A Week in Thailand’s Andaman Sea

Thailand’s Andaman sea is a fantastic magical, place where dreams go to grow up and become even more grandiose fantasies. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got storm clouds providing a refreshing downpour or blue skies radiating above you, Thailand’s southern islands are sure to please.  This was my second trip to the Andaman (last February I stopped by for 10 days during the “high season”) and we spent most of our time on Koh Phi Phi.

Yes, I know.  Thailand is in the rainy season all summer and yes it rains almost every day BUT it only usually rains for a matter of minutes and then quickly clears up.  Our first day on the island was spent exploring and relaxing, so naturally, we went for a hike to the highest viewpoint and then kept going deeper into the jungle.  The trail gets a little messy but eventually we found ourselves at Rantee Beach and were forced to wait in paradise for a boat taxi back home instead of braving the trail again.

Check out this great 10 day Thailand Itinerary for another perspective on this beautiful country!

Our second day produced sea turtles and octopuses within reach as Brian and I honed our PADI diving skills.  Thailand has some of the best diving in the world and we experienced it in February while getting certified.  Unfortunately, the rainy season brings lower visibility and limits the dive spots available to us.  The good news was we spotted a stingray, Hawkbill sea turtle and many more exotic fish in spite of the crummy conditions. They did on the other hand convince us to forgo the second day of diving which led us to monkey beach!

This hike is one of the best viewpoints in Asia!

Kayaking out of Phi Phi’s beautiful long beach on a day full of scattered showers was a delight.  We arrived at the beach just in time to capsize in a downpour mere meters from the beach.  We tumbled laughing through the waves onto a private.  Reveling in the moment with warm water below and a cool rain above when suddenly a band of monkeys appeared on the beach!

The adventures continued on Phi Phi for another day but with so many showers we thought it prudent to head towards the mainland and lucked out with a full day of downpours aboard the ferry.  The great thing about southern Thailand is that the mainland is just as amazing as the middle of the sea.  A day in Ao Nang meant another longtail boat with a 7 island tour!

Ao Nang is on the mainland and connected by roads making it a great place for a car or motor bike rental.

I could go on for eons about how amazing Thailand is but instead I’m getting ready for 2 days of trekking in Chiang Mai!  Stay tuned for more and don’t forget to follow me at LiveTravelTeach on Instagram for updates.  🙂

Koh Lipe & Koh Lanta two other beautiful Thai islands! 

Are you traveling to Thailand?  Then you definitely need this guide for how to survive a long flight!