The Best Islands In Thailand: Which Should You Visit?

You’re on a pristine beach fringed by turquoise sea, fresh coconut in hand, on a hammock gently swaying between two palm trees — you’re probably on an island in Thailand.

Thailand’s islands are famous for their wonderful beaches, laid-back vibe and fun activities, such as scuba diving, snorkelling and hiking. Each has its own unique personality; some are great for adventurers, some are ideal for backpacker parties and some are perfect for those just looking to chill out on a beautiful beach.

With so many options to choose from, planning a Thailand island hopping trip can be overwhelming.

For this blog post, I’ve teamed up with 9 travel bloggers to bring you 9 of the best islands in Thailand to help you decide which ones are perfect for you.

How to plan a Thai island-hopping trip

As Thailand has quite a long coastline, there are many islands that fall within its territory. So, to make island-hopping more logistical and easier to plan, I’ve broken Thailand’s best islands down into three geographical groups:

Andaman Sea islands: On the west of the peninsula is the Andaman Sea, where islands such as Koh Lanta, Koh Mook and Koh Lipe lie.

Gulf of Thailand islands: On the east coast of the peninsula is the Gulf of Thailand, where islands such as Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan lie.

Trat islands: The province of Trat, which is also in the Gulf of Thailand but on the opposite side of the gulf, has islands such as Koh Chang and Ko Kood off its coastline.

It makes a lot more sense to go island-hopping within one geographical group at a time, otherwise, you’ll be going back and forth all over the place.

Andaman Sea Islands

For island hopping in the Andaman Sea, I suggest you make your way to Phuket or Krabi. From either of these two well-connected hubs, you will easily be able to book transfer to the islands in the Andaman Sea. My personal recommendation is to stay in Ao Nang, which is a lively beach town in Krabi province.

Koh Lanta

Explored by Alex from Swedish Nomad

Koh Lanta is one of the most family-friendly islands, known for its many beaches and laidback atmosphere. While there are some bars and restaurants along the beaches in Koh Lanta, it’s a rather sleepy island that is perfect for relaxation and nature experiences. The island has a national park that covers an area of 134 km² which includes several smaller islands just outside Koh Lanta as well.

The Mu Ko National Park is home to monkeys and typically consists of rugged hills, rainforests, and beach forests. This is also where the nomadic sea gypsies live, known as Chao Le. The entrance fee is 200 THB.

The best thing to do is just to rent a scooter and explore the beaches, buy a fresh coconut and eat Thai food that is served with ocean views all over the island. Koh Lanta is perhaps one of the cosiest islands and it’s accessible from both Krabi and Phuket with several ferries daily.

Koh Mook

Explored by Linn from Brainy Backpackers

Koh Mook is an underrated island in the Andaman Sea, easily reached from Trang and a popular day trip from Koh Lanta, but not for visiting the island itself. Most day-trippers go to the mesmerizing Emerald Cave, which is only reached by sea. You have to swim 80 meters through the cave until you get to a secret beach lit up by the sunlight above the rock walls that surround it. But Koh Mook is so much more than this wonder.

Not many travellers stay the night at Koh Mook, thus it’s an island where you can experience true Thai island culture. Rent a scooter or a bike and explore the island with its jungle treks and secluded beaches. There is so much raw beauty to this island and for the adventure seeker, it’s a great place to spend a few days or weeks. Even the most popular, long beaches are pretty much empty, so Koh Mook is truly a paradise island! And did you know you can rent a kayak and get to Emerald Cave early in the morning before the day-trippers get there?

Koh Lipe

Explored by Lee from The Travel Scribes

It’s one of the lesser-known island outposts in Thailand: the utopian small islet of Koh Lipe. Nestled between the larger island of Koh Lanta and also accessible via Malaysia’s own beach nirvana, Langkawi, Koh Lipe is a laidback place; known for its quiet beaches, spectacular snorkelling and the languid trips out in a longtail boat to the surrounding spots.

While Koh Lipe isn’t the remote paradise it used to be (it now caters to backpackers and luxury travellers alike), it’s still one of the quieter islands in the Andaman Sea. It also packs a punch considering its size, with heaps of activities to while your day away. From scrunching your toes in the sand on the many beaches (Sunrise and Sunset are the best of the bunch), hiking up to the viewpoint on the neighbouring Koh Adang, inhaling the banana pancakes at Bloom bar or exploring the gorgeous reefs of Pulau Payar, Koh Lipe is a must-visit island in Thailand.

Ko Surin Nuea

Explored by Greta from Greta’s Travels

If you’re searching for the most beautiful islands in Thailand, you have to add Ko Surin Nuea to your travel bucket list. Ko Surin Nuea is the biggest island of the Surin Islands. It’s the typical paradise island, with fine white sand, clear turquoise water, rich marine wildlife and palm trees all around it.

My favourite thing about the Surin Islands is that they are still off the main tourist radar, and have limited infrastructure. You won’t find hotels or resorts in Ko Surin Nuea. The only option if you want to spend the night here is to camp on the beach, and trust me when I say it’s a magical experience!

You will wake up early in the morning to the sound of the waves, you open your tent flap and find yourself right on the beach. You can then spend the day snorkelling along the beautiful reefs, walking one of the forest trails on the island, visiting the local Moken village, or simply just relaxing on the beach!

Gulf of Thailand Islands

The Gulf of Thailand lies on the east of the Thai peninsula, sheltered by Cambodia and the tip of Vietnam. Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan form a great island-hopping combination as they’re no more than a three-hour boat trip from each other.

Koh Samui

Explored by Aurelia from Daily Travel Pill

Koh Samui is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand. It has stunning beaches with white sand and crystal-clear water, pristine waterfalls, and beautiful temples.

If you’re looking for a hidden paradise, head to Na Muang 2 Waterfall and enjoy the jungle views while sitting in a natural pool on the top of a cliff.

While you’re in the area, make sure to also visit the famous Overlap Stone. This huge stone sits in perfect balance on top of another stone. It’s incredible what nature can do!

While in Koh Samui, you have to visit two beautiful temples — Big Buddha Temple and Wat Plai Laem Temple. You’ll be welcomed by a peaceful atmosphere and big Buddha Statues.

If you’re planning to visit Koh Samui, plan at least 3 days to see the island. There are so many breathtaking places to visit!

Koh Tao

Explored by Sarah from A Social Nomad

The island of Koh Tao lies in the Gulf of Thailand and it’s easy to reach the island from Bangkok. It is often eclipsed by neighbouring islands, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Koh Tao, however, has specific reasons to visit and tends to be quieter than her neighbours. Here you’ll find hiking, palm tree-lined beaches and clear waters.

Koh Tao is best known for the coral reefs that surround the island. You’ll find hawksbill and green turtles nesting here, and as well as the usual range of tropical fish, you’ll also find rays and whale sharks. If you’re already a diver, that last species is reason enough to come to Koh Tao. And diving is one of the main reasons to come to Koh Tao. The island is one of the cheapest (and safest) places to learn to dive in South East Asia, there are excellent dive schools here, but there is also an incredible diversity of diving, and of course, visiting whale sharks.

Koh Pha Ngan

Explored by Clemens from Travellers Archive

Koh Phangan is an island in the Gulf of Thailand and the third-largest island in the country. Koh Samui right next door might be much better known, but Koh Phangan offers much more originality and is less developed than Koh Samui. What makes Koh Phangan so special is the mixture of a subtle hippie feeling, quiet places and nice nightlife such as the chilled freeway bar on the beach.

Koh Phangan is perfect to discover by scooter. The roads are mostly very good and you can explore the whole island on your own. Thong Sala is the main town of Koh Phangan and is a mecca for foodies. The city actually consists of no more than two main streets and several smaller alleys, in which there are many cute shops. The Wat Pho, the Phantip Nightmarket and the Yang Nai Yai tree are also worth a visit. Of course, the island has another highlight for everyone that loves parties: the legendary Full Moon Party.

Trat Islands

Trat is a province in Thailand, right on the border of Cambodia. It’s also situated in the Gulf of Thailand, but it sits on the opposite side of the gulf to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. For this reason, I’ve grouped the following islands into their own geographical group.

Koh Chang

Explored by Karolina from Lazy Travel Blog

Koh Chang Island, which is not far from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Its main attraction is the stretch of long white sand beach known as Hat Sai Khao to the locals. With its line of beachside bars, restaurants and lounge chairs, it is the best place to sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Aside from the beach, Koh Chang Island has many attractions to offer, like the hiking trails and natural wonders of Mu Koh Chang National Park and the waterfalls and villages around the island.

One of the best places to stay on the island is the Peninsula Beach Resort with its sea view, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, and close proximity to the beach. From the resort, Klong Son Beach is 150 metres away while the more popular White Sand Beach is around 2.7 kilometres away.

Koh Kood

Explored by Jon from Jon Is Travelling

In terms of raw beach beauty, it’d be hard to look past Koh Kood when choosing your next Thai island trip. Koh Kood is one of the closer islands to Bangkok (it’s close to the border with Cambodia) which makes it an easy place to visit.

The main draw is obviously the beaches — there are several stunning ones scattered around the island and there are accommodation options to suit all budgets at a few of them. Bang Bao Bay is my favourite — there’s a good range of places to sleep, eat and drink and the beach is one of the best I’ve seen in Thailand. Koh Kood isn’t really suited to young backpackers wanting to party (there’s very little nightlife compared to other Thai islands I’ve been to) so if you’re looking for a relaxing few days at a beautiful beach it’s a great option.

And there we have it — 9 of the best islands in Thailand. Do you have any other great suggestions to add to this list? Drop them in the comments below!

---

Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, I’d be grateful if you would consider using the affiliate links below when planning your travels. I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to keep this blog running. Thanks for your support – Lauren.

Hotels – Booking.com
Hostels – Hostelworld
Cheap flights – Skyscanner
Travel insurance – World Nomads
Outdoor gear – Decathlon / GO Outdoors
Cycling gear – Chain Reaction Cycles

Alternatively, you could buy me a coffee to say thanks!