South islands in 10 days
Pick a sea. The monsoon flip is the whole plan. Do not fly Phuket to Samui to see both on a first south trip.
Stay on one sea. Andaman version: Phuket two nights, Krabi or Railay three, Phi Phi one, Khao Sok one, buffer two. Phuket to Krabi is about 2 to 3 hours by van.
Gulf version: Samui three, Phangan three, optional Tao two, buffer two. Ferries in the morning. The Lomprayah Samui to Thong Sala catamaran is about 30 minutes. Seatran takes about 45.
Day by day
1 Land south
HKT, KBV, or USM. No boat on day one.
2 Beach base
Learn the songthaew or Grab pattern.
3 First boat or cliff
Railay, a west-coast hop, or a Samui north-coast move.
4 Move once
Change islands or bays once, not twice.
5 Deep bay day
The reason you moved.
6 Island hop
Phi Phi from the Andaman, Phangan or Tao from the Gulf.
7 Recovery or Khao Sok
Lake night on the Andaman plan only.
8 Second nature day
Or a second beach if the lake is not your thing.
9 Back to the airport coast
Sleep near HKT, KBV, or USM.
10 Out
Morning flight to BKK or a long-haul if the airport supports it.
Book
Common questions
- What if you travel in June?
- Prefer the Gulf. The Andaman is in the southwest monsoon. Some days are still fine; ferries are not a plan you can lock.
- What if you travel in December?
- Prefer the Andaman. The Gulf can still work, with more rain risk on Samui than on Phuket.