Islands in Thailand: From Koh Phi Phi to Koh Chang

Koh Phi Phi is one of those magical places that became overcrowd once the word of its existence spread around. Nonetheless, it is worth a look and if you plan your visit carefully – maybe during an off-season period – you will enjoy an unforgettable experience.

Phuket – the biggest Thai island has much more than beaches to offer. Its main town, bearing the same name, is a charming Thai-Portuguese hybrid, while the island itself offers beaches open to the Andaman Sea and others which face the mainland and are more protected.

Koh Samui – is island that began the tourism boom in Thailand and despite all the development, has an overwhelming beauty, the boat taking you there crosses incredibly turquoise waters spotted with small islets. This view alone will pay your trip.

Koh Chang – the greenest island in Thailand, offers the calmest surroundings among the main insular destinations, despite the fact that finding a free spot along its blue shores is getting harder from season to season. However, the side facing the Thai mainland, still offers many surprises.

Quick Tips:

Starting a short trip among the different islands will create a golden opportunity for serendipity; you should take in account that a virgin, desolated beach cannot be by definition a published one. Traveling in Thailand is easy, hence, take advantage of that and allow some time of your vacation for travels along the coasts; taste its different flavors, see sunsets over the sea and sunrises over it as well: everything is possible here.

Best Way To Get Around:

Despite the name of the journal, it is more practical to begin the trip among the islands from Phuket. The island-province is connected to the mainland with two bridges and thus it is very easy to reach it from Bangkok. From the southern bus terminal, Sathaanii Sai Tai Mai in Thonburi (at the junction of Thanon Borom Ratchonni and the Nakhon Chaisri Highway), buses leave to Phuket at all hours (VIP: 486B, 11 hours). Plan to arrive around 4:30: an awesome sunrise will welcome you.

Koh Phi Phi can be reached with ferries from Phuket; the island does not offer budget accommodations; thus, if you are on a tight budget, then it would be wise to arrive with the first ferry from Phuket and then leave with the last one to Krabi, on the mainland. From Krabi there are many buses crossing the thin mainland to Surat Thani, which faces the Thailand Gulf. From its pier there are ferries leaving for Koh Samui.

This is a place that is emotionally difficult to leave, but if you find the strength, return to Bangkok and from Ekamai, the eastern terminal, take a bus to Trat, from where ferries leave to Koh Chang.

Koh Chang landscapes present a dichotomy to the traveler; it is possible to keep there the illusion of being in a green-blue paradise if staying on its northern and eastern sides or to move to the top-end resort on the western, open to the gulf side. Hence, the civilization to wilderness ratio of the visit can be adjusted to fit the traveler’s desires just by moving along its coasts.

The most beautiful characteristic of the beaches here is the dense, green forest backdrop that begins climbing uphill almost as soon as the beach ends. Despite the overdevelopment of the western coasts, it is the greenest among the big Thai islands and offers the most serene surroundings as well. The side facing the Thai mainland still offers pristine spots and the opportunity to enjoy the perfect relaxing weekend before entering Cambodia from the south.

Reaching it from Bangkok is easy; from Ekamai, the Eastern Bus Terminal along Sukhumvit Road (buses 2, 11 or 511 from Khaosan), take a bus to Trat, there take a tuk-tuk from the central covered market to the pier, which is seventeen kilometers south of the town. From there a ferry would take the traveler across the short distance separating the island from the mainland.

Once on the island, do not hurry to take a truck to the main beaches; the ferry pier is next to a pair of beautiful beaches: Hat Sai Tong and Ao Saparot. A bit north of the pier, are basic accommodations amidst the greenest and more isolated beaches in the island. There are no luxuries here, but once Hat Sai Khao, the main settlement on the island is just minutes away by truck.

This approach offers another advantage: the relative closeness to the Than Mayom National Park. It can be reached with any truck traveling to the east; the park headquarters are just after Than Mayom. Climbing through the steep forest leading inland, the beautiful Than Mayom Waterfall is soon reached. If having the time and the stamina, the Khlong Phlu Waterfall awaits the traveler further away.

Hat Sai Khao is the main settlement on the island and has the best beach as well. The accommodations here are quite expensive, but it is possible to enjoy the beach here during the day and to sleep elsewhere, for example in Laem Chaichet and Hat Khlong Phrao the nearest beaches to the south. In case of necessity, the KC Grande Resort has several tens of simple bungalows in the central part of the coast, in front of the police box along the main road. But even the simplest bungalows, featuring only a mosquito net and shared bathrooms are quite expensive at 300B.

The best location for shopping of necessities and souvenirs in the islands is in the well-stocked shops of this main beach. The nightlife here is much more relaxed than in the other locations surveyed in this journal, but still there is a decent range to choose from: bars facing the waters, live music dancing places and even noisy open-air parties are available.

Local food from Southeastern Thailand is hard to find here, but is readily available at nearby Trat on the mainland.

Our eyes like symmetry, they involuntarily search for it when we evaluate a new sight, analyze the unknown trying to fix it into a pleasant pattern. Maybe, that is Koh Phi Phi Don’s secret: the island has several axis of symmetry and most of us won’t forget its first sight. Two ovals connected by a narrow isthmus that feature striking beaches on each one of its sides form Koh Phi Phi Don, the biggest of the islands in this group.

However, despite the beauty, Koh Phi Phi has the highest probability among the locations surveyed in this journal to give the visitor the feeling of being in a tourists’ trap. The island is one of those magical places that became overcrowd once the word of its existence spread around. Nonetheless, it is worth a look and if planning the visit carefully – maybe during an off-season period – the traveler would enjoy an unforgettable experience.

If following this journal guidelines, then the island would be reached by ferry from Phuket in the morning and left for Krabi with the last one in the afternoon; with such an approach, Koh Samui can be reached during the next day without loosing even one day on the beach. Divers can buy packages already in Phuket and that will solve the accommodation problem but at a price: it is less expensive to deal directly with the companies’ in-situ.

The main pier on the island is comfortably located at the southern side – Ao Ton Sai – of the central isthmus, together with the commercial center of the island. Most guesthouses and restaurants are between this coast and the northern part of the isthmus – Ao Loh Dalum; hence, it is easy to make a quick survey before deciding if you will stay here overnight. Being away from the port, the Ao Loh Dalum side offers the better sights and will immerse you into a tropical postcard. A Long Island Cocktail is a good option for some quality time while comparing the surroundings with the postcards the traveler would most likely be filling for his friends: Jungle Bar is on the western side of Ao Loh Dalum and it provides a quieter environment than other restaurants and bars in the area.

The temptation of staying overnight is huge and yet, not always it is within our budget; aware of the situation, many of the local inhabitants open their rustic homes to visitors giving thus a literal meaning to the term guesthouse. It is useless to give addresses; most of these places are in indescribable alleys: just enter the neighborhoods and keep your eyes open. The locals are friendly and will create contact once they see you wandering around with a backpack.

If deciding to stay, it is a good idea to climb to the viewpoint on the eastern side of the island for the sunset; the sight from there is astounding since both sides of the isthmus are visible, wide lens cameras will provide perfect pictures.

Phuket – the biggest Thai island has much more than beaches to offer. Its main town, bearing the same name, is a charming Thai-Portuguese hybrid, and adds a cultural interest to the visit. Opposite Phuket Town is Patong, the second biggest settlement in the island. It faces the Andaman Sea, meaning it has higher waves than those offered by the Gulf of Thailand. Water sports are hence more developed here and in Koh Phi Phi than in islands on the other side of the mainland. Patong is expensive: a wise strategy is to find accommodations in Phuket – its beaches face the mainland and thus are calmer and less popular - and to travel the short distance to Patong for the beaches.

Phuket is the less insular among the Thai islands due to its connection with two bridges to the mainland and its huge size. The bridges offer an easy connection with Bangkok; to travel by night and to arrive at Phuket in the early morning is the better strategy to gain a day. Comfortable VIP buses leave from Bangkok’s Southern Terminal (Sathaanii Sai Tai Mai in Thonburi - at the junction of Thanon Borom Ratchonni and the Nakhon Chaisri Highway), at all hours; the trip longs eleven hours and costs 486B. Regular buses are less frequent, but Phuket can be approached in steps: traveling first to Ranong is a good idea for such a tactic. Once in Phuket, traveling is simple, tuk-tuks connect all the different beaches: a tuk-tuk from Pukhet to Patong costs 15B and the way longs fifteen minutes.

Around sunrise – the best arrival time - Phuket Town is a magical place to explore. Almost desert streets delimited by beautiful buildings lighted by the warm rays of the low sun are the perfect environment to search for accommodation. A popular guesthouse with backpackers is the On On Hotel; it is centrally located on Thanon Phang Nga 19, a block away from the central plaza. The establishment offers a wide variety of rooms, from basic ones with shared bathrooms up to air-conditioned ones, but the place is often without free rooms. Arriving early is usually not a good tactic – hotel rooms are more available around noon – but here, the welcoming staff would accept a backpack for storage until noon and let the future guest to sign for a room even before it is free.

In such a way the ballast can be dropped, and a morning in the beautiful town gained. The street behind the guesthouse – away from the plaza – is Thanong Thalang; it has the best collection of colonial houses in town.

Phuket is the place to replenish a backpack while in the south: shopping malls (Robinson’s, Ocean), bookshops, and many souvenirs shops compete for the limited space in downtown. The Night Market is a good place for a local dinner; the dishes from Southern Thailand are tasty and inexpensive. An interesting and typical dish is the kow mok gai – the Thai version of chicken biryani. Chicken and rice are cooked together with cinnamon, turmeric and cloves and are served with roasted chili sauce, cucumbers, chilies and a little bowl of chicken broth.

Patong is a different story. From first sight it is obvious that this is an upmarket beach resort, with very little to offer beyond the expected water sports, restaurants, bars and top-end hotels. This is the place to buy diving packages – even for Koh Phi Phi.

Its beach is gorgeous, but it lacks a specific Thai identity. Being maybe the most popular beach for tourists in Thailand, the Thais seems to be in minority and the extra value of getting to know this charming people while visiting the country is somewhat lost here.

Koh Samui is the island that began the tourism boom in Thailand; despite the development that followed its discovery by the tourists, it has an overwhelming beauty. The boat reaching it crosses incredibly beautiful turquoise waters spotted with small islets; this view justifies the trip by itself.

Despite the views, Koh Samui endures a deteriorating reputation, regardless of better-advertised island locations in Thailand suffering of the same tourism industrialization.

The island is big enough to offer a wide variety of environments and beaches; like in the other Thai islands, the beaches facing the mainland are considered less good and thus are not very popular. The last fact opens a gate to various interesting options for budget travelers. Since the distances are short, it is recommended to find a guesthouse within one of the settlements facing the mainland, which are less expensive and then visiting the beaches on the opposite side of the island during the day. Moreover, despite their fame, the inner beaches are very attractive and offer a real opportunity to find a semi-isolated spot. The people on this side are more open and looking with care, pleasant surprises can be found: along the coast road I found a shiny, spotless Japanese espresso machine operating from within a feeble hut.

Reaching the island is possible with a bus-ferry combined ticket, which can be bought in Bangkok’s Southern Terminal (Sathaanii Sai Tai Mai in Thonburi - at the junction of Thanon Borom Ratchonni and the Nakhon Chaisri Highway) or from any southern town by taking a bus to Surat Thani and then the ferry.

Traveling in such a way, the town of Nathon is reached first, since it faces the mainland; it is the biggest town in the island. Accommodation here is less expensive; hence – as explained before - it is a good idea to settle here and to travel to the more popular beaches during the day.

An enjoyable activity is renting a motorcycle from the shops by the port and traveling around the island in search for your perfect spot. A good place is Nathon Residence on Thanon Taweeratpakdee and near the market. The rooms are big, spotless and with excellent facilities and cost 550B per night for a single; the place has a good café-restaurant next to its lobby. The nearby Night Market is an excellent place to search for Southern Thailand delicacies; a good choice is ka-nom jeen nam yah: rice noodles with fish curry sauce served with vegetables and pineapples.

If beginning from Nathon and advancing northwards, the first cluster of beaches will appear on the northern coasts, below the Big Buddha. Hat Maenam, Hat Bophut and Hat Bangrak are three beautiful beaches, which are less popular than the ones at the eastern coast and offer ferries to the smaller islands of Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao. The closest to Nathon, Hat Maenam, is the most economical beach in the island and offers some of the best views as well: Koh Pha Ngan and fishing activities in the blue waters.

Turning to the eastern side of the island, you will reach the main two beaches: Chaweng and Lamai, the last being slightly less developed. These two are the counterparts of Patong in Phuket; they offer water sports, top-end hotels, open bars and expensive restaurants for endless crowds of tourists; during the nights, they seem to be more alive than during the hot, sleepy days. If you have the means, Chaweng is the place to settle; few beaches in Thailand can match the beauty of its simple lines and relaxing colors. The elevated point connecting it with Lamai provides the best viewpoint in the island, visiting it in the late afternoon will lead to postcard like photographs.

The last leg of the trip offers two main alternatives: to continue along the beachless southern coast or to return to Nathon through Route 4169, across the island. If you opt for the last, you can turn northwards in Ban Thurian and to visit the Na Muang Waterfalls. The second, more uphill one is more impressive, but the lower one offers elephant-rides. Once back on the western coast, Nathon is nearby.