The many shapes and sizes of Thailand's islands

[Thailand Explore]

The many shapes and sizes of Thailand's islands

By David Luekens, Thai Island Times

 

Picture yourself hand gliding high above coastal Thailand. What would you see? Or, as you sail on the country’s azure-blue and aquamarine waters, what would stand out about the islands that you’d come across?

 

Every island has an identity of its own. Yet many share similarities as well, from the natural landscapes to the ways that humans have altered them. Read on for a post that’s packed with trivia-worthy facts about the shapes and sizes of some of Thailand’s roughly 824 seawater islands. Indeed, this section of the newsletter is not called Island Nerd for nothing.

 

River meets sea at Khlong Hin on Ko Kood.

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From large islands to specks

 

When it comes to size, every Thai island fits into one of these five categories: large island, mid-size island, small island, islet, and speck. Keep in mind that my usage of these terms falls strictly within the context of Thailand. Ko Samui is not a large island when compared to Bali or Oahu, but among the Thai islands, it’s one of the big ones. With that in mind, here are all eight of the large islands:

 

1. Phuket at 543 square km.
2. Ko Samui at 229 square km.
3. Ko Chang (Trat) at 213 square km.
4. Ko Tarutao at 152 square km.
5. Ko Phangan at 125 square km.
6. Ko Kood at 105 square km.
7. Ko Yao Yai at 92 square km.
8. Ko Lanta Yai at 81 square km.

 

Read more: https://thaiislandtimes.substack.com/p/the-many-shapes-and-sizes-of-thailands