Islands & Diving

Hire an inflatable kayak and explore some of the uninhabited islands. Khao Khien has intricate rock carvings and you can visit collapsed cave systems known as 'hongs', which are open to the sky and often full of wildlife.

In the north of the region, Koh Phra Thong is one of the largest and least-developed islands in Thailand, with endless sandy quiet beaches, azure seas and only a handful of resorts.

Known for their long white-sand beaches, and crystal-clear seas, the Similan Islands are home to some of the best snorkelling and diving in Thailand. You’ll see shoal after shoal of dazzling fish, plus sea horses, whale sharks, manta rays and corals. (The islands close May-November annually – check exact dates before booking.)

Also a mecca for serious divers, the idyllic Surin Islands sit a couple of hours by speedboat off the west coast - implausibly clear waters await.