There’s definitely an ongoing debate about what the best Thailand islands are for solo travelers (and travelers in general!). Not going to lie, when I first went to the southern Thailand islands four years ago, they were a lot different than they are now in 2019!

For example, many of the Thailand islands tours have evolved to using speedboats that take more people. Certain islands are unaccessable because the crowds were ruining the environment. Some islands have skyrocketed in popularity thanks to their eco-friendly efforts, and some have plummeted from their lack thereof.

But the facts remain that Thailand, especially its islands, are among some of the most beautiful in the world! And that it’s an absolute must solo travel bucket list destination!

So if you’re looking for an exotic, fun, cultural and affordable travel destination, check out my list of the best Thailand islands for solo travelers in 2019!

Thailand Islands Quick Facts and Tips:

• Currency Conversion: The Thai baht is at its highest with a conversion rate of 1 Thai baht = $0.033 USD
• Best months to go to the Thailand Islands are November through March. April-July are said to be the hottest, and trust me, it gets extremely HOT! July-October are also considered monsoon season, so you might want to avoid that. However, I went in the middle of September and it was sunny (and not crowded) most of the time!
• The cheapest way to get around to each island is typically by ferry. On the islands, the cheapest way to get around is by motorbike. Taxis are ridiculously overpriced.
• Bring eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen and mosquito repellent
• DO NOT bring any plastic (and try to avoid using single use plastic)
• DO NOT engage in any animal shows or activities such as elephant riding, snake shows, dolphin encounters, etc.

Best Thailand Islands: Koh Tao

This was my first time visiting Koh Tao and I have to say that I’m extremely impressed! For such a tiny island, there’s a surprisingly large amount of things to see and do! Both above AND below wate

It actually reminded me of a mini island version of Bali! Koh Tao makes my list of best Thailand islands not only for its gorgeous environment, incredible dive sites, and chill vibes, but also because of how eco-friendly the majority of its inhabitants are!

I had the opportunity to go diving four times while in Koh Tao with Big Blue Diving and it was pretty amazing! To be honest, it was my first time diving again after a year long hiatus following a panic attack I had under water in a cave . But the Big Blue Diving staff and dive masters coached me through my re-introduction to diving, and made sure I was Ok the entire time under water.

If you get anxiety diving, or want to learn how to dive but are afraid to, I would HIGHLY recommend going with Big Blue Diving! I’d also recommend them especially for solo travelers, if you want to meet other travelers/divers as well! Big Blue Diving Resort also provides accommodation for all budget ranges, from backpackers to “comfortable travelers” like myself.

You can stay right on the property then wake up and go diving each day! They also have a super chill beach front bar and restaurant for you to have a drink at, and indulge in some freshly caught seafood BBQ! Diving definitely takes up most of your time in Koh Tao, but if you have some free time, there’s A LOT of other awesome things.

Here’s a couple other cool things to do when you’re not driving:

• Shark Bay: We tried our luck at Shark Bay to try and see some black tip sharks but unfortunately didn’t have much luck. It was still worth it though for the views, fun rocks to climb, and warm water to swim in! To get there you just head south on the main road, and turn left where it says Q2 Restaurant. You’ll need to pay 50 baht (about $1.65) to rent a snorkel and mask, and 100 baht if you want to park your motorbike there. You’ll also need to give some sort of item-deposit like your motorbike or hotel room key, just make sure you don’t forget it! (We did and had to go all the way back for the hotel key).
• Freedom Beach: Freedom Beach is another great snorkeling area, and you can potentially see the black fin sharks and turtles here as well. The same pricing applies for the mask and snorkel, but they also charge 100 baht per person no matter what.
• Abandoned Hotel Lookout: We unfortunately didn’t have enough time to make it to the abandoned hotel hike, but it was high on my list! It apparently has an extremely steep and bumpy road to get up to it though. We were advised to ride the motorbike up as far as we can then walk the rest of the way up.

• Koh Nang Yuan Viewpoint: So I didn’t get to see the Koh Nang Yuan viewpoint from above, but I did dive near this little island right off the shores of Koh Tao! If you have enough time I’d suggest taking a water taxi there early (the earliest they told me they run is 9am…) to hike before it’s too hot, crowded, and the mosquitos come out!

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