My family and I have just returned from a week-long trip to Koh Lipe, a small island situated in the Andaman Sea, near Malaysia in the southern part of Thailand. I’ve visited many islands in Thailand, but I’ve always wanted to go to Koh Lipe. We hadn’t visited before because we have children, and the journey is a bit more involved than to most other islands. We waited until they were a bit older before finally making the trip.
Getting There
Firstly, we spent two nights in Bangkok because the kids love it; there is plenty for them to do. On the second night, we stayed at the Amari Don Muang and caught our 7 a.m. flight, which took approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes to Hat Yai. From there, it was a 90-minute taxi ride to Satun Pier, followed by a boat trip to Koh Lipe. The boat ride lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes (more details on this later).
Sunrise Beach
We stayed at the Bulow Casa Grande on Sunrise Beach, and the beach is absolutely stunning. I’ve visited many beaches in Thailand, but this one was particularly exceptional. It features perfect white sand and crystal-clear water, and you can snorkel directly from the beach. The food and drinks at the hotel were excellent, and next door there was a super cool, laid-back, hippie-style bar called the Zodiac.
The Island in General
Koh Lipe remains authentic and uncommercial in every way. The streets are narrow, and the only means of transportation are motorbikes and sidecars. There are still numerous shanty houses where local families live, along with many authentic seafood restaurants and friendly, smiling Thai locals. I happened to read a few hotel reviews and was surprised to see complaints about road maintenance and the shanty villages near the hotels. For me, this was a huge plus, as it kept the island feeling undeveloped and genuine. Authenticity is the word I keep returning to.
Unlike Phuket, there was no rubbish in the sea, and the water everywhere was stunningly clear and vibrant. Our boat trip was fantastic; we saw plenty of wildlife, including rays. Both the sunrises and sunsets were also major highlights of the trip.
Negatives
The main negative I can share concerns other hotel guests. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the food was excellent. However, on several occasions, I saw rude guests complaining about trivial matters—such as food not being served all at once, a shortage of snorkels, or not having an assigned sunlounger. It was quite embarrassing and made me realize how fortunate I am to have experienced life in Thailand.
This also leads me to comment on the negativity found online. It seems to be widespread, and I can’t help but wonder what is causing it. Is it simply that people have become more entitled these days? I recently responded to a forum post praising Hua Hin as a great place to live, in an effort to encourage more people to consider moving there. I was met with a barrage of insults and was called a moron—apparently, I was contributing to the problem of too many expats coming to Hua Hin and Thailand. We are incredibly lucky to call this place home, so I find the amount of negativity expressed by some expats here truly baffling.
Another thing to be prepared for is the boat ride to Koh Lipe. Options are limited, and we were packed onto the boat like sardines. It also made a few stops at other islands along the way, which extended the journey. The return trip was about 45 minutes shorter. Despite this, the trip is absolutely worth it for four nights in paradise.
