Lonely Planet Thailand's Islands & Beaches

As well as providing practical travel advice, this travel guide includes background information on Thailand's islands and beaches. To assist travellers in transit, this guide also covers Bangkok.

Destination Thailand's Islands & Beaches

If you fancy a holiday where the sun is as hot as a bird's-eye chilli and palm fronds whisper in the breeze, head to the glorious islands and beaches of southern Thailand. Close your eyes and imagine towering limestone islands, dripping with stalactites and ringed by shimmering white sand. Conjure up images of crystal-clear waters teeming with exotic fish, and steamy tropical jungles. Of course, you've seen it all a million times on postcards and tourist brochures, but Thailand is one place where the reality lives up to the ideal.

There are literally hundreds of tropical islands on both sides of the Thai-Malay peninsula. There are established backpacker hang-outs (Ko Samui) and paradise getaways (Ko Tarutao). The mainland has virgin jungles full of tumbling waterfalls and secret caverns, and hundreds of kilometres of immaculate sandy shoreline.

Other destinations may have white-sand beaches and azure seas, but where else can you combine the sea and sand with adventure activities - scuba diving with whale sharks, rock climbing on limestone sea cliffs and sea kayaking through mangrove forests and prehistoric caves?

Thailand is cheap and well organized, and the steady flow of travelers moving up and down the coast means that travel can be as comfortable or as rugged as you want it to be. If you want to escape the crowds, rent a boat to an uninhabited island and live on the beach. If you want company, head to Ao Phra-Nang's full-moon party. Add some of Asia's finest food to this heady mix and the only question you need to ask yourself is, when shall I go...?

Most helpful customer reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Wait for next version - No tsunami updated
By Pablo Nicolas Pecora
Despite all SE Asia - tsunami affected guides - say: "you can update online" you don't get lot of information on their website.

Practically half of the areas detailed by this book is affected by the tsunami. The information is good, but not certain due to all the problems in the area. I've been in the andaman beaches and the guide was usefull, but I would wait for next version of this book. Lonely Planet Thailand (the next version, tsunami updated) is ready in august 2005, I think. So it's worth waiting...

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
A very helpful guide to a very beautiful part of the world
By Pretzels!
Although I didn't make it to half the places in this book, I certainly enjoyed reading about them, and more importantly, thoroughly enjoyed the places I did make it to.

Remember: this is the guide to use if you're only going to LOS (the Land of Smiles) to island hop. Use the general Thailand book if you want to see the mainland as well as the beaches (it will detail quite a few of the islands and beaches as well.)

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
A Paradise awaiting the reader and the traveler
By Dodie Cross
I started reading Loney Planet years ago when I planned my trip to Thailand and have never been disappointed. I am an author and my memoir, soon to be released, takes place in Thailand in 1993. The beauty then and now has not changed in the outer islands. I would recommend anyone visiting Thailand to read this book first to get a feel of the country and its wonderful people.
Dodie Cross, Author of A Broad Abroad in Thailand: An Expat's Misadventures in The Land of Smiles.

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The Rough Guide to Thailand's Beaches & Islands (Rough Guide

A guide to the islands and beaches of Thailand, form the popular resorts of Phuket, Samai and Pattaya, to the tranquil coves on Ko Tarutao, Ko Lanta anbd Ko Chang. The guide includes detailed recommendations of the best beaches for both families and partying, as well as expert advice on diving, snorkelling, kayaking and other water sports.

Paul Gray has been a regular visitor to Thailand since 1987 when he taught English for a year at Chiang Mai. He is the co-author of the Rough Guide to Bangkok. Lucy Ridout has spent most of the last decade travelling in and writing about Asia. She is co-author of the Rough Guide to Bangkok, the Rough Guide to Bali & Lombok, and First-Time Asia.

WHERE TO GO

Airline schedules decree that many beach holidays begin in Bangkok, and despite initial impressions, Thailand’s crazy, polluted capital is well worth a couple of days of your time. Within the city’s historic core you’ll find resplendent temples, canalside markets and the opulent indulgence of the eighteenth-century Grand Palace, all of which make a good antidote to the mind-boggling array of markets, boutiques and restaurants in the fashionable downtown area.

Within easy striking distance of Bangkok, the East Coast resort of Pattaya is the country’s most popular – and least interesting – destination, a concrete warren of hotels and strip joints that makes its money from package tourists who are unaware of what they’re missing. Yet just a few dozen kilometres further east sit the islands of Ko Samet and Ko Chang, whose superb sands are dotted with beach huts and bungalows designed to appeal to all budgets and tastes.

After an interesting inland diversion at the atmospheric, temple-filled town of Phetchaburi, the peninsular Gulf Coast kicks off with the historic resort of Hua Hin – now rather disfigured by excessive hotel development, though still a good place for a seafood dinner and a round of golf. The main draw on this side of the peninsula, though, is the Samui archipelago to the south: Ko Samui itself is the most developed of the three main islands here, but has kept its good looks and offers an appealing variety of beachside accommodation; Ko Pha Ngan, with its small resorts and desolate coves, is still firmly backpacker territory, drawing teenage ravers and solitude seekers in equal parts; while the last outcrop, Ko Tao, is the most rustic of the three, but has established itself as one of the world’s leading centres for scuba-diving courses.

Across on the other side of the peninsula, the Andaman Coast boasts even more exhilarating scenery and the finest coral reefs in the country, in particular around the spectacular Ko Similan island chain, which ranks as one of the best dive sites in the world. The largest Andaman Coast island, Phuket, is one of Thailand’s top tourist destinations and is graced with a dozen fine beaches; many of these have been over-developed with expensive high-rises and throbbing nightlife, but quieter corners can still be found. Ko Phi Phi has also suffered under unregulated construction, but its coral-rich sea remains an untainted azure, and the sheer limestone cliffs that characterize the coastline here – and elsewhere around the harbour town and beaches of nearby Krabi – are breathtakingly beautiful. The island of Ko Lanta has a more understated charm and is a popular destination for families. Inland attractions generally pale in comparison to the coastal splendours, but the rainforests of Khao Sok National Park are a notable exception.

Further down the Thai peninsula, in the provinces of the deep south, the edgy relationship between Thai sovereignty and Malaysian Islam – the kind of cultural brew that has characterized Thailand throughout its history – makes this a rewarding region for the more adventurous traveller to explore. The immediate attractions are the teeming sea life and unfrequented sands of Ko Tarutao National Marine Park and the islands off Trang, while Songkhla on the east coast is a good sand-and-see all-rounder, with miles of beach and several diverting museums.

WHEN TO GO

The climate of most of Thailand is governed by three seasons: rainy (roughly June through October), caused by the southwest monsoon dumping moisture gathered from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand; cool (November to February); and hot (March through May). The rainy season is the least predictable of the three, varying in length and intensity from year to year, but usually it gathers force between June and August, coming to a peak in September and October, when unpaved roads are reduced to mud troughs and whole districts of Bangkok are flooded. The cool season is the pleasantest time to visit, although temperatures can still reach a broiling 30°C in the middle of the day. In the hot season, when temperatures often rise to 35°C in Bangkok, the best thing to do is to hit the beach.

Within this scheme, slight variations are found from region to region. In southern Thailand, temperatures are more consistent throughout the year, with less variation the closer you get to the equator. The rainy season hits the Andaman Coast of the southern peninsula harder than anywhere else in the country – heavy rainfall usually starts in May and persists at the same level until October. The Gulf Coast of the southern peninsula lies outside this general pattern – with the sea immediately to the east, this coast and its offshore islands feel the effects of the northeast monsoon, which brings rain between October and January. This area suffers less than the Andaman Coast from the southwest monsoon, getting a comparatively small amount of rain between June and September.

Overall, the cool season is generally the best time to come to Thailand: as well as having more manageable temperatures and less rain, it offers waterfalls in full spate and the best of the flowers in bloom. Bear in mind, however, that it’s also the busiest season, so forward planning is essential.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
tons of info
By Jodi R. Thompson
Have been using this book while planning an upcoming trip to Thailand. I have used Lonely Planet books in the past but I think I will be switching to Rough Guide from now on. This book contains lots of helpful info on all areas of Thailand's beaches and islands as well as a thorough section on Bangkok. Unlike Lonely Planet, Rough Guide does not assume that only backpackers will be using their guidebooks and therefore makes an effort to review all levels of accomodation and restaurants.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Good Book
By Brian Pressman
I used this book while traveling in Southern Thailand this past summer. The book is great! Having a section on BKK is also very helpful as almost anyone coming/going to Southern Thailand passes through.
The book is small and much more convenient than the larger country wide or SE Asia guide books. Assuming you are just going to Southern Thailand.. this is all you need. The format is clear and very well formatted. The prices were a tad off, but this seems to be the norm with guidebooks.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Covers the road less traveled
By Christine Johnson
Great and giving advice and suggestions for areas that are less visited by tourists!!! Perfect for an independent traveler like me.

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The Rough Guide to Thailand

This is the most practical and informative guide to Thailand. Features include in-depth coverage of all the sights, from the Northeast's Khmer ruins to Bangkok's glittering temples and the beaches and islands of the south. The Rough Guide also contains up-to-the-minute reviews of accommodation and restaurants plus first-hand advice on Thailand's adventure opportunities (trekking and white-water rafting, kayaking on the Gulf Coasts etc). It also serves as an incisive guide to Thailand's history, religion, art, music and wildlife.

Paul Gray has been a regular visitor to Thailand since teaching English for a year in 1987. He now works as a managing editor at the Rough Guides office in London. Lucy Ridout has spent most of the last decade travelling in and writing about Asia. She is also the co-author of the Rough Guides to Bali and Bangkok.

When to go The climate of most of Thailand is governed by three seasons: rainy (roughly June to October), caused by the southwest monsoon dumping moisture gathered from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand; cool (November to February); and hot (March to May). The rainy season is the least predictable of the three, varying in length and intensity from year to year, but usually it gathers force between June and August, coming to a peak in September and October, when unpaved roads are reduced to mud troughs and whole districts of Bangkok are flooded. The cool season is the pleasantest time to visit, although temperatures can still reach a broiling 30C in the middle of the day. In the hot season, when temperatures rise to 40C, the best thing to do is to hit the beach. Within this scheme, slight variations are found from region to region. The less humid north experiences the greatest range of temperatures: at night in the cool season the thermometer occasionally approaches zero on the higher slopes, and this region is often hotter than the central plains between March and May. It's the northeast which gets the very worst of the hot season, with clouds of dust gathering above the parched fields, and humid air too. In southern Thailand, temperatures are more consistent throughout the year, with less variation the closer you get to the equator. The rainy season hits the Andaman coast of the southern peninsula harder than anywhere else in the country - heavy rainfall usually starts in May and persists at the same level until October. One area of the country, the Gulf coast of the southern peninsula, lies outside this general pattern - because it faces east, this coast and its offshore islands feel the effects of the northeast monsoon, which brings rain between October and January. This area also suffers less from the southwest monsoon, getting a relatively small amount of rain between June and September. Overall, the cool season is generally the best time to come to Thailand: as well as having more manageable temperatures and less rain, it offers waterfalls in full spate and the best of the upland flowers in bloom. Bear in mind, however, that it's also the busiest season, so forward planning is essential.

Most helpful customer reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful.
Good Guide except for the Bangkok section...
By fdoamerica
I just returned from Thailand and I took four guides: Thomas Cook's, Lonely Planet, Let's Go, and this guide (see my reviews on the others guides, and do seriously consider Lonely Planet Islands & Beaches IF you are only going to spend time as a sun lizard).

`Thomas Cook Thailand' is a special niche guide, best suited for those with tour groups and `Let's Go Thailand' is the guide for those backpackers that are `on the cheap'. This leaves Rough Guide to face off with Lonely Planet and in some areas it is superior to L.P and in one big area it is not.

Rough Guide's restaurant recommendations are by far the best of any guide I reviewed; they are both reliable and informative, giving great descriptions and dish recommendations, "the grilled river prawns with chili, the matsaman curry and the delicious durian cheese-cake." The restaurant prices are listed as: Expensive, Moderate and Inexpensive.

The hotel accommodations recommendations are also descriptive, very reliable and most have either webpage addresses or email. Sadly, Rough Guide still uses the user 'unfriendly' price codes, instead of just saying in dollars (or Bahts) what the cost for the hotel is. Thus you need to memorize the table where the number 4=400-600B and 5=600-900B etc., then you can convert to either dollars or euros to get the price. Also, since the Guide is published in 2004 (thus the information is from 2003) you add 10-20% for inflation. Both Lonely Planet and Let's Go just tell you what the price is. "Duh".

The Guide has excellent information that tells you the nitty-gritty that prepairs you for your trip. It also has great history, religion (Buddhism of course), environmental and cultural sections. Not to be missed is the additional reading recommendations (six pages).

Where it bombs is BANGKOK. The Guide says that Bangkok is "sprawling, chaotic and exhausting" and that is exactly how I experienced the 115 pages that covered this mega-city. The layout is dysfunctional. It has no logical consistency between any two points. Bangkok is the home of 11 million people; it is huge and spreads out like greater Los Angeles. It needs to be broken down into regions and then sections and those need to be logically kept together. But, this guide will give you information on one area, like Thanon Sukhumvit, then 60 pages later the accommodations for that area, then 20 pages back will be the Thanon Sukhumvit map; but wait, the restaurants for that area... you guessed it, will be located some where else. Hello! Who laid this out? What herb, pray tell, were they using? So, if you plan to spend any significant time in Bangkok, then Lonely Planet is a better guide.

Maybe the 6th edition Rough Guide will improve the Bangkok section and hopefully increased the guides paltry index (8 pages for all of Thailand - Bangkok alone could be 8 pages) and make this an outstanding guide. Bangkok aside this is still a strongly recommended guide.

42 of 51 people found the following review helpful.
Rough Guide to Thailand
By Lucy Warner
Fed up with the traditional Lonely Planet I turned to the Rough Guide for an alternative view. While this guide gives detailed historical/background knowledge it severely lacks in the essentials, notably transport prices and detailed maps.@There were just too many times when this book became a more of a frustration than a help. This book is best read before you go and left at home.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Much better than other reviews here would indicate
By Amazon Customer
I was reading Lonely Planet Thailand (Country Travel Guide) and the book has many positive reviews, but the Rough Guide to Thailand has much worse reviews. I can recall reading some Rough Guides to other countries many years ago, and I came away from that experience feeling confident in the series.

If you read the reviews on Amazon U.S. almost all of them denigrate the Thailand Rough Guide. However, if you look at the reviews, you will see that almost all of them predate this edition. If you judge a travel series by an out-of-print edition, it probably won't seem that good.

Then I took a look at Amazon U.K. The reviews of the Rough Guide were much more positive, and were more recent as well. I bought a copy so I was able to review it. Amazon must love me :)

And here is my take on the book - it's as good as Lonely Planet. Both of the current versions (in Summer 2011) were released in 2009, and so seem to be a little dated. I would suggest that both travel guides take a leaf from Nancy Chandler's Maps of Bangkok or Chiang Mai (both available here on Amazon) and keep a web site with updates every few months. The web is now a necessary tool for backpacking journeys, especially when just about every place to stay and many places to eat (and a whole lot of other attractions) have their own web sites. That saves you hunting around for accommodation in the wee small hours after you arrive, because the place you were headed for no longer exists.

But you cannot plan without a book. Reading either of these books is like having a long conversation with someone who has been there, so that you can find out what you'll expect to pay, whether it's a noisy place or comfortable and quiet (tripadvisor is a good site for this as well). When I was getting information I had both guides available, and I found myself using them interchangeably. The information was no better and no worse, in my experience, and the Rough Guide was definitely not the write-off the reviews claimed.

However, both guides should be up for revised versions in Spring 2012. I hope that they will embrace the web, rather than see it as a competitor. Maybe you won't take your paper guide with you and rely on your tablet or netbook, but I'd still feel happier with a book as well. I've spent around 40 hours on-line with the books at my side, and an abstract idea ("Why don't you backpack around Thailand?") turned into a pretty complete itinerary for a three-week trip. You could google Thailand Travel Blog which in my case threw up several good suggestions.

Unfortunately, the trip isn't for me. I'm wheelchair-bound and such a trip would be so much hard work. However, one of my aides is interested in going with her boyfriend, and since both are around 20 they're fine for all the effort (including bare-back riding an elephant!). I am confident that it will turn out well for them.

So, don't overlook the Rough Guide. I'd suggest you get both it and the Lonely Planet, but the Rough Guide alone is a great resource. Let's hope that the 2012 revisions keep up the good work.

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Lonely Planet Thailand's Islands & Beaches

There's never been a better time to experience Thailand's world-class islands and beaches, pristine sands and crystal clear waters await. Expanded coverage on remote islands; new diving & other activities special chapter; indepth history, culture and food & drink chapters; more than 85 easy to use maps.

Expert Authors - providing the best insider tips and tricks.

Unbeatable Accuracy - updated on the road, in person by regional experts.

The World's Best Travel Maps - more then 80 detailed maps inside.

No Guesswork - opinionated reviews and inspiring highlights sections.

...for the adventurous traveler who wants to live like a native.' --Real Simple Magazine, June 2005

Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travellers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
* We offer travellers the world's richest travel advice, informed by the collective wisdom of over 350 Lonely Planet authors living in 37 countries and fluent in 70 languages.
* We are relentless in finding the special, the unique and the different for travellers wherever they are.
* When we update our guidebooks, we check every listing, in person, every time.
* We always offer the trusted filter for those who are curious, open minded and independent.
* We challenge our growing community of travellers; leading debate and discussion about travel and the world.
* We tell it like it is without fear or favor in service of the travellers; not clouded by any other motive.

What We Believe
We believe that travel leads to a deeper cultural understanding and compassion and therefore a better world.

LONELY PLANET aims to cater for every independent traveller, whatever the destination, whatever the style of travel and whatever the phase of the journey.

Most helpful customer reviews

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
Thailand Islands & Beaches
By K. Brucker
This book is particularly helpful as it contains many detailed maps. As well, the accomodation section is very useful for the traveler who does not have any set plans as it helps to show several different price ranges from budget to high end & includes phone numbers & websites of them frequently.

there are also tips for every type of traveler here in very detailed sections on every province in thailand. although it says islands & beaches there is a very good section on Bangkok city itself which is good as most people start & end up their Thailand vacation there anyway & spend some time in the city.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
must have
By mattie
It's a great guide. Lots to read about Culture, history, itineraries etc. Mostly in black and white, but also some nice color pictures.
There are lots of maps and also trip suggestions.
Just like al other Lonely planets, you can see where and how much boarding and food (and other entertainment) costs.

It is a pleasure to read now before the trip, but it will be handy during the trip!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Good for the Beaches, not so good for Bangkok
By Needful Toyz LLC
This book had exactly what i was looking for when on holiday at the beaches of Thailand. One thing that would be nice would be some more photos! Its nice when you dont know where you want to go, and you can flip through to see a color picture or two of the areas of interest. LP please add color photos!

As for Bangkok, the info is lacking. The maps are ok, but are missing the smaller streets. Some of the info there is on the main city overview for "places to stay" but then dont have any descriptions for them in the body of the book. Weird. Doesn't seem to follow typical format. I suggest buying the LP Bangkok book instead. I ASSUME it is better and more comprehensive?

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