Wide beaches, turquoise waters and romantic sunsets: island hopping in Thailand is an absolute experience. The Andaman Sea is home to several beautiful islands!
Are you also dreaming of an island vacation with wide sandy beaches, turquoise blue water and exotic cocktails? I in any case in continuous loop! On my last trip, I more than fulfilled this dream by island hopping in Thailand through the southern Andaman Sea and the Trang Islands. I’ll tell you here which islands I particularly liked and which island is still a real insider tip.
Island hopping in Thailand: From Krabi from island to island
Krabi is the perfect starting point for island hopping. From Bangkok, you’ll land in a fairly unexciting Thai coastal town after a good hour’s flight, but it’s also worth a little stop. Many vacationers even spend their entire stay in Thailand here, as the popular Ao Nang Beach with its many hotels and tourist infrastructure is located just outside. The party crowd tends to stick to Railay Beach, a stretch of beach surrounded by high karst rocks with a small village that can only be reached by boat.
Krabi Town, the city itself, is less crowded, but if you have to make a stopover here, e.g. because the plane has landed so late and the last boat has already left, you can pass the time in great cafés, with a climb up the Tiger Cave Temple or a stroll through the atmospheric night market.
Tip: Organize your own excursion to Tiger Cave Temple or join a tour*.
Ko Siboya
“How many times have you been to Siboya?” my cab driver asks me curiously, and it seems like this is the standard question for all tourists heading there. The island Ko Siboya is namely unbelievably still like a black spot on the tourist map around Krabi. Either you don’t know the island at all, or once you’ve discovered it for yourself, you’ll keep coming back.
And indeed, the only resort on the island with few visitors is home to almost only repeat offenders, from older Thailand veterans, some of whom have even built their own little house on the grounds of the resort, to individual tourists who have been stranded here at some point and succumbed to the charm of sweet idleness on the edge of civilization. In any case, I was very surprised that this insider tip in Thailand has not yet spread!
Hey, I’m Tatiana and I’m the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. Since 2014, I’ve been sharing my personal travel stories on this blog. I don’t have a big team behind me, so I’m pretty much a one-person show: All recommendations are fully researched by just me!
Must-do: plunge into the sea right in front of the resort at high tide at noon, explore the island by scooter or on foot, and sip iced tea with the locals at the roadside.
Tip: SiBoya Bungalows*, the only resort on the island
Koh Jum
Koh Jum (also called Ko Jum or Ko Pu) used to be known more as a pure backpacker island. Most visitors who still know the island from this period rave about the simplicity and authentic island life of that time, when there weren’t even any paved roads. This has now changed a little; the main road across the entire island is easy to drive on. There are now expensive resorts here too – but Koh Jum has still retained its village charm.
Must-Do: Get infected by Mr. Boy’s good humor at the quirky pier restaurant & lose yourself in a walk on the endless beaches
Tip: Luboa Hut*, a Tiny House in the middle of the jungle & cozy coffee shop right outside the door
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Koh Mook
On Koh Mook, you can still find the authentic, rural Thailand. Unlike Koh Jum, however, Koh Mook is a bit livelier and even has a small shopping area in the main village. Somehow the whole island is terribly charming and the locals are really warm. Although Western tourists are no longer a rarity here, you are greeted with a smile at almost every corner when you pass the simple residential houses or whiz along the partly still unpaved streets on a scooter cab.
Unfortunately, Koh Mook also has problems like many other islands: Waste and sewage are a problem that is noticeable once you turn your gaze in other directions. However, Koh Mook has one of the most impressive beaches in the region, Sivalai Beach, and if you want to take your mind off things, simply book a few nights at the Sivalai Beach Resort* in a cottage right on the white dream beach and let yourself be pampered.
Koh Ngai
On Koh Ngai I stayed longer than planned, because the island is just too beautiful! Apart from snorkeling and lazing around on the beach, there’s not really anything to do, but that’s exactly what makes Koh Ngai so special. Here you can really relax and just enjoy the nature around you.
Every evening hornbills gather in the high trees directly at the beach, cicadas screech and even a small gecko got lost in my toilet bag once. Not to mention the underwater world right on your doorstep: On Koh Ngai, you can snorkel right from the beach.
Tip: Coco Cottage*
Koh Kradan
Once voted one of the most beautiful beaches in Thailand by the British newspaper “The Guardian“, the dream beach of Koh Kradan is an absolute island paradise. Similar to Koh Ngai, everything here is concentrated on one beach, and leisure activities are limited to snorkeling, basking in the sun, or simply staring at the unreal panorama.
Unfortunately, the island experience is somewhat spoiled by the invasion of day tourists, whereby Koh Kradan is even more popular than Koh Ngai. In principle, I would also recommend spending at least one night on the island. However, if you have to choose between Koh Kradan and Koh Ngai, I would personally choose the quieter Koh Ngai.
Tip: Kradan Beach Resort*
Koh Lanta
If you are looking for a relaxed atmosphere, a bit of nature and reggae vibes, then you should check out Koh Lanta. Koh Lanta is well connected to the nearby mainland with several ferry connections and is therefore a good option if you don’t want to do quite as much boating or have less time.
Koh Lanta is particularly popular with Swedish families, but curiously also with cannabis lovers, even before legalization in Thailand. The long beaches are dotted with laid-back reggae bars.
Koh Phi Phi
One of Thailand’s most popular islands should not go unmentioned here: Alongside Koh Lipe, Koh Phi Phi is one of the biggest tourist hotspots. Unfortunately, the island itself is all the smaller, and is overrun with tourists, especially after Maya Bay, located on the neighboring island of Ko Phi Phi Leh, rose to fame through the film adaptation of the novel “The Beach”.
I think Koh Phi Phi is beautiful, of course, but I personally don’t want to see the negative effects of the overflowing tourism on the island, so a short visit was enough for me. But if you’re in the area for the first time, you might want to take a side trip to Koh Phi Phi as well.
Don’t expect a lonely dream island though! The density of 7-Elevens (the almost ubiquitous chain of small convenience stores in Thailand is always a good indicator) is frighteningly high, and sometimes you can’t see the beach at night because of all the fire shows.
Tip: You can also book day trips to Koh Phi Phi*, for example from Krabi or Phuket.
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Helpful tips for island hopping in Thailand
When is the best time to travel to Thailand’s islands?
The best time to travel to Thailand to hop from island to island depends mainly on which region you are staying in. You should avoid the rainy season with its monsoon-like rainfall. Ferry and boat connections are severely limited then anyway, and sitting on a small island in constant rain (if you can get there at all) is no fun. In the Gulf of Thailand, where the islands of Koh Phangan, Ko Tao and Koh Samui are located, for example, the rainy season is somewhat shorter and only lasts from around October to December.
The best time to visit the Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand is from around December to April, although it gets hotter from March/April onwards. In addition, the speedboats that connect most of the islands from Phuket through Koh Lanta down to Koh Lipe only operate from November to April due to weather conditions.
How do I get from island to island?
In the main tourist season, the best way to get from island to island is by speedboat, which generally only transport tourists. For less developed islands, such as Ko Siboya, you simply travel like the locals on longtail boats or slightly larger boats, which transport pretty much everything you need on the island. It’s much cheaper and also a little more exciting!
You can book tickets for the speedboats in advance on 12go.asia*(in which case I am delighted that you are supporting this blog with your booking! Most accommodations also sell tickets for ferries, speedboats, buses and intercity transfers. Also, on islands with a bit of tourist infrastructure like Koh Jum or Koh Mook, you can find small travel agencies where you can book everything.
Which boat providers are safe?
Popular boat companies in the southern Andaman Sea are Bundhaya, Satun Pakbara, Phuketferry or Tigerlinetravel. Many ticket sellers don’t work with Tigerlinetravel because this provider probably has a very bad reputation when it comes to punctuality, but I didn’t notice any significant difference on my trip. Everyone was a bit unpunctual at times, whether due to the weather or unplanned stops along the way.
In any case, everyone is well organized, even if it looks like chaos at first. Transferring to other boats always goes smoothly; Koh Lanta often serves as a kind of hub, and from some small islands you first have to take a longtail boat to the speedboat and then transfer somewhat adventurously on the water. Luggage is always loaded by the crew (as is so often the case when traveling in Southeast Asia, backpacks are much more practical here) and unloaded again when disembarking. I also had a small suitcase with me for my camera equipment, which was always handled with special care when I let them know – really great.
However, it is better not to insist on German safety standards. The speedboats are booked to the last seat in high season. Once I bought my ticket online and therefore didn’t have a paper ticket that I could exchange for the obligatory sticker with my destination on it at the pier. Nobody really checked this, and every time questions arose, I pointed out that I had bought my ticket online. Then everything was okay. I still had the impression that I was somehow a stowaway with the online ticket, as the speedboat was hopelessly overcrowded and other passengers and I had to stand on the narrow boat.
How to best survive the speedboat ride
Unfortunately, people often imagine island hopping in Thailand to be more romantic than it really is. The speedboats take you from one small island to another relatively quickly, but the trips are not pleasant. On the one hand, you sit so low that you have nothing of the beautiful panorama outside with the many small islands and karst rocks jutting out of the water, and on the other hand, the volume of the engines is deafening. And the stench of diesel doesn’t make it any better. If the sea is a little rougher, it can sometimes rock.
So if you get seasick quickly, it’s better to pack a few travel pills and a spit bag for the worst-case scenario (not available anywhere on board). Don’t travel with a hangover, an empty stomach or one that is too full. I don’t get seasick quite as quickly, thankfully, but I’m pretty sensitive to noise when it comes to engines, and was more than once grateful for my earplugs, which were always floating around somewhere in my purse. It is also helpful to have music in your ears, so don’t forget headphones and a charged cell phone (incredibly, there is also a mobile network on the water, the network coverage in Thailand is simply a dream. I recommend you get a SIM card for your stay in Thailand anyway).
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Alternative: charter longtail boat
An alternative may be to charter a smaller longtail boat yourself. This can be worthwhile for a larger group or family, especially as you can then decide for yourself when you want to travel. You might even find other travelers who want to join you! Just talk to the people at your accommodation or ask at the pier or in travel agencies. You can also charter longtail boats for local excursions, e.g. to beautiful snorkeling spots. In busy places, this can be an advantage if you want to avoid larger excursion groups!
What do I need to take with me
On some of the islands mentioned, such as Koh Ngai or Koh Kradan, there is really nothing except the resorts. Some facilities have small sales corners where you can find necessities like toothpaste, cookies or mosquito repellent. However, it’s better if you bring everything you need. Equipment for snorkeling can be rented everywhere. There are no ATMs even on larger islands like Koh Jum, but you can change money in many small stores or get cash on presentation of your credit card. However, you will be charged a fee of approximately 6% for this.
In most resorts on the smaller islands such as Koh Ngai or Koh Kradan, you can also only pay with cash, even if you book online in advance. In exceptional cases, credit cards are also accepted, but this requires more effort and prior registration – someone has to come specially or be informed. Cash payment is simply no problem. So it’s best to remember to withdraw enough cash on the mainland. I always use my DKB credit card for this. It’s relatively cheap and easy to do at any ATM worldwide.
How much time do I have to plan for island hopping in Thailand?
In general, Thailand has an incredible number of beautiful islands. You will hardly be able to see them all on one trip. I would also advise you to concentrate on a single region. For example, if you want to see Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan at the same time, which is on the other side of the country, you will spend a lot of time on the bus, at best on a plane to Koh Samui, and on ferries. Especially if you only have 2-3 weeks, this is rather counterproductive.
You can also visit smaller islands such as Koh Ngai or Koh Kradan on a day trip. Of course, this has less of a Robinson Crusoe vibe in a large group, but it may be more practical to have a base on an island such as Koh Lanta for a few days longer.
However, two weeks is an absolute minimum – also because a direct long-haul flight to Bangkok or Phuket from Germany takes over 10 hours. And maybe you want to spend a few more days in Bangkok? In any case, the more time you have, the better!
