Thailand is one of the world’s most popular destinations thanks to its incredible beaches, fantastic food and friendly people. With hundreds of islands to explore, it’s best to focus on one or two regions such as the Gulf of Thailand or the Andaman Sea. This handy island hopping in Thailand 2 week itinerary will help you make the most of your time.
Island Hopping in Thailand
The Andaman Coast is one of the best choices for Thailand island hopping. With crystal clear water, abundant coral reefs and lush scenery, it’s rightly popular.
Here is our detailed Southern Thailand island hopping itinerary, taking in Krabi Province, the Southern Islands of Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi Islands and Phuket.
Andaman Coast Thailand 2 Week Itinerary
When planning your itinerary for Thailand, be sure to allow some time to kick back and relax. We’d recommend 2 nights or more at most of the destinations so that you can explore the islands, go snorkelling or simply enjoy the beach.
If you’re wondering when is the best time to visit Thailand, it’s particularly popular between November to April. There’s minimal rainfall and it’s nice and sunny, although it never gets very cold in Thailand.
Krabi
Krabi makes an excellent starting point from which to go island hopping in Thailand. The town of Krabi is on the mainland, however Krabi Province is home to some of the most beautiful islands in Thailand such as Koh Phi Phi.
There are direct flights with Qatar Airways from Doha to Krabi as well as internal flights from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui to Krabi. The ShellSea Krabi is a recently built luxury hotel in a tranquil part of Krabi yet it’s only 30 minutes drive from the airport.
In Thailand, the beaches are public but on these golden sands you get the feel of a private beach as it’s not at all crowded.
Walking to the far end, you come across a natural wonder, Fossil Shell Beach. One of only 3 such sights in the world, it might look like man-made slabs but it’s actually composed entirely of shell fossils.
There’s a visitor centre at the top of the hill and stalls selling pearl jewellery at reasonable prices.
If you can tear yourself away from the private pool in your villa, there are some other interesting things to do in Krabi, such as visiting Wat Tham Sua, the Tiger Cave Temple. The Emerald Pool and Krabi Town are also popular with visitors to the area.
Just 35 minutes by car from The ShellSea, you’ll find Amari Vogue Krabi. It has a great location opposite Hong Islands, which are easy to reach by direct longboat from its beach. There are 3 swimming pools, a stylish spa and an award-winning beachfront restaurant, Bellini.
The sunsets on Tubkaak Beach are particularly impressive and are best enjoyed with a signature cocktail in hand. Right next to the hotel, there’s the National Park of Khao Ngon Nak. Also known as Dragon Crest Mountain, it’s a scenic 2 to 3 hours walk to the top.
Koh Phi Phi
Phi Phi Island, as it’s often called is actually 2 islands, Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Leh. They’re considered to be among the world’s most beautiful islands and if you visit you will soon understand why.
Part of the fun is getting here, by taking a private speedboat or a ferry from Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang. There are food stalls and restaurants here, but you can also purchase food and water on the ferry.
During the 2 hour ferry ride, you’ll see some stunning scenery, with rocky outcrops and azure blue water.
Once you arrive at Tonsai Pier, you need to pay a 20 baht entry fee to the island. Hop on a longboat to Phi Phi Island Village, or take the resort’s own speedboat depending on your arrival time.
Arriving at Phi Phi Island Village on Koh Phi Phi Don was one of the highlights of our Thailand itinerary. The island lies within the Nopparattra National Park, and the palm fringed beach is charming.
Koh Phi Phi Don
There were just 2,500 people living on Koh Phi Phi Don at the last census in 2013, and Phi Phi Island Village is ideally located on the quietest part of the island. The traditional bungalows and hillside pool villas are built in traditional style with thatched roofs.
Our private infinity pool was the perfect setting in which to enjoy afternoon tea each day. We could easily have stayed there all day, but Koh Phi Phi Don is the ideal base from which to take a Phi Phi islands tour.
The resort is known for its Phi Phi Island Dive Village, a PADI certified 5-Star Gold Palm diving centre. Whether you’re an experienced diver or a novice like us, they have tours suitable for all abilities.
We chose the early bird half day trip in one of the resort’s own speedboats. It takes you directly to Maya Bay so you avoid most of the crowds, before heading to Pileh Lagoon for snorkelling, then Viking Cave and Monkey Island to see monkeys in their natural habitat.
Koh Phi Phi Leh
Maya Bay is a picturesque place that’s famous worldwide as the setting for The Beach, the film starring Leonardo di Caprio. The beach is framed on 3 sides by cliffs that are 100 metres high.
It’s currently closed to visitors due to the crowds and environmental impact.
Whilst there are no hotels on the island of Koh Phi Phi Le itself, you could previously get from Phi Phi Don to Phi Phi Leh in 30 minutes by speedboat. We’d advise anyone visiting in future to wear water shoes as you’ll need to wade on to the beach and there are quite a few rocks under water.
To get from Koh Phi Phi Leh to your next destination, Koh Yao Noi, you’ll take Phi Phi Island Village Resort’s speedboat to stylish Ao Por Grand Marina in Phuket. From there, it’s a short car journey to HKT Yacht Haven Marina.
As you can see, it really is a haven! There’s a chic cafe with restrooms, air-con and Wi-Fi and from here it’s a 50 minute speedboat transfer to Paradise Koh Yao Noi.
Koh Yao Noi
One of our favourite Thailand hidden gems, Koh Yao Noi is a laid-back island getaway. We found paradise here, well, Paradise Koh Yao to be exact ;-).
This boutique beachfront hotel is located on the smaller of the two Koh Yao islands. It’s one of the closest located hotels to James Bond Island, where The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed.
The boho-chic decor of the hotel is charming, and the new TreeHouse Villas at the neighbouring sister property are equally stylish.
However, it’s the feeling of being at one with nature that’s the real draw here. Oriental hornbills fly around the property, eating the berries and no doubt admiring the view as we did! These canopy-dwelling birds are recognizable by their large yellow-tinged beak.
The island is situated in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, between Phuket & the mainland of Krabi. Phang Nga Bay is known for its’ unique limestone formations & pristine beaches.
This beautiful Thai bay was most famously captured in the James Bond movie – “The Man with the Golden Gun” and also in “The Beach” with Leonardo Di Caprio.
To get to your next destination, the nearby island of Koh Yao Yai, you’ll take the hotel’s bus to the village and Manoh pier. Along the way, we spotted rubber trees with tapping buckets on their trunks and several water buffalo grazing. From the pier, it’s a 10 minute long-boat ride to Chong Lad pier on Koh Yao Yai.
Koh Yao Yai
Although it’s the larger of the two Koh Yao islands, Koh Yao Yai has less inhabitants. This hidden gem is definitely a contender for best island in Thailand as it’s so unspoiled.
In keeping with the local Thai architecture of the local habitations, Santhiya Koh Yao Yai was built in an ornate traditional style. You can see craftsmen in the lobby, carving intricate patterns onto the wooden pillars and these beautiful decorations are found throughout the resort.
There’s a fabulous 1,500 square metre pool with a manmade waterfall and a hilltop infinity pool from which you can admire the surrounding islands.
Phuket
Our final destination is the largest of the islands in Thailand, Phuket. Easily accessible from many locations in Thailand, it’s a pleasant speedboat ride from Koh Yao Yai. Island hopping from Phuket
Cape Panwa in Phuket is a great base from which to explore the surrounding area. This stylish hotel has been popular with celebrities since it opened 30 years ago, in fact Leonardo di Caprio and the crew filming The Beach stayed here.
Panwa House restaurant specializes in authentic Thai cooking and is just one of the many great dining options within the hotel grounds.
The hotel is a few minutes walk away from Phuket Aquarium and about 40 minutes by car from the Big Buddha, which is well worth a visit. We recommend going for sunrise to make the most of the light.
Standing 45 metres high on a hilltop, it’s an impressive white marble statue and has panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.
The site is free to enter, however you can donate towards the construction costs of the statue’s base by purchasing a tile or a heart plaque. As is the case in other religious sites in Thailand, visitors must cover their legs and bare shoulders and there’s a booth where you can borrow a sarong if need be.
There are several night markets in Phuket, and if you’re there on a Sunday then don’t miss the Sunday Walking Street Market, or Phuket Weekend Market as it’s also known. Held every Sunday from 4 pm to 10 pm in the picturesque Old Town with its Sino-Portugese buildings, it’s a fun place to find crafts or clothing.
As you can see, it’s easy to spend 2 weeks in Thailand and to never be bored. With some fantastic spas, luxury escapes and hidden gems, the island’s charms are sure to have you returning time and time again.
