Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
Quiet, wonderfully secluded and with white sands, Ao Molae is the pick of Ko Tarutao's beaches. Behind it is a ranger station, bungalows and a campsite,…
Must-see attractions in Phuket & the Andaman Coast
Ko Lanta
This superb southwestern sweep of sand backed by mountains is also its own self-contained village with minimarts, internet cafes, motorbike rental and…
Phang-Nga Province
From the Similan Islands Marine National Park Visitors Centre, you can walk for 20 minutes through forest to this viewing point, a great place to catch…
Ko Lipe
Ko Usen, one of the little islands opposite Hat Sunrise, has some good coral. Most resorts rent out mask-and-snorkel sets and fins (100B to 200B). Take…
Trang Beaches & Islands
Motoring into green-clad Ko Muk and landing on the sugary white sandbar of Hat Sivalai is a great way to start your stay. The slender beach runs to an…
Ko Phi-Phi
A gorgeous white-sand beach sharing the same bay as a small fishing hamlet. To get here, charter a long-tail from Ao Ton Sai (1000B; 200B by shared taxi…
Ko Lipe
There’s good coral around Ko Kra, one of the little islands opposite Hat Sunrise, but be aware of, and take care around, oncoming long-tail boats. Most…
Hat Kata
With just a couple of high-end hotels overlooking its secluded sugar-white sands, Hat Kata Noi unfurls to the south of Hat Kata Yai. It's a popular…
Ko Phi-Phi
One of two gorgeous emerald lagoons that await in Phi-Phi Leh's interior, Pileh lies on the eastern coast. It's predictably busy, but the thrill of…
Khao Sok National Park
Tham Si Ru features four converging passageways used as a hideout by communist insurgents between 1975 and 1982. It can be accessed on foot from the…
Ko Lanta
Lovely white-sand Hat Khlong Nin has lots of small, flashpacker-type guesthouses at its northern end. It’s easy to get dropped off here, then shop around…
Ko Lanta
Ko Rok Nok has fine coral reefs and you can camp here with permission from Mu Ko Lanta National Park headquarters. The island is off limits to visitors…
Trang Beaches & Islands
Turquoise water kisses a lovely, crescent-shaped beach overlooked by thickly forested hillsides at Hat Farang, also known as Hat Sai Yao but more usually…
Ranong Province
Shrouded in jungle just north of the main pier, on Ko Phayam's east coast, you'll find a majestic golden Buddha here flanked by a three-headed naga …
Phang-Nga Province
On Ko Similan there’s a short, steep scramble off the main beach to the top of Sail Rock, though during daylight the path gets completely packed with day…
Ko Adang & Ko Rawi
There are great views from Chado Cliff, a 30-minute hike above the main beach. Apparently pirates plotted attacks on commercial ships from this viewpoint.
Ko Lipe
Busy Hat Pattaya on Lipe's southern coast has beach bars, seafood and a party vibe during the high season, though long-tails often crowd out swimmers.
Phang-Nga Province
For a brief taste of Ko Similan's jungly interior, there's an easy 2.5km hike through the forest to this viewpoint that offers ocean vistas.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
You can walk inland to Nam Tok waterfall (5km, about 2½ hours each way) by taking a trail that starts 500m south down Ao Son's beach.
Trang Beaches & Islands
The small karst islet of Ko Cheuk sits between Ko Muk and Ko Ngai. It has a small and slender sandy beach and is good for snorkelling.
Ko Lanta
On the eastern side of Ko Lanta Yai, Ko Talabeng has dramatic limestone caves that you can visit on sea-kayaking tours.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
A signposted track 300m inland from Ao Son beach leads to Nam Tok waterfall (3km, 1½ hours each way).
Phang-Nga Province
The biggest of the Similan Islands has hikes to viewpoints; overnight stays are now banned.
Trang Beaches & Islands
This small karst islet lies between Ko Muk and Ko Ngai and is a popular snorkelling stop.
Ko Lanta
Reached via a signposted track heading east off the national park headquarters road, 2km south of Hat Khlong Nin, Tham Seua has interesting tunnels to…
Phang-Nga Province
Ban Moken on east Ko Surin Tai welcomes visitors. After the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the Moken (from the sea gypsy ethnic group) resettled in this…
Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife & Forest Reserve
Phuket
On the northern half of the island, this lush reserve protects 23 sq km of virgin island rainforest (evergreen monsoon forest). Because of its royal…
Ranong Province
A Moken (Sea Gypsy) village is located at the western side of Buffalo Bay. From the end of the road you need to walk through deep sand and cross a river…
Phuket
Accessed by a tucked-away flight of steps, an enormous golden Buddha reclines on the roof of this immaculately kept modern temple named for one of Phuket…
Hat Khao Lak
This tiered waterfall makes for a nice half-day trip away from the beach. You can reach the park entrance by travelling 5.3km from the main road. From the…
Phuket Town
Opened in 1961 by the tin-mining Chinese-Thai Thavorn Wong Wongse family, the Thavorn was Phuket's original five-star hotel. It's one of the oldest hotels…
Laem Son National Park
The Laem Son National Park covers 315 sq km of land, shared by the Ranong and Phang-Nga Provinces, and includes around 100km of Andaman Sea coastline –…
Phuket
Set back from the road at the northern end of Hat Karon is this relatively new, impeccably maintained temple complex with a small shrine occupied by a…
Phuket
Phuket's ‘two heroines’, Chan and Mook, supposedly drove off an 18th-century Burmese invasion by convincing the island’s women to dress like male soldiers…
Ranong Province
This pretty refuge at the base of a hill was originally a resting place for Buddhist pilgrims. A temple was constructed on the site in 1987. You can hike…
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
This isolated bay is on the west coast, a 30-minute boat ride (1500B) or 8km walk or cycle south of Ao Pante Malacca. A signposted track 300m inland from…
Phuket
You'll hear haunting gibbons' songs all the way along the jungly earth-and-concrete path to this waterfall, a 300m walk up from the Phuket Gibbon…
Phuket
Just northwest from Hat Nai Harn, on Rawai's west coast, you might well think the road dead-ends. But power on, passing the Nai Harn resort and (sadly)…
Ao Nang
About 8km east of Ao Nang at the eastern end of Ao Nam Mao is the Shell Cemetery: giant slabs formed from millions of tiny 75-million-year-old fossil…
Satun Province
Housed in a restored 1902 Sino-Portuguese mansion, Satun's excellent little museum was originally constructed as a temporary home for King Rama V during a…
