Are you heading to Thailand this summer? Then I bet an island trip is on your itinerary. If you are travelling to Thailand then stick around for more about travel tips, Thailand travel guides, and life in Thailand.
The best islands to visit while in Thailand are hard to choose, but here are my top five recommendations for visiting islands when in Thailand. Thailand is a country many travelers come back to time and time again. There is a good reason for that too. Thailand can be a paradise. The beaches are blue, great food, drinks, beach life, bungalows, resorts, and lots of things to do makes Thailand extremely appealing.
The top islands in Thailand to visit 1. Koh Phangan
This is by far my favorite island in Thailand. The reason is because it has the island life of smaller bungalows, lots of beaches, nature, waterfalls, and snorkeling as well as luxury resorts and many western foods and activities. The island is filled with a mixture of party scene and the relaxed scene (yoga, vegans, nature lovers etc). I find it is a good balance and the island itself is breathtaking. When you are in Koh Phangan here are popular things to do - Haad Rin Beach
- Thong sala market
- Srithanu beaches, vegan food, waterfalls, and family friendly
- kayak to Koh Mae from Haad Mae beach
- Bottle beach lookout
- Secret View
- Hiking around the north part of the island for various waterfalls
The best thing about islands is there is always the beach. The beach here is gorgeous and most everything is right on the beach. The island is rather small and there is really one big main road.
2. Koh Tao
Koh Tao means Turtle island and it is known for scuba diving and snorkeling. The island is very small and surrounded by really deep blue ocean. It is about an hour from Koh Phangan. Since the island is rather small, it is popular for mountain bikers to ride on this island. This island is very relaxing and its a must if you want to try out scuba diving.
3. Koh Samui This island has a completely different lifestyle from the previous two. This island is more about luxury resorts, western amenities, and is more of a business island. There are endless things to do, however the beaches are more filled with shops, beach bars, shows, and more happening. It is an amazing island to visit. The island has shopping malls, lots of western food places, a great elephant sanctuary, waterfalls, and is a large island. For those that want the city feeling while being on an island, then Koh Samui is it. If you like what you are reading, then please support me and my website and buy me a coffee. I appreciate you being here. Thanks.
4. Phuket This island is by far the most popular for tourists to visit and it is known for its tourism. The island is very very big actually. Your arrival to the airport will take awhile to get to your accommodation around an hour or more. This island feel like a city. It will have everything you would want from resorts, beaches, waterfalls, hiking, shopping malls, street food markets, party scene, family friendly, and more.
This island is the tourist island and is a holiday destination for foreign tourists and Thai tourists. My favorite beach on this island would be Karon beach. It has a nice beach, a lake, great food, relaxing area, and a temple market. The most popular area people stay is in Patong, but let it be known this is the party area and its hardcore. For families I recommend Karon, Bang Tao, or to stay in Old city.
5. Koh Chang
Koh Chang is an easily accessible island from Bangkok. This is one of the reasons I put it in the top five. A lot of people will gravitate towards Krabi maybe, but if you are wanting to experience island life and have a short time in Thailand its rather easy getting to Koh Chang from Bangkok. This island is super chill meaning you can explore nature, have a nice time at beach bars, go swimming, snorkeling, and chilling on a gorgeous island. This island is a perfect getaway trip, girls trip, weekend getaway, or a trip with your partner.
A trip to the islands in Thailand is a must. For more about travel guides in Thailand read more here.