Island Trips from Koh Samui
Koh Samui is surrounded by a myriad of stunning islands each offering a destination complete with their very own characteristics and individuality. Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan and Ang Thong National Marine Park are just on the doorstep and some of the favourites for those who like the idea of hopping from one island to the next and sampling the many opportunities to go sailing or scuba diving, eat fresh seafood or merely lie back and chill on a deserted island.
Ang Thong has over 40 islands to explore of which all but one are uninhabited - a small number of sea-gypsies live on Koh Paluay and make their living from fishing in the local waters. The islands range in size from mere rocks jutting out of the ocean to beautiful little islands with the white sands and turquoise waters you generally only dream about. Stunning rock formations, mangrove forests, secret caves with hidden lagoons, and the possibility to see Langurs, Macaques, Hairy-nosed otters, White-bellied seaeagles, Collared kingfishers, Monitor lizards, and sea turtles make this area popular with tourists.
There are a number of tour operators who organise daytrips by sailing tours, tour boat or speed boat with the option for kayaking once you're there. Enquire at your boutique resort Koh Samui for more information. Most will take you to Koh Wao which is a shallow, sheltered bay protected by 3 islands and a great place for snorkelling with colourful fish and corals. The water is warm and shallow enough to swim in and the bay is beautiful.
Stop off at Talay Nai and you get the chance to trek through dense rainforest and narrow ravines before reaching the viewpoint with amazing scenes of the neighbouring islands. Down the hill from here you'll come across Emerald Lake which was featured in the famous movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, The Beach. Sea kayaking is good fun and means you can discover the breathtaking cliffs and uninhabited islands at your own pace.
Koh Taen and Koh Mudsum are two small islands that can be visited by hiring a traditional long-tail boat and can be combined together as a day trip. Both islands are perfect for swimming and snorkelling with colourful reefs and calm waters. Koh Taen has a small fishing village and you can follow the nature trail through the evergreen forests and village for a taste of island life.
The odds are you have heard of Koh Phangnan for its Full Moon parties, if you're booked into a koh samui resort then it's easy enough to get there on a ferry as a day trip although an overnight stay or longer is more than worth it as the island has lots of lovely beaches and other attractions to seek out. The island still retains a lot of its charm as there's been a lot less development which is another reason why it attracts travellers of the younger variety in particular and backpackers.
Haad Rin is bursting at the seams on Full Moon nights but it doesn't really matter if you can't get there on that particular night as even during the rest of the month the regular bars and clubs remain open with the streets behind the beach offering an interesting array of boutiques and gift shops. Although only about 800m long it attracts 10-30,000 people on the full moon night and the bars powerful sound systems compete with each other as to who can be the loudest!
Next to Koh Phangnan is Koh Tao, thus named as once upon a time it was the home of sea-turtles. Now known as the diving island it has heaps of diving shops who can arrange day trips, or longer trips, exploring the nearby colouful coral and enchanting marine life. As most visitors come to the island for the diving opportunities it means that the accommodation is pretty good with a variety of bungalows and hotels to suit all budgets and a wide range of international cuisines available.
Stay at a beach resort Koh Samui and use it as a base from which to explore the rest of the area, you'll be amazed and inspired by the beauty of the islands of Thailand.
Ang Thong has over 40 islands to explore of which all but one are uninhabited - a small number of sea-gypsies live on Koh Paluay and make their living from fishing in the local waters. The islands range in size from mere rocks jutting out of the ocean to beautiful little islands with the white sands and turquoise waters you generally only dream about. Stunning rock formations, mangrove forests, secret caves with hidden lagoons, and the possibility to see Langurs, Macaques, Hairy-nosed otters, White-bellied seaeagles, Collared kingfishers, Monitor lizards, and sea turtles make this area popular with tourists.
There are a number of tour operators who organise daytrips by sailing tours, tour boat or speed boat with the option for kayaking once you're there. Enquire at your boutique resort Koh Samui for more information. Most will take you to Koh Wao which is a shallow, sheltered bay protected by 3 islands and a great place for snorkelling with colourful fish and corals. The water is warm and shallow enough to swim in and the bay is beautiful.
Stop off at Talay Nai and you get the chance to trek through dense rainforest and narrow ravines before reaching the viewpoint with amazing scenes of the neighbouring islands. Down the hill from here you'll come across Emerald Lake which was featured in the famous movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, The Beach. Sea kayaking is good fun and means you can discover the breathtaking cliffs and uninhabited islands at your own pace.
Koh Taen and Koh Mudsum are two small islands that can be visited by hiring a traditional long-tail boat and can be combined together as a day trip. Both islands are perfect for swimming and snorkelling with colourful reefs and calm waters. Koh Taen has a small fishing village and you can follow the nature trail through the evergreen forests and village for a taste of island life.
The odds are you have heard of Koh Phangnan for its Full Moon parties, if you're booked into a koh samui resort then it's easy enough to get there on a ferry as a day trip although an overnight stay or longer is more than worth it as the island has lots of lovely beaches and other attractions to seek out. The island still retains a lot of its charm as there's been a lot less development which is another reason why it attracts travellers of the younger variety in particular and backpackers.
Haad Rin is bursting at the seams on Full Moon nights but it doesn't really matter if you can't get there on that particular night as even during the rest of the month the regular bars and clubs remain open with the streets behind the beach offering an interesting array of boutiques and gift shops. Although only about 800m long it attracts 10-30,000 people on the full moon night and the bars powerful sound systems compete with each other as to who can be the loudest!
Next to Koh Phangnan is Koh Tao, thus named as once upon a time it was the home of sea-turtles. Now known as the diving island it has heaps of diving shops who can arrange day trips, or longer trips, exploring the nearby colouful coral and enchanting marine life. As most visitors come to the island for the diving opportunities it means that the accommodation is pretty good with a variety of bungalows and hotels to suit all budgets and a wide range of international cuisines available.
Stay at a beach resort Koh Samui and use it as a base from which to explore the rest of the area, you'll be amazed and inspired by the beauty of the islands of Thailand.
