There are a number of great holiday destinations in the Gulf of Thailand. The most famous are in the Samui Archipelago – Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Further north is the large island of Koh Chang and the small island of Koh Samet. Then there is also the Vietnamese island of Dao Phu Quoc. All these islands offer beautiful white sand beaches, nearly year round great weather (except during the monsoon) and good tourist facilities. Another advantage of the Gulf of Thailand is that it is not near a fault line and so is free of tsunamis.

The Southern part of the Gulf of Thailand is easily accessed by airplane from Bangkok to Koh Samui airport or to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chumphon on the Thai mainland. Koh Samui since the 1970s has long been a favorite tourist destination. Beaches such Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut attract thousands of sun seekers every year. The island has built up an impressive array of stylish and luxurious hotels as well as a number of villas to rent.

Less developed is the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. This island has catapulted to fame thanks to the lunacy of the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin beach. Recently, the stylish resort of Rasananda on Thong Nai Pan Noi has challenged Koh Samui’s dominance of the high end of the market.

Nearby are the islands of Ang Thong National Park. They are a collection of protected islands in strange granite shapes that features a large inland lake and some great diving.

On the subject of diving, Koh Tao is the island most commonly associated with scuba. It is the nearest to some of the best dive spots on the Gulf such as Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacles. It is the least developed of the islands of the Samui Archipelago and attracts both divers and backpackers looking for cheap accommodation on Koh Tao.

Finally, the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Samet have the advantage of being close to Bangkok. Koh Chang has maintained much of its natural beauty. The nearby smaller Koh Samet is a weekend get-away for denizens of Bangkok. It tends to get very busy during these times.

No doubt the next ‘must go’ destination will be the Vietnamese islands in the Gulf.

Whether you are looking to go diving, party all night, relax around a pool or stay on deserted beaches, the Gulf of Thailand has it all.