Lets compare and contrast Islands!

Guest234878Guest15 February 2021 01:40:16

By now some of you are getting tired of me asking questions but this appears to be a chill site full of knowledgeable people.. Simply put I am in "Prep" mode and "Research" mode...Everything I ask is contingent upon Thailand opening up, so..

I have narrowed my search to 4 locations and I was hoping I could get your feedback on my selections. Not in any order and really may change after I get to Thailand and do my deep dive!

1- Koh Kood:
2-Koh Lanta:
3-Krabi:
4-:Ko Tao:

I am trying to stay away from the really busy tourist spots as I am not crazy about lots of people. Concerns. Cost of living, Activities including dive shops and dive sites. access to transportation. chill atmosphere.

Ok...Let me have it. Tell me your opinion and if I am being dumb please tell me!

Budget for rent is under 12,000 and not interested in all of the bells and whistles. I would rather live in a local neighborhood over a tourist area.I plan on staying 4-6 months.

Thank you,

Walt

JayEsCee Serial expat

Member since 27 August 2020

JayEsCeeSerial expat17 February 2021 01:47:47

243

A lot has changed since I've been to those places, but I do know them all.
Krabi was really touristy already by the time I took my wife there on New Year's 2014. So, I would imagine it got even more so until 2020 then who knows what covid did to it. The area more inland might be an option, but I would stay away from Ao Nang beach as it is very touristy.
Koh Tao is so isolated and difficult to get to and out of. It is beautiful (as is all 4 of the places you mentioned), but if you plan on staying there 4-6 months, it might be too isolated to stay refreshing for that long of time. For me, a week might maximum before I got stir crazy. I don't know about you.
Koh Lanta is in Krabi province off of the southern coast. It is an island that had nothing really there 20 years ago, but tourism brought development there. However, all the development centers around the tourism industry. Therefore, when tourism returns it will be filled with mostly tourists. When there is no tourism it would be a ghost island. Completely dead. Even places like Phuket are now pretty dead and Phuket is so much larger than Koh Lanta.
Koh Kood is another extremely isolated island south of Trat. It is closer to mainland Cambodia than it is to mainland Thailand. Again, nothing there 20 years ago, but has development all centered around tourism. So, when tourism returns it will be mostly tourists. When there is no tourism it will be pretty much dead. Not a place to go if you want to avoid tourism during tourist season and nothing there other times.
Best bet would be to live in Krabi province inland and away from Ao Nang.

thailand4me Serial expat

Member since 28 January 2015

thailand4meSerial expat17 February 2021 03:12:33

435

Why not consider Hua Hin, it’s 3 hours from Bangkok, has schools, hospitals, malls, and is quieter than most beach towns except for the weekends when the wealthy come down from Bangkok to play. King the 9 palace is there and that’s why I think it’s still a cozy little beach town. Good Luck to you. Patrick

JayEsCee Serial expat

Member since 27 August 2020

JayEsCeeSerial expat18 February 2021 09:20:53

243

Between Hua Hin and Cha-Am, I would prefer the latter. Hua Hin has King Rama IX's palace, but that only limits where you can walk on the beach. It doesn't stop the relatively large prostitution area visited by loads of drunks and bar girls. Cha-Am does have that 1 street of bars on Bus Street, but outside of that it is a pretty quiet Thai style beach town. For a half year visit, I would prefer Cha-Am over the other 5 places mentioned so far.