phuket magazine

The Andaman Coast of Thailand

The Andaman coast of southern Thailand – from the border with Burma in the north to that with Malaysia in the south - is a region of great environmental diversity and outstanding natural beauty.

The full, registered name of PHUKET Magazine is in fact “The Greater Phuket Magazine”, meaning we cover the entire Andaman coastline of Thailand. The region can be divided geographically into several distinct entities, which we offer here.

Phang Nga

Images of this bay with a forest of stone mountains rising from calm waters travel world-wide with the reputation of Phuket. It’s right next door to Phuket, and most visitors here see Phang Nga when taking the ‘James Bond’ island tour. But there are other ways of getting to Phang Nga. This is perhaps at the top of Phuket’s ‘must see’ list.

Phi Phi
These twin islands are famed for their stunning beauty. They rise dramatically as rocky walls from crystal waters. There are several hotels and bungalows here and many day trips from Phuket. Phi Phi can get a little crowded, but it is still stunningly beautiful.

Similans
Now one of the most famous dive sites in Asia, the Similan Islands are nine small, granite islands well out into the sea. It’s a marine National Park, and the only accommodation consists of simple park bungalows and tents. There are few beaches and little else above water to see, so if you’re not a diver there’s not much reason to go.

Khao Lak

This quiet stretch of beach about an hour’s drive north of Phuket now has about a dozen small bungalow resorts scattered over many kilometres of quiet coastline. Some of a good standard, some are cheap and basic. Khao Lak is a new, peaceful get-away.

Khao Sok National Park
This is the largest remaining stand of rainforest in southern Thailand – and even this is under threat. But it is of exceptional beauty and is definitely worth a trip for those with the time. A one day trip is just not enough. We show some of the animals and birds that live here, too.
 

Trang Islands
The islands off the southern province of Trang are south of Phuket. There are several beautiful islands here with low-budget accommodation. Access is by boat from points on the Trang coast.

Koh Lanta

‘Koh’ means island in Thai. This large island to the south of Krabi is fast developing into a quiet, budget hide-away. There are now over 100 bungalow resorts and up-market resorts here, but they are spread over many beaches and the island is still tranquil

Krabi

Krabi’s fame is spreading fast – for two of the most amazingly beautiful beaches you will find anywhere. But there is more to this province than beaches, and we show you how best to enjoy it.