About

About ULTIMATE Thai Islands Guide

ULTIMATE Thai Islands Guide is an independent guide for visitors to the Thai Islands, Thailand. We publish 7 curated lists: thai islands, resorts, restaurants, bars & beach clubs, beaches, things to do and getting there. We cover Phuket, Krabi and Railay, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Koh Yao Noi on the Andaman Sea; Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand; and Koh Chang and Koh Samet on the eastern seaboard.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Before you go

For venues

Run a venue in the Thai Islands and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• The glass and steel concourse of Suvarnabhumi Airport, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on the canal at Amphawa Floating Market, by Rangan Datta Wiki, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Skytrain at Ari station, by Crcolas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Skytrain at Ari station, by Crcolas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The spiral galleries inside the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, by Christophe95, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A tall ship moored at Asiatique The Riverfront, with the Ferris wheel and the river, by Rangan Datta Wiki, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Limestone islands in Phang Nga Bay, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• White wicker chairs and palms in the Authors’ Lounge, by Chainwit., licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Buddha head entwined in tree roots at Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya, by No(0)GoodNamesLeft, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The spiral galleries inside the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, by Christophe95, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on Haad Rin, Koh Phangan, by Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Phra Nang beach framed by the overhang of the cliffs, by Maksym Kozlenko, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Wetlands and raised walkways in Benjakitti Forest Park, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A BTS Skytrain on its elevated track, with Victory Monument behind, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• White wicker chairs and palms in the Authors’ Lounge, by Chainwit., licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A canal on the Thonburi side, with a white chedi and a golden Buddha above the water, by กสิณธร ราชโอรส, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A BTS Skytrain on its elevated track, with Victory Monument behind, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• centralwOrld on Rama I Road, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Wat Chaiwatthanaram beside the Chao Phraya at Ayutthaya, from above, by Average trinmo, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Flowers and stalls along a lane of Chatuchak Weekend Market, by Christophe95, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Neon signs over Yaowarat Road at night, by Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Neon signs over Yaowarat Road at night, by Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Buddha head entwined in tree roots at Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya, by No(0)GoodNamesLeft, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Storeys, the low-rise retail buildings at One Bangkok, by Magnamonkun, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Storeys, the low-rise retail buildings at One Bangkok, by Magnamonkun, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turquoise pools and cascades at Erawan Falls, by Kittipong khunnen, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Chao Phraya Express Boat on the river, by Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boats laden with fruit at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, from above, by Andrew Ly nineteen, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red Giant Swing in front of Wat Suthat at dusk, by KOSIN SUKHUM, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bronze bells along the terrace path of the Golden Mount, by Radosław Botev, licensed CC BY 3.0 pl, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden chedi and roofs of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace beyond the lawns of Sanam Luang, by Original image: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland. Edit: TSP, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white walls and spires of the Grand Palace reflected in rainwater at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gilded Reclining Buddha in its hall at Wat Pho, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The limestone needle of Ko Tapu in Phang Nga Bay, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white Authors’ Wing of the Mandarin Oriental among palms, by Chainwit., licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats and swimmers in the bay at Kata Beach, by Radek Kucharski, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hua Hin beach at sunrise, by Bjørn Erik Pedersen, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red and cream platforms of Hua Hin railway station, by Suikotei, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curving atrium of ICONSIAM, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Islands of Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Klong Prao beach on the west coast of Koh Chang, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats and swimmers in the bay at Kata Beach, by Radek Kucharski, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The limestone needle of Ko Tapu in Phang Nga Bay, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Klong Khong beach on Koh Lanta, by Marcin Konsek, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on Maya Bay, Phi Phi Le, beneath its cliffs, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ko Nang Yuan’s three islets joined by a sandbar, by Benedict Quirbach, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on Haad Rin, Koh Phangan, by Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Limestone islands in Phang Nga Bay, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The twin bays of Phi Phi Don from the viewpoint, by Naikhumklao, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Phra Nang beach framed by the overhang of the cliffs, by Maksym Kozlenko, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sugar palms and the sea at Laem Phromthep, by edwin.11, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Painted Sino-European shophouses in Phuket Old Town, by Ryomaandres, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats beside the limestone stack off Ko Poda, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffs, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A white-sand beach on Koh Samet, by Headshop5, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The coast of Koh Samui at dusk, by Maksim Sundukov, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden Big Buddha of Wat Phra Yai, Koh Samui, by Abrget47j, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Limestone islands seen from Koh Yao Noi, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The limestone needle of Ko Tapu in Phang Nga Bay, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red teak main house of the Jim Thompson House in its garden, by Don Ramey Logan, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Grasslands and forest in Khao Yai National Park, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Masked dancers in a Khon performance, by PEAK99, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The steel bridge over the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi, by PumpkinSky, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiered gilded spires of Loha Prasat at Wat Ratchanatdaram, by Suicasmo, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The lake in Lumphini Park with the Silom towers beyond, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• White wicker chairs and palms in the Authors’ Lounge, by Chainwit., licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Stalls under awnings along the tracks of the Mae Klong Railway Market, by Codas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bangkok spread out below the observation deck of King Power Mahanakhon, by Ronit Bhattacharjee, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Mango sticky rice with coconut cream, by Arthur Taksin, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gilded Reclining Buddha in its hall at Wat Pho, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white Authors’ Wing of the Mandarin Oriental among palms, by Chainwit., licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alhambra in Granada in the evening light, by Jebulon, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos Hill, by Giles Laurent, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the Bahamas, by Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open sea, by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Palace reflected at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sagrada Família lit up at night, by Maksim Sokolov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunset, photo: © ULTIMATE International Media.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, by Gzzz, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hour, by Robert Bock, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key West, by Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es Vedrà, by Beni Marull, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baie des Anges, Nice, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria Peak, by Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sun, by Charles from Port Chester, New York, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening light, by Nserrano, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behind, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the Thames, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains, by Alek Leckszas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran Vía, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la Mar, by Enric, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, Menorca, by Markus Trienke, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Berthold Werner, edit by Böhringer, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peak, by Kabelleger / David Gubler, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer, by Christoph Strässler, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu River, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina Bay, by Bijay Chaurasia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matterhorn in winter above Zermatt, by JoachimKohler-HB, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at night, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening sky, by Jose Ligero Loarte, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, Kandy, by Daniel Liabeuf, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue sky, by BBB2021, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its pool, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled roof of St Stephen’s Cathedral and the rooftops of central Vienna, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper Town, by Jorge Láscar from Australia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Storeys, the low-rise retail buildings at One Bangkok, by Magnamonkun, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A street cook tossing a flaming wok in Bangkok, by Radek Kucharski, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The sunlit main hall of Siam Paragon, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The lake in Lumphini Park with the Silom towers beyond, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Trees along Pattaya beach, with the bay and towers beyond, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Riverboats moored on the Chao Phraya at dusk, with the riverside towers lit beyond, by Preecha.MJ, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden chedi and roofs of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace beyond the lawns of Sanam Luang, by Original image: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland. Edit: TSP, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Riverboats moored on the Chao Phraya at dusk, with the riverside towers lit beyond, by Preecha.MJ, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Painted Sino-European shophouses in Phuket Old Town, by Ryomaandres, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Riverboats moored on the Chao Phraya at dusk, with the riverside towers lit beyond, by Preecha.MJ, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Oarsmen on the Chao Phraya below Wat Arun at sunset, by Tee-12838, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Riverboats moored on the Chao Phraya at dusk, with the riverside towers lit beyond, by Preecha.MJ, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The carved wooden spires of the Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya, by Rolf Heinrich, Köln, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The lake in Lumphini Park with the Silom towers beyond, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curving atrium of ICONSIAM, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The sunlit main hall of Siam Paragon, by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bangkok spread out below the observation deck of King Power Mahanakhon, by Ronit Bhattacharjee, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The three great chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Ayutthaya, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bangkok and the bends of the Chao Phraya by night, seen from State Tower, by Flickr user: Swaminathan Gurgaon, India https://www.flickr.com/people/araswami/, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden dome of State Tower, home of Sky Bar, by กสิณธร ราชโอรส, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A street cook tossing a flaming wok in Bangkok, by Radek Kucharski, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Wetlands and raised walkways in Benjakitti Forest Park, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curved roof of Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, by Pescov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A canal on the Thonburi side, with a white chedi and a golden Buddha above the water, by กสิณธร ราชโอรส, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Wetlands and raised walkways in Benjakitti Forest Park, by This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on Maya Bay, Phi Phi Le, beneath its cliffs, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red Giant Swing in front of Wat Suthat at dusk, by KOSIN SUKHUM, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The prang of Wat Arun lit up at night, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gilded Reclining Buddha in its hall at Wat Pho, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The twin bays of Phi Phi Don from the viewpoint, by Naikhumklao, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffs, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Neon signs over Yaowarat Road at night, by Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.