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Each time we’ve gone to Thailand’s southern region we add a few more beaches and islands to our travel repertoire. Six trips and countless boat rides later, we think it’s about time to put together a guide to island hopping in Thailand off the Andaman coastline. Here goes!
To make things a bit easier, we’ve grouped the islands into two categories:
- “Main Islands” are those that are built up, have well-established mass transportation systems (ferries, speedboats, etc), and a variety of accommodations and restaurants
- “Smaller Islands” have a more castaway feel and are better suited for daytime visits with the help of boat tours and generally don’t offer much as far as accommodations or restaurants, if anything at all
Main Islands
Koh Lanta Yai
From our experience, Koh Lanta Yai has a little something for everyone and it’s only a two-hour drive from the Krabi Airport (KBV). It’s possible to stay there on a budget and spend your days lounging in a hammock or swimming at the beach, but there were also some very nice resorts and plenty of outdoor excursions, too. One of our favorite things about the island is the unlimited number of places to watch the sunset. This long, narrow island runs north to south so its entire west coast is populated with bars, restaurants, resorts, and bungalows perfect for grabbing a cocktail and watching the sun go down.
Koh Phi Phi Don
Koh Phi Phi (pronounced Pee Pee, not Fee Fee!) is accessible by first flying into either Krabi Airport or Phuket International Airport (HKT) followed by a short bus ride to a pier and then a transfer by either ferry or speedboat.
Parts of Koh Phi Phi Don are quite pretty and the centrally located Tonsai East Shopping Alleyway is a network of narrow streets linking together restaurants, beach shops, and hotels. There are plenty of bars serving up rum buckets and blasting dance music late into the night. It’s absolutely perfect for the professional partier!
Unfortunately, this is probably our least favorite island. The crowds were overwhelming and the central area of the island felt dingy and overrun. The food, hotel, and even massages we had were overpriced and the quality was average at best. The biggest disappointment was the beaches, particularly Loh Dalum Bay; it was muddy at low tide and littered with plastic bottles and other trash. Overrated? We think so, but we’d be willing to give it a second chance and go during low season.
Phuket
Yacht Haven Marina in Phuket
Not only is Phuket Thailand’s biggest island, but because it has its own airport it is arguably the most convenient and quickest island to travel to in the Andaman Sea. We spent two weeks in Phuket and to our surprise, loved almost every bit of it. We were impressed just how big it was, the number of beaches and different towns we drove through, and the number of things to do in Phuket that catered to both travelers and expats. Since Phuket has several marinas, it’s also possible to splurge and go island hopping in Thailand’s Andaman Sea on chartered speedboats, yachts, and catamarans.
Railay
Railay is not actually an island (it’s part of the Krabi mainland), but it would be a shame not to include it among the list of islands off of Thailand’s southwestern coast. Since this area is only accessible by a network of boats from Ao Nang (there are no direct roads via the mainland), it certainly feels as if it were an island! There are several different beaches including Tonsai Beach, Railay West, Railay East, and Phra Nang Cave Beach (our favorite).
The latter three beaches are connected by a Walking Street with several tiny restaurants and shops selling beach paraphernalia. Phra Nang Cave Beach has immense limestone cliffs that hang over the water and picturesque longtail boats that line up on the shoreline selling snacks and fruit smoothies. Tonsai Beach is great for rock climbing during the day and partying at night.
| TIP: Before taking a longtail boat from the mainland (Ao Nang Beach) to any of these nearby beaches, pack a bottle of liquor in your beach bag. Buy a fruit smoothie for 50 baht and top it off instead of buying a fruity cocktail for 200 baht. |
Smaller Islands
Koh Phi Phi Leh (Maya Bay Beach)
A photo posted by Chris and Angela Scott (@tielandtothailand) on
Infamously known from the movie The Beach, this bay and beach area is spectacular but incredibly overcrowded. Ah, the paradox of tourist attractions! Arriving early (before 9am) makes a big difference. Anytime after that will result in tour boats coming in by the dozens and dumping hordes of people onto the beach.
There is also a second overlook point with a partially hidden cove that is accessible by a climbing net. This is a popular spot to snorkel with beautiful views of the nearby islands.
Poda Island
Overlooking a nearby rock formation from the beaches of Poda Island
Poda Island was the very first Thai island we’d ever visited and it left a lasting impression on us. It’s easy to grab a longtail boat from Ao Nang and spend an afternoon there. We noticed that visitors tend to hang around the drop-off point of the island, so it’s worth it to wander further down the beach because you’ll eventually be completely by yourself.
Chicken Island
This island is best known for its natural rock formation that looks like the head and neck of a chicken. It’s worth passing by and snapping a few pictures of the iconic rock but if you get the opportunity, take your boat around to the back of the island and walk across the exposed sandbar during low tide and connects to Tup Island.
Koh Rok Nai
Part of a pair of islands, Koh Rok Nai’s beach looks like a postcard with its nearly white sand and aquamarine waters. Surprisingly, there were not many people on the beaches when we visited during the high season, so it was wonderful to have the place nearly to ourselves. We distinctly remember the ultra-fine sand under our toes and saw several huge Monitor Lizards and many teeny tiny hermit crabs. We visited Koh Rok Nai during a daytime snorkeling trip (which was fantastic!) but it’s possible to camp overnight there, too.
Hong Island
A photo posted by Chris and Angela Scott (@tielandtothailand) on
This island had some very unique coves that are only accessible through narrow passages between towering limestone cliffs. This creates a very hidden, secluded feel. Once inside, there are opportunities to swim and snorkel in the shallow bays as well as to rent kayaks and take a lap around the island in the open waters.
Koh Mook (Emerald Cave)
The Emerald Cave has emerald green waters at its rocky entrance at Koh Mook. After taking a short swim into the pitch black cave (we saw others go through in small rafts, too), it opens up to a secluded beach completely surrounded by cliffs shooting straight towards the sky with sunshine streaming down. The beach and small lagoon are actually inside the island! This is accessible from Koh Lanta Yai, Koh Phi Phi Don, and Phuket.
Tup Island
See the little people walking between the islands?
The wow factor of this island is the walkable sandbars that become exposed during low tide. These sand strips connect Koh Tup with a small island called Koh Mor as well as a larger island called Chicken Island and create a natural separation in the sea. A word of caution: wear water shoes because the sandbar is full of tiny sharp shells that make it uncomfortable to walk barefoot!
Koh Khao Phing Kan (James Bond Island)
Khao Phing Kan Island has a major tourist attraction just off its coast: the James Bond Island. This rock formation’s base is delicately narrow and gets progressively wider at the top. It is most impressive at low tide because it’s even skinnier than what this picture shows! We weren’t allowed to approach the island, but visitors can snap shots from either the mainland or from their boat.
The Best Way to Go Island Hopping in Thailand
To get to the island of your choice (by flight, van, and even speedboat), we’ve booked our tickets online through 12go.asia.
Once you’re there, many of these islands can be explored by booking a day trip with local boat companies such as Ao Nang Travel and Tour and Opal Speed Boat, both of which offer island hopping packages via speedboat. Tours such as these provide hotel pickups, boat transfers, equipment (if applicable) and lunch for the day. Alternatively, you can visit individual islands for the day for cheap by hiring a longtail boat that slowly shuttles visitors back and forth on request.
If you really want to do some extreme island hopping in Thailand (in addition to partaking in some incredible parties with 20- and 30-something vacationers), it’s totally worth checking out The Yacht Week Thailand. This event takes place in December every year with a group of privately chartered yachts and catamarans. The beauty of The Yacht Week Thailand is that although there is a rough schedule of recommended day and night stops at various islands, there’s the opportunity to deviate during the day and visit the smaller islands and attractions such as Emerald Cave, Maya Bay Beach, Hong Island, and James Bond Island.
We’ll continue to add to this list as we visit more islands in the Andaman Sea, but for now, this is a good start dontcha think?
Are there any must-visit islands we need to add to this list? Tell us your favorites!
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I have mixed feelings about Phi Phi Island. I definitely agree with how the island is packed with tourism, while it’s a beautiful island, it was so crowded. I did visit in almost peak season, so that didn’t help. I did love the island, mainly scuba diving was incredible. There was so much life under the surface of the Andaman Sea. It isn’t hard to see how tourism is negatively effecting the area, just take Maya Bay and it closing to over-tourism. Speedboats and thousands of day-trippers packed on to the beach, and left rubbish behind (at least in my… Read more »
Hi guys, hoping you can offer some hints, tips and advice. My wife and I are spending 2 weeks in Thailand from Jan 26to Feb 10 We’ve got 3 nights in Bangkok and then the overnight sleeper to Chiang Mai. Unsure on how many nights to spend there as we want to do a few day trips, mainly to Chiang Rai and the elephant sanctuary. Im thinking 4 or 5. The last leg of our trip is in Koh Lanta (5th – 9th Feb) before flying back to Bangkok for one night before flying home. My question is, where to… Read more »
The good news is that no matter where you go you won’t be limited by the weather. Expect clear skies and “low” temperatures. Be sure to include a day trip to Doi Inthanon while you are in Chiang Mai but pack some warm clothes! Also we love recommending an overnight stay at the floating bungalows at Mae Ngat Dam an hour north of Chiang Mai. If you only have a day or two to spare between CM and Koh Lanta, Krabi is much easier to navigate. It’s smaller (Phuket it huge in comparison, so you’ll spend a lot of time… Read more »
I really enjoyed your blog, thank you. I have been to Thailand on few occasions ,and def agree on your thoughts of Phi Phi. Last year I went to Chaing Mai and Koh Chang, and loved both of them . Of all the places where I visited Chaing Mai is my favourite, it has everything ,It’s what Portland and Boulder , would like to be. My friend lives in Patong ,Phuket, so I always spend a few days there. I know it’s not cool, but I like it. As you said, in your blog, Phuket ,is a big Island ,and… Read more »
We spent two weeks in Phuket in Sept 2016 and really liked it! We just updated this Island Hopping post to include links to what we wrote about during our time there. There are crazy parts, sure, but almost everywhere we went we liked. It’s reaaallly expat friendly and we could see ourselves living there. Thanks for sharing your story!
Nice post. I spent some time on Koh Phi Phi Don last year (July). My wife is Thai and her cousin is a traditional Thai masseuse on Tonsai Beach West on Koh Phi Phi Don. Joy (my wife’s cousin) is married to a local taxi-boat captain (Bao) and he took us on a tour of the beautiful archipelago in which we went snorkeling. Your post brought back good memories. Thanks for sharing!
I wish I found your blog last month! Hubster and I just came back from a great trip to Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai) and having been dreaming about moving… (we even looked into condos).
We spent a day looking at condos in Chiang Mai the first time we vacationed there, too. Keep us in mind for your next trip!
Will do. Next time, we plan to check out the south.
Hello. This is really useful. My wife and I are planning our tip for this summer. That said, after going to Bangkok and Chiang Mai, we want to go island hopping for a few days. That said, I found a really nice hotel right in the center of the map you provided in your link. The hotel is called Six Senses (located on Yao Noi). Do you know anything about this island. Also, would i be able to get tours from this island to the neighboring islands you mentioned above?
No, we haven’t gotten the chance to travel to Yao Noi yet so we don’t know anything about it. We’d imagine you’d be able to to get tours from select companies, or at the very least, have your hotel help to arrange for early morning transportation back to the main island before getting picked up by a tour. sorry we couldn’t be more help!
We actually done 3weeks in Thailand,doing 4nights in ao nang which was brilliant,then 4days in koh Lanta which was most chilled out place ever with fantastic beaches and the full beach had beachside bars (proper beach bars) very friendly and cool. We then got ferry to phi phi which was busy because we were in high season ,didn’t really like the main beach but loved long beach, from there we took ferry to Phuket where we stayed at kata beach for 4days and it was fabulous (too many arrogant Russians tho) beach was beautiful and area quiet, from there we… Read more »
I’ve just came back from phi phi and the beaches there are fabulous, make sure you go to long beach it’s superb, you can walk but it’s a naughty trek but good if you like exploring .
You can take a long tail boat for 200b to get to it ,it takes couple mins but it’s well worth it .
Beautiful white sand and gorgeous water.
I am taking my kids to Thailand this March. I have been to Koh Phi Phi twice, but it has been 16 years since the last time I went there. You guys are making me wonder if I should change destinations for our island experience. Has Koh Phi Phi really gone this crazy. We fly into Phuket. Which island would you recommend?
Our brief time at Koh Phi Phi wasn’t enough to really get to know the island, but what was we saw was icky… and we’ve been to so many other beautiful islands! If you are looking for a day visit, try Koh He (Coral Island) or else go to Koh Lanta. Hope you find something suitable for you and your kids!
Hi! I will be visiting Thailand for 2 weeks next February. We are planning to visit some of the Andaman Sea Islands. We found some interesting tours visiting the following: Koh Mai ton, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Khai, Koh Rok and Koh Haa. Any suggestions about these islands? Thanks!
Awesome! We’ve been to Koh Khai (off of Chumphon) and Koh Rok (off of Koh Lanta). Both had incredible snorkeling. The links are posts that we’ve written up about our experience and include the companies we used. Have a wonderful time!
Hello Chris, maybe I’m confused or maybe you used another name. Have you been to the Similan Islands? I had the same question as your reader above regarding a base for island hopping. Is Krabi also a good spot to check out the Similan Islands? I came across your blog from two wandering souls today so know I’m late on writing – hope I will still get a response. We are planning a short trip to Thailand and definitely want to do the islands but have been intrigued by Chiang Mai based on your post and a couple of other… Read more »
Krabi is too far away to go directly to the Similan Islands (2+ hour drive plus a few hours in a speedboat). Phuket is somewhat closer, but ultimately you should look at staying on the coastline of Phang Nga. We’ve only been as far north as Khao Lak (we stayed at a fantastic beach resort there), but even that area is significantly closer to the Similan Islands than Krabi. As for Chiang Mai, if you are city people, don’t cut Bangkok short. It’s exhilarating. But if you want some more outdoorsy and cultural experiences, consider making room for Chiang Mai.… Read more »
Thanks the great post! We are planning on going for a week in Southern Thailand at the end of January. Would you suggest using Phuket as a base island and then just going to the various surrounding islands Phi Phi Leh, James Bond Island etc? If not, which island would you suggest using a base? Or would you suggest actually sleeping at those various islands?
Also – any suggestions for hotels/resorts?
Phuket is a great base with plenty of things to do and places to stay and eat at. There there’s Krabi and Koh Lanta. We like Krabi the best – it’s most affordable, is fastest to travel to, and is between Koh Lanta and Phuket. You can’t sleep on James Bond Island (or near it on Khao Phing Kan Island, for that matter) but there is an overnight boat trip that allows you to sleep on Koh Phi Phi Leh. As far as hotel options, on Koh Lanta we recommend the Crown Lanta. In Krabi we recommend Deevana Plaza. We… Read more »
My boyfriend and I are planning to go to Ao Nang probably on the 3rd week of Oct. and exploring the different islands. Is it OK to go there that month regarding with the weather?
October is our favorite month to visit Ao Nang. Not as many tourists and very nice weather! :)
Hi Chris and Angela,
I have been traveling to Thailand almost yearly to vacation and visit my in-laws since 2001. With each trip I fall more in love with Thailand, the people, the food (of course I have to mention the food), and the list goes on. I appreciate the quality of your information as it helps my wife and me consider places to visit while in country.
Glad to hear you’ve found our blog helpful Juan :)
Looks so fun, wish I could be there now!
We hope everything gets worked out soon so you can get on over here and start having fun already!
Especially interested in learning more about Island hopping
We live in Chiang Mai but we’ll be exploring the islands and beaches whenever we can.
I have done a lot in Thailand but never got to see those islands. But I will make sure I will see them eventually.
I have been to Ko Chang with is more north from these islands and pretty big. Lot’s to do and see there as well.
Yeah, Koh Chang is in the Gulf of Thailand whereas these islands are in the Andaman Sea. Koh Chang is beautiful – we’ve been twice!
Thailand is my best place to have long holidays :)
We don’t disagree :)
Absolutely awesome post, thank you! i agree, Phi Phi has really gone down, not what it was even as close as four years ago. Emerald Cave & Poda Island definitely next on the list, they look magical!
You’re welcome, glad you like it :) It’s unfortunate that Koh Phi Phi has changed so much since you went four years ago. At least Emerald Cave and Poda Island are still pretty!
Agree, Phi Phi is a shithole basically. My girlfriend and I went on the beach at night there was a guy peeing in the ocean and a bunch of naked men and women doing the limbo for free booze. That is probably right up some peoples alley however. Overpriced and claustrophobic. Koh Lanta is much better. We found a nice room on a quiet beach for 500 baht a night!
Oh my what a story! Glad you found Koh Lanta to be more likable :)
Are any of these islands affordable for full time living ?
Hey Bill! Phuket and Koh Phi Phi are the more expensive “main islands” we mentioned, but many people call Phuket their home year-round. Koh Lanta and the mainland area of Ao Nang generally offer more affordable living options than Phuket and Koh Phi Phi but still have conveniences such as a large grocery store (Tesco Lotus), Thai markets, and little hangout spots so you maintain a reasonable level of comfort and quality of life. The other islands are very small or lack infrastructure, and would be suitable if you want a castaway lifestyle.