Hello Thailand experts!! I'd love some advice to some questions.
I'll be traveling in South Thailand for 18 days in February (Feb 6-24). I'm planning an itinerary that includes some adventures (scuba diving and snorkeling, hiking and exploring) and relaxing in the most beautiful places. I'd like a mix of vibrant places as well as quiet and peaceful.

We fly into Phuket on Feb 6 and then spend 2 nights in Khao Sok National Park in a floating bungalow - so that's the only part of the itinerary that is set.
I'm trying to determine next steps from there.

Question: I read that February is the Dry Season and one of the best months on the West (Andaman) Coast, but it's still the Wet Season on the (East) Gulf of Thailand. Is this true?
I've heard that the Full Moon Festival is something we shouldn't miss, which would mean going to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan instead. Or is it realistic to go both sides in that timeframe without wasting too much time traveling? I'd love to hear opinions about which will be the better choice!

potential Option 1:
Feb 9–12 - from Khao Sok National Park to Krabi, Ao Nang & Railay Beach (still determining best place to stay but sounds like these are easy to travel between daily?)
Feb 13–16- Koh Lanta
Feb 17–20: Koh Lipe OR Koh Yao Noi (recommendations?)
Feb 21-24: back to Phuket for final couple days

potential Option 2:
Feb 9–14 - from Khao Sok National Park to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (includds full moon festival on Feb 13)
Feb 15–18- travel to Koh Lanta or Ao Nang & Railay Beach
Feb 19–21: to Koh Lipe OR Koh Yao Noi
Feb 22-24: back to Phuket for final couple days

Thanks in advance for your expert advice!!

Hello,
I posted a request for itinerary feedback on December 3rd, and the question has over 200 views but zero responses. Was the question too confusing - or what am I doing wrong?
Thank you!
Stacey

Your two threads have been merged

My first guess is that nobody here has enough experience with Southern Thailand to know in-depth the various spots you are considering. I have a Thai friend who has told me that southern Thai cuisine is very different from northern, and that it is probably his favorite food in Asia. But he especially noted that Phuket city (not the beach) was the best place to explore the food.

Some of your questions can be answered by online search.

Weatherbase.com is a good source for weather questions or just Google place name + month + weather.

Transportation options & time it takes from one place to another: rome2rio.com
Not infallible but useful nonetheless.

A good guidebook might also help.

I think you need to ask specific questions rather than just canvassing general opinions. That way you may get more targeted responses.

I would hazard a guess, perhaps influenced by the comments re full moon parties, that you are under age 30? If so, fine head off to Koh Tao or Phan Nang and you will have a great time if hard partying is your thing . If over 30 then I suspect you may feel out of place.

I have been to all of the places you mention, some several times but that was a couple of decades ago before they started attracting mass tourism . Personally I have no inclination to return as it is just too busy . Some of the islands can still be quite and laid back. If that is what too are seeking then head over to travelfish.org which has lots of good info. Sorry to go on about age but bear in mind that many of the posters on this forum are 60+ and my have different travel styles and objectives.

Finally, do bear in mind that it takes a lot of time to get around , especially if island hopping, especial Koh Tao and the like. Changing location will generally waste half a day, sometimes a whole day

Thank you SO much for your reply!
We've decided to go to the Adaman Sea instead of Gulf, so Koh Tao and Phan Nang are outt!
Even TravelFish seems to include the most frequently mentioned islands of Ao Nang, Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe.
Do you have advice on less traveled islands that are beautiful we should visit?

You are welcome.
It is probably 15 years since we visited the islands off the Andaman coast so any suggestions I might have will be way out of date as tourism to the area has increased exponentially. Last time that way we travelled by rail and boat from island to island and ferry on the way down to Malaysia . I dont recall the name of many of the small islands (if indeed I knew them in the first place) but one that I do recall is Koh Libong which was very quiet and quite unspoilt (and according to Travelfish, still is.

Our nieces travelled that way visiting islands on both coasts on their gap year in spring this year. They in their 20s and are newly out of University and from following their instagram feed, they had a great time. For me it would be hell on earth being surrounded by partying backpackers. Great if that is what you seek but not for me!

"less traveled islands that are beautiful" beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For me a beach is a beach- sand and water and usually a few palm trees. For beautiful scenery I would say the area around Krabi and Koh Lanta have the karst scenery which is stunning but I have been for years . Even then it was mainly high end resorts so not cheap but great for relaxation. If looking to chill out, then I would say the resort/hotel is just as important at the location.

For the driest weather, stick to the Andaman Coast in February—it’s prime beach season!

I liked the south of Thailand more than the north. Visit some places less touristy than Phuket.

It's a bit late for the OP, but if anyone else stumbles across this in their research...

"I read that February is the dry season and one of the best months on the West (Andaman) Coast, but it's still the wet season on the (East) Gulf of Thailand. Is this true?"

Not really. February is on average the driest month of the year on Koh Samui and on the gulf mainland.
November is the wettest in that region.

If you happen to visit Krabi, I would recommend to try out the Jurassic World Adventure Tour. This activity tour visits all the main locations of the movie "Jurassic World Rebirth" which was filmed in Thailand.