Two coasts · two seasons · some 1,400 islands

Islands of
Thailand

Two seas with opposite weather, a dozen islands worth the ferry, and the crossings that get you there.

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Gulf of Thailand
Andaman Sea
Ferries and catamarans
Diving
Marine parks
Opposite seasons
Two coasts

Two seas, opposite seasons

Thailand has islands on both sides of the peninsula, and the single most useful thing to know is that their seasons do not line up. The Andaman coast in the west — Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe — is at its best from November to April and takes the brunt of the southwest monsoon from May to October. The Gulf islands in the east — Samui, Phangan, Tao — stay dry much longer into the summer, and get their heaviest rain in October and November.

Aerial view of a bay on Phuket

That single fact rescues a lot of trips. If your dates fall in the European summer, go to the Gulf. If you are travelling at Christmas, the Andaman side is the safer bet. And if the forecast looks grim on one coast, the other one is a five-hour drive away — the peninsula is narrow.

Transport

Tickets & connections

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Tours

Tours & activities

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Quick facts

The islands

  • Around 1,400 islands, of which fewer than fifty have hotels
  • Gulf side: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Samet, Koh Chang
  • Andaman side: Phuket, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lipe, Koh Yao
  • Andaman dry season: November to April. Gulf: February to September
  • Main ferry hubs: Chumphon, Surat Thani/Donsak, Krabi and Phuket
Koh Nang Yuan seen from above, next to Koh Tao
Getting out there

How to reach the islands

From this coast, the Gulf islands are the easy ones. Trains run south from Ban Krut to Chumphon in about two hours, and the Lomprayah catamaran leaves Chumphon pier for Koh Tao in an hour and forty-five minutes, carrying on to Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Further south, Surat Thani and the Donsak pier are the gateway for the car ferries to Samui and Phangan.

For the Andaman islands, cross the peninsula. Buses and minivans run from Surat Thani to Krabi and Phuket in three to four hours, and from Krabi the boats leave for Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi and the Phi Phi day trips. Koh Lipe, far to the south, is reached from Pak Bara pier in Satun.

Book ferries the day before in high season, especially around the full moon. Outside those weeks you can usually walk up to the pier and buy a ticket for the next departure.

Good to know

Island practicalities

  • Ferry timetables shrink in low season — the last boat can leave in the early afternoon.
  • Small islands run on cash. ATMs exist but queue up and charge a fee.
  • Rent a scooter only if you have ridden one before; island roads are steep and sandy.
  • The sea is calm on the leeward side of every island — ask which side that is this month.
Klong Nin beach on Koh Lanta
Island by island

The islands we cover

Beach on Koh Samui
Gulf

Koh Samui

The big one: an airport, real restaurants, and beaches for every budget. Koh Samui guide →

Bottle Beach on Koh Phangan
Gulf

Koh Phangan

Famous for the full moon, quiet as a monastery on the north coast. Koh Phangan guide →

Sairee Beach on Koh Tao
Gulf

Koh Tao

The dive island: cheap certifications, clear water, small enough to walk. Koh Tao guide →

Kayaks in the Ang Thong marine park
Marine park

Ang Thong

Forty-two limestone islands off Samui, best seen from a kayak on a day trip. Day trips from Samui →

Beach on Koh Phayam
Andaman

Koh Phayam

Ranong's quiet island: no cars, cashew farms, hammocks. Ranong and Koh Phayam →

Where to stay

Choosing an island base

One island per week is a good rhythm. Ferries eat half a day at each end, and the islands are more different from each other than the brochures suggest: Tao is a village, Samui is a small town, Phangan is both at once depending on which coast you pick.

Where to stay on Koh Samui →
All the islands

Every island guide on this site

Gulf side and Andaman side, big and small — thirteen islands with their own page.

Where next

Read on

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