This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
It was only a matter of time before the mischievous guests and resort staff of the fictional White Lotus would touch down in Thailand. The white sands and natural beauty of the kingdom’s islands have long made them a dream destination. And from colourful coral reefs to fishing villages on stilts, this is where you’ll want to visit after enjoying the new season.
1. Koh Samui
Best for: real-life White Lotus
Want to be greeted by Buddha himself? Koh Samui, among the biggest and most popular islands, is known for a 12-meter-tall icon that slips into the view of arriving flights. Glistening gold, it depicts Buddha in a time when he rejected temptation. But you’ll be forgiven for indulging in the island’s natural bounty, from the jungle-set Na Muang waterfalls to powder-sand beaches lapped by the azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The producers of The White Lotus were evidently smitten: much of season three was shot at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort. Check in to make the most of its Thai-style villas and sugar-white beach.
Easily spotted from the plane, the high-reaching Buddha statue on Koh Samui is one of its main landmarks. Photograph by Getty Images
2. Koh Pha-Ngan
Best for: nightlife
A short ferry ride from Koh Samui, this island has a reputation for entertainment. Dance at the monthly Full Moon Party, where fire shows and techno excite from dusk till dawn, meditate atop Wat Phu Khao Noi, the oldest temple on the island, or hike root-laced forest paths and monolithic rock formations to the Phaeng waterfall. Visit during the wet season to see the latter’s waters at full force and marvel at the island’s green-carpeted landscape. Round off your adventure at The Jam Bar, which has showcased live music beneath coconut trees on Thursdays and Sundays since 2007.
(What it’s like to sail Thailand’s wild Andaman Coast onboard a catamaran.)
3. Koh Tao
Best for: diving
Known as Turtle Island, Koh Tao — on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand — is known for its marine wildlife. Explore the sea with the diving schools that offer courses for all experience levels. The vast Ban’s Diving Resort has discounted rooms for enrolled students from less than £10 a night. All excursions feature certified instructors, equipment and snacks. Coral reefs bursting with biodiversity and kaleidoscopic colourways wait to be explored in the turquoise sea, while local initiatives such as the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program protect the island’s ecosystem. You can support it too, thanks to New Heaven’s course on documenting marine ecology and contributing to its restoration.
Travellers to Koh Tao spend much of their time exploring the underwater world. Photograph by Jean Bibens Laulan, Getty Images
4. Koh Lipe
Best for: quieter beaches
Life slows pleasantly when you arrive on the small island of Koh Lipe, part of the Tarutao National Park off the southern coast. Vast and lesser-visited landscapes allow for meditation and solitary relaxation. Some of Thailand’s best beaches are here and the populous coral reefs are perfect for punctuating sunbathing with a snorkelling break. Koh Lipe has long flown under the radar, owing in part to the challenge of reaching its white shores. Your best bet is a ferry from the Malaysian island of Langkawi, which runs in high season — October to June — and is highly weather-dependent. But it’s worth it, to be swept away by the relaxed atmosphere, hippie beach bars and unforgettable sunsets.
5. Koh Phi Phi Le
Best for: Hollywood appeal
A more intimate alternative to Phuket, Koh Phi Phi Le is one of six islands in the Phi Phi group, known to those who’ve traced Leonardo DiCaprio’s footsteps in The Beach. Its white horseshoe shores — hugged by green-dipped limestone cliffs, and including Maya Bay — can be crowded by day. But the family-operated Krabi Konnect offers daily tours at sunset, when bioluminescent plankton turn Maya Bay into an unforgettable underwater show. Meanwhile, the island’s big brother, Koh Phi Phi Don, has markets, bars and traditional bungalow-style stays such as Viking Natures Resort.
Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Le is one of the most visited beaches in Thailand. Photograph by Chavaree Boonyaprapat, Getty Images
6. Koh Kood
Best for: Untouched culture
Good at keeping a secret? This lesser-known island — south of Thailand, off the coast of Cambodia — only recently acquired paved roads and ATMs. It’s characterised by soft-sand beaches, wild rainforest hills and the tiered Khlong Chao waterfall. En route to the falls, you’ll pass a 500-year-old macca tree, with a mane of interlacing roots, which is frequently decorated in colourful fabrics and floral offerings to appease the feminine spirits said to inhabit it. The island is ideal for exploring traditional Thai culture: the stilted fishing village of Ao Yai, on a southeastern tip, can be accessed via motorbike and is one of the best destinations for fresh seafood sold by local fishermen.
(6 alternative Thai islands for an active break.)
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