Updated: June 2024
Thailand is famous for its stunning beaches and tropical islands.
There are around 1400 islands in Thailand, some are more developed then the others and some are uninhabited islands, located in the national park.
Here is the list of the 10 most stunning islands with crystal clear water and white sand beaches where you can let your tropical dreams come true.
KOH LIPE
SURIN ISLANDS
SIMILAN ISLANDS
KOH KOOD
KOH PHI PHI
KOH TAO
KOH WUA TA LAP
KOH KRADAN
KOH PHAYAM
KOH Mook
1 KOH LIPE
Koh Lipe is the most stunning tropical island, located at the very south part of Thailand, near the Malaysian borders. This beautiful island has three main beaches.
Pattaya Beach, a beautiful shallow water stretch of sand, good for beach-front accommodation and massages. Sunset Beach is a smaller remote beach at the north-west part of the island. And Sunrise Beach, which is the most beautiful of them all, perfect for snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming. The beach has one of the clearest water and the most beautiful turquoise colored sea in Thailand.
The island is getting more and more popular each year but it’s still a lovely place, perfect for couples, families, and people who just want to relax on the beach. There is not much nightlife in Koh Lipe, but the island has some nice restaurants and a couple of reggae bars on the beach and in Walking Street.
How to get to Koh Lipe?
During high season, speedboats run to Lipe twice a day from Phuket, Phi Phi Island and Koh Lanta. Alternatively, the nearest airports are Had Yai and Trang, from where you take a transfer to Pakbara Pier.
During low season, buses running from Krabi and Phuket town to Pakbara and then 2 hours boat transfer to the island.
Tip: Visit Koh Lipe during high season between November to April. The island is rather exposed to the low season weather.
During the monsoon season, Koh Lipe gets very harsh wind conditions with bigger waves on the beaches and strong gusts of wind. Many locals actually close their business and return to the mainland for the few months.
2 SURIN ISLANDS
Surin Islands is an island archipelago consisting of five islands. Located 40km off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman sea, very near the Thai-Myanmar borders.
Agreeable one of the most beautiful island archipelagos and some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling locations in Thailand.
The Surin Islands are lined with coral gardens and host a multitude of other marine life.
You can either visit the islands on a one-day speedboat trip or camping overnight. Available only from 15th October to 15th May you can camp in national park bungalows or tents. Staying overnight on the island you will be able to appreciate the real beauty of this paradise.
You can also visit the islands on a live-aboard trip while enjoying some fantastic diving.
How to get to Surin Islands?
The nearest town is Khuraburi. You can get here by bus (around 4-hour journey) from Krabi or Phuket. From here, you have to organize your boat travel, speedboat takes around 1- 1.5 hour.
Tip: bring some comfortable shoes if you are staying overnight, there are some amazing viewpoints to climb.
3 SIMILAN ISLAND
Heading down south from Surin Islands you can find the beautiful Similan Islands. Similan Islands are eleven islands that are part of the Similan Archipelago.
These eleven islands are all part of Thailand’s southern Phang Nga province and are located in the Andaman Sea. Around 70 kilometers from the mainland of Thailand and Phang Nga town.
The area has one of the clearest water and whitest sand in South East Asia. Unlike Surin islands, you can’t stay overnight so the only way to visit is a day trip or for divers booking a live-aboardtrip from Khao Lak.
4 KOH KOOD
Koh Kooh (Kut) is one of the prettiest Thai islands located near the borders with Cambodia. This tropical island is covered with palm trees and stunning beaches and is one if the favorite spot for Thai people to spend their holidays.
If you are in the area, you can also visit the neighbor island Koh Mak which is equally stunning.
Tip: if you are island hopping you must visit Koh Kham which a small island nearby. You can get there by kayak from Koh Mak or a boat.
How to get to Koh Kood?
The closest airport to Koh Kood is in Trat. You can fly here or take a bus from Bangkok or Pattaya. From Laem Sok Pier you can choose to travel by speedboat or opt-out for the cheaper bigger boat which takes bit longer.
If you travel from Koh Chang you can book a boat transfer from Bang Bao pier.
5 PHI PHI ISLAND
It is a no surprise to anyone who knows me that I will include Koh Phi Phi in my top 10 list. I fall in love with the island almost 20 years ago and made it my home.
Phi Phi Island is very beautiful which makes the island a popular destination for many visitors especially in high season from November till March. If you wish for holidays with not so many tourists try to avoid time between December-March. The weather is good even off season and the hotel prices are much lower. Another tip to enjoy the island better is to stay away from the busy town.
There are many beaches away from the main town if you are looking for a quiet peaceful holiday. Choose your accommodation in Long Beach, Loh Ba Kao Bay or Leam Tong Beach.
The main town is fully developed, full of restaurants and bars so if you are looking for the deserted island feel, choose one of the remote beaches.
Koh Phi Phi is an absolutely stunning island. Anyone who disagrees haven’t really explored the island.
Where else in Thailand can you snorkeling with reef sharks off the beach, spot turtles on your kayaking trip, swim in a crystal clear water and admire some of the most beautiful limestone cliff formations?
Amazing scuba diving, beautiful beaches, and stunning sunsets are just the cherry on the cake.
How to get to Koh Phi Phi?
Two-hours ferry ride from Krabi (Klong Jilad Pier) or Phuket (Rassada Pier), ferry boats leave 4x a day. You can also hop on a speedbaot which takes 1h and runs many times a day. You can find more information here: How to get to Koh Phi Phi?
Tip: Avoid one-day trips to the island.
You will be on a boat with another 40 tourists, arriving on the island during the midday peak time with another 1000 people who had the same idea as you. You won’t have time for visiting any nice beaches and viewpoints. Instead, come to the island and stay for a couple of nights to really discover the natural beauty of the island.
6 KOH TAO
Koh Tao is the most beautiful and the smallest of the islands off the Surrathani coast, located in the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Tao is most famous for its laid-back attitude and cheap diving.
Beautiful beaches with overhanging palm trees and clear water for swimming and snorkeling gives Koh Tao its tropical feel. You can spend your days relaxing on beaches, snorkeling and exploring the famous or less known viewpoints.
There are so many beaches, viewpoints and chill out bars and restaurant to explore that renting a motorbike is a must on the island.
But be very careful, Koh Tao roads are notoriously known for their curves and hills an driving here can be dangerous.
How to get to Koh Tao?
If you are planning on island hopping, boats Koh Tao running daily from Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
You can depart from Chumpon which has a train, bus station and a small airport. One of the better companies operating in this area is Lomprayah.
If you travel from Bangkok to Koh Tao you can buy combine ticket by bus and ferry for around 1200THB per person.
Tip: Make sure you don’t have your flight out of Thailand or elsewhere on the same day you leave the island. The Gulf of Thailand a Chumpon area around Koh Tao is notoriously known for big waves and unpredictable weather, ferries get cancelled few times year
7 KOH WUA TA LAP
If you are looking for the tropical island feel then Koh Wua Ta Lap island is your winner.
This small island is located in Ang Thong National Park, in the south of Thailand, close to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
Most people visit the island as a part of a day trip but you can also stay here overnight for an unforgettable experience.
The main beach is a beautiful 250 meters long stretch of white sand and crystal clear water and if that is not enough there are two more beaches on the other side of the island. The accommodation is provided by the national park, there are 5 bungalows around 100 meters from the main beach and a few tents which you can rent.
There is a restaurant with good and cheap food and a little kiosk where you can buy water and some snacks. Remember alcohol is not allowed in the national park. Once you are on the island you must hike up to the viewpoint, its one of the best views in Thailand.
Don’t forget to bring proper shoes as the hike is very challenging, a steep hill with many slippery parts and rocks.
You can also hire a kayak to explore Koh Phi which is a small island opposite of Koh Wua Ta Lap and visits Emerald Lake viewpoint.
How to get to Koh Wua Ta Lap?
To get to the island you have to join one of the day trips either on a bigger boat or a speedboat trip which will be more expensive but much faster too. They will drop you off and you can organize with them a pick up in the following day.
Tip: Most visitors arrive here between 11:30am-14:30 pm and head up straight to the viewpoint so do your hike early morning or in the afternoon to avoid the day trippers
8 KOH KRADAN
Koh Kradan is a small hidden gem with only a few resorts and couple of restaurants. The island hasn’t changed much in the last ten years and it’s perfect for anyone seeking quiet beaches and laid back atmosphere.
Koh Kradan is one of the smaller islands in the Trang area and its position makes it perfect for visiting neighboring islands such as Koh Mook and Koh Ngai which are as stunning as Koh Kradan.
Don’t miss the visit to the Emerald Cave which is located in Koh Mook, choose a private tour or a trip which starts early morning to avoid the one-day trippers from Krabi and Lanta.
If you are looking for an island to get away from it all than Koh Kradan is your perfect choice.
How to get to Koh Kradan?
Take a boat transfer from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi or Lanta during high season. The island is also accessible from Trang by a minivan and a boat transfer from Khuan Tung Ku Pier.
Tip: From the late morning to mid-afternoon, a few one day tours come to visit and drop off visitors near Koh Kradan Beach resort. If you want a calmer or more private experience to stay somewhere in the upper part (north) of the beach line where the tourist don’t go.
9 KOH PHAYAM
Koh Phayam is still one of the undiscovered gems of the Andaman sea. Koh Phayam is a stunning island with long deserted beaches and chilled backpackers attitude.
The island gives a glimpse of what some of the islands looked like 30 years ago.
Make sure you visit between October to May in the high season as the majority of restaurant and bungalows close for the low season.
Koh Phayam if a very peaceful island, somewhere to get away from the city life and reconnect to nature.
Apart from the obvious relaxing on the beach you can join yoga classes.
How to get to Koh Phayam?
Two hours boat ride (45min by speedboat) from Ranong. You can reach Ranong by bus, railway of fly in from Bangkok with Nok Air (only twice a day).
Tip: there is still no ATM or a bank on the island, so bring some cash. Also be aware the electricity doesn’t run 24/7 in most of the cheaper accommodation, the island relies on generators and the power is usually on during certain times, so make sure you know the slot to power up your camera etc., some more expensive hotels keep the generators on 24/7.
10 KOH MOOK
One of my favorite places to visit in Thailand. Perfect for 4-day trip. Koh Mook is an unexploited island crisscrossed by narrow dirt roads leading to amazing water caves and secluded beaches where you will witness some of the most stunning sunsets in Thailand.
It is still very “non-touristy” and you can truly relax and enjoy your time here.
Visit Emerald Cave, the neighboring islands Koh Krandan and Koh Ngai, and enjoy some hiking and good food.
You can find my ultimate guide to KOH MOOK here
How to get to Koh Mook?
Take a boat transfer from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi or Lanta during high season. The island is also accessible from Trang by a minivan and a boat transfer from Khuan Tung Ku Pier.
Tip: Must visit and my wild card and secret #11 island is Koh Rok, located in this area you can visit on a day tour or even better, stay overnight camping in the national park tent to enjoy this stunning island to its full extent.
