Which island suits you? Our top picks
One week, one island, and you want to pick right the first time. The best island depends on who is coming, and our picks follow.
- First trip: Phuket. The widest choice of resorts, restaurants and boat days, and a large international airport.
- Couples: Koh Yao Noi for quiet luxury close to Phuket; Koh Kood for real seclusion in the east.
- Families: Koh Samui. Calm north-coast bays, big villas and an airport on the island.
- Groups: Phuket for beach clubs and yachts; Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party and pool villas.
- Diving: Koh Tao for daily diving; the Similan Islands for a liveaboard or a private yacht trip.
- Calm and nature: Koh Lanta, Koh Kood or Koh Lipe.
How we choose: we judge each island on the quality of its top hotels and villas and how easy it is to reach. We also weigh the sea in its best months, and what a private boat can add. We do not accept payment for any listing.
Only one island for a week? Choose by month. From December to March, Phuket or Krabi. From February to September, Koh Samui. From October to January, the eastern islands, or Phuket late in the season. Each island follows below.
Andaman or Gulf: the season rule
Thailand has two island coasts with opposite seasons. The Andaman islands, Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi, Lanta, Yao Noi and Lipe, are best from December to March. The Gulf islands, Samui, Phangan and Tao, are driest from February to April and wettest from October to December, according to Thai Meteorological Department normals.
The numbers make the rule clear. Phuket's driest month is February, with 24 mm of rain, and its wettest is September, with 350.4 mm. Koh Samui's driest month is also February, at 64.3 mm, but its wettest is November, at 444.6 mm. So in November, when Phuket is drying out, Samui is at its wettest.
So from May to September, when the Andaman is rough, the Gulf is the better beach choice. From November to March the Andaman is calm and clear, and February and March are good on both coasts.
The east coast near Cambodia, with Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Samet, follows the general Thai pattern. It has a cool, dry season from mid-October to mid-February and rain from mid-May. Full month-by-month figures are on our best time to visit Thailand page.
Phuket
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, at 514.675 km² in the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources survey. It has the most five-star resorts, private pool villas and yacht marinas in the country. It also has an international airport with non-stop flights from the Gulf, Singapore, Hong Kong and London.
The west coast holds the classic beaches. Surin, Kamala and Bang Tao have the strongest mix of resorts and beach clubs. Further south, Nai Harn is quieter, with The Nai Harn, which holds one MICHELIN Key in the 2026 guide. The north-west is the most private. Amanpuri, with three MICHELIN Keys in the 2026 guide, reopened on 14 September 2026 after its summer closure, according to Aman.
Phuket is also the base for the best boat days in Thailand. A private yacht reaches Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi and the Krabi islands in a day, and the Similans by yacht. A morning in Phang Nga Bay, lunch on a quiet beach and an evening at your villa is the classic Phuket day.
Food is a reason to come. PRU, at Trisara, holds one MICHELIN star and a Green Star in the 2026 guide. Phuket Old Town adds Sino-Portuguese streets and local cooking. Nightlife ranges from sunset beach clubs to the late clubs of Patong.
Phuket suits a first trip, a group or a family that wants choice. If you want a small, quiet island, add a few nights on Koh Yao Noi. Read our full Phuket or Koh Samui comparison before you choose.
Phuket is large and its roads slow, so where you stay matters. Choose the north-west for privacy and the airport, or the central west coast for beach clubs and dining. The south has the sunsets and the Chalong marinas. From the airport it is about 40 minutes to Surin and about 70 minutes to Nai Harn (checked November 2026).
Large private villas with staff sit above Kamala, Surin and Cape Yamu, with a private chef for groups. Book early for Christmas, Chinese New Year and Easter.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is one of Thailand's largest islands, at 236.079 km² in the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources survey. It has its own airport, run by Bangkok Airways, and the widest choice of villas and wellness resorts in the Gulf. Its weather runs opposite to Phuket: wettest in November, at its best from February to April.
The north and east coasts hold the leading resorts. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, where the third season of The White Lotus was filmed according to Four Seasons, sits on a private hillside bay. Banyan Tree Samui, Six Senses Samui and Anantara Lawana Koh Samui are other strong choices.
Samui is the best family island in Thailand, with calm, shallow water at Choeng Mon and Bophut and staffed villas easy to find. It is also a wellness island: a week of treatments, early swims and clean food.
From Samui, a private boat reaches Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and the Ang Thong islands. Note that Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park closes from 1 November to 15 December 2026. If you want to split a stay, Phangan's north coast is the natural second base.
Chaweng is the busiest coast, with beach clubs and nightlife, and Bophut's Fisherman's Village has the best evening walk. Lamai is quieter, and the west coast around Lipa Noi has the sunsets. From the airport, Lipa Noi is about 55 minutes by car (checked November 2026).
Skip Samui for a beach holiday in November, its wettest month, and go to the Andaman for limestone scenery.
Krabi coast, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta
The Krabi coast is the most dramatic scenery in Thailand: limestone cliffs, hidden bays and dozens of small islands. Phi Phi is its most famous island group. Koh Lanta, further south, is the calm choice with long beaches. Krabi International Airport opened its new terminal on 23 September 2026.
Krabi mainland. Railay, reached only by boat, and the coast north of Ao Nang hold the best resorts. Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, has three MICHELIN Keys in the 2026 guide, and Banyan Tree Krabi faces the islands from Tub Kaek. From the airport, Ao Nang is about 35 minutes by car (checked November 2026).
Phi Phi. Phi Phi Don has the hotels; Phi Phi Leh has Maya Bay. The park fee is ฿400 for a foreign adult and ฿200 for a child, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Swimming is not allowed at Maya Bay. Boats land at the Loh Samah pier, and the bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September. Zeavola is now OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort, still in soft opening with some villas, the restaurant and the spa being finished, according to OUTRIGGER.
Koh Lanta. Lanta has long, quiet beaches and some of the best family resorts on the coast, such as Pimalai Resort and Spa. Its beaches face west, so sunsets are the evening event, and the old town on the east coast keeps a fishing-village feel. There is no bridge yet: one is due in 2029, and until then cars cross by ferry from Ban Hua Hin pier. Day trips run to Koh Rok and Koh Haa, where the national park charges a special fee of ฿400 per foreign adult.
The Krabi coast rewards a private boat more than anywhere. In one day you reach the Hong islands, Phi Phi before the crowds and a late lunch on a sandbar. On the mainland, the Tiger Cave Temple is about 15 minutes from Krabi airport.
Ao Nang has the most restaurants; Railay and Tub Kaek have the best settings. For nightlife, Phuket is the better base.
Which island puts you inside Phang Nga Bay?
Koh Yao Noi is a quiet, rural island in Phang Nga Bay, between Phuket and Krabi. It is the best choice for couples who want calm and views of the limestone islands. Six Senses Yao Noi, with two MICHELIN Keys in the 2026 guide, is the island's best-known resort.
Six Senses says the drive from Phuket airport to Ao Po Grand Marina takes about 30 minutes. The speedboat then takes about 40 to 45 minutes, depending on the weather.
Phang Nga Bay itself is best seen from a private boat. Ao Phang Nga National Park is a ฿300 park for foreign adults under the national park fee rules. Go early to see the karsts before the day-trip boats arrive, and stop at a quiet beach for lunch. Aulis, at Natai on the mainland coast, holds one MICHELIN star in the 2026 guide for a dinner on the way back.
Life on Koh Yao Noi is slow: villages, rice fields, rubber trees and small beaches along a quiet road. It pairs well with a few nights on busy Phuket.
Read our Koh Yao Noi guide for the island's villas and boat days.
Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
Koh Phangan is two islands in one. There is the Full Moon Party beach at Haad Rin, and there are quiet north and west coasts with pool villas and small resorts. Koh Tao is Thailand's diving island. Both are a short boat ride from Samui and share the Gulf's dry season, from February to April.
Koh Phangan. The Full Moon Party runs at Haad Rin every month. The organiser lists the 2027 dates as 22 January, 22 February, 22 March, 21 April, 21 May and 19 June. Then come 20 July, 17 August, 15 September, 16 October, 13 November and 13 December, plus a countdown on 31 December. A private speedboat with your own return time is the best way across. Away from Haad Rin, Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas and Santhiya Koh Phangan offer calm stays. Phangan International Hospital, a branch of Bangkok Hospital Samui, operates on the island.
Koh Tao. Tao is small, green and built around diving, with dive centres in almost every bay. Just off its north-west coast, Koh Nang Yuan is three tiny islands joined by sand bars. The island resort charges ฿250 per visitor, paid on arrival, according to its own site.
Phangan's north coast, around Thong Nai Pan and Bottle Beach, is the calmest part and the best base for a family or couple. For the Full Moon Party, go for the evening, then return to a quiet resort or to Samui by boat.
Koh Tao suits divers for two or three nights, or a day trip by private boat from Samui with snorkelling at Nang Yuan.
Koh Lipe and the far south
Koh Lipe is a small island in the far south, near Malaysia, with clear water and white sand. It is a long way to go, but rewards divers and couples who want a simple, beautiful island. Plan to visit in the Andaman dry season, from December to March.
The Satun Provincial Office says boats from Pak Bara pier take about 1 hour 30 minutes to cross the 65 km to Lipe. It lists five daily departures. The 09:30 and 13:30 boats run only from October to May. The 11:30, 11:45 and 15:00 boats run all year. Satun provincial records also confirm a Thai immigration post on Lipe that handles boats from Langkawi in Malaysia.
The best snorkelling is around the small islands near Lipe, and accommodation is simpler than on Phuket or Samui.
Lipe suits divers, snorkellers and couples, not guests who need a large resort or a quick transfer. Plan at least three nights, and link it with Koh Lanta or the Trang islands by private boat.
Koh Kood, Koh Chang and Koh Samet
The eastern islands near the Cambodian border are the calm alternative to the south. Koh Kood is the most secluded, and Koh Chang is the largest, with the most hotels. Koh Samet is the closest island beach to Bangkok. All three follow Thailand's general cool and dry season, from mid-October to mid-February.
Koh Kood. Koh Kood, at 111.894 km² in the DMCR survey, is quiet, green and slow, with waterfalls and empty bays. Soneva Kiri, on the island, is its best-known resort and, for many, the reason to go. Nearby Koh Mak is a separate, smaller island.
Koh Chang. Koh Chang is one of Thailand's largest islands, at 212.404 km². The Retreat Koh Chang holds one MICHELIN Key in the 2026 guide, the only Key hotel in Trat province. Ferries leave from Ao Thammachat pier from early morning to early evening; check the times on the day. From Suvarnabhumi Airport to the pier is about 4 hours 50 minutes by car (checked November 2026).
Koh Samet. Samet lies about 6.5 km off Ban Phe on the Rayong coast, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. It is an easy weekend from Bangkok. Its outer islands are a national park special-fee area, at ฿300 per foreign adult.
Choose the east if you are based in Bangkok or Pattaya, or want true quiet on Koh Kood. Australia's Smartraveller advises against travel within 10 km of the Cambodian land border in mainland Trat; the islands are outside that zone. We check the current advice for your nationality.
The Similan Islands by yacht
The Similan Islands are Thailand's most famous marine park, with granite boulders, white beaches and some of Asia's best diving. Mu Ko Similan National Park is open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027. The foreign entry fee is ฿500 for an adult and ฿250 for a child.
Daily visitor numbers are limited, and tickets are e-tickets that need your passport number. Ko Tachai and its reef are closed indefinitely, along with several other sites. Inside the park, boats moor only at buoys, never on coral.
The Department of National Parks and the Tourism Authority of Thailand both give about 1 hour 30 minutes by speedboat. Boats leave from Thap Lamu pier, near Khao Lak. Phuket airport to Khao Lak is about 80 minutes by car (checked November 2026). A private yacht turns the trip into a night at anchor, with early dives before the day boats.
For non-divers, the Similans are still worth it. The beaches at Ko Miang and Ko Similan are among the most beautiful in Thailand, and the snorkelling from a private boat is excellent. Bring reef-safe sunscreen: sunscreen with oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC or butylparaben is banned in all national parks, with fines up to ฿100,000.
Krabi or Koh Samui? Phi Phi or Samui?
Choose Krabi if you want dramatic cliffs, island-hopping and the Andaman dry season from December to March. Choose Koh Samui if you want a family-friendly island with large villas, an airport on the island and good weather from February to September. Phi Phi is a day trip or a short stay; Samui is a base.
- Krabi or Koh Samui? Krabi for scenery and boat days; Samui for a villa holiday and wellness. In July or August, Samui wins on weather. In January, Krabi does.
- Phuket or Krabi? Phuket for choice, nightlife and villas; Krabi for scenery and a slower pace. They are about 2 hours 45 minutes apart by car, town to town (checked November 2026), so many trips combine both.
For the same question on the mainland and islands together, see our Phuket or Krabi guide.
Island-hopping the private way
The best way to see two islands is to stay on one coast and link them by private boat. On the Andaman, pair Phuket with Koh Yao Noi or Krabi. On the Gulf, pair Samui with Koh Phangan. A private speedboat or yacht replaces ferries, waiting times and crowded piers.
Keep to two islands in a week and three in two, because each move costs half a day. Choose islands on the same coast, as the seasons run opposite. Seaplanes run on no confirmed public route, so we do not plan around them.
Our island-hopping guide shows sample routes, and our Thailand yacht charter page shows what a private boat adds. For beaches across every coast, read our best beaches in Thailand guide.
Example plans: on the Andaman, four nights on Phuket's west coast, then three on Koh Yao Noi, with a yacht day to Phang Nga Bay. On the Gulf, five nights in a Samui villa, then two on Phangan's north coast, crossing by private boat.
Plan your island trip with Tanner
Tanner pairs the right islands with your dates and books the villa or resort. One planner arranges the flights, the private boats and the transfers, so the boat is ready when you reach the pier. For a couple or a family of twelve, our Thai team works on every island we book. We tell you honestly when an island is not worth the extra move.
If the sea is rough, we move the boat day or switch to car and ferry, and your dinner bookings stay in place.
