From the Andaman Coast to Bangkok
Thailand in January is about as close to a sure thing as travel gets. The Andaman coast is in its dry season, the water is warm and clear, and the islands are at their best. We spent two and a half weeks working our way from Krabi through Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe before finishing with a few days in Bangkok and Phuket. It was the kind of trip where every day felt different — diving one morning, wandering night markets the next, then doing absolutely nothing on a beach for a day.
Krabi and Ao Nang: The Starting Point
We flew into Phuket and transferred to Krabi by ferry, which took about two hours. Ao Nang is the main tourist hub on the Krabi coast, and it works well as a base for the first few days. The beach itself is fine but not spectacular — the real draws are the day trips.
Railay Beach is a 15-minute longtail boat ride from Ao Nang and feels like a completely different world. Towering limestone karsts, clear water, and no roads in or out — you can only arrive by boat. We spent a full day here climbing around the caves and swimming at Phra Nang Beach, where a cave shrine sits right at the waterline.
The Four Islands tour is the classic Krabi day trip: Chicken Island, Tup Island, Poda Island, and Phra Nang Cave. We booked a longtail boat for about 1,500 baht (around 45 USD) which was worth it for the flexibility to linger at the quieter spots. The snorkeling off Chicken Island was surprisingly good.
For diving, Krabi has several PADI shops in Ao Nang. We did a couple of fun dives off the coast — visibility was around 15-20 meters, and we saw reef sharks, moray eels, and enormous schools of fusiliers. A two-dive day trip runs about 3,000-4,000 baht (85-115 USD) including equipment.
Koh Lanta: The Underrated Island
Of all the islands we visited, Koh Lanta left the strongest impression. It felt more authentic, greener, and less touristy than anywhere else on the trip. We took a speedboat from Krabi (about 90 minutes, much faster than the 4-hour ferry), and the pace slowed down immediately.
The west coast beaches run from busy in the north (Long Beach, Klong Dao) to nearly deserted in the south. We preferred the southern end — fewer people, better sunsets, and a more laid-back atmosphere. Rent a scooter for about 250-300 baht per day and explore the whole island. The east coast has a charming Old Town with stilted houses over the water and some excellent small restaurants.
The national park at the southern tip has a lighthouse with views across the water to neighboring islands. The short hike through the jungle to get there is muggy but worth it. We also did a four-island snorkeling trip from Koh Lanta that included Koh Rok, which has some of the clearest water we have ever seen.
If we were planning this trip again, we would add at least one more night on Koh Lanta. Two nights felt rushed for an island this relaxed.
Koh Lipe: Thailand’s Maldives
Koh Lipe is a tiny island near the Malaysian border, and getting there takes some effort — speedboat from Koh Lanta runs about two hours over open water. It is worth the journey. The water is absurdly clear, the beaches are white sand, and the island is small enough to walk across in 20 minutes.
Sunrise Beach on the east side is the best strip of sand, and the snorkeling right off the beach is excellent — we saw clownfish, parrotfish, and sea turtles without even getting on a boat. Walking Street runs through the center of the island with restaurants, bars, and shops. It gets lively at night but never feels overwhelming.
We stayed three nights, which was the right amount. The island is small and there is not a ton to do beyond beach time, diving, and eating. But that is exactly the point. Diving here is some of the best in Thailand — the sites around Koh Adang and Koh Rawi have healthy coral, great visibility, and manta ray sightings in the right season.
Phuket: The Final Beach Days
After the smaller islands, Phuket felt big and busy. We stayed near Kata Beach, which is a good middle ground between the chaos of Patong and the quieter southern beaches. The Big Buddha viewpoint above Chalong is worth a visit for the panoramic views, and the Old Town in Phuket City has beautiful Sino-Portuguese architecture and great street food.
We did our last dive of the trip out of Phuket — a day trip to Racha Yai island with excellent visibility and a submerged shipwreck that made for a memorable final dive. Two dives including equipment and lunch ran about 4,500 baht (130 USD).
Phuket is also where we caught the Siam Niramit show, a massive cultural performance with elaborate sets and hundreds of performers. It is touristy but genuinely impressive in scale, and a good way to get a condensed overview of Thai history and culture.
Bangkok: Temples, Markets, and Street Food
We finished the trip with three days in Bangkok, which was the right call — you need a city reset after that much beach time. Bangkok is intense, hot, loud, and endlessly interesting.
The Grand Palace and Wat Pho (the reclining Buddha) are the obvious starting points, and they are popular for a reason. Go early — like 8 AM early — to beat the worst of the crowds and heat. Wat Arun across the river is equally impressive and much less crowded, especially at sunset.
Chinatown (Yaowarat Road) at night is a street food paradise. We ate our way down the street — pad thai from a cart, grilled prawns the size of your hand, mango sticky rice, and fresh coconut ice cream. The whole dinner for two cost about 500 baht (15 USD) and was better than any restaurant meal we had in Thailand.
Chatuchak Weekend Market is enormous — over 15,000 stalls spread across 35 acres. We spent half a day there and barely covered a quarter of it. Good for clothes, home goods, vintage items, and people-watching. The key is to go early before the heat becomes unbearable.
What It Cost
- Flights: Round trip to Phuket via American Airlines, booked with miles (about 70,000 miles per person)
- Hotels: Average 2,000-4,000 baht per night (55-115 USD) for solid mid-range options
- Island transfers: Speedboats between islands run 600-1,500 baht per person per leg
- Diving: 3,000-4,500 baht per two-dive day trip (85-130 USD)
- Food: Street food meals for 100-200 baht, restaurant meals 300-600 baht per person
- Scooter rental: 250-300 baht per day on the islands
- Day tours: 1,000-2,500 baht for island hopping and snorkeling trips
Thailand Tips
- January is peak season — book ferries and hotels in advance, especially for Koh Lipe
- Speedboats are worth the extra cost over slow ferries. The time savings is massive
- Get a local SIM card at the airport. AIS or TrueMove have tourist packages for about 300 baht
- Cash is still king on the smaller islands. ATMs exist but charge 220 baht per withdrawal
- Grab (Southeast Asia’s Uber) works well in Phuket and Bangkok but not on the small islands
- Bring reef-safe sunscreen. The coral around Koh Lipe and Koh Rok is too beautiful to damage
- Thai massage is everywhere and costs 200-400 baht per hour. Budget for one every day — you deserve it