Thailand's Andaman coast is postcard stuff - turquoise water, limestone karsts erupting straight out of the sea. But the islands are spread out, so the trick is choosing bases that keep you on the beach, not in transit. Here's how we string the south together. If this is your first trip out of India, our South East Asia guide covers the visa position, how the flights work from your city and where the vegetarian food is.
Krabi for calm, Phuket for convenience
Krabi (around Ao Nang and Railay) is the quieter, more dramatic side - ringed by limestone cliffs, some beaches reachable only by longtail boat. Phuket has the flights, the buzz and the easiest logistics. A few nights in each gives you both the wild and the easy.
Phi Phi - but go early
The Phi Phi islands and Maya Bay are stunning and, by mid-morning, very busy. A private early-start speedboat gets you there before the day-tour armada - worth every baht. Go for the scenery and the snorkelling, and set your expectations for company.
Leave a slow day
Between island tours, keep one unhurried beach day. Thailand's best moments are usually the unplanned ones - a longtail at sunset, a plate of street-side pad thai, a foot massage by the sand. Don't schedule them away.
