Thailand is a tropical paradise, renowned for its beautiful beaches and islands. It has both popular touristy islands and lesser-known places where you can escape from the tourists’ crowds.
Popular islands in Thailand like Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, or Railay are often crowded, especially in the high season. If you want to escape from these busy islands, you can consider visiting quieter islands like Koh Kood, Koh Mak, Koh Yao, Koh Lanta, Koh Chang, and Koh Lipe.
These islands have tranquil atmosphere, unspoilt beaches, and untouched nature. I visited all of these quiet islands of Thailand, and I will give you the details of each island in this article.
1. Koh Kood
Koh Kood, also spelled as Koh Kut, is one of the largest islands in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, near the border with Cambodia. It is in Trat province, near Koh Chang and Koh Mak.
The island is packed with pristine beaches, white sand and crystal clear water. You can enjoy water activities such as swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and SUP boarding. Most beaches are located on the western side of the island, making them excellent places to watch the sunset.
The most popular beaches on the islands are Klong Chao Beach and Bang Tao Beach. These beaches are home to numerous high end resorts and you can find a handful of tourist amenities on the island’s main road in these areas.
There are several more secluded beaches like Ao Taphao Beach, Klong Hin Beach, Ao Jark Beach, and Ao Prao Beach. These beaches have a few resorts, but offer little to no tourist amenities in the villages behind them.
Additionally, it is also surrounded by jungle and river estuaries, so you can explore the waterfalls, ancient trees, do some hiking, kayaking along the mangrove forest. There are several fishing villages and cultural attractions.
The three major waterfalls on Koh Kood are the Klong Chao and Huang Nam Khiao in the central area, and the Khlong Yai Kee Waterfall on the north west coast of the island.
You can swim at Klong Chao and Huang Nam waterfalls, which offer a refreshing change of pace, with cool freshwater pools surrounded by lush jungle, a different feel from swimming in the ocean. The best thing is that all of these waterfalls are free to visit.
If you have a scooter, you can drive around the island and visit lesser known attractions like The Big Buddha near Ao Salad Pier, and Kao Ruerob- the boat-shaped rock formation with a shrine and a statue of prince Chumphon.
On the way to Huang Nam Khiao, you can visit a couple of hundreds of years old ancient trees. Sai Yai – Big Chai Tree and the Giant Maca Tree are spiritual and peaceful places to visit.
The island has a good food scene. You can find some good restaurants scattered around the island. The island is large and everything is spread out, so it is best to have a scooter to reach these restaurants. My favorite ones are The Fisherman Hut near Ao Tapao Beach and Noochy Seafood in Ao Yai Village.
Koh Kood is home to a thriving fishing community, where traditional ways of life are still very much alive. You can visit these villages to observe more about local life. Have a look at Ao Yai Village on the south east coast, Yao Salad near the island’s main pier, and Klong Mad fisherman village near Ao Tapao Beach.
The island is easily reachable from the mainland and other islands in the eastern Gulf of Thailand. From Bangkok or Pattaya, you can take a bus or airplane to Trat mainland. The speed boat rides from Laem Sok Pier in the mainland to Koh Kood is around 1.5-2 hours.
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2. Koh Mak
Koh Mak is a small island located on the eastern Gulf of Thailand, in between Koh Chang and Koh Kood. It is a 30 minute speed boat ride from Koh Kood and a 1 hour boat ride from Koh Chang.
The island is small and relatively flat, making it easy to get around on bicycle, scooter, and on foot. A walk from the two island’s main beaches, Ao Kao Beach and Ao Soun Yai Beach, is just around 30 minutes.
You can find a few big resorts along Ao Soun Yai Beach and Ao Pra Beach on the northwest coast. Ao Kao Beach, on the southwest coast, offers a wider range of accommodations, including both beachfront resorts and budget guest houses.
Along the central part of Ao Kao Beach, you can find a main street of the island that is lined with restaurants, massage shops, bars, cafes, motorbike rentals, and travel agents.
In addition to the island’s two main beaches, you can find several smaller and isolated beaches on the western end and the east coast. The beaches on Koh Mak are quiet, and are lined with palm trees. They are great for swimming, sunbathing, chilling, and kayaking.
The sunset on the island is also magnificent. There are many beautiful spots on the west coast to watch the sunset, including the Banana sunset Bar.
Koh Mak has several cultural attractions. Worth visiting are Wat Samakkhitham, located near Ao Nid Pier, and the Love Garden, which features nude female statues created by local artist Somchai.
Koh Mak has several piers, depending on your destination and boat company, you will arrive at either Panan Speedboat Pier, Ao Nid Pier, or Leelawadee Pier. From the pier, it costs 50-100 baht to get to your hotel at any location on the island.
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3. Koh Yao Yai
Koh Yao Yai is a large island of Thailand located in Phang Nga Bay, close to Phuket and Krabi. Just a 30-minute boat ride from Phuket, this island offers a peaceful escape from the crowded, tourist-filled beaches of the mainland.
Most beaches on Yao Yai have little to no tourist amenities, often featuring nothing more than a single restaurant along the shore. You can still find some luxury resorts on popular beaches like Loh Pared and Klong Hin Beach.
If you want to find budget-friendly accommodations, you can find several guest houses and backpacker hostels in a more inland location in Chong Lard Village.
Laem Had Beach is the most beautiful beach on Yao Yao that has crystal clear water and a long stretch of white fine sand. The sandbank is the highlight of the beach where you can take a long walk toward the sea. It is great to visit at both low tide and high tide.
Other secluded beaches are Son Bay, Ao Muong Beach, and Ao Sai Beach. It is best to rent a scooter to travel around the island because the island is relatively flat, with no public transportation and limited local taxis.
The island has four main piers, including two on the north coast and two on the southwest coast. You can take a boat along Bang Rong Pier of Phuket to either Chong Lard Pier or Klong Hia. If you stay in Phuket Old Town, you can take a boat from Jian Wanich Pier to either Loh Chak Pier or Laem Yai Pier.
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4. Koh Yao Noi
Koh Yao Noi is the little sister of Koh Yao Yai, located 10 minutes by boat ride away. It has a smaller size but is more developed with more tourist amenities like restaurants, bars, and shops. Both islands have a large Muslim population, so there’s no party scene here.
Koh Yao Noi has three popular beaches, including Pasai, Klong Jark, and Tha Khao Beach. Most of the island’s tourist amenities are concentrated in these areas. The best resorts of the island are located here like Six Senses, and Cape Kudu Hotel.
You can get around the island by renting a scooter or bicycle. The island is small and flat, so it is possible to get around by cycling. I rented a scooter from Koh Yao Yai, and brought it to Koh Yao Noi on a long tail boat.
Similar to Yao Yai, Yao Noi has a couple of beaches with no tourist development on it. These include Little Long Beach and Long Beach (with just a restaurant on the beach). The north coast has more remote beaches, which can be reached by boat or via challenging roads.
The beaches are good for relaxing, swimming, and watching the sunset. There are many boat trips you can do either at Koh Yao Noi or Koh Yao Yai. Popular day trips are to James Bond island, Hong islands, and Nok island.
Manoh Pier is the main pier of Yao Noi. Speed boats from Phuket, Phi Phi, and Ao Nang/ Krabi arrive here first, then Koh Yao Yai.
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5. Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is a beautiful tranquil island located in the Andaman Sea in the Krabi Province. The island is known for its relaxed vibe and Long, sandy, less crowded Beaches. This is one of the best places to stay in Thailand to be away from tourist crowds.
Koh Lanta is the group of two main islands, Koh Lanta Yai, and Koh Lanta Noi. Koh Lanta Yai is the bigger island and more developed with lots of tourist amenities. It remains largely untouched and mostly local.
These two islands are connected by a bridge, and easily accessible by road. If you can ride a scooter, I recommend driving around Koh lanta Noi for a few hours to see what it is like.
The popular beaches on Koh Lanta Yai, are near the main Saladan Village. Most beaches on the island are family-friendly with shallow water. These include Klong Dao Beach, Long Beach, and Klong Khong beach.
The beaches are less crowded and more beautiful toward the south west coast of the island. These are Klong Nin beach and Kantiang Bay. There are several small beaches with no tourist amenities, including Nui Bay, Ao Nui Beach, and Bamboo Beach.
The main village, Saladan, is a place to go shopping and find cheap authentic local food. The shopping plaza, night market, and several supermarkets are located in this town. It is home to the island’s main pier, which is a first arrival and departure point to many visitors.
Don’t forget the old town on the east coast of the island. These are great places to experience the historical and cultural side of Lanta. You can check out the pier, Chinese shrine, and the walking street with lots of wooden stilt buildings above the water.
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6. Koh Chang
Koh Chang is the largest and most developed island in the group of three islands that include Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood. These islands have good nightlife scenes, but are still much quieter than the islands in South Phuket like Phuket, Samui, and Phangan.
Koh Chang is surrounded by beaches and jungle, so you can enjoy both beaches and jungle activities. It has beautiful beaches, waterfalls, viewpoints, mangrove forests, and local temples.
Popular beaches from north to south include White Sand Beach, Lonely Beach, Kai Bae Beach, and Klong Prao Beach, perfect for relaxing, swimming, and sunbathing.
The island is famous for its dense tropical rainforests and scenic waterfalls such as Klong Plu Waterfall and Than Mayom Waterfall, which are great for hiking and nature trips. If you love hiking and are fit, you can consider taking a hike tour to the highest peak of the island at Khao Laem Mountain.
There are numerous viewpoints around the island where you can enjoy the stunning views of the sea, like the White sand Beach viewpoint, Kai Bae Viewpoint, and Salakphet Pier Viewpoint.
The crystal clear waters around Koh Chang offer excellent opportunities for diving and snorkeling with vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life. Koh Rang island is a popular spot for diving tours from Koh Chang.
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7. Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is a beautiful island located in far south Thailand, in the Andaman sea. This island is part of Tarutao National Park and is very close to Langkawi Island of Malaysia.
Even though main beaches like Pattaya Beach and the walking street can be crowded in the high season, you are still able to find many secluded and hidden beaches on Koh Lipe.
The island’s main strip, full of restaurants, bars, shops, and street food vendors. It’s pedestrian-only and lively at night. Pattay Beach located at the south of the island is the location of the speed boat pier. For a quieter atmosphere and more beautiful spots for snorkeling, head to the western end of the beach.
If you walk for a few minutes from the westernmost of Pattaya, you can reach the more secluded Sanom Beach. Within a short motorbike taxi ride, you can find Secret beaches via jungle hike at the west end of the island.
The island is tiny, you can easily get around on foot. If you are tired, there are motorbike taxis with only 50-100 baht per destination.
In addition to Pattaya Beach, Ko Lipe has two more main beaches Sunrise beach and Sunset Beach. Sunset beach has a more tranquil atmosphere as it is further away from the main tourist strip.
From Koh Lipe, you can easily get a long tail boat to the neighbor Koh Adang for hiking to the Viewpoint of Koh Adang, the Pirate Waterfall, and explore more remote white sandy beaches.
Koh Lipe is part of the Tarutao National Marine Park, offering vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life just offshore. Popular dive sites include Stonehenge, 8 Mile Rock, and Koh Usen.
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I hope you find some useful information about the quiet islands of Thailand. These islands offer relaxing atmosphere, undeveloped infrastructure, and less tourist crowds, which are ideal for travelers seeking tranquility. You can enjoy the beach activities like swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, and diving without crowds.