Which island to choose in Thailand for a few days with my sister?

Hello, it’s been a while since I last asked for your help on this forum—I’ve really missed it! I hope you’re all doing well, whether you're new or returning members.

I’m planning a trip from February 6 to 18, 2027, with my sister (we’re 47 and 50—time flies!). I’ve got my eye on a flight from Paris that lands in Bangkok on February 7 at 3 PM, with a return flight from Bangkok on February 18 at noon.

My sister has never been to this destination, and it’ll be her first time in Asia. Her priorities: beaches, sunshine, and cocktails by the shore. For me, I love that too, but I also enjoy exploring, nature, forests, and a bit of comfort (mixing guesthouses and higher-end hotels with pools). A little evening entertainment would be great, but not too much—good cocktails in a nice atmosphere rather than a rave party ;-). And I can’t help but dream of taking her on a little trek through a tropical forest (guaranteed memories and laughs, though she might curse me at the time) and showing her some karst landscapes.

I’ve been to Thailand before, but it was 15 years ago...

The idea is to give her a taste of Bangkok for 1 or 2 nights, a few days on an island (but which one...?), a tropical forest excursion with 1 or 2 nights on-site (Khao Sok?), and then back to Bangkok.

For the "main" island, even after reading the *Guide du Routard*, I’m still undecided. It’s hard to find a place that ticks all the boxes without feeling as crowded as the French Riviera in August: Koh Lanta? Khao Lak (though it’s not an island)? Koh Tao (I could maybe get my PADI certification, but I’m afraid she’d get bored, and it might be better to save that for a solo trip)? Koh Yao Yai (I worry we’d be bored in the evenings)? What a dilemma!

Thank you if you’ve read this far! Feel free to share any advice—it’ll all be warmly welcomed.

Here’s a rough outline of the itinerary (I’d rather skip a night in Bangkok if needed):

· Saturday, February 6, 2027: departure (overnight flight) · Sunday, February 7, 2027: arrival at 3 PM, probably at the hotel by 6 PM, evening in Bangkok (overnight in Bangkok) · Monday, February 8, 2027: day in Bangkok (Wat Pho and a floating market?) (overnight in Bangkok) · Tuesday, February 9, 2027: travel to Koh Lanta or another island (flight to Phuket or Krabi?) (overnight on island "x") · Wednesday, February 10, 2027: beach and walks (overnight on island "x") · Thursday, February 11, 2027: beach and walks (overnight on island "x") · Friday, February 12, 2027: beach and walks (overnight on island "x") · Saturday, February 13, 2027: beach and walks (overnight on island "x") · Sunday, February 14, 2027: beach and walks (overnight on island "x") · Monday, February 15, 2027: travel to Khao Sok—nighttime excursion to Khao Sok (overnight in Khao Sok) · Tuesday, February 16, 2027: exploration and hike in Khao Sok (overnight in Khao Sok) · Wednesday, February 17, 2027: return trip to Bangkok (overnight in Bangkok) · Thursday, February 18, 2027: return flight to Paris at noon

Hi,

Wat Pho

You're only visiting Wat Pho when the even more major site of Wat Phra Kheo/Royal Palace is right nearby—was that a deliberate choice to keep it limited?

floating market?

You don’t specify which one, but honestly, the chance of finding a *real* floating market these days is slim to none. I’d skip the idea and spend my time on the two wats mentioned above + Wat Arun (across the river) + a stroll (just one "l" for a leisurely walk) through the khlongs of Thonburi (you can rent boats on the river west of the main entrance to Wat Phra Kheo). That’ll easily take up most of the day without rushing.

(night in Bangkok) · Thursday, February 18, 2027: return flight to Paris at 12 PM

Get to the airport *at least* 3 hours before your flight, not 2, and keep in mind that traffic is brutal from 6:30 AM to 10 AM. Try to stay near an Airport Rail Link station or even right by the airport.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I’ll keep that in mind! :)

Hello,

I’m planning a trip from February 6th to 18th, 2027, with my sister (we’re 47 and 50—time flies...). I’m eyeing a flight from Paris on February 6th that lands in Bangkok on February 7th at 3 PM, with a return from Bangkok on February 18th at noon.

That gives us 10 full days in Thailand. A bit short, but we’ll make it work. Personally, I’d save Bangkok for the return trip.

The idea is to give her a taste of Bangkok for 1 or 2 nights, then a few days on an island (but which one...),

For the "main" island, even after reading the *Guide du Routard*, I’m still undecided. It’s hard to find one that isn’t as crowded as the French Riviera in August: Koh Lanta? Khao Lak (though it’s not an island)? Koh Tao (I could maybe get my PADI there, but I’m worried she’d get bored, and it might be better to save that for a solo trip)? Koh Yao Yai (I’m afraid we’d get bored in the evenings)? What a dilemma!

February is peak season pretty much everywhere in the islands... I’ve been to the Thai islands several times—both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. I have a clear preference for the latter (from Phuket to Koh Lipe). In February 2019, we visited the islands in Tarutao National Park in the Andaman Sea. It’s way down south, about an hour by boat from Malaysia (Langkawi). The island with the most to offer for tourism in that area is Koh Lipe. It’s a fairly busy island but has several advantages: - For divers and snorkelers, I think this island and the surrounding islets have the best underwater scenery. - The beaches for relaxing and swimming are really beautiful. Some secluded coves (a 15-minute walk away) were very quiet, while the main beaches lined with bars and restaurants were livelier. For accommodation, you’ll find everything from simple rustic bungalows to luxury hotels tucked away in the greenery of a cove. - If you like going out, bars, restaurants, and various activities, the island’s center is lively in the evenings. - Different excursions, like diving trips (PADI courses) or picnics/hikes on nearby islets (Koh Adang, Koh Rawi, Koh Lek), are organized from every accommodation. Here’s a link with info on how to get there, what to do, etc.: https://voyagesautenteo.com/thailande/conseils/plages-sud/koh-lipe/

And I can’t help but dream of making her trek a bit through a tropical forest (guaranteed memories and laughs, though she’d curse me at the time) and showing her some karst landscapes.

The largest island in the marine park is Koh Tarutao (20 times the size of Koh Lipe), about 30 minutes by speedboat from Lipe. It’s almost deserted—no inhabitants except the park rangers. Near the dock, there’s a complex of simple but spacious and comfortable bungalows nestled in a coconut grove where a troop of monkeys roams, and at night, wild boars come to scavenge the leftovers from the only restaurant. On this island, you can hike through the jungle, stroll along miles of completely deserted beaches, rent a kayak to explore on your own, or arrange a guided trip with the rangers to paddle up a river to the crocodile cave. You can also rent bikes, but it’s hilly and hot to cross the island and visit the old prison. Or you can hire the park’s jeep service. When we went, out of about fifty tourists heading back to the mainland (Pak Bara), only three of us disembarked on Koh Tarutao. The bungalow complex (there are only two on the whole island) was only 20% full! Spending 2 nights on this island is definitely worth it. For longer, you’d need to love solitude. More info here: https://aurorevoyage.com/2018/01/14/thailande-pourquoi-se-rendre-a-koh-tarutao/

From Koh Lipe or Tarutao, you can reach Koh Lanta (for example) or Koh Muk (spend a night or two there) and many other islands, then take a speedboat to Phuket or Krabi and fly back to Bangkok...