Todd: So I’m here in Bangkok with Jerri and she is Thai. And, Jerri, I thought we would talk about Thai islands.
Jerri: Of course.
Todd: So there are some major islands. Can you first talk about the major resort islands in Thailand?
Jerri: Yes. So as most of you know, Thailand is probably visited because of its islands. So the most well-known ones would be Phuket and Koh Samui, which are both down South in Surat Thani. And yeah, I think those are like the main destinations. They have changed quite a lot since the last 10 years. It’s quite developed, so it’s an island where, you know, if you really want like a very nice resort and have like a convenient place, like malls are everywhere. There’s also like international schools so a lot of people now move to live at Phuket or Koh Samui. It’s like a little Bangkok but by the beach.
Todd: Oh, really? Wow. And Phuket really developed quickly after the terrible tsunami, right? So it’s really rebounded and now it’s quite vibrant. Correct?
Jerri: Yes, yes, yes. Correct, yeah.
Todd: Okay. So both Samui and Phuket are the more traditional maybe tourist package islands.
Jerri: Yes.
Todd: Are there some smaller islands or less known islands that you would recommend?
Jerri: Yes. We have a lot of islands in Thailand. Just near Koh Samui, you have Koh Phangan, which is also known for its full moon party. That is the high season , but Koh Phangan is actually really nice apart from the full moon. If you visit the other less well-known beaches, Hat Rin, which is where the full moon party happens. There’s a lot of hidden beaches that is very quiet, very relaxed, and it’s not as developed as Koh Samui so you still feel that island lifestyle. There’s a lot of small businesses, local shops.
Todd: Oh, that sounds nice. You know, I actually have not been to Koh Phangan but I’ve been to Koh Tao. And that’s the diving island, correct?
Jerri: Yes, yes, yes.
Todd: Yeah. Can you talk about that?
Jerri: Yes, of course. So Koh Tao is known for its crystal clear water and corals for diving, so a lot of people go there to get their diving certificate. That’s actually the best place to do it. And you can spend like three days there, do the course, and then the island itself is also quite remote. So there’s a few stores, not as much as in Koh Phangan. But yeah, it’s nice and quiet, and…
Todd: Oh, that’s beautiful. There’s some other ones too, right? So there’s Koh Chang. Can you talk about that?
Jerri: Yes. Koh Chang is closer to Bangkok so you can drive there. It takes about five hours. It’s in Trat Province. Koh Chang is a big, big island. And yeah, some people like it, some people don’t, because it’s less vibrant , I would say, compared to like Koh S
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