A tiny island in a National Marine Park in the Andaman Sea in the very south west corner of Thailand, is where you find this little paradise island. Located in Thailand’s oldest National Marine park housing about 70 islands, and Koh Lipe (about 70km from mainland) is the only one that has been allowed private development. Getting there these days can’t be easier, as there are now boats from all directions, allowing visitors’ accesses both direct way from Thailand’s west coast and its internal airport Hat Yai, or from the north from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Trang. Also there are now daily boat crossing the board from Malaysia and its famous Island destination Langkawi.  

There are 3 main beaches on Koh Lipe, all with different feeling and views. Pattaya beach being the busiest, this horseshoe shaped bay with views out in to the adman sea is full of bar’s restaurant and resort’s. Sunrise is still much quitter but with much better view’s of smaller islands, it also has its advantages as it receives a cool breeze most of the year. Sunrise also boasts the best snorkeling strait off the beach with kilo meters of reef and several small islands to explore. 

Lipe turns at night into the ultimate chill out scene with the restaurants and bars setting up chairs and bamboo mats right on the beach, lit by candle light, and Bob Marley tunes wafting down the beach. Some of the must see place at night include Phoo’s Bar, in the centre of the island one of it’s long standing institutions, Karma Bar well renowned on the back packer scene and the relatively new Castaway restaurant and bar with its raised decks and stunning views. http://kohlipe.castaway-resorts.com/

Tarutau National Marine Park also has some of the best dive sites in all of Thailand, renowned for it’s  amazingly good visibility, huge hard and soft corals and numerous marine life species, thousands of colorful fish, moray eels, poisonous scorpion and lion fish, and even large 2 m. wide sting rays and it’s passing visitors such as whale sharks.  But even if you aren’t a diver just drifting along with a mask and snorkel is an amazing experience, and just so much to choose from. Reefs not to miss: the easily excisable reef off sunrise beach on Koh Lipe and the reef in front of the ranger station on Koh Ravi.

Koh Lipe offers an impressive variety of accommodation, ranging from the inexpensive back packer Bamboo Huts (Varin 2) to the chic and stunningly designed Castaway resorts who have this year added some stunning beach view bungalows that are two stories with amazing views that will fulfill any travelers dream.

Tips for Travelers:
* Arrive at Pak Bara before 11.30 if you are coming via Hat Yai.Â
* Taking the boat straight from Langkawi is only slighter more money, but the time it saves and the hassle free immigration is worth it.
* There are no ATM’s on the island so make sure you bring enough money for the time you anticipate to stay, and then double it as you’ll end up staying longer!
* Varin 2 on Sunrise beach has the newest and cheapest bamboo bungalow’s huts
* Castaway resorts offer the chicest accommodation http://kohlipe.castaway-resorts.com/