; which is the least spoilt or which one is the best-known – there’s a range of factors to take into account.

Firstly, there’s no point in listing some completely pristine tropical paradise if there’s no accommodation and zero facilities. Wonderful if you can include a visit on an island hopping or snorkelling day trip, but you won’t stay there. (The Andaman Sea’s Koh Rok or Koh Laoliang spring to mind.) Location and ease of access are vital and some islands can be very far-flung and, if you’re spending a few days on the beach before your return flight home, it needs to be somewhere with reliable connections. (We were once stuck on, what at the time was beautiful, unspoilt Koh Lipe for 5 days due to bad seas which is disastrous if you have a flight to catch.)

Climate considerations and seasons are obviously important with Thailand’s islands mainly falling into 3 broad geographical zones; the west – or Andaman Sea – coast and the east and west coasts of the Gulf of Thailand. (For a more in-depth climate rundown, see our when’s the best time to visit South Thailand post.)

The choice also, of course, depends upon our guests’ preferences. Are you intending to just relax by the pool or sea for a few days; are you after a range of activities, would you hope to snorkel, do you like hiking etc? Are you a single traveller hoping to meet a few fellow tourists? Is this intended as a romantic getaway or do you have the family in tow? Weather, choice of activities, location and so on are all about compromises so, while we do prefer to avoid the most developed islands such as Phuket or Koh Samui – or at least developed sections of the larger islands – several of our favourite Thai island choices are thus compromise choices.

Favourite Thai Islands – East Coast

Rayong Province’s Koh Samet is undoubtedly a very pretty island – and conveniently placed – albeit perhaps too much so and its proximity to Bangkok makes it a very busy island at most times of year. Skipping a few small islands off the coast of Pattaya, that leaves the eastern archipelago close to the Cambodian border which makes up the Koh Chang National Marine Park.

Koh Mak

Best described as medium-sized, Koh Mak is situated in eastern Thailand’s Trat Province, between the two larger and better-known islands of Koh Chang and Koh Kut. Resorts are generally low-key and there’s a scattering of cafes and bars around the island but Koh Mak lacks the larger-scale development of Koh Chang. There are several quiet beaches and viewpoints you can hike to and boat and snorkelling tours are available to nearby islands in the surrounding Koh Chang National Marine Park. The island is reached by a short speedboat ride which connects you to nearby Trat Airport with its regular flights to Bangkok. All round excellent choice for the October to April season, a few days on Koh Mak is available as an extension to any of our tours. Our recommendations are Koh Mak Resort or Seevana Beach Resort.

Koh Chang

Koh Mak’s larger and much better-known neighbour makes it on to our favourite Thai islands list with certain reservations. Firstly, it can get very busy during high season and secondly, it depends on which of Koh Chang’s west coast beaches you’re staying on. The first strip you’ll reach on arrival, White Sands Beach, is very built up, crowded and reminiscent of certain parts of Phuket or Samui, so, in our opinion, to be avoided.

Next up is Khlong Prao with a series of large, mid to upper-range resorts, followed around a small headland by Kai Bae Beach. The beach here is less developed than many and the back of the beach collection of cafes, shops and restaurants is relatively compact with a slightly more village feel to it than others so, this is definitely our pick.

During low season Koh Chang is quiet while also having the major advantage of ease of access with a short car ferry ride to the mainland and proximity to Trat Airport. Importantly, the large island offers a range of activities – as well as a wide choice of restaurants and cafes – which is appreciable if the weather is playing up. A good option for families with our clear winner being the delightfully low-key KB Resort.

Koh Kut

Lying south of Koh Mak, somewhat remote Koh Kut is the last Thai island before reaching Cambodian waters. The large island has a well-preserved forested interior and several picturesque beaches and has so far avoided the large-scale development of certain other islands or certain sections of neighbouring Koh Chang. It is harder to reach and probably not a great choice for the low season but a great option for November through to March/April. We confess it has been off our radar for a while but a recce is imminent, so expect to see one or two Koh Kut choices on offer soon.

Favourite Thai Islands – western Gulf

The three principal island destinations on the west coast of the Gulf are Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao. The former with its airport and lively nightlife is popular with many but on a bad day reminds us of a Thai Ibiza so…Koh Pha Ngan, famous for its full moon parties is less developed and certainly picturesque – at least on its western and northern coasts – while Koh Tao is the scuba diving destination of choice. It’s undoubtedly a pretty island, although quite how much coral and marine life remains after 30 years of intensive scuba activity is debatable. It is also quite far out to sea – even from Samui’s airport, let alone the mainland – so a risky choice if you’re on any kind of schedule.

Koh Thalu

Our choice for this coast is off-the-beaten-track, picturesque Koh Thalu. Located north of Surat Thani’s Samui, in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, this tiny island flies right under the radar. It possesses just one resort, no 7-Eleven, no bars or cafes – apart from the in-house one – and certainly zero full-moon parties. Fortunately, the resort (and its kitchen) are excellent with a wide range of activities on offer including hiking, kayaking, fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling and sailing. Enough to keep you – and the family – interested and occupied for a few days while the island is conveniently placed a short speedboat ride offshore. With its location on the western Gulf Coast, the island is also sheltered from the western monsoon which hits the Andaman Coast from May/June to October so a great addition to our seasonal South Thailand family tour variant, Reefs and Rainforests.

Favourite Thai Islands – Andaman Sea

Thailand’s lengthy west coast, facing the Andaman Sea, stretches all the way from the Burmese border in Ranong to Malaysia in the far south and includes well-known Trang and Krabi Provinces as well as the popular islands of Phuket and Koh Phi Phi.

The latter is of course spectacular – but very crowded – so if you can stay elsewhere and visit on a day trip so much the better, while the former is simply not the All Points East style. The spectacular islands of the Tarutao Marine Park in the far south are stunning but remote and time-consuming to reach while Ranong’s far-flung islands, including Koh Chang (yes, another Koh Chang) and Koh Phayam, lack the complementary mainland sites that make Krabi and Trang such good destinations. The latter two provinces – along with popular Pha Nga Bay – feature the spectacular karst scenery so often seen in Tourism Authority of Thailand brochures, although Trang’s offerings are significantly less developed than those of neighbouring Krabi.

Koh Libong

Laidback Libong is a case in point with a small selection of low-key resorts, a fishing village to hike to, a small clutch of cafes and restaurants and easy access to plenty of nearby unspoilt islands and reefs. To our minds, just the right level of tourist infrastructure for a comfortable and tranquil stay. Our go-to spot is the delightful Andalay Beach Resort.

Koh Lanta

Lanta and Libong (the former actually located over the border in Krabi Province), is similar to our Koh Mak – Koh Chang suggestion in that the larger, more developed island is a great alternative for quieter periods and offers more options if the weather is hindering boat trips and beach activities. Again, a good option for families. Roughly speaking the series of sandy bays along the west coast get quieter and more unspoilt the further away you are from the bridge to the mainland.

Koh Jam

A personal, rather outside-of-the-box, choice is Krabi’s Koh Jum (or Jam), situated approximately halfway between Krabi Town and Lanta. Despite a great location and miles of sandy beaches, for reasons we’ve never fathomed, the picturesque island has remained stubbornly off the radar with a recent family visit revealing that Koh Jum still doesn’t see many more visitors than it did 30 years ago. Uncrowded beaches, a couple of cute fishing villages with some local seafood restaurants and ease of access to neighbouring islands – including Phi Phi which is directly opposite – as well as the mainland, make Koh Jum a great destination.