7 day trip to Southern Thailand

The southern part of Thailand is a beautiful place, full of splendid beaches, bays, and temples. These fab places to visit in South Thailand have transformed in the last two decades into a hub for tourism and nightlife.

If you are looking for a great vacation spot for your next tropical holiday, there are several popular as well as remote places for you to consider. Ranging from resort towns to remote islands, these places represent the best that Thailand has to offer.

Krabi

Krabi has plenty going for it, the stunning coastline of Ao Nang that most visitors see, plus beautifully secluded beaches on the Railay peninsular, which includes Railay East, Railay West and, most hidden away of all, Ao Tonsai. There are also countless smaller islands offshore with jaw-dropping beauty that makes them perfect for memorable day trips.

And back in Krabi town, a destination much overlooked by tourists keen to feel the sand between their toes, there is a killer food scene influenced by southern Thai cuisine’s reliance on spices of Malaysian and Indian origin, as well as a general easy-going vibe that makes it a more than pleasant place to spend a few days relaxing.

Phuket

Phuket is a tiny province in the southern part of Thailand and one of the busiest tourist places to visit in South Thailand. You can find the liveliest nightlife here on the stretch along the Patong beach, and also elsewhere in Phuket.

This is the place to come if you are looking for wild parties, the most amazingly beautiful South Thailand beaches as well as great diving spots where you can go snorkeling as well as scuba diving. There are also some amazing temples at Wat Chalong and Wat Luang Pu Supha for a more diverse experience of Thailand.

Mu Ko Ang Thong

In the Gulf of Thailand close to Koh Samui is the Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park. This archipelago is made up of 42 islands, most of which are located close to one another. That makes it a breathtaking place to tour by boat, because the close proximity of these lush green islands makes for amazing photographs. One island you cannot miss is Ko Wua Talap where you can dine at a seafront restaurant, explore the Buaboke Cave, relax on one of two amazing beaches or walk across the island in 30 minutes through a jungle trail.

Koh Tao

The island of Koh Tao, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is a favorite of divers who come here for the exotic marine life and coral formations. The island is only accessible from a ferry from the town of Chumphon. If you are not a diver, you will be able to find PADI certification courses at various places on the island. The Chumphon Pinnacle on the island is where most people go to see the famous bull sharks, but the evolutionary sculptures in the Val Tong Tao Bay are also popular with tourists.

Railay

Whether you are searching for the next adrenaline rush or unparalleled scenic beauty, Railay may be the answer. Railay is a peninsula surrounded by oceans and mountains, which means that it is primarily accessible by boat. On stunning white-sand beaches, tall limestone formations tower over the water.

At Phra Nang Beach on Railay, you can swim underneath incredible limestone structures. At Rai Leh West Beach, the vibe is a little quieter but the scenic beauty is just as appealing. You will have the chance to explore caves in Railay, and the truly adventurous can also try out some of the ample rock climbing available.

Trang

Though arguably still better known for its pristine islands like Koh Kradan, Koh Ngai and Koh Muk, Trang is home to a ridiculously photogenic provincial capital that is well worth visiting all by itself. If you are a fan of strong coffee and fried pork, you will fit right in here, throw fiery southern Thai food into the mix along with some dim sum and plenty of beautiful colonial-style Sino-Portuguese architecture, and you have got a combination to rave about.

Trang city is largely walkable, or else its one-of-a-kind green frog-like tuk tuks make getting around easy and, if you have got wheels or fancy a minivan ride, Pak Meng Beach is a pretty stretch of sand that makes for a pleasant day trip.

See more: How to have breakfast like a local in Thailand

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Visit the top spots in Koh Samui Archipelago

Have a trip to Thailand in a few days? If you are a beach lover and an active partygoer, head to the South of Thailand and visit Koh Samui, an archipelago with stunning beaches and breathtaking sights.

Koh Samui

Koh Samui is Thailand's second most popular vacation island after Phuket, and it's nearly as developed, too. Unlike the other islands in the Koh Samui Archipelago, it has an airport.

Koh Samui is a large island (the second largest in Thailand) and is home to a wide variety of places to stay across all budgets. It's also home to lots of bars and restaurants, including some upscale eateries operated by famous chefs. Compared to neighboring islands, Samui stays busy with a crowd of higher budget travelers, honeymooners, and families on vacation. The nightlife in Chaweng gets rowdy; thankfully, Koh Samui is large enough for escaping to tranquility, too.

Though the beaches are not quite as beautiful as those on islands along the Andaman Coast (Phuket, Koh Lanta, and Koh Phi Phi), they offer visitors warm water, soft sand, and lots of palm trees. The interior of Koh Samui remains mostly mountainous and undeveloped jungle.

Ko Pha Ngan

This notorious party island isn't just about getting wasted on Haad Rin Beach and dancing till dawn in the sand during Full Moon Parties. Koh Pha Ngan is a big island with plenty of other beaches and idyllic bays on offer. Regardless, Koh Pha Ngan tends to draw a younger, backpacking crowd along with long-term travelers and digital nomads in search of holistic communities and cheap living. The Sanctuary is a boat-accessible health retreat tucked in a bay just around the corner from the party peninsula of Haad Rin.

The southern part of Koh Pha Ngan is known for its parties where body paint and electronic music get showcased. But the island also has some beautiful, quiet beaches with seaside bungalows and high-end boutique resorts. The northern side of the island has some bays that cater to a more relaxed crowd. When no party is in progress, the beach at Haad Rin is excellent. Travelers tend to head over to little Koh Tao to play between Full Moon Party weeks.

Koh Tao

Although it was once reserved for divers and backpackers, Koh Tao is becoming more and more popular with vacationers. Koh Tao is the most popular place in the world to become scuba certified, and doing so is surprisingly inexpensive; dive shops crowd for space among bars and restaurants.

Koh Tao may have been "sleepy" back when when the divers who came to the island had morning classes and early dives to make. Now, a nightly pub crawl and plenty of pubs attract travelers from Koh Pha Ngan after the Full Moon Party week finishes. The island can get rambunctious with bucket drinks, fireshows, and numerous pubs on streets away from the beach.

Koh Tao is located north of Koh Pha Ngan and is smaller and lesser developed than either of its neighbors in the Koh Samui archipelago. That doesn't mean you'll have to rough it; there are enough resorts and restaurants to keep you occupied and entertained.

Ang Thong National Marine Park

The three islands of the Koh Samui Archipelago are also part of Ang Thong Marine National Park, one of Thailand's protected nature areas. There are actually 42 separate islands spread over 49 square miles that make up the marine park. Most are very small and can only be visited on day trips. Snorkeling is excellent over the shallow reefs in the park. Paddling around the islands by kayak may yield your own private beach hidden just out of sight.

Koh Wua Talap is home to the marine park headquarters and tourist center. If you're willing to go without electricity after 11 p.m., you can actually reserve one of the few bungalows on the island for beautiful views all to yourself in the morning. Camping is also available, and no, there isn't any Wi-Fi!

The best way to see Ang Thong Marine National Park is to arrange a day trip from one of the islands. Koh Samui is the usual base, although boats can be hired from Koh Pha Nagan and Koh Tao as well. Most travel agents and hotel concierges will gladly sell you a ticket.

See more: A perfect getaway with a trip to Koh Samui

Source: Internet