2 Best Sights in The Gulf Coast Beaches, Thailand

The three small islands of Koh Nang Yuan lie close to Koh Tao. At high tide the islands, separated by shallow, translucent water, look like the endpoints of an obtuse triangle. At low tide the receding water exposes two narrow sandbars that connect the outer islands, which contain bungalows for overnight stays, to the central island, which has a lodge, a restaurant and beach bar, and a coffee shop. The islands are privately owned by the Nangyuan Island Dive Resort, and all visitors who wish to set foot on Koh Nang Yuan must shell out a small fee. Although many visitors opt to pay, others simply dock offshore to snorkel and dive the gorgeous waters surrounding the islands. To get here from Koh Tao, you can kayak from Sairee Beach or hire a longtail boat (B200 round-trip from Sairee) to ferry you here. The trip takes about 15 minutes—it works best to arrange your return with the same operator. While you are visiting, be sure to slip up to the viewpoint on the southern island to snap photos guaranteed to make your friends back home jealous.

The islands are busy throughout the day; it's best to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

This 52-island marine national park covers all of Koh Chang. It's mostly mountainous, and there are only a few beaches, the best of them along the western shore of the island. Haad Sai Khao (White Sand Beach) is the farthest north and the most developed. A few miles south is the more serene Haad Khlong Phrao, a long, curving stretch of pale golden sand. Nearby Haad Kai Bae is a mix of sand and pebbles. Still farther south is Haad Ta Nam (Lonely Beach), which is perhaps the most picturesque of all. But it's also the smallest one and therefore more crowded. In the southwest corner of the island is the fishing village Bang Bao, with restaurants, dive shops, and cheap bungalows. The east coast is beautiful, but it's mostly rugged rain forest, and beaches are in short supply.