Koh Phangan, Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe

After the highlands and mountains of northern Thailand, we are now heading south. First stop: Ko Phangan. Even the ferry ride from the mainland to the island is impressive. We are immediately greeted by dolphins and a dreamy sunset.

Marcia found a great beachfront accommodation where we can stay in a little bungalow just 20 meters from the water. The water is very warm and we can walk about 100 meters into the water and only be up to our waists.

We spend a few days at the beach and go from one beach to another. On the other side of the island, we find a great diving school that also offers try dives. So Marcia and I can do two dives together. It was a great experience for me and honestly easier than I thought. That was definitely a highlight on Ko Phangan.

The island feels like a yoga/fitness/influencer place. There are many small fashionable shops and cafes that have a very European vibe. Accordingly, there are many young tourists. Additionally, there is practically a big party somewhere on the island every weekend.

We really enjoyed Ko Phangan. The island is diverse and has a lot to offer. But it is a true tourist island.

The next island is Ko Lanta, even though it is almost a peninsula because it is only separated from the mainland by a narrow 'channel'.

Here we also stay in a bungalow, which is made 90% of bamboo. The bungalow also came with a scooter.

The beaches on Ko Lanta are much larger compared to those on Ko Phangan. This has the disadvantage that it is hard to find shade, but we managed to find a great beach with shade. There, we can spend the whole day on lounge chairs from a restaurant and enjoy the sea.

The island invites you to spend the whole day at the beach, because apart from that, there are not many interesting places to discover. But it is quite peaceful, and there are noticeably fewer European tourists compared to Ko Phangan. It seems like the best days of this island are somewhat over.

The third island on our 'island tour' is Ko Lipe. It is by far the smallest island, as you can easily circle it on foot. At the same time, it is also the island we like the most.

In the hostel where we stay, we meet a Swiss couple our age and go out to eat with them twice. It's great to be able to have more extensive conversations with other travelers.

Snorkeling, swimming, strolling, good food - what more could you ask for.

Now our time in Thailand is already over and we continue to Malaysia, specifically to the island of Langkawi.