The beaches of southern Thailand are relatively notorious for the crowds and parties that take place on pristine beaches and for good reason. The beaches south of Bangkok are stunning and attract a lot of people looking to unwind with a cheap Thai beer in each hand and perfect white sand between their toes. Just off of Phuket you can find all of these beaches and islands if this is that party you’re looking for.

But if you’re looking for something in the area with less people, secluded swimming, and shaded relaxation, we suggest you look to the islands off of Trang Province. Koh Mook and Koh Kradan are spectacular choices and, as we’ve already highlighted the former, we’ll give a nod to Koh Kradan as well. The beaches on both were pretty amazing, but Koh Kradan offers the better snorkeling between the two.

Enjoying the beach, our private hut on the water, hammocks between palm trees, and surprisingly good food; we settled into the island life and really set our minds on enjoying the calm that is rarely experienced outside of staring across large waters. The level of relaxation that we experienced was extraordinary. We lounged, ate, swam, and snorkeled to our heart’s content. And the snorkeling, although not the best we’ve ever experienced, was only 50-75 yards off the beach. The place we stayed offered free snorkels and masks and we spent a good two hours just kicking around with our butts in the air. With the seclusion of Koh Kradan, we were essentially alone for the whole time; the ocean and reef to ourselves.

The one downside, as you most likely shuddered at in the video, was the terrifying number of sea urchins we stumbled across. every few minutes we would find a colony that we unconsciously had been swimming toward until that little panic bean inside your brain says “Hey, aren’t those the spiked death balls we agreed to avoid?” Yes, brain. Yes they are. There were some close calls and funny swimming required because I didn’t feel safe putting my arms out to the side for each stroke. Still, worth it.

Koh Kradan was amazing. We enjoyed every second we were lucky enough to have on the island and suggest anyone who finds themselves in that area give it a shot. The beach is easily the longest I’ve ever been on and you can spend a good 45 minutes walking from one end to the other. While we only had about 24 hours on Koh Kradan, we will certainly know to dedicate more time to this remote paradise the next time we are in Southern Thailand.

Ryan