The finest islands in Thailand have white sand beaches, rustic-chic beach shacks, and hammocks that swing softly between two palm palms while a turquoise sea lapping at the shore. However, there are many to pick from, and each Thai island has unique qualities that set it apart from the others. The first step in organizing an unforgettable trip to Thailand is determining the ideal time to go, but deciding where to go is just as crucial. If you want to learn to dive, party until dawn, enjoy the best Thai food, or take a romantic, isolated vacation to get away from it all.
Koh Yao islands
Thailand’s top islands for uncrowded beaches and off-the-beaten-path experiences
Though only a half-hour speedboat journey from bustling Phuket, the twin islands of Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi are very distinct from one another. Sleepy fishing villages line the shoreline in place of flashy beach clubs, and the 7-11 is affectionately referred to by the locals as the island’s sole shopping center. Their charm lies in the fact that there isn’t much to see or do.
Both islands are dotted with rice paddies and rubber plantations, with dirt roads and a few concrete highways running through them. Rent a scooter and spend your days drinking Thai iced tea while looking out over the mangroves. The Rest Calm in Pradu village, Yao Noi, is a great place to slow down. You can eat freshly caught seafood at the dilapidated eateries that line the main roads and chance upon empty beaches where you’re more likely to run into a water buffalo than another tourist.
Koh Yao Noi, sometimes known as the “small long island,” is the more developed of the two despite its smaller size; yet, even its primary attractions, Had Pasai and Klong Jark beach, are still quite laid back. If you want to avoid the tourist craze in southern Thailand without roughing it, base yourself here and spend a day exploring its larger twin, Koh Yao Yai, sometimes known as the “big long island.”
Koh Samui
Thailand’s top island for honeymooners, families, first-timers, and yoga enthusiasts
The first Thai island was Koh Samui. Once attracting backpackers and ravers with its amazing beaches, affordable huts, and full moon parties, Koh Samui has matured and become smarter, with its not-so-rustic beach bungalows refined to the last detail. Today, Koh Samui boasts some of the world’s best luxury beach resorts, a number of first-rate beach hotels, and some top-notch spas.
Because of this, it’s perfect for anyone who wants the excitement of a Thai beach vacation without any of the angst. Super-luxe hotels, beach clubs, and Michelin-starred restaurants are available to honeymooners; parents can choose family-friendly hotels with childcare, splash pools, and Western cuisine, and you can experience South-East Asia for the first time with all the comforts.
Additionally, Koh Samui might be the world’s greatest place for yoga and spa treatments. Our top choice for a spa and wellness retreat is Kamalaya, which is nestled high in the jungle. The lodges are exquisitely created using local stone and wood, showcasing traditional Thai architecture. They are open to the weather and encircled by bougainvillea and banana trees. Another well-known yoga retreat that has the potential to change people’s lives is Absolute Sanctuary.
Koh Tao
Thailand’s top scuba diving island
Little sandy coves, charming eateries with lantern lighting, and dive shops surround the shore of Koh Tao, often known as “Turtle Island.” The majority of visitors are here to dive. In addition to being one of the best learning destinations in the world, the island is also among the least expensive due to rivalry among dive companies. Take a dive with sharks or Nitrox, or simply board one of the tens of boats that leave daily. One of the best stores on Koh Tao is Phoenix Divers, which opened its doors in 2002. Children’s classes are also offered, and instructors speak a number of languages.
It’s the type of spot where pharangs come for a few days and stay forever, so even if you’re not a diver, there’s plenty to keep you happy; In addition to its great nightlife, which includes the occasional full-moon party and is a little more sophisticated than on nearby Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Tao has an allure that is hard to resist.
Koh Pha Ngan
Thailand’s greatest island for hippies and hedonists
Koh Pha Ngan is the Thai island for you if three-day beach parties are part of your ideal vacation. Hardcore partygoers and dreadlocked tourists frequent this island, which is well-known for its full moon events at Sunrise Beach on Haad Rin. 20,000 tourists can be seen dancing, drinking, and having fun on the white beaches beneath the full moon during the busiest time of year. There are half-moon and black-moon parties in the weeks in between, and the island’s beach and cocktail bars are lively every night of the week, so don’t worry if you can’t make it during the appropriate time of the month.
A Thai massage will knead you back into shape while you sleep it off the next morning under the shade of a palm tree. There are many spas, from the most basic to the most luxurious (like the Ayurvana Spa at Santhiya Resort on Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach in the north of the island), and isolated beaches far from the crowds (like hippie favorite Bottle Beach, which is arguably one of Thailand’s best beaches).
Phuket, Thailand
Thailand’s best island for: Living in a big, glamorous Every Western convenience you could possibly need is available in Phuket, along with perhaps a few that you can’t. Restaurants with celebrity chefs? Verify. Private butlers at six-star resorts? Verify. Top-notch plastic surgery? No issue. Phuket is the island for you if you’re the most meticulous person.
Phuket, the largest and busiest island in Thailand, offers cosmopolitan diversions in the form of designer boutiques and top-notch restaurants, including Acqua, despite being infiltrated by package vacations and cheap sleaze in some areas (avoid Bangla Road in Patong).
Phuket continues to have some of the islands’ most beautiful beaches. Beautiful small Kata Noi is the place to go if you’re looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. Many have been overtaken by ultra-groomed foreign resorts and set with chic sunloungers and upscale beach bars.
Koh Lanta
Best island in Thailand for: when you can’t make up your mind
Koh Lanta is one of the top all-arounders among Thailand’s islands. Koh Lanta is actually a group of numerous small islands, the most popular of which being Koh Lanta Yai, and is less than an hour’s boat ride from Krabi. With its nature reserves and uncrowded beaches, as well as its accommodations ranging from budget to luxury, it draws more tourists in their 30s, 40s, and 50s than backpackers. Bringing the kids? The island is safe, and the waters are tranquil.
Koh Lanta is the place to go if you want the whole vacation experience: kayaking through a mangrove forest, eating seafood tom yum with the locals in a welcoming fishing hamlet, getting a nice massage, sunbathing on gorgeous beaches, and doing some world-class diving.
Koh Lipe
Best island in Thailand for: Hopeless romantics and honeymooners
Most likely, Koh Lipe comes to mind when you think of an island in Thailand. Koh Lipe, one of the 51 islands that comprise Tarutao Marine Park, is located down south close to the Malaysian border and is frequently cited as having Thailand’s most stunning beaches. It has the ideal mix of luxurious hotels, picture-perfect beaches, and seclusion (much fewer tourists than Phuket or Samui).
The island is sufficiently tiny to be explored on foot, possibly accompanied by a significant other. Sunset Beach is the calmest and most private beach, whereas Pattaya Beach (seen) is the busiest and the site of the most of the island’s nightlife. There are many of opportunities for snorkeling, diving, and islet tours, but you might choose to spend your time at one of the upscale resorts receiving couples massages.
Koh Chang, Thailand
Best island in Thailand for: exploring Thailand’s eastern islands
Thailand in little, Koh Chang is more reserved and quiet than its big sisters, Samui and Phuket. Although it’s not quite unspoiled, a large portion of its interior is a national park, making it an excellent place to undertake jungle hiking. It’s also conveniently located among the smaller, more remote islands of the archipelago. It’s also becoming more and more well-liked by travelers who wish to visit Siem Reap after spending a week in Thailand. Steer clear of the popular west coast beaches and instead explore Had Sai Noi Beach, which is known for its bohemian beach-bar culture. You can also kayak through the mangroves at Salakkok Bay and get a unique look at a traditional fishing town that is rapidly disappearing elsewhere.
The family-run Kati restaurant in Klong Prao village is highly regarded by the locals. Everything is prepared to order using homemade curry pastes, and if you want to learn the methods, there’s a cookery school next door.
Koh Phi Phi
Best island in Thailand for: Solo and single travellers
Koh Phi Phi may be the ideal island for you if you’re traveling alone or with buddies who aren’t dating. After being completely destroyed by the tsunami, it has been nearly completely restored in recent years, offering more intelligent lodging options than before. Known for having a good time and offering a variety of activities (such as diving, snorkeling, cliff jumping, and boat trips to Koh Phi Phi Ley (pictured) and other islets where The Beach was filmed), Koh Phi Phi attracts a youthful, fashionable, and active crowd with a certain amount of sophistication who are ready to unwind or party (though not the hardcore ravers of Pha Ngan), especially on New Year’s Eve.
Days are spent swimming, exploring, or tanning. The evenings are spent shopping, hanging out at beach bars, and dancing till the wee hours of the morning with new acquaintances while watching Thai dancers juggle fire. Most likely, you won’t leave alone, even though you could come alone.
Similan Islands
Best island in Thailand for: island-hopping
Think of Koh Phi Phi Ley before The Beach, only smaller, more difficult to reach, and more stunning. Now picture nine of these tiny marvels in a lovely chain. Nine! The Similan Islands, which make up a national park in the Andaman Sea, are numbered one through nine from north to south. Only the white-sand beaches of Koh Miang (named ‘number four’), which has basic bamboo huts, and the largest island, Koh Similan (number eight), are accessible by foot. You may swim over unspoiled coral reefs in the turquoise waters off them all.
Koh Tachai, located just north of the national park, is the most popular and has the softest, most sparkling sand. The ideal time to see whale sharks is from February to April, and Richelieu Rock, which is near the Burmese border, is one of the world’s top dive spots.
Anywhere you travel, a boat will be necessary. An hour’s drive north of Phuket, Khao Lak serves as the starting point for day tours and live-aboards that circle the islands. The town itself is only a collection of eateries (QCumber is a must for Thai curries and nutritious breakfasts) and guesthouses that are tucked away from the shore. (From May to October, the Similan Islands are closed to travelers.)
Koh Si Chang, Thailand
Best island in Thailand for: Bangkok’s nearest beach for flying visits
It might not be feasible to schlep all the way out from Bangkok to far-off islands if you are only in Thailand for a few days. Alternatively, spend a day or two on Koh Si Chang (not to be confused with Koh Chang), which is one of Bangkok’s nearest beach resorts and can be reached by boat from the city in two hours. Residents of Bangkok frequently visit it for day outings and weekend getaways.
With its verdant hinterland and fishing towns, Si Chang offers a wonderful respite from the busy, dirty streets of the capital, even though it doesn’t have the softest white sand of all Thailand’s islands.
Enjoy a Singha while relaxing on your lounger and watching the surf, or eat some fresh seafood at one of the eateries on Haad Tham Phang beach. If you would prefer to spend your limited time on the beach rather than on a bus or boat, Koh Si Chang is your best option because it is serene and virtually devoid of foreigners.
Nang Yuan
Best island in Thailand for: special sunsets and world-class diving
Three incredibly beautiful islets make up Nang Yuan, which is connected by delicate white sand strands. This peaceful location, which is far from the crowds at Ko Pha Ngan, attracts a more romantic population, mostly because of a single, picturesque viewpoint that overlooks all three islands. The finest place to see Thailand’s stunning sunrises and fiery sunsets is here. The extensive expanses of undamaged coral reefs that are located near the coast and farther out into deeper waters will also appeal to divers and snorkelers.
Koh Kood
Best island in Thailand for: those who can keep a secret
Oddly, Koh Kood is still comparatively undeveloped for being the fourth largest island in Thailand. In addition to being a short hop and a skip from the jungle Koh Chang, it provides a striking contrast to places like the bustling Phuket or Koh Pha Nyang. It has done an amazing job of staying incredibly under the radar in a nation that is so focused on tourism, and its relative lack of infrastructure makes it one of the most peaceful islands you could imagine.
For those who prefer solitude, a multitude of immaculate beaches with creamy sand, azure waters, and palm trees provide a sanctuary. For the most beautiful scenery you can imagine, visit the beaches at Ao Tapao, Klong Chao, and Bao Bang (and, for heaven’s sake, don’t tell anyone what you’ve found).
