The Andaman Opens Its Doors Again

When the monsoon swell finally drops, the Andaman Sea turns the colour of sea glass, and Thailand’s west coast comes back to life. This month, the season has begun. The Similan Islands in Phang Nga reopened on 15 October after a five-month monsoon closure, and more than 1,300 visitors arrived on opening day to see the granite boulders and white-sand beaches. Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Le welcomed visitors back on 1 October. The dry season proper should settle in by December.

One change is worth knowing before you book. Six marine national parks, including Similan, Surin, Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay and Ko Lanta, have used electronic tickets since October 2025, so buy yours in advance and have your passport ready.

Only on the Andaman

Plenty of Thai beaches are lovely. A few experiences belong only to this coast.

Paddle into the hongs of Phang Nga Bay. The bay’s limestone towers hide “hongs,” collapsed cave chambers open to the sky. Sea canoes thread through low tunnels at the right tide, and you drift into lagoons ringed by cliffs and mangroves. The drowned karst landscape is the Andaman’s own, and you won’t find it on the Gulf side.

Meet the Moken at Mu Ko Surin. Far north near the Myanmar border, the Surin Islands are home to the Moken, a seafaring people sometimes called sea nomads. Visits are small-scale and community-led, and you can learn about their relationship with the sea. Go with a respectful operator and treat the village as someone’s home, not a stage.

Dive the Similan and Richelieu Rock circuit. The Andaman has some of Thailand’s best diving, including boulder-strewn reefs and deep pinnacles. Visibility peaks in the dry months, and live-aboard trips from Khao Lak reach sites day boats can’t.

Look for dugongs off Trang. The seagrass beds around Ko Libong shelter some of Thailand’s last dugongs. These endangered, peaceful marine mammals gather in wide, shallow, protected coastal habitats to feed. Sightings are never guaranteed, but quiet boat trips with local guides give you a chance to see one surface.

Explore a UNESCO geopark in Satun. Thailand’s southernmost Andaman province is home to the Satun Geopark, with ancient fossil-bearing rock, sea caves, and the wild Tarutao archipelago. It is the country’s only UNESCO Global Geopark and far quieter than Phuket.

A Suggested Route: Phuket to Ko Lipe

Allow about ten to twelve days if you want to see several provinces without rushing.

1. Days 1–2: Phuket. Ease in with Phuket Old Town, where Sino-Portuguese shophouses hold cafés and galleries. Start the island hopping with a boat trip to the Phi Phi area.
2. Days 3–5: Khao Lak and Phang Nga. Cross the bridge north. Base yourself in Khao Lak for a Similan day trip or a dive. Then spend a day sea-canoeing in Phang Nga Bay. Add Surin as a side trip if you have time, since the boat journey is long.
3. Days 6–7: Krabi. Head south for Railay’s cliffs and long-tail boat rides. Climbers come here for the limestone, while everyone else comes for the beaches and quiet coves. Stay near Ao Nang or on Railay itself.
4. Days 8–9: Trang. Take the road or a ferry south. Trang’s islands are far less crowded than Krabi’s. Base yourself on Ko Muk or Ko Kradan, take a boat toward the dugong feeding grounds around Ko Libong, and swim into the Emerald Cave.
5. Days 10–12: Satun and Ko Lipe. Finish at the far end of the coast. Ko Lipe’s waters are some of the clearest in Thailand, making for a gentle landing after a busy trip. Hop over to Tarutao for the geopark’s caves and rugged beaches.

Practical Notes

October and early November can still bring rain, and boat operators sometimes hold back when the waves run high. Build a spare day into the plan. Book ferries and island accommodation early for December and January. If you want the quietest trip, aim for the shoulder weeks at either end of the season.

The Andaman rewards the unhurried traveller. Bring a reef-safe sunscreen, leave the coral untouched, and let the coast set the pace.