Thailand’s guide to the most beautiful and spectacular islands. Where to go and what to see.
After having proposed the general guide to Thailand, with all the useful information on where to go, places to see and things to do, we now take you to discover the detailed guide to its most beautiful and unmissable islands. These are true paradises on earth, natural wonders that will take you to another dimension.
The Thai islands are bathed by a turquoise and emerald sea, with beaches of white sand, surrounded by lush vegetation. Places that you would never want to leave. Each island, from the most famous and frequented to the most secluded and hidden, has its own unique and spectacular features, let’s find out what they are.
Thailand guide to the most beautiful islands
Here is our Thailand guide to the most beautiful and unmissable islands. Tropical wonders where you can take refuge from the rest of the world. Here you will find a dream sea, with wide white sand beaches, surrounded by rich vegetation and unique rock formations. Paradises where you can relax in the sun, but also in the most prestigious spas in the country. Without forgetting the diving in the wonderful seabed and the exquisite Thai cuisine. Here are the most beautiful and unmissable Thai islands.
The island of Phuket is Thailand’s most famous and popular island. It sits in the Andaman Sea, in front of the east coast of the Thai peninsula, connected to the mainland and Phang Nga Province by the Sarasin Bridge. TripAdvisor users voted it among the world’s most beautiful islands of 2016. It’s not hard to see why. Phuket is a large island (543 km²) with a rugged coastline, where there are numerous sandy bays surrounded by impressive rock formations covered with vegetation. On the island there are many hotels and resorts, with all services and comforts, you can practice many water sports, especially snorkeling. Behind the coasts of white sand and turquoise sea and emerald extend lush rainforests, which hide ancient temples and shrines.
To visit the beach of Mai Khao, the longest of the island, included in the Sinrat National Park, turtle sanctuary. The beach is a long strip of golden sand, where there are palm trees and other trees. This beach, along with the main ones on the island, lies along the west coast. The main seaside resorts of Phuket are Patong, which forms a large bay, Karon and Kata. The latter is divided in two by a promontory that forms Kata Yai (the large bay) and Kata Noi (the small bay). Patong Beach is a very popular beach with young people and a lively nightlife.
Kamala Beach and Surin Beach, north of Patong, are quieter beaches. Between these two beaches is Laem Sing Beach, overlooking a smaller bay. Other important beach resorts on the island are located on the southern coast: the beautiful Nai Harn, the wild Yanui Beach, and Rawaii Beach, a thin strip of sand on an emerald sea, and Laem Ka Beach.
Ko Samui
Another famous island of Thailand is Ko Samui, much smaller than Phuket (about half the size), overlooking the Gulf of Siam. The island, discovered by hippies in the ’70s is famous for its beaches of fine sand and the nearby green islands from the curious conformation of the Marine National Park of Ang Thong. The main tourist centers are Chaweng, where there are several popular beaches, in the northeast of the island, and Lamai, also in the east but further south. At the bottom of Lamai beach are the distinctive Hin Ta and Hin Yai rock formations (“grandfather” and “grandmother”). Quieter beaches are found along the southern coast. The central part of the island of Ko Samui has remained untouched, with dense jungle covering the mountains.
Ko Phangan
Ko Phangan, is another beautiful island of Thailand, with emerald green bays and white sandy beaches shaded by tall palms and surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Also here we find rocks and islets in front of the coast, entirely covered with green. It is located north of Ko Samui and is famous worldwide for its “Full Moon Party”, a big night party that has been celebrated since the 80’s and that attracts every year up to 30 thousand people from all over the world. It takes place on the eastern beach of Haad Rin, also known as Sunrise Beach, is animated by world-class DJs and lasts until dawn.
The island of Ko Phangan is undiscovered, with several pristine areas. The beaches to the north are the wildest, do not miss Bottle Beach.
Then we point out the beaches of Haad Than Sadet and Ao Thong Nai Pan on the east coast. To see also the temple of Wat Phu Khao Noi.
The Phi Phi Islands or Phi Phi Islands form a small archipelago in the Andaman Sea, with the two major islands of Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Leh. The archipelago, also called Ko Phi Phi, has become famous worldwide thanks to the movie The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The island of Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest, the other Ko Phi Phi Leh, is uninhabited. Just in Ko Phi Phi Leh and its beautiful Maya Bay was filmed The Beach. The archipelago was unfortunately devastated by the tsnuami of 2004. In 2010 the accommodation facilities were restored. To describe the amazing beauty of these islands is impossible. Better to visit them in person, perhaps staying in a quaint wooden bungalow in the tropical forest.
Koh Tao
The island of Ko Tao is located in the Gulf of Siam, north of Ko Samui and Ko Phangan. It is smaller and wilder, with few locals but a paradise for diving lovers. Here too we find magnificent beaches, with long stretches of white sand overlooking the emerald blue sea, surrounded by tropical vegetation. The island hosts numerous diving centers, where you can find all the necessary equipment, instructors and programs with organized sea excursions. Famous and particular is the beach of Nangyuan Island, an archipelago of three islets that rise in front of the northwest coast of Ko Tao, connected by a narrow sandy isthmus and a very low seabed. There is a dive center here as well, along with a hotel and resort.
Ko Kut
Ko Kut is the most remote island that is less traveled by mass tourism. It is located in the Gulf of Siam, in the Thai province of Trat, practically in front of the coast of Cambodia. Ko Kut, together with the nearby islands of Ko Chagn and Ko Mak belongs to the National Marine Park of Mu Ko Chang. Unspoiled and amazing places. Here the tourists are mainly Thai and the area is not easy to reach, but it is worth it. The beaches are wild and spectacular, with sand of different shades, scattered with dark rocks along the shoreline, an incredibly transparent sea and lush vegetation, with palm trees that cover the beaches and a dense jungle where rivers and waterfalls flow, the most famous is Klong Chao. The most beautiful beaches are on the west coast of Ko Kut.
Khao Phing Kan Island, also known as James Bond Island, made famous thanks to one of the movies in the famous series (The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974, starring Roger Moore), represents one of the classic postcard images of Thailand. The island is located in the upper part of the Andaman Sea, in Phang Nga Bay (named after the province of the same name), northeast of Phuket, and is included in the Ao Phang Nga National Park. It is a small picturesque islet, where there are spectacular limestone rock formations covered by tropical vegetation. The most famous rock is the 20-meter-high vertical stack that rises in the center of the island’s bay and is known as Ko Tapu.
