SOUTHERN THAILAND

CHARLOTTE 08:48 Add Comment travel Edit

Stretching from just south of Bangkok down to the Malaysia border, Southern Thailand plays host to some of the Kingdom's biggest tourism drawcards. From diving off Koh Tao, to climbing in Krabi, partying on Koh Phi Phi or just laying in a hammock pretty much anywhere, the south is not short on choice.

Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Tao are the best known of Southern Thailand's many islands, though Koh Lipe and Koh Lanta have also caught on in more recent years. Beyond these you still have dozens more islands to choose from, and many of the more obscure options often provide the best experiences. When selecting an island or two for your trip, it pays to do some research.

In the west, you have Koh Phi Phi. I would say out of all the islands, this was my favourite. It has the perfect balance for me; great nightlife, beautiful scenery, the people were amazing and there were many chances for lovely days out.

Snorkelling off Koh Phi Phi - such clear water!

Bamboo Island near Koh Phi Phi

Monkey Beach, Koh Phi Phi

Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi

Viewpoint, Koh Phi Phi

Kayaking just off Koh Phi Phi

Also in the west, is Koh Lanta. This is a much more chilled out island. While I was there... there was no partying, there was hardly even anyone there. But for me, it was just what I needed at that time.

National Park, Koh Lanta

Sunset on Koh Lanta

Finally, in the west, is Phuket. Phuket is Thailand's largest and most popular island, with over a third of all tourists who go to Thailand finding themselves here at some stage during their trip. While it was vastly damaged in places by the 2004 Tsunami, the main beach areas are now fully recovered and the crowds have long since returned. I stayed on Patong Beach, which I really liked. I found the food here was better than anywhere I'd previously been.

From Patong Beach I got a day trip to Phang Nga Bay which was absolutely stunning.

But don't make the mistake of ignoring the mainland in your rush to get to that tropical beach paradise. Krabi has an amazing weekend night market and the coast of Krabi province, including the Ao Nang and Railay areas, is home to some of Thailand's most spectacular scenery. The stunning beaches and towering limstone karsts have made Krabi a major rock-climbing destination.

Ao Nang

Railay Beach

Tonsai Beach

Railay Beach

Ao Nang Beach

In the East, we have Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

Koh Samui is again, a little more chilled in my view, but still so much fun. I really enjoyed waterfall climbing here. We also got a boat to Koh Phangan from Koh Samui for the Full Moon Party, which was my second time going, but was still amaaaazing.