By Hotels Guide Thailand editorial team
Andaman coast or Gulf of Thailand? Choosing your Thai beach
Phuket and Krabi or Ko Samui and Ko Tao? How Thailand's two coasts compare on weather, scenery, getting there and the kind of trip they suit.
Thailand’s beaches are split between two seas. The Andaman Sea, on the west coast of the southern peninsula, includes Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ko Lanta. The Gulf of Thailand, on the east, includes Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao in the south, and Pattaya, Ko Samet and Ko Chang closer to Bangkok.
The big difference: timing
| Andaman coast | Southern Gulf islands | |
|---|---|---|
| Best months | November to April | January to August |
| Wettest months | May to October | October to December |
| Sea in the off-season | Big waves, strong currents on west-facing beaches | Rain and wind, some ferry cancellations |
If your dates are fixed, let the season decide. For a trip in December, the Andaman coast is the safer choice; for July, the Gulf islands usually have better weather.
Scenery and atmosphere
The Andaman coast is famous for dramatic limestone cliffs and islands, especially around Krabi and Phang Nga Bay, and for some of Thailand’s best diving at the Similan and Surin Islands. Phuket has the widest choice of hotels in the country outside Bangkok.
The Gulf islands have softer, palm-fringed scenery. Ko Samui is polished and resort-focused, Ko Pha Ngan mixes parties with yoga retreats, and Ko Tao is a diving hub.
The eastern Gulf, near Bangkok, is the easiest to reach: Pattaya and Ko Samet are a few hours by road, and Ko Chang a little further.
Getting there
- Phuket and Krabi have international airports with many direct flights.
- Ko Samui has a smaller, privately run airport with direct flights from Bangkok and some regional cities; alternatively, fly to Surat Thani and take a ferry.
- Pattaya, Ko Samet and Ko Chang are reached by road from Bangkok, plus a ferry for the islands.
Which suits you?
- First trip, lots of choice: Phuket or Ko Samui.
- Dramatic scenery and island-hopping: Krabi.
- Families wanting calm water: Kata, Bang Tao or Khao Lak in the dry season; north-coast Samui in the middle of the year.
- Diving: Ko Tao for courses, Khao Lak for the Similans.
- Short break from Bangkok: Hua Hin, Ko Samet or Pattaya.