
The mainland of the Lower Gulf is less visited by tourists. The beaches here are largely undeveloped. If you are looking for more social beautiful beaches with nice hotels, other regions in Thailand or the islands in the Lower Gulf are better options. The beaches listed on the mainland are all of a good standard.
The mainland of the Lower Gulf is the place to go if you like secluded beaches and want to experience authentic Thai life. The southernmost part of the Lower Gulf is not safe to travel. Currently it is considered safe to go to Songkhla, but not further south.
It is a very different story for the islands in the Lower Gulf. Ko Samui has been a real tourist destination for years. It’s so well known that it’s hardly worth putting Ko Samui on the TreasureBeaches site, where you expect to find laid-back treasures. For this reason we skipped Ko Samui. The main beaches of Ko Phangan and Ko Tao are getting overcrowded, well on their way to following Ko Samui. However, there are beautiful bays here that are not too touristy, where it feels like you are in paradise.
A daily tidal cycle in the Gulf of Thailand means there is one high tide and one low tide each day. Depending on the time of year, one of these tides can last up to an entire beach day. You can check www.tide-forecast.com for tide information in different areas in Thailand.
November and December are the wettest months in the Lower Gulf. The best time to visit the Lower Gulf is from mid-January to early May. However, the months of May through August still receive less rainfall in this region than in most other regions, making these months a good alternative time to visit.