How to plan a Thailand island hopping trip

Before tourism arrived in Thailand in the 1970s, most of its islands were uninhabited. Over the years, many islands have been developed for tourism, but most of the 1,430 islands are still tourist-free, and many are uninhabited. With so many islands to choose from and, in most cases, a finite amount of time for your trip, deciding which ones to visit can be challenging. Thailand's islands are all very different, with some catering more to tourists than others. 

• The Gulf of Thailand is on the eastern seaboard, with Koh Samui and Ko Phangan being their main claim to fame.
• Chanthaburi and Trat provinces are islands south of Pattaya and close to the Cambodian border, with the main island being Ko Chang.
• The Andaman coast runs down the western side of Thailand from Ranong in the north as far as the Malaysian border with the Andaman Islands, such as Phuket and Phi-Phi Island in between

The Gulf of Thailand islands

Main islands: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Ko Tao

The islands in The Gulf of Thailand are probably the most popular for tourists who come to Thailand in their tens of millions each year for sun, sand and fun. The three major islands are Ko Samui, Ko Phangan, and Ko Tao, with many smaller islands scattered around the Ang Thong National Marine Park, which you can reach by speedboat or longboat. Koh Samui is the most visited as it's more geared toward tourism with its many hotels, restaurants, large shopping malls, markets, nightlife and, of course, lady bars.

Koh Samui 

Koh Samui is not a massive island, but it has a lot of activities available and beautiful beaches. You will find that many just come and stay in the main areas that attract tourists - Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut - but if you get out and about, there are many secluded coves and beaches with hardly a soul to be seen. In the tourist areas, you will find hundreds of hotels, from five-star to modest hotels as well as guest houses and backpacker accommodation. Many restaurants serve Thai, Asian, and Western cuisine, and there are lots of markets and night markets. When the sun goes down on the island's western side, over on the eastern side, the bars and lady bars come alive in Chaweng and Lamai, with many tourists wanting to partake in the beautiful girls working the bar's hospitality. 

Koh Phangan

Everyone knows Ko Phangan, as it is famous - or infamous, depending on your age and outlook on life - for its full moon parties. When tens of thousands of young revellers descend on the island from all around the world to party the night away on Haad Rin for a wild night of drinking, dancing, and partying. If you don't like crowds or parties, make sure that you don't come during or a little after a full moon! In contrast, the island is laid back and tranquil for the rest of the month.

Ko Tao 

Ko Tao, which translates to Turtle Island, lives up to its name, with it being the diving destination of choice in Thailand for many scuba and snorkelling enthusiasts. The island lies 55km north of Koh Samui and 78km from the ferry port in Chumphon. The island was discovered in the mid-1980s by tourists and has grown into a popular island, but it still has the quaint feel of a mid-sized island. The island has white sandy beaches that surround the 20-square-kilometre coastline in the crystal-clear Gulf of Thailand.

Chanthaburi and Trat Provinces islands

Main Islands: Koh Sichang, Koh Samet, Ko Chang and Ko Krood

Koh Sichang 

Koh Samet 

Koh Samet is a scenic drive just south of Pattaya. Koh Samet is another favourite weekend getaway for Bangkokians as well as for the many people who live in Pattaya. So, like its sister island, Koh Sichang, it can get busy at weekends and holidays, but it's an excellent island for a midweek break. The island is not as tropical as some of those further south, but it's still a lovely place to relax and unwind if you can avoid coming during busy times. When the sun sets, the beaches of Koh Samet are lined with pubs and restaurants, with many Thais and foreigners kicking up their heels and partying the night away.

Koh Chang 

Koh Chang is the jewel in the crown of the west coast islands. It is situated in the Trat district, close to the Cambodian border, about a four-and-a-half-hour drive south of Pattaya and then a thirty-minute ferry ride over the Gulf of Thailand. It's a beautiful tropical island with a vibrant nightlife and many restaurants and food stalls selling Thai food and other delicacies from around the region. There are many hotels and accommodation outlets, as you would expect on an island of this size, and the stunning island is surrounded by many beautiful beaches.

Koh Krood

Koh Krood is a smaller version of its sister island, Koh Chang, and is about a two-hour drive south of the Koh Chang Ferry port at Khlong Yai. It sits right on the Cambodian border, close to the border crossing, so it's possible to cross into Cambodia for a few nights should the mood take you. 

Islands in Thailand’s Andaman coast

Main islands: Phuket, Koh Phi-Phi, Ko Yao Noi, Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe

Phuket 

Phuket is the largest and busiest island in Thailand. It can be reached by driving across a causeway bridge or ferry from Krabi Town. Personally, I don't class Phuket as an island as I prefer my tropical islands to be small and more relaxed, whereas Phuket, being connected to the mainland by a causeway, is as busy as most of the larger cities in Thailand. It still has some lovely beaches, but because it's such a busy island, the popular beaches tend to get crowded. For an island this size, you will find many choices and standards for hotels in all the towns, as well as restaurants serving food from just about every corner of the world. The nightlife is comparable to Bangkok and Pattaya, with many lady bars around the island, the main area for lady bars being Bangla Road in Patong.

Kho Phi-Phi 

Ko Yao Noi 

Ko Yao Noi is a secluded and quiet island and does not attract as many people to its shores as Phuket and Koh Phi-Phi. Koh Yao Noi and its neighbour Koh Yao Yai are two large islands in the middle of Phang Nga Bay. The islands remain a quiet refuge - probably like Phi-Phi Island was before Leonardo Di Caprio arrived with a film crew 24 years ago! Ko Yao Noi is more of a relaxing getaway, and you won't find the crowds, bars, restaurants, and nightlife that you will find just across the sea on Ph-Phi and Phuket. Some of the things you can do on the Koh Yao Islands include kayaking, hiking, snorkelling, and swimming in the clear blue warm Andaman Sea.

Koh Lanta 

Koh Lanta is just a short drive from Krabi and has somehow managed to stay off the tourist radar seen elsewhere in Southern Thailand. To reach Koh Lanta, if you are flying into Krabi Airport, you can take the Express bus from the airport, which combines a speedboat and gets you there in a couple of hours. You can also take the ferry to the island from Chaofa Pier in Krabi Town.

Koh Lipe 

About 40 years ago, Koh Lipe started to become popular with the many backpackers discovering Thailand as a cheap destination and its tropical beaches and crystal-clear waters. Located in the southern Thai province of Satun, near the Thailand-Malaysia border, the island is part of the Adang-Rawi Archipelago in the Tarutao National Marine Park, which was established in 1974. Since then, Koh Lipe has risen to the challenge of increasing tourism demand, though it has still, to some extent, managed to maintain a more laid-back island lifestyle than some of the more popular Thai islands to the north, and the beaches are some of the finest in Thailand.

Until next time... Khob Khun Krab

Image Credit: Evan Krause at unspalsh