What Order Should You Visit the Thailand Islands?

Pick one coast, then travel along it in geographic order. On the Andaman side that means Phuket, then Phi Phi, then Krabi, then Koh Lanta, then Koh Lipe. On the Gulf side it means Koh Samui, then Koh Phangan, then Koh Tao. Krabi fits well in the middle of the Andaman run because it offers several island day trips and onward connections.

The mistake almost everyone makes on a first trip is treating the islands as a menu rather than a line. Thailand's islands sit in two clusters, roughly 700 kilometres apart, and hopping between the clusters means a domestic flight or a very long overland day. Do that twice and you have spent three days of a two-week trip sitting still.

Which Coast Should You Start with?

Let the calendar decide. The Andaman coast, which includes Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Lanta and Lipe, is at its best roughly November to April. The Gulf, meaning Samui, Phangan and Tao, has its calmest and driest stretch roughly January to August and its heaviest rain late in the year.

That inversion is why there is no single correct answer to this question, only a correct answer for your dates. March and early April can suit a two-coast trip, but check current weather and transport conditions for your dates. We go into how the two coasts differ beyond the weather in our comparison of Koh Samui against Krabi.

What Is the Andaman Route in Order?

Fly into Phuket, take the ferry east to Phi Phi, continue to Krabi, drop south to Koh Lanta, then finish at Koh Lipe if you have the time. Every leg moves in one direction, and no leg needs backtracking, which is the whole point of doing it this way.

The Lanta transfer is the one with a seasonal catch: the boat option disappears for months at a time while the road route keeps running. The timing and what changes month to month sit in our guide to getting to Koh Lanta from Krabi. Koh Lipe is the optional tail on this route. It is beautiful and remote, and it is also a long way south, so leave it off anything shorter than two weeks.

Where Does Krabi Fit, and Why in the Middle?

Krabi is the hub, not a stopover. It is the only point on the Andaman route with mainland infrastructure, an airport, and access to piers used by several full-day island outings.

From an Ao Nang base, supplied outings cover the 4 Islands loop, Hong Island, Phi Phi, and Phang Nga Bay, although transfer and departure points vary. These outings use different piers and transfer arrangements. Shared and private outings are available, with inclusions and extra fees varying by product.

Three to four nights is one practical allocation. That is enough for one big day on the water, one inland day for the jungle and hot springs, and one slow day around Railay, which we lay out as an actual schedule in the Krabi itinerary for three to four days. If your visit is shorter and you want the highlights compressed, a one-day island hopping route covers the main stops in a single departure.

Should You Book Boats Yourself or Take Organised Tours?

Book your point-to-point transfers between islands yourself, and take an organised tour for the day trips. Point-to-point transfers can be booked separately. For day trips, compare shared seats with private charters using the same inclusions and fees.

A private charter offers customizable routing, while a shared outing follows its scheduled program. The maths, including where the DIY option genuinely wins, is in our breakdown of taking a tour versus arranging it yourself.

What Order Should You Use for the Gulf Coast?

Samui first, then Phangan, then Tao. Samui has the airport and the ferry connections, Phangan is 30 minutes further north, and Tao is another 90 minutes beyond that. Running it in reverse works too, but only if you are arriving overland from Bangkok by night train and bus.

The Gulf route is shorter and simpler, three islands in a near-straight line, which is why it suits trips of a week or less. What it lacks is the karst scenery. There is nothing in the Gulf that resembles the limestone walls at Railay or the towers in Phang Nga Bay, so travellers who want that specific Thailand postcard should be on the Andaman side regardless of what the calendar says.

If you are building the Andaman half of a trip and want to see which departures actually run on your dates, the Krabi island boat tours we list show pickup information and trip-specific operating details when supplied, which is the detail that decides whether a route order works on paper or in practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I visit Phuket or Krabi first?

Phuket first, because it has the largest international airport on the coast and the ferries run east from there. Arriving in Phuket and finishing further along the route means you never double back, and you reach the available day trips around Krabi with the bulk of your trip still ahead.

How many islands can you visit in two weeks?

Three or four bases is realistic on one coast, plus the day-trip islands you reach from them. Trying for more turns the trip into a sequence of ferry mornings, since each move costs you roughly half a day once packing, transfers and check-in are counted.

Can you combine the Gulf and Andaman islands in one trip?

Yes, with a domestic flight between them, usually via Bangkok or a direct Phuket to Samui hop. Because their good seasons barely overlap, one half of the trip will land in a shoulder month, so it works best on trips of two weeks or longer in March or April.

Is Koh Lipe worth adding to the route?

Only if you have the days for it. Lipe sits far south near the Malaysian border, the speedboat from Lanta takes three to four hours and runs in high season only. It rewards the effort with the clearest water on the route, but it is a poor fit for a short trip.

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Phi Phi Early Bird & 4 Islands - Day Tour by Speedboat From Krabi

The nine-hour early speedboat outing combines Phi Phi and Krabi’s Four Islands with snorkeling equipment, lunch, a guide, and listed-area transfers.

9h · English guide listed · Early pickup, lunch and snorkeling gear; park fees extra. Maya Bay is closed August–September under the listing’s seasonal policy. · Confirm your selected option’s pickup, inclusions, fees and participant restrictions before booking.

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