Bad luck for us Aussies. All we got was this crappy island among others. Awful place it is.

Plus this terribly ugly rocky reef

Not forgetting the wildlife of course...

You forgot to mention the natural wonders of your reef which is pretty much going to be devoid of life in 20 years.

Last time we were in the UK/Europe we took a week in Barra. It was the highlight of our trip.

The weather was incredibly clement (low/mid 60s - 70s) each day. No skin blistering glaring sun to battle against nor hordes of backpackers wandering about like headless chickens, noses buried in Lonely Planet guidebooks or expats with their sullen, somtam munching Tee Raks in tow....

Better still, we had the place pretty much to ourselves, or so it felt, I can't think when I've ever been able to say anything similar about a Thai beach or Island, All week I think we only spoke to possibly 4 other tourists, plus the quiet was genuine 100% quiet..

The only ambient noise was that provided by Mother Earth; not one peaceful moment was ruined by some prat on a scooter or a overly tattooed former civil servant riding a souped up motorbike trying to regain their long passed youth, or some bleeding songtaew advertising limes/Muay Thai at volumes which would make Slayer blush, nor was there a jet-ski to be found....

The waters were crystal clear, the beaches spotless something you can say about few Thai beaches these days...

Even when the weather did let us down, it was staggeringly moody and magnificent....

An experience we're going to repeat this year (hopefully).

One of our favourite places too. I'm actually reassured by how few TV members fancy going there . You could put it down to their preference for tropical islands I guess but their not exactly queuing up to go to Malaysia either which has some of the nicest islands.

Met a bunch of London based Thai students that were totally in awe of the places they had visited up there on a trip.

Most TV members would only be able to relate these islands with anything in Thailand based upon the price of a Chang. Thailand ex pats aren't the quality tourists that Scotland or Thailand for that matter are trying to attract.

I told the wife this morning that I wanted to go back and she didn't even flinch when I farted so I think she's keen to return...

Here comes the poet ...

Yea I will be off to Lewis and Harris for my annual vacation all in pound sterling, rubbish food and weather, no bikinis or I will pay a third of that in tropical paradise in SE Asia with beaut food and all the trimmings.

Hebrideans everywhere breathe a sigh of relief...

But seriously, as someone who has been to both places and has lived in Thailand for a considerable time, I'm thinking that if you spend a third of 'that' to visit Thailand, you must stay in some 'lovely' lodgings...bless Ya

Edited February 22, 201412 yr by chonabot

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Yes, should have separate categories for tropical beach islands compared to rugged windswept ones far from the equator.

Mmmmm, yeah, I take your point, but isn't that a bit like most "awards" these days; "Best song sung by a female black lesbian dwarf" will be the next Emmy category. Surely there is an ultimate best island, all things considered. A matter of taste of course.

i thought janet jackson won that

There is no question that the west of Scotland isles can be some of the most beautiful places to visit on a fine day......it's just finding that fine day!

To answer that all important question, here is a clue.

Please don't visit....it sucks.

An idyllic beautiful day at 25!

The Thais would be breaking out their anoraks. . .

Please don't visit....it sucks.

It's what I said about Samui many moons ago but no one listened including you

An idyllic beautiful day at 25!

The Thais would be breaking out their anoraks. . .

Anorak wearing thais!!

Of course it's the best island, if you love cold that is. But for those who don't, definitely the tropical islands are way better.