Search the guide
Hong Islands guide
The Hong Islands are Krabi's dramatic limestone cluster — a hidden lagoon, a hilltop viewpoint and clear snorkelling water. Here's how to visit: group vs private tours, the national-park fee, the best timing, the crowds, and how they compare with Phi Phi.
Similan Islands guide
The Similan Islands — Thailand's clearest-water marine park: the strict seasonal closure and entry rules, snorkelling versus diving, day trips versus liveaboards, how to get there, and when the long day is worth it.
Best islands in Thailand
Choose AND base on Thailand's best islands by season, beaches, diving, nightlife, family fit and honeymoon mood — and find the best area to stay on each one. Andaman and Gulf compared, plus the quiet east-coast pair.
Andaman vs Gulf coast weather
Choose between the Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi, Lanta) and the Gulf islands (Samui, Phangan, Tao) by season, sea conditions, ferries, rain and beach goals — the coast split that decides every Thailand beach trip.
Best places to visit in Thailand
A ranked shortlist of Thailand's top destinations — cities, islands, beaches, heritage towns and national parks — each with who it suits and the season that fits, so you can build a trip around the right two or three.
Koh Samui with kids: family guide
A unified Koh Samui family guide — the calm, family-friendly beaches and resorts to base at, plus the waterfalls, gentle island day trips, simple food and safer transfers that make Samui one of the easiest Thai islands with children.
Best budget beach destinations
Thailand's most affordable beaches and islands, compared by the things that decide a cheap coastal trip — season, how much the ferry costs to reach, food and lodging prices, and the vibe.
Best island tours in Thailand
Compare Thailand's best island and boat day tours — Phi Phi, the Similans, Ang Thong, the Hong Islands, James Bond / Phang Nga Bay and Koh Tao snorkelling — by scenery, snorkelling, crowds and season, and choose between group boats and a private charter.
Krabi island hopping
How to island-hop from Krabi — the Four Islands, the Hong Islands, Phi Phi by day or overnight and private long-tail boats — plus how to avoid the overpacked group tours.
Krabi travel guide
Plan Krabi: Ao Nang and the boat-only beaches of Railay, limestone islands, long-tail-boat days, where to base, beaches, food and the Khao Sok and Phi Phi add-ons.
Thailand eSIM and SIM card guide
How to stay connected in Thailand — eSIM versus a physical tourist SIM, buying before you fly or at the airport, coverage across cities, islands and national parks, the passport registration step, and how to pick a data package that fits your route.
Thailand island-hopping itinerary
Island-hop Thailand the smart way — within one coast, sequenced by ferry logic, on the right season — rather than zig-zagging between distant islands. The Andaman route, the Gulf route, and when crossing coasts is worth a full travel day.
Thailand on a budget itinerary
A lower-cost Thailand route built on hostels, trains and night trains over flights, food-court and street eating, free sights, and the budget islands — with the trade-offs that keep the daily spend down spelled out.
Thailand travel guide
Start planning Thailand: where to go, when to go, the routes that connect it, the islands, the hotels, the food, money and safety, and the itineraries that tie it together.
Where to go in Thailand
Compare Bangkok, the North, the Andaman coast, the Gulf islands, the heritage heartland and the east-coast islands by trip style and season — so you choose the right two or three, in the right order.
Where to stay in Thailand
Choose the right region to base in for a Thailand trip — Andaman coast, Gulf islands, Bangkok or the North — by trip style, season, transfer time and budget, then drill into the specific hotels and neighbourhoods.
14 days in Thailand
A two-week Thailand plan that adds a third region without overpacking transfers: Bangkok, the North and the islands, with three route variants — the classic loop, both coasts, or one coast done deep — plus weather-aware alternatives and the right booking order.
3 weeks in Thailand
A slower three-week Thailand route that finally lets you loop the country: Bangkok, the heritage towns, the North, then the Andaman and Gulf islands with Khao Sok between the coasts — week by week, with a cool-season vs green-season order swap and the right booking order.
Ao Nang guide
Ao Nang is Krabi's main beach base — the boat pier, the widest spread of hotels and restaurants, and the launch point for Railay and the islands. Here's what it's like, who it suits, who should skip it, and how to choose where to stay.
Best diving in Thailand
Compare Thailand's best dive destinations — Koh Tao, the Similans, the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lipe — by season, certification level, marine life and budget, so you pick the right base to learn or to log great dives.
Best honeymoon resorts in Thailand
Choose a Thailand honeymoon resort by what makes a trip romantic — privacy, a private pool villa, a serious spa, a sunset-facing beach and a transfer easy enough to arrive relaxed — on the quiet islands and villa pockets, away from the family and party crowds.
Best private pool villas in Thailand
Choose a Thailand private pool villa by the feature that matters most — honeymoon privacy, family layout, beachfront access, transfer ease or value — across Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Koh Yao and the quieter islands.
Khao Lak travel guide
Plan Khao Lak — the quiet, low-rise stretch of Andaman beach resorts north of Phuket, the natural gateway to the Similan Islands. Where to stay, what to do, the diving and family appeal, the cool-season timing and the easy Phuket-airport access.
Koh Yao Noi travel guide
Plan Koh Yao Noi — the slow, rural Andaman island in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, between Phuket and Krabi. Boutique hotels and honeymoon resorts, cycling the rice fields and rubber plantations, longtail trips to the limestone islands, where to stay, how to arrive, and who should skip it.
Money and tipping in Thailand
How money works on the ground in Thailand — the baht, the cash-and-QR reality beyond the malls, cards and ATMs and the per-withdrawal fee, exchanging money well, carrying cash for markets and islands, and realistic, modest tipping norms by setting.
Thailand in August
August is high-summer green season: warm seas, lush landscapes and strong value, with the Gulf islands the steadier beach choice. Lean on food, spas and Khao Sok, and buffer every ferry route.
Thailand in February
February keeps the cool, dry weather and dry islands of the high season but adds Chinese New Year and the first hints of the northern smoke season. Here's the regional weather, the coast call, the festivals and how to plan it.
Thailand in July
July is summer-holiday Thailand: green-season weather, the Gulf islands at their best, and a family-friendly month — but Western school holidays push up demand, so book the popular bases early.
Thailand in March
March is the start of the hot season — the islands are still dry and the beaches are at their best, but the days heat up and the northern smoke season is usually at its worst. Here's the regional weather, the coast call and how to plan it.
Thailand on a budget
The levers that lower a Thailand trip's cost without wrecking it — where to save on hotels, transport, food, tours, islands, trains and SIMs, and the route choices that quietly decide how far your money goes.
Thailand rainy season guide
What the rainy (green) season really means for Bangkok, the North, Phuket, Krabi and the Gulf islands — the real value of low-season prices, where the ferries and seas turn risky, and how to build a flexible trip that the rain can't ruin.
Things to do in Krabi
The best things to do in Krabi: long-tail island days, the Four and Hong Islands, Railay's beaches and climbing, the Tiger Cave temple, the Emerald Pool and the hot springs.
Ang Thong Marine Park from Samui
How to visit Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park as a day trip from Koh Samui — speedboat vs big-boat tours, the emerald lake and viewpoint, kayaking and snorkelling, the season and sea conditions, and the park rules and fee.
Best beaches in Koh Samui
Choose your Koh Samui beach by what matters to you — swimming and sand (Chaweng), value and nightlife (Lamai), calm family bays (Choeng Mon, Maenam), charm (Bophut) or seclusion and sunsets (the southwest) — with the Gulf weather that affects them.
Diving in Koh Tao
How to dive Koh Tao well — choosing a dive school over price, what the Open Water course really involves, the main dive sites, the season, and the safety and insurance basics that matter underwater.
Full Moon Party guide
The complete Full Moon Party guide for Koh Phangan — how the night works, when it happens and how to confirm the date, where to stay around Haad Rin, how to arrive and leave by ferry, the entry fee, and how to stay safe.
Koh Chang travel guide
Plan Koh Chang — Thailand's big, jungly second island off the eastern Gulf coast near Trat. Beaches and where to stay by area, waterfalls, snorkeling and island-hopping, the car-ferry arrival, the cool-season timing and how it pairs with quiet Koh Kood.
Koh Kood travel guide
Plan Koh Kood (Koh Kut) — Thailand's quiet, remote eastern-Gulf island of white-sand beaches, clear water, jungle waterfalls and boutique resorts. When to go, the boat transfer from Trat, what to do, where to stay, and why couples and families come here precisely because there's no nightlife.
Koh Phangan travel guide
Plan a Koh Phangan trip — the Gulf island of two reputations: the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin and a quiet, wellness-led north. When to come, how to get there, where to base, the beaches and viewpoints, and which side of the island you want.
Koh Phangan wellness guide
The wellness side of Koh Phangan — the yoga schools and retreats of Srithanu, detox and fasting programmes, healthy cafés, beach stays and how to plan a calm, restorative trip far from the Full Moon Party.
Koh Samui itinerary
A worked 3–5 day Koh Samui plan: settle on one beach base, ring the Big Buddha and temple loop, swim a waterfall, spend an evening at Fisherman's Village, take the Ang Thong day trip — and, with extra days, hop to Koh Phangan or Koh Tao.
Koh Samui travel guide
Plan Koh Samui — the Gulf's most developed island. Beaches and where to stay by area, temples, waterfalls, Fisherman's Village, the Ang Thong day trip, the airport-vs-ferry choice and the season that runs with a later rainfall peak than the Andaman.
Koh Tao travel guide
Plan a Koh Tao trip — the Gulf's small, dive-mad island: when to come, how to get there, where to base between Sairee and the quiet bays, and what to do beyond the scuba.
Luxury resorts in Koh Samui
Samui's luxury tier by area and mood — the secluded northwest and southwest hillsides for privacy and pool villas, Choeng Mon and Bophut for chic-but-convenient, and the airport-close picks — so honeymooners, families and villa-seekers each find the right corner.
Things to do in Koh Chang
What to do on Koh Chang — the swimming beaches by mood, Klong Plu and the island waterfalls, the snorkeling-and-island-hopping day trip, diving, jungle viewpoints and treks, Bang Bao village and the food, with the rainy-season cautions that matter.
Things to do in Koh Samui
What to do on Koh Samui beyond the beach — the Big Buddha and temple loop, Na Muang waterfalls, Fisherman's Village, the Ang Thong day trip, night markets, spas, viewpoints and gentle island activities, in the order worth doing them.
Things to do in Koh Tao
Beyond the diving — Koh Tao's snorkelling, the Koh Nang Yuan sandbar, viewpoints, beaches, boat trips and nightlife, and how to plan the days without rushing a ferry.
Where to stay in Koh Samui
Choose your Koh Samui base by area — Chaweng for buzz, Lamai for value, Bophut for charm, Maenam and Taling Ngam for quiet, Choeng Mon for families — with specific hotel picks by budget and the airport-and-ferry logic that ties it together.
Where to stay on Koh Chang
Compare Koh Chang's bases — lively White Sand (Hat Sai Khao), family-friendly Klong Prao and Kai Bae, backpacker-party Lonely Beach, and the quiet southern coves around Bang Bao — by beach, noise, family or party fit, access and budget, with the green-season opening caveat that matters most.
Where to stay on Koh Phangan
Choose your Koh Phangan base by mood and ferry logic — Haad Rin for the party, Srithanu for wellness, Thong Nai Pan and the quiet beaches for calm, Thong Sala for ferries and food, Baan Tai for the party-adjacent middle.
Where to stay on Koh Tao
Compare Koh Tao's areas — Sairee, Mae Haad, Chalok and the quiet bays — by dive-school access, nightlife, swimming, budget and ferry convenience, so you base in the right corner of a small island.
Best hotels in Thailand
A curated shortlist of Thailand's best-known hotels and resorts grouped by style — riverside Bangkok icons, island luxury, design-led boutiques, family resorts, honeymoon villas and standout budget stays — so you recognise the right name for your trip.
Best luxury hotels in Thailand
Thailand's top tier of hospitality — the Bangkok riverside icons, the island Amans and Six Senses, the pool-villa resorts and the Lanna retreats of the North — grouped by what kind of luxury trip you're taking, with no invented prices or ratings.
Best places for digital nomads in Thailand
Compare Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Koh Phangan, Phuket, Koh Samui and Pai as a remote-work base — by cost of living, wifi and coworking, community, lifestyle and visa fit — so you pick the right place for a longer stay.
Domestic flights in Thailand
How to fly inside Thailand well — Bangkok's two airports and the BKK/DMK split, the budget and full-service carriers, the island gateways, the luggage trap on cheap fares, when flying beats the train, bus or ferry, and how far ahead to book.
Getting around Thailand
How to move around Thailand — domestic flights, trains and night trains, buses and vans, ferries and speedboats, Grab and taxis, scooters, songthaews and tuk-tuks compared by cost, time and comfort, plus the logic of routing between regions.
Southern Thailand itinerary
A day-by-day Southern Thailand beach route — Phuket, Krabi and Koh Lanta on the Andaman, or Samui, Phangan and Tao on the Gulf — picked by season, with Khao Sok as the green bridge between the coasts.
Where to stay in Krabi
Compare Krabi's bases — Ao Nang, boat-only Railay, Krabi Town, the quiet Klong Muang and Tubkaek beaches and the island stays — by beach quality, boat access, nightlife and budget.