Thailand Southern Thailand

Ko Samui is an island off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus, Thailand. Ko Samui is Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket. Abundant tourist resources, sandy beaches, coral reefs, and coconut trees are present on the island. The expansion of tourism in Ko Samui has resulted in growth of building resorts, bungalows, and luxury private villas on the island. Its attractions include great beaches and several cultural landmarks.

The island of Phuket, the country's largest island, comprises the majority of Phuket Province, along with another 32 smaller islands off its coast. It lies off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket Island is connected by the Sarasin Bridge to Phang Nga Province to the north. It formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoys a rich and colorful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch, and English traders. The region now derives much of its income from tourism. Its attractions include a multitude of beaches and several cultural markers.

Ko Pha Ngan is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in southeast Thailand in Surat Thani Province. It is part of the Samui Archipelago. It is famous for its Full Moon Party at Haad Rin Beach and as a backpacker destination. Ko Pha Ngan has two sister islands: the larger Ko Samui to the south and the smaller Ko Tao to the north. The world-renowned Full Moon Party is a monthly dance music festival set on Haad Rin Nok Beach scheduled every month at full moon. The event primarily features electronic music and attracts around 30,000 party-goers in a normal month. Recently steps have been taken to make Ko Pha Ngan into a more family-friendly tourist destination, promoting the island's wealth of natural attractions and also stepping up the police presence; road blocks with stop and search procedures are commonplace and undercover police also patrol parties.

The Phi Phi Islands are in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the west Strait of Malacca coast of the mainland. Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest island of the group, and is the most populated island of the group, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Lee, are visited as well. The islands feature beaches and clear water that have had their natural beauty protected by national park status. Tourism on Ko Phi Phi, like the rest of Krabi Province, has exploded since the filming of the movie The Beach, and now Ko Phi Phi is one of Thailand's most famous destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling, kayaking and other marine recreational activities.

Khao Lak is a series of villages, now tourist-oriented. The name "Khao Lak" literally means "Lak mountain". Lak mountain is one of the main peaks in the hilly small mountainous region within Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park. The town is popular for its serene ambiance and as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands. Though Thailand's economy is mostly export-dependent, Khao Lak remains mostly tourist-dependent, with surrounding agriculture and commercial fishing making up a small contribution to Thailand's overall economy. Don't forget to visit the beach when you're in the area.

Ao Nang is a small resort town and subdistrict in Thailand. It is a central point of the coastal province of Krabi, Thailand. The town consists chiefly of a main street, which is dominated by restaurants, pubs, shops and other commerce aimed at tourists. The main beach is used by sunbathers to a certain extent, but there are a large number of longtail boats which offer access to other beaches on the mainland and on nearby islands. Other attractions include scuba diving, rock climbing, and the town's lively nightlife.

Krabi is the main town in the province of Krabi on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phang Nga Bay. Much of the province has been given over to several national parks. The province includes over 80 smaller islands such as Ko Lanta and Phi Phi, well-known to adventurers, yachtsmen, scuba-divers, snorkelers, and day-trippers from Phuket. Krabi's beaches attract both native Thai people and foreigners alike. In the interior, two predominantly mainland national parks, Khao Phanom Bencha National Park and Than Bokkhorani, offer inland scenic attractions including waterfalls and caves, and opportunities for trekking, bird watching, and eco-tours.

Ko Lanta Yai is in the Andaman Sea off the west coast of Thailand, between the Phi Phi Islands and the mainland. It is administratively part of Krabi Province, most of which is on the mainland. Together with neighboring Ko Lanta Noi which forms Ko Lanta archipelago and several other islands it forms the amphoe of Ko Lanta District. The island is 25km long and 6km wide, and a small portion of it belongs to the Mu Ko Lanta National Park. Recently it has became well known, especially in Sweden. The island is relatively less developed with most of the accommodation available being basic bamboo huts. Chao-le (sea gypsies) inhabit Ko Lanta and follow a lifestyle that has been relatively unaffected by the islands' tourism.

Ko Lipe is a small island in the Adang-Rawi Archipelago of the Andaman Sea, in Satun Province of southwest Thailand, close to the Malaysian border. Ko Lipe is on the border of the Tarutao National Marine Park and was originally settled by a group of sea gypsies, originally from Malaysia, known as the Urak Lawoi’ people. Ko Lipe has three main beaches: Sunset Beach (Hat Pramong), Sunrise Beach (Hat Chao Ley), and Pattaya Beach. The calm, clear water makes Ko Lipe ideal for snorkeling, with 25 percent of the world's tropical fish species found in the area.

This popular coastal village offers fine sandy strip, aquamarine waters, an array of local restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife.

A small coastal town, best known for its beautiful 5km beach with its fine sand and lovely turquoise waters.

Ko Tao is an island in Thailand and forms part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Ko Tao was named by its first settlers after the island's turtle-like shape. Coincidentally, the island is an important breeding ground for hawksbill and green turtles. The island is well known for scuba diving and snorkeling, as well as hiking, rock climbing, and bouldering. Ko Tao is less developed than Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan, but has become increasingly popular especially with the mid-20s backpacker crowd in search of relatively inexpensive scuba diving certification.