Island guide
Koh Samui
The Gulf's most developed island: its own airport, a ring road linking Chaweng and Lamai, and ferries onward to Phangan and Tao.
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Gulf coast travel guides
The Gulf coast runs to its own calendar. While the Andaman side is being rained on, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao are often dry, and the reverse holds later in the year. Get the timing right and this side of the country has the easier islands to reach and the better diving. These are the guides for the Gulf.
Destination guides
Island guide
Koh Phangan
Best known for the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin, though most of the island is quiet beaches, jungle, and wellness retreats.
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26 August 2026
Phetchaburi: the historic town between Bangkok and Hua Hin that almost no foreigner stops in
Two hours south of Bangkok, Phetchaburi has a hilltop palace, a cave full of Buddha images, and Thailand's best desserts. Almost nobody stops.
Read post →21 June 2026
Hua Hin, Cha-Am, and Prachuap Khiri Khan: the Gulf coast Bangkok drives to
Hua Hin was Thailand's first beach resort. Most foreign visitors fly straight past it to the islands. Here's the upper Gulf coast they skip.
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