Best islands in Thailand

Ten islands, one for every trip

Thailand islands split into two big seas with opposite seasons: the Andaman in the west, best from December to March, and the Gulf in the east, best from February to April.

So what are the nicest islands in Thailand? It depends on the trip, so here's the one for each kind of group.

• Phuket: the all-rounder, with beaches, yachts and Patong
• Koh Phi Phi: the most dramatic scenery
• Koh Samui: villas, beach clubs and its own airport
• Koh Phangan: the Full Moon Party
• Koh Tao: the place to learn to dive
• Koh Lanta: long, quiet beaches
• Koh Lipe: white sand in the far south
• The Similan Islands: the clearest water, by day trip
• Koh Chang: big jungle island in the east
• Koh Larn: a boat ride from Pattaya

Tanner's pick: first trip? Do Phuket. Building the trip around the party? See the best party islands in Thailand.

Thailand's islands by sea

Thailand's islands sit on three coasts: the Andaman Sea in the west, the Gulf of Thailand in the east, and the eastern seaboard near Bangkok, and each coast has its own season.

The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources measures Phuket at 514.675 km², Thailand's largest island, and Koh Samui and Koh Chang are among Thailand's largest islands too.

Koh Samet is in the table too, as a weekend from Bangkok. Ask Tanner which coast fits your dates.

Phuket: the all-rounder

Phuket is the one for a group that wants everything: beaches, yachts, beach clubs and Patong's clubs, with the biggest airport in the south.

Licensed entertainment venues in Phuket and licensed venues inside hotels may open until 4am; ordinary bars and restaurants close earlier, usually by 2am. Illuzion on Bangla Road is DJ Mag's number 9 club in the world for 2026, with room for 5,000.

It's also the launch point for Phi Phi, about an hour away by speedboat, Phang Nga Bay and the Similans.

Boat days to Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay and the Similans are on Phuket tours.

Insider tip: December to March is the heart of the dry season; November and April are good edge months with lower prices. See things to do in Phuket and the best beaches in Phuket, and ask Tanner to hold your VIP section at Illuzion.

Koh Phi Phi: the scenery

Koh Phi Phi is the most dramatic island in Thailand, with limestone cliffs, turquoise water and Maya Bay.

Maya Bay reopened on 1 October 2026 with an hourly visitor cap, and you can wade but not swim. It closes every year from 1 August to 30 September, the Royal Gazette notice says. The park fee is ฿400 for a foreign adult, plus a ฿20 island fee in cash at Tonsai.

Stay a night or two, or visit by boat from Phuket or Krabi.

See the Phi Phi island tour. Insider tip: take the first boat to beat the crowds. Ask Tanner to put a private boat on the morning run.

Koh Samui: villas and beach clubs

Samui is the villa island, with beach clubs, Chaweng's evenings and its own airport, about 1h10 from Bangkok.

Samui, Phangan and Tao are driest from February to April and wettest from October to December, peaking in November, the Thai Meteorological Department says (checked November 2026). November brings about 445 mm of rain.

Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, the classic day trip from Samui, is closed from 1 November to 15 December 2026, the Department of National Parks says, so plan a different boat day then.

For a lighter day, the swimming pigs are on Pig Island.

That makes Samui the summer choice while the Andaman is wet.

Start with our Koh Samui guide and the best beaches in Koh Samui.

Insider tip: from October to December the boats to Phangan and Tao cross choppier water, so fly in and keep the boat days short. Ask Tanner for a villa near the beach clubs.

Koh Phangan: the Full Moon Party

Koh Phangan is the island for the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin, 20 to 50 minutes by boat from Samui.

The next Full Moon Parties are 24 November and 24 December 2026, with a countdown party on 31 December. Entry is paid in cash at the gate.

Base the group in a villa on Samui and cross for the party.

See the Full Moon Party guide. Insider tip: book the boat back before you go, and wear closed shoes on the sand. Ask Tanner to hold a villa for Full Moon week.

Koh Tao: the diving island

Koh Tao is the island to learn to dive, about 1.5 hours by catamaran from Samui.

An Open Water course takes about three days, Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle are the big dive sites, and whale sharks show up mostly from March to May.

Koh Nang Yuan, the three-island sandbar off Tao, charges ฿250 per visitor on arrival, the island's own resort says.

More in scuba diving in Thailand.

Insider tip: don't fly within 18 hours of a few days' diving. Ask Tanner to book the course with the villa.

Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe: the quiet beaches

Lanta for long empty sand, Lipe for white sand in the far south.

Ferries from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lanta take about an hour, and speedboats about 30 minutes.

Lipe is about 1.5 hours by speedboat from Pak Bara, and ferries from Langkawi run from 15 October to late May.

See our Koh Lipe guide.

Insider tip: Lipe is best from December to April; outside that, only the Pak Bara route runs. Ask Tanner to time the boats south.

The Similan Islands: the clearest water

The clearest water in Thailand, by day trip or liveaboard from Khao Lak or Phuket. The park opens from mid-October to mid-May.

Mu Ko Similan National Park is open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027, and the park fee is ฿500 for a foreign adult, the Department of National Parks says; Koh Tachai stays closed.

Daily visitor numbers are limited, so book the day trip early.

You can't stay on the islands overnight, but a dive liveaboard night is allowed.

See day trips from Phuket. Insider tip: book before the daily cap fills, in December and January above all. Ask Tanner to hold seats on the boat.

Koh Chang: the jungle island

Koh Chang is the big jungle island in the east, off Trat. The car ferry from Ao Thammachat crosses through the day, and Tanner checks the last sailing for your date.

It's the one for a group that wants green hills, waterfalls and a slower beach week away from the Andaman crowds.

See our Koh Chang guide and the east coast of Thailand. Insider tip: go November to April; July is the wettest month. Ask Tanner to set the car to the ferry.

Thailand's best islands in short

• The best islands in Thailand for a group are Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Phi Phi.

• The Andaman is best December to March, the Gulf February to April.
• Maya Bay on Phi Phi closes every year from 1 August to 30 September.
• The Full Moon Party is on Haad Rin, Koh Phangan; the next are 24 November and 24 December 2026.
• The Similans open mid-October to mid-May, and daily visitor numbers are limited.
• What it is: ten islands, one for each kind of trip, from Phuket to Koh Larn.

Checked November 2026.

Islands near Bangkok: Koh Larn

Koh Larn sits off Pattaya, about two hours from Bangkok's airport by road in normal traffic.

Pattaya's rainy season runs from May to October, with the roughest seas in September.

A yacht day to Koh Larn is the classic Pattaya boat trip for a group.

Next: Koh Larn and Pattaya yachts. Insider tip: leave Bangkok before Friday evening, when the road south slows. Ask Tanner to have the boat ready when you arrive.

Best time to visit each island

Tanner's rule: winter on the Andaman, summer in the Gulf. Ask Tanner which coast suits your dates.

What's better, Krabi or Koh Samui?

Krabi is better from December to March, for limestone cliffs, Railay and boat days to Phi Phi. Koh Samui is better from February to September, for villas and beach clubs.

Krabi is on the mainland, with about 18 nonstop flights a day from Bangkok and Railay's beaches 10 to 15 minutes away by longtail. Samui is an island with its own airport and a ready villa scene. Krabi suits a group that wants a new boat trip every day; Samui suits one that wants the villa as the base.

In November, Samui gets its heaviest rain, so pick Krabi or Phuket then.

Compare things to do in Krabi and Koh Samui vs Phuket. Ask Tanner to price both for your dates.

Anywhere to avoid right now?

If you're asking where not to go in Thailand at the moment, every island on this page is open and easy to visit. Check your own government's travel advice before you book, and save the Tourist Police number, 1155, which answers in English.

See our is Thailand safe guide. Ask Tanner if anything changes on your route.

Pick your island and month

Pick your month, then your island: the Andaman in winter, the Gulf in summer.

Then add the villa, the boat and the evenings, with the car waiting at every stop.

For the mainland stops around the islands, see where to go in Thailand and things to do in Thailand.

See Thailand island hopping. Plan it with Tanner, and he sends back the islands and the timing for your group.