Thailand Island - Where Is The Best Ones?

[mzqueenie]

Wondering what Islands that's great and doesn't have all trashy tourist invasions lol. Thinking of Kui Samui or something alike, beautiful islands - for photography, relaxing and so forth. Also, when I'm there, where is good place to get there (boat or plane - good travel agency there) would love some suggestions, thanks!

[MAJIC]

Well this may be out of date information by 8 years,but I found Koh Lanta unspoilt,and not too Touristy,

nice Beaches,and very relaxing, definately not a Koh Samui,some night life but not the same as KS, a two hour boat trip from Krabi.

Why not look it up and see if it will suit you,and more to the point,if it has changed that much.

[bangkokburning]

Koh Lanta is one of the worst islands I have ever visited. The beaches are silty and the entire island is scammy, overpriced and geared totally for Scandinavian tourists.

trashy tourist invasions

I camp the best islands and avoid all that nonsense.

[mzqueenie]

Koh Lanta is one of the worst islands I have ever visited. The beaches are silty and the entire island is scammy, overpriced and geared totally for Scandinavian tourists.

trashy tourist invasions

I camp the best islands and avoid all that nonsense.

I would like to know what best islands you camp and avoid the nonsense

[craigt3365]

Try this website:

http://tezza-thailandbeachesandislands.blogspot.com/

Just remember, most islands are pretty well developed. I've rarely seen camping. Especially when you can find huts for around $5.

[mjnaus]

There are some true gems left out there.... I am not going to name them; but I'd suggest you'd look in the following places: Pang Nga (there is a pretty awesome natural park there with beautiful islands, only camping though, no resorts), Trang (some only camping, some with a few resorts on them) and Satun (NOT Lipe! but around the same area). Happy hunting!

[LuukKoeyKorat]

Koh Phayam and/or Koh Chang on the Andaman side

[bangkokburning]

I am an acquaintance of Tezza's. We share a good deal of information. There are no US5 dollar huts friend, not even a broken shack in low season.

Sorry, I don't give out my secret spots, one is already hardly a secret. I camp 3 months a year in the Andaman, trip all over those islands. I know all sorts of great places.

Next season I will be doing some very crazy ass camping on Tarutao and I am thinking about a challange to make my way from Rayong to Langkawi by any boat except Tigerline without returning to the mainland AND camping 100% of the way. Thailand STILL has adventures!

Also like to give Koh Petra a try but I know this will not be a beauty spot. It is perhaps one of the most remote Thai NPs.

I'd put up some pics but TV does not host.

Sorry.

Lanta = Losers

[bangkokburning]

Camping in Phang Ngha? Do you know anything camping in the NP park there? I am not aware this is allowed. have you been there or seen tents?

Happy to swap you some info if this can be verified.

[bangkokburning]

I don't want to be a turd about this. I encourage you to check out all of Thailand's NPs. Dig in w/ google and the Thai Marine NP website.

[WhizBang]

Koh Lanta is one of the worst islands I have ever visited. The beaches are silty and the entire island is scammy, overpriced and geared totally for Scandinavian tourists.

Good grief, which koh Lanta did you visit?  That description certainly does not describe the island I have visited.  In fact, Koh Lanta is one of my favorite island getaways because it is quiet and non touristy.  Not at all overpriced (unless you stayed at one of the 5 star resorts) and great beaches too.

Koh Lanta... Highly Recommended.

[craigt3365]

Great info! I also know Tezza...primarily from Lonelyplanet.com. I love his website.

No more $5 huts? Bummer. I haven't been in one since 2003 or so. It leaked when it rained, but was right next to the beach. Now, I prefer more "creature" comforts!

[OriginalPoster]

Koh Lanta is one of the worst islands I have ever visited. The beaches are silty and the entire island is scammy, overpriced and geared totally for Scandinavian tourists.

Good grief, which koh Lanta did you visit? That description certainly does not describe the island I have visited. In fact, Koh Lanta is one of my favorite island getaways because it is quiet and non touristy. Not at all overpriced (unless you stayed at one of the 5 star resorts) and great beaches too.

Koh Lanta... Highly Recommended.

There are sections of Ko Lanta that meet his description. We were steered there (Ko Lanta) by people who scorn the "beaten track" and take pride in all the undiscovered gems they have discovered. Found out that we aren't one of them. We only stayed on Ko Lanta a couple of days before making a move to Long Beach on Phi Phi (an island that we were specifically warned not to go to). We thought that it was spectacularly beautiful and enjoyed it immensely. It's not a deserted island of course, but outside of the town area near the main pier we didn't find the place to be overrun by tourists nor crassly commercialized.

[QED]

Koh Phayam and/or Koh Chang on the Andaman side

I would second Koh Chang, but it's not in the Andaman

[bangkokburning]

Koh Chang is most certainly in the Andaman! :-)) Lots of nature, many Oriental Pied Hornbill.

Ko Lanta might work for you OP. Me, doesn't even come close so I guess I am total hardcore off the beaten track person. Ko Lanta (Andaman side) can have some amazing cloud formations though.

Camping alone and/or with my girlfriend, having some cool outdoors people around is great. Creature comforts? Don't miss them a bit. Always a really poor value anyway. You will never be able to pay enough money and have a bungalow 30m from the water. These are very, very few and far between. Especially, on a beautiful beach. For me, its B30-80 a night. We have our hammocks, ipods, candles..its WAY better experience. **Best to go were there is snorkeling, tough to stay busy without good snorkeling.

Also when you need all sorts of build out on remote islands, this is quite destructive for the environment.

I love camping the beauty spots for the beauty of course, but I also take off and get crazy in high season when the high season is full on and even campsites are crowded. Another really crazy thing I hope to do next season is hike to Talo Wow and on to Talo Udang. I can say this on TV becasue none of you are crazy enough to go.

I'm interested in camping Phang Ngha province other than the obvious and well established NP sites. If anyone has any leads where rangers allow camping...and especially Phuket province!! I hear you have to leave the park site at days end. I would love to camp some of those small islands.

Regardless of all this camping story - don't step foot on Samui. Really...If you must go that route, try Koh Tao or Phanghan in the north or northwest.

Try Koh Lipe - happy to send you there. Used to be a lovely place.

Edited June 26, 2011 by bangkokburning

[bangkokburning]

Craig - that is one of the reasons i really threw in the towel on bungalows. They are OK to put up with when they are cheap. But they are not. So I cannot deal with all the hassles, scams and thefts, stay in a half broken shack and pay B500-B800 a night. Not only that but I stay out on these islands for months so paying B500 a night, that is not happening...

[OriginalPoster]

Koh Chang is most certainly in the Andaman! :-)) Lots of nature, many Oriental Pied Hornbill.

Ko Lanta might work for you OP. Me, doesn't even come close so I guess I am total hardcore off the beaten track person. Ko Lanta (Andaman side) can have some amazing cloud formations though.

Actually the problem on Koh Lanta for me was more my wife's (a BKK Thai)'s reaction to it. She was really nervous about the tuk tuk drivers in particular, claimed that they were all bloodthirsty gangsters. And she generally thought that the beaches weren't worth her attention. Maybe she's a little bigoted against people from the South but I'm not so sure that she was wrong. Bottom line is that while I probably would have happily stayed in Ko Lanta the rest of our vacation, once we got to Phi Phi I had to agree with her that Lanta wasn't the place to be. Someplace as nice as Phi Phi with 80B rooms 30m from the beach and no tourists - I can't deny that would be nice too, but those aren't as easy to find (and I suspect not as fun) as some people make them sound. There's good reason that places like Krabi & Phi Phi have become popular, namely they have pretty darn spectacular coastlines. Not all of the Gilligan's Island places that people wax poetically over do.

[craigt3365]

I've stayed in everything from a rough camp with only a blanket to $1000+ a night rooms (though only a few times!). Both options have their advantages (you can only rough camp for so long). As you get older, more prosperous, and married...the creature comforts sure are nice.

I camped in Kenya a few years ago. It was great, except for the dam_n hippos...pretty scary!

Hows this for a camp. Kayak in only. Near the James Bond island. What a fantastic trip.

[rhino533]

Koh Chang is most certainly in the Andaman! :-))

No, it's in the Gulf of Thailand. Have a look at this map!

http://www.pattaya-at-night.com/mapsofthailand/eastern.html

[craigt3365]

There are two Ko Chang islands. The big one we all know about and a smaller one in the Andaman Sea....near Ko Phayam island off the coast of Ranong near the border with Myanmar.

[bangkokburning]

Yeah, I set you up on that one rhino. There are two Koh Chang's. Known as little and big Chang.

Craig, camp in Kenya. Myself and my girlfriend would so love that.

We actually met camping so as long as I (at fifty) can deal with it, who is she to complain (at 35) :-)

The thing about camping in Thai Andaman is it is so much better vibe than the whole bungalow scene. The scene on Koh Lipe I find positively weird and all the lights and massive generator. Might as well be on the mainland. Unless you can find a very rural bungalow set up the existence is positively suburban.

I think your wife and your sentiments are not out of place. I am not distrusting of southerners, but they seem to come in two variations: Very lovely and very not lovely. Lanta is packed with very not so lovely locals. Trang, is quite mixed bag as Krabi. Once you get off on to some of these islands it all fades away although the employees on Tarutao are a bit gruff.

What island is the camp pictured? It looks very nice and quiet. Very shaded. Was there a ranger station, restaurant or water?

Some camps last year. My girlfriend opted for Lipe with a gang of her friends and a trip to Nepal in April, so she only did three outings last season.

Green is us, blue is my old tent (single) still can get one more season out of it.

Last shot, site was not all that great. I arrived late in season, camp was in a peak. I was only staying a few nights so I just made camp there. Really important to always put your tent on the water, but especially on that island - very hot and dry.

Camping

Edited June 27, 2011 by bangkokburning

[craigt3365]

Hate to say it, but wifey also does not speak good of people in S. Thailand. Not sure why, but I will ask.

That pic was from a small island near James Bond Island, between Phuket and Krabi.

Here's us last year...late winter storm caught us with some snow! Sure wished I had my old motorhome back on that trip!

Even though many islands here are way over developed, you can usually find a fairly deserted place to kick back. Not all of them, but quite a few...though they are disappearing quickly.

After this rainy season, I plan a 3 week trip down south to check out the islands around Satun...

[bangkokburning]

I really like the people in Satun, the kids are really great they get so few farang down there. You are an instant superstar like the rest of Thailand twenty years ago.

Also plan to get down there but it won't be till after Jan5, we will be camping another island until Jan5. After the new year all the idiots start showing up post new years parties. Wind really kicks up in Jan.

We will also hit Mu Koh Similan, I (we) camp the northern alternative (never been as you are not allowed to pitch your own tent). Stay about three days and then visit Koh Panyi Muslim stilt village and maybe a friend in Krabi.

I'm also going to take her to another beauty island she has not been. I have record stay there as of last season (cumulative)

Want to camp remote (Satun) Tarutao as I had mentioned. A lot of food to carry in though and the longtail rentals stupid expensive. There is a road that runs from HQ on Tarutao down 12km shy of Talo Udang. Can get a lift to Talo Wow and then hoof it. My hunch is the beach sort of sucks, shallow. Not stunning. I just like the idea of being so far away from everyone - in Thailand. This is THE most remote place in the NP system save for maybe Petra.

I would like also to camp Koh Petra, another folly as I know this place is no super beauty. It is though remote and has some decent nature. There are no regular boats, so its charter only.

There are loads of places to get away from it all. Trouble is they don't look like this:

This is Koh Tachai. We have the longest of stay for any couple. I am longest stay in one period of any farang. The island is now closed to camping. Really too bad. At night you had the place almost to yourselves. Paradise

Tachai is the last island within the Similan NP but not included in the "chain of 9". Koh Bon is to its south, best island in Andaman perhaps to see mantas and whale sharks.

I can share all these cause no one will ever go :-))

Your wife loves the snow?? I plan on taking the girlfriend up the Rotang to Ladakh next year about June so she can touch snow.

Edited June 27, 2011 by bangkokburning

[khunPer]

"Wondering what Islands that's great and doesn't have all trashy tourist invasions lol. Thinking of Kui Samui or something alike, beautiful islands - for photography, relaxing and so forth. Also, when I'm there, where is good place to get there (boat or plane - good travel agency there) would love some suggestions, thanks! "

Koh Samui do have quite a lot of turists, however depending of where to stay, as there are still some more quiert areas.

Accomdodation from some 3-400 baht (primitive backpacker huts, but may be at the beach) to around 2000 baht for good value at a quiert beachfront (fx. Maenam). More expencieve and luxury may be priced from 2500 baht and up to the end of most people's immagination.

Koh Phangan, the nieghbourh island, may be a better choice. Up north you will find the bautiful nature and quierts bays, fx. Thong Nai Pan.

You can rent a bangolow straight on the paradise-beach for some 5-800 baht.

The smaller Koh Tao & Koh Nangyuan (a bit up north) are mainly divers/snorklers paradise, but indeed worth a visit (fx. day trip).

Many visitors take them all, and spent some time at Samui, some at Koh Phangan and a trip to Koh Tao. Easy to get around with catameran and the many small ferries and speedboats.

There are about 50 islands all together, many as marine park only. November/December is the rainy and stormy monsun-season (storm/heavy rain may last for about a week).

You can reach Samui/Phangan by Air (Samui), by bus/boat or by train/boat. Transfer to Koh Phangan/Koh Tao by ferry, boat or katameran.

From Bangkok:

Direct by Air to Samui are Bangkok Airways (BANGKOKAIR.COM some 25 daily flights from BKK) or Thai Air (2 daily flights). Early morning and late evening flights are resonable priced, the others are quite expencieve (about 4000+ bath one way). Tranfer time 50 min. to 1½ hour.

Alternative by lowfare Air to Surat Thani and bus/boat transfer to Samui. Transfer time aprox. 5 hours.

There are also direct flights from Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Krabi and Phuket.

Bus from Bangkok to either Chompun (continmue with Lomprayah catameran to Koh Phangan/Koh Samui) or via Don Sak and straight to Samui by ferry. Transfer time 10-15 hours. Price ca. 1.000 - 1.200 baht.

Train from Bangkok (leaves 6pm) to Surat Thani and bus/boat to Samui. The train ticket (buy it at the central station in BKK) includes transfer to Samui and is for 2nd class sleeper 6-700 baht. Tranfers time ca. 16 hours.

[craigt3365]

Excellent posts. Great info!!!!

One thing I have enjoyed over the years is exploring the various islands!!!

[keestha]

I've rarely seen camping. Especially when you can find huts for around $5.

Camping facilities you'll only find in national parks.