Thailand island hopping: routes, ferries and prices for 2026

"Island hopping" means something different depending on which coast you land on. The Andaman side is mostly day trips by speedboat from a base in Phuket or Krabi, or a slower ferry crawl down the coast. The Gulf side is more often a proper hop from island to island, sleeping somewhere new each time. Which one suits you depends on your dates, your style and how many islands you actually want to sleep on rather than just visit.

Which coast fits your dates?

If your dates fall outside both windows, or you'd rather have one clear answer than weigh up a table, our best time to visit Thailand guide breaks the whole country down month by month.

• 

  1 week, 10 days or 2 weeks · November to April

  Andaman coast itinerary: Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta

  Move down the coast by ferry from Phuket to Koh Lanta, with an optional push to Koh Lipe near the Malaysian border.

  Best for Beaches, climbing, photography

• 

  1 week or 10 days · February to September

  Gulf islands itinerary: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao

  One ferry corridor linking three islands, with room for a PADI course or the Full Moon Party.

  Best for Diving, nightlife, beach towns

Andaman coast: which islands to pick

Phuket has the region's main airport, so most people start there, whether they're basing themselves for day trips or moving straight on to Krabi. Krabi and Ao Nang are the mainland gateway to Railay's limestone cliffs and a longtail day out to Poda, Chicken Island and the tidal sandbar at Tup Island. Koh Lanta is the deliberate slowdown after that: fewer bars, longer beaches, a Muslim-Thai and Chao Ley fishing-village pace. Koh Phi Phi is the built-up, party-and-cliffs island most people picture when they say "Thailand islands", and Koh Lipe, much further south near the Malaysian border, is worth the extra ferry only if you have the days and are travelling November to April, when its resorts and dive shops are actually open. See our Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lipe guides for what to do on each.

Day trips from Phuket

A lot of people base themselves in Phuket and day trip rather than repack every night.

Phuket also has a quiet corner for slower island hopping: Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi, in Phang Nga Bay between Phuket and Krabi, reached by boat from Bang Rong pier in about 15 to 30 minutes. They're fishing villages rather than party islands, so cover shoulders and knees away from the beach.

Ferries along the Andaman coast

Gulf coast: which islands to pick

The Gulf's three islands sit in a line, joined by frequent ferries, so the choice here is less about which island and more about how you split your days between them. Koh Samui has the only airport of the three and the most developed beach town, so it works as a first stop or a last one. Koh Phangan is the party island, home to the Full Moon Party, though its Thong Nai Pan coast is quieter if that's not what you're after. Koh Tao is the smallest of the three and one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive, with clear water that suits snorkelling too. See the Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao guides for what to do on each.

What it costs

Neither figure includes diving, a PADI course, day tours or nightlife. Our Thailand cost guide has the full country-wide breakdown, including flights and visas.

Getting there, away and around

Fly into Phuket International Airport for the Andaman coast, with direct connections from several Asian hubs, or connect through Bangkok. Fly into Koh Samui for the Gulf side; Bangkok Airways flies nonstop to Samui from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi (check the current schedule), or fly into Surat Thani and take a bus-and-ferry transfer instead. Crossing between the two coasts in one trip means a short flight from Krabi to Koh Samui, which is what makes the January to April window so useful: it's the only stretch when both ends of that flight are worth landing in.

Combining both coasts

Andaman only, 1 week to 10 days: Phuket or Ao Nang, then Koh Lanta, then Koh Phi Phi, following the Andaman coast itinerary. Runs November to April.

Gulf only, most of the year: Koh Samui as the airport gateway, then Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, following the Gulf islands itinerary. Best February to September, avoid November.

Both coasts, 10 days: Ao Nang, Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi, then a short flight from Krabi to Koh Samui and a boat across to Koh Phangan for a few final nights. This only works January to April, when both coasts are calm together, and it's the route our Thailand Islands Hopper trip follows.

If a fourth region matters more to you than a second coast, Khao Sok makes a jungle stop between Bangkok and the Andaman side, and our southern Thailand: jungle and islands trip runs that exact route.

Park fees and seasonal closures

• Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon, Koh Phi Phi Leh. The bay closes every August and September and reopened on 1 October 2026. A national park fee of about 400 baht is charged, sometimes bundled into a tour price and sometimes paid separately. Entry is by timed slot with a cap on visitors, and swimming isn't allowed at Maya Bay itself; boats usually add a stop at Pileh Lagoon, where you can swim.
• Similan Islands. The national park closes every year for roughly mid-May to mid-October, and the park sets the exact dates each year. No day trips run during the closure.
• Ang Thong Marine Park, on the Gulf side, reached from Koh Samui or Koh Phangan. It usually closes about 1 November to mid-December, depending on the weather, and carries its own 300 baht park fee for foreign adults.
• Koh Tao. The island charges a 20 baht visitor fee at the pier.
• Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island. A 300 baht national park fee is usually included in the tour price.

Best time and festivals

For a trip that crosses both coasts, January to April is the only reliable window. If your dates land on Koh Phangan, time it around a Full Moon Party rather than fighting it.

What to eat on this route

Grilled seafood turns up on every beach on both coasts, but each place has its own version worth seeking out: Chao Ley-style seafood curry on Koh Lanta, a Samui-style seafood curry on the Gulf side, and Phuket's Sino-Portuguese moo hong, a slow-braised pork dish, in the Old Town. Koh Tao's cafes lean into health-food brunches after a morning dive, and Koh Phangan's Thong Sala night market is the reliable, cheap option most nights of the week. For the full regional picture, see our Thai food guide.

Keep planning

• Thailand itineraries hub
• Andaman coast itinerary
• Gulf islands itinerary
• Best time to visit Thailand
• Thailand cost guide
• Khao Sok guide