1. Samet is a favorite resort of local residents
Samet (Ko Samet) located near Bangkok, about 7 kilometers from the mainland. The island is really loved by locals and often visit it on weekends, so the weekend beaches that are free on weekdays are filled with vacationers to the fullest. There is an amazing cuisine here, because the establishments are focused on domestic tourism and prepare their dishes according to all the rules of the local culinary tradition. The beaches of the island are shallow bays with a sandy shore. Nightlife is developed here. In the evenings, bars and hookah bars work on the embankments, fire and music shows take place. Samet hotels are mainly “four” with breakfast, on—site swimming pools and a spa. But you can also choose more budget options.
2. Yao-Yai — untouched nature and deserted beaches
Although Yao-Yai cannot be attributed to small islands, tourism is still not developed here and nature has been preserved without human intervention. The island is located halfway from Phuket to the coast of Krabi province. From these two popular resorts, tourists are brought by boat to explore the picturesque places on Yao Yai. There is no entertainment here, except for the Duck Ventura water park in the northern part of the island. Otherwise, time has stopped here, and the locals in the villages live the same way as they did a hundred years ago. The beaches of the island are sandy and wide, but practically not landscaped. Coral reefs start not far from the shore, so diving is one of the reasons to visit Yao Yai.
3. Tau – divers will like it
Tau, or Koh Tao, as this island is also called, is a must visit for diving in Thailand. Visibility near the island reaches 20 meters, and there are about 30 diving spots around. Here you can watch a lot of colorful fish, turtles, stingrays, barracudas and reef sharks. From April to June, whale sharks swim to the underwater rocks of Chumphon Pinnacle near the island. There are sandy beaches on the island itself, there is all the infrastructure for tourists and there are more than 60 diving schools. Large and medium-sized hotels and establishments occupy the Sairi Beach area. The south of the island is occupied mainly by respectable “fives”.
4. Similan Islands — a protected area with unique nature
Similans are 100 kilometers away from Phuket. There are no large hotels and villas on any of the 9 islands, as all the islands belong to the kingdom’s national park and are under protection. Tourists come here from Phuket and other resorts on excursions for the sake of beaches, snorkeling, watching dolphins, turtles and exotic birds. There are diving sites around the islands where you can swim with a whale shark. On the diving site Breakfast Bend near the ninth island, leopard sharks swim up to the shallow water in the morning. Boulders that rise above the surface of the water, in depth form corridors, also favored by divers. You can stay here for the night only in a few huts-bungalows.
5. Chang — waterfalls, beaches and good hotels
It is the second largest island of the kingdom. A popular resort of the Gulf of Thailand, it is located off the eastern shores of Thailand. Although the nature of the island is taken under protection, tourism is developed here. The central part of the island is occupied by mountains, and wooded foothills descend directly to the water. There is high humidity here, and there are frequent rains. In addition to beaches and diving, people come here for active pastime: hiking in the mountains, cycling, visiting waterfalls, the most famous of which is Tan Mai, which has three tiers. The hotels are located near Lonli Beach, Hat Sai Khao, Right in the west. In the southern part, the beaches are picturesque and wild.