Koh Phi Phi
The Phi Phi islands are some of the loveliest in Southeast Asia. Just a 45-minute speedboat trip or a 90-minute ferryboat ride from either Phuket or Krabi, these picture postcard islands offer the ultimate tropical getaway. Featuring classic tropical beaches, stunning rock formations and vivid turquoise waters teeming with colourful marine life, it is paradise perfected.
Phi Phi is a group of six islands. The two main islands are Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. The larger and inhabited Phi Phi Don attracts hundreds of visitors to stay on its lovely shores while the smaller uninhabited Phi Phi Leh hosts stunningly beautiful bays and beaches, including the world-famous Maya Bay, which was the set where The Beach (with Leonardo Di Caprio) was filmed.
Koh Poda
Koh Poda is one the most popular islands in Krabi archipelago. Located just six kilometres offshore from Ao Nang, it roughly takes 25 minutes to get there by long-tail boat. The price for a return ticket is about 300 baht per person; note that if you travel alone, you will have to wait for the long-tail boat to be full according to its capacity before you set off.
Mu Koh Poda or Poda Island group consists of four islands: Koh Poda, Koh Kai, Koh Tap and Koh Mor. Koh Poda is the largest of the group despite its area being no more than a kilometre in diameter. Covered with palm and pine trees and almost entirely encircled by a soft white sand beach, it is every inch the stunning tropical getaway. A coral reef lies about 20 metres from the beach with a variety of sea life. The irresistible combination of excellent snorkelling, scenery and soft sand make the island a popular choice with snorkelers and sea kayakers, but surprisingly, it's not that crowded.
Koh Hong
Koh Hong is a get away island on the Krabi coastline. Spend your day doing nothing but lazing on virgin sands. This wonderful group of tiny islands offers breathtaking scenery, soft white-sand beaches, coral reefs and a beautiful lagoon. It’s where you can enjoy swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sunbathing, hiking, and picnicking. Koh Hong is part if Than Bok Khorani National Park and it’s only open for day visits with no overnight stays allowed.
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is delightfully exotic, thanks to its remote location, pristine beaches and balmy weather. It comprises 52 islands in the southernmost region of Thailand's Krabi Province, of which the largest and best-known is Koh Lanta Yai. The island is approximately seventy kilometres from Krabi, and offers an appealing escape from highly popular tourist destinations like Phuket and Phi Phi.
Once a backpacker's haven, Koh Lanta Yai nowadays sports several exclusive resorts. Friendly locals and its unspoiled nature are still main attractions. Misty mountains abound in some areas, especially down south, while the islands' lush jungle, clean sandy beaches, pretty coral reefs and crystal-clear water make for a relaxing retreat.
Koh Jum
The island of Koh Jum is truly a wonder in modern day Thailand. Located a short boat ride from the mainland and an hour from Krabi international airport, it nevertheless has retained all the character and charm of pre mass tourism Thailand. There are none of the tourist trappings of beach vendors and gogo bars, instead there is the laid back warmth and genuine southern hospitality to every interaction with the local populace. The island is relatively small, by bicycle it is only an hour from end to end, and yet contains a diversity of scenery. From Koh Pu mountain in the north with its stunning vistas of the Andaman Sea and Krabi province, to Long Beach which edges much of the west of the island, to Baan Koh Jum in the south, an idyllic fishing village with many restaurants and specialist shops. Accommodation on the island caters to all tastes and budgets.