There are many countries that offer island hopping such as Greece, Spain and Fiji. But nothing is going to compare to the uniqueness of a Thailand island hopping experience in my opinion. In Thailand there are actually over 1,400 islands and maybe 20 that people would consider staying at or being able to.
Some of the most well known Islands are Khao Phing Kan or lovingly known as James Bond Island after being heavily featured in the 1974 Bond film ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’. Koh Samui is the country’s second largest island and is known for great nightlife, amazing beaches.
The largest island in Thailand and probably the most well known is Phuket, you have great attractions like Patong Beach, Phuket Old Town and many different places to enjoy a worldie sunset.
How much does it cost to Island hop in Thailand?
This really depends on a number of things, from where you stay on an Island to which Island it is. Also how you get between islands – private/ public boat and what you do when you are on the island. If you are going to really be tight with your money and do mainly free things and just pay for eating, sleeping and travel, around 3,700 THB a day ($100) would be your budget.
If you plan to live the Island Hopping life to the max, then maybe double or triple that number…. ‘YOLO’ I guess.
Where is the most beautiful Island in Thailand?
This question is subjective but from what I know of certain islands and talking to other people too, Koh Lipe is probably the most beautiful and one to visit. I ended up missing the ferry to Koh Lipe and spending 4 days in Hat Yai. But in general you can’t really go wrong with most of the islands and if you don’t like an island it’s pretty easy to move on.
Which is better, Koh Samui or Phuket?
Having been to both I would say Phuket, just because there is a lot more going on there and feels closer to a city than not (as I like cities). You have also got many other islands you can go visit and you are so close to the mainland. Koh Samui is very much chilled out and a resort kind of setting, so if you literally want to chill, enjoy nice weather with your partner then maybe this is more suited to you.
What route should I take on my Thailand Island Hopping Itinerary
Now this is the one question that is going to get you thinking, as mentioned there are so many Islands in Thailand it might get confusing on where to start or ones to drop due to not being easily reachable from another.
The other consideration is time. If you only have a week to do this then you will have to be very selective on route and nights on each. If you have no real time constraints and just travelling full time, then you have the flexibility to take things as you go and no pre-booking etc really needed.
Below I have given an itinerary idea based on what I would do for a first timer Island hopping in Thailand.
1 week Thailand Island Hopping Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Phuket
Get an early morning flight from Bangkok, this will cost around 3,000 THB ($85) return including baggage if you book well enough in advance and are a little flexible.
Morning: Get to the hotel / Airbnb you’ve booked, chill out there for an hour or so.
Afternoon: Head to Patong Beach to catch some afternoon rays for a few hours, then head over to Big Buddha. After that grab some local food.
Evening: Head to Bangla Road in style via a Tuk-Tuk, remember to get and agree a price beforehand with the driver. Enjoy the atmosphere and nightlife of this area.
Day 2: Phi Phi Islands
Morning: Take a ferry or speedboat to Phi Phi Island, this will probably take up your morning and if you’ve not pre-booked accommodation, then can check it out as you travel and book.
Afternoon: Visit Maya Bay, featured in The Beach with Leo DiCaprio, great film if you’ve not watched. You can snorkel, and explore Phi Phi Leh.
Evening: Enjoy a nice local Thai meal and the laid-back nightlife on Phi Phi Don.
Day 3: Phi Phi Islands to Krabi
Morning: Relax on the beach or go for a cheeky hike to the Phi Phi viewpoint to take in some stunning views.
Afternoon: Get the ferry to Krabi (takes about 2 hours). Check into your accommodation in Ao Nang.
Evening: Enjoy Ao Nang Beach, shop at local markets, and eat at a seaside restaurant. You could even go visit Tom Birchy at knockout Labs!!!
Day 4: Railay Beach
Morning: Take a longtail boat to Railay Beach (15-20 minutes). If staying on the Island, book in advance as you don’t have many choices and can be more expensive than most of your stays.
Afternoon: There are a few options from rock climbing, cave exploring, and sunbathing on Railay and Phra Nang Beach.
Evening: I would recommend returning to Ao Nang and enjoying a nice meal here and checking out some nightlife.
Day 5: Krabi to Koh Lanta
Morning: Take a ferry to Koh Lanta (roughly 2 hours).
Afternoon: Check into your accommodation and explore the island’s beaches such as Klong Dao and Long Beach.
Evening: Relax with a beach-side dinner and watch the sunset.
Day 6: Explore Koh Lanta
Morning: Visit Mu Ko Lanta National Park, featuring beautiful beaches and hiking trails.
Afternoon: Go snorkelling or diving around Koh Rok or Koh Haa, if not into snorkelling then maybe some sunbathing or checking out more of the hiking trails.
Evening: Have a seafood dinner at one of the island’s many restaurants.
Day 7: Koh Lanta to Phuket
Morning: Take a ferry back to Phuket (approximately 4 hours).
Afternoon: Check out the old town of Phuket (store your bags if you can).
Evening: Maybe stay one night to enjoy Phuket one last time or get a late evening flight out back to Bangkok.
Tips
Transport: Book ferries and speedboats in advance if you have a clear plan, especially during high seasons (November to March and global summer holidays ie July-August)
Accommodation: Reserve hotels early to get the best price, as popular islands fill up quickly.
Activities: Do research on things – sometimes it’ll be cheaper to organise locally and also see what interests you when then.
Summary
I hope you found this article useful. As said this is just one itinerary of many you could do. Just gives you an idea of how to plan it. As said before you can’t really go wrong with most islands as they all normally have their unique and enjoyable selling points.
If you want to avoid other tourists and do something a little more off the beaten track then I would say to research heavily and probably something to do once you’ve been to Thailand 5-10 times at least.