The Gulf Islands sit off Thailand's southeastern coast, reached from the mainland hub of Surat Thani. Calmer and shallower than the Andaman Sea on the other side of the peninsula, the Gulf side built its reputation on backpacker beaches and has been steadily upgrading ever since.
Koh Samui is the largest and most developed, with an international airport and a beach for every budget, from backpacker bungalows to five-star resorts. Koh Phangan is famous for the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin, but the rest of the island — its north and west coasts especially — is far quieter than the party reputation suggests. Koh Tao is smaller again and built almost entirely around diving, with some of the cheapest PADI certification courses in the world.
On the mainland, Nakhon Si Thammarat is one of Thailand's oldest cities and sees a fraction of the visitors its temples and history deserve — a good detour for travellers who want a break from the islands.
