Though no undiscovered tropical utopia, the Trang Islands are a notch up in tranquility from nearby Ko Lanta, Ko Phi-Phi or Phuket. Getting here requires more commitment than jetting into Phuket or Krabi, but even before arriving, you’ll spot those sparkly white sands and know it’s absolutely worth the effort.
Just 16km southwest of mainland Pak Meng, road-free Ko Ngai (also called Ko Hai) is a tiny, semi-wild stunner. It's deservedly Trang’s most popular island, a particular hit with families and loved-up couples, but even so there's still just a murmur of development rather than a roar. No permanent population lives here; there are just a sprinkling of low-key, upper-midrange resorts to enjoy.
Ko Ngai’s vibe is understated, dishevelled beach chic with 24-hour electricity (yes, and wi-fi). The shimmering aquamarine waters off its main strand conceal coral reefs worth exploring; island dive centres, including Laytrang Diving, run day dives (from 1300B) or you can jump aboard local snorkelling trips (from 600B).
Stay: Coco Cottage offers sea-view bungalows and a beachy restaurant-bar where luscious sundowners and Thai/fusion dishes are served.
Ko Muk is the easy-breezy Trang Island sibling, where budget accommodation lures packs of young independent travellers, package deals abound and day-trippers whizz across from Ko Lanta.
These aren’t Trang’s most pristine waters, but Ko Muk’s mountainous tangle of jungle, rubber trees and snow-white beaches make for gorgeous views and fun-filled adventures. Most budgeteers wind up on beautiful southwest-coast Hat Farang (Charlie’s Beach). Upmarket Hat Sivalai’s slender sandbar juts out on eastern Ko Muk, while Hat Lodung, just west, has an earthier, less touristy feel.
Ko Muk’s star attraction is Tham Morakot (Emerald Cave). Paddle through a long limestone tunnel into this west-coast hôrng (semi-submerged island cave) to find a tiny white beach. You can beat the tour crowds by popping over with kayaks (300B) or a chartered long-tail (from 800B) for daybreak or late afternoon.
Stay: Splash out on luxe Sivalai or keep it simple at friendly, informative, family-run Koh Mook Garden Resort on Hat Lodung.
Palm trees sway on Ko Sukorn Ⓒ Ben Davies / Getty Images)
Ko Sukorn
Ditch the well-trodden trail and savour working southern island life on Ko Sukorn. Quiet and refreshingly authentic, Sukorn is Trang’s least visited island. Sitting 40km southeast of Ko Kradan, it’s distant and distinctive, home to a 2600-strong Muslim population.
Sure, Sukorn’s gold-brown beaches and glittering-green sea don’t match Ko Kradan’s tropical-idyll perfection, but they’re just as delightful and blissfully less busy.
Thin concrete roads circle the island’s hilly 8km expanse, which mean easy explorations. Hire a motorbike (200B) and roam past humble stilted villages, rice paddies, watermelon plantations and chomping water buffalo – now this is southern Thailand. You can expect smiles, waves and curiosity from the islanders.
Resorts congregate on Sukorn’s lengthy southwest-coast beach. You might just catch the sun blaze hot pink and ultra-orange here, as it sinks between outlying karst islets.
Stay: Enjoy smart poolside bungalows and excellent Thai fare at Yataa Island Resort.
The sun sinks into the Andaman Sea, Ko Kradan Ⓒ Andrew Brannan / Lonely Planet
Ko Kradan, southwest of Ko Muk, tops the Trang Islands beauty chart. Partly protected by Hat Chao Mai National Park, this softly sloping roadless island pulls in families and couples. A white powdery beach lines the east coast, fringed by limestone spires that rise from the sparkly seas.
Beach addicts will love this slinky 1.5km strand, but some sections get crowded with lunching day-trippers. If you wander 400m inland from the southern end to (signposted) Paradise Lost, you’ll join jungle trails that unveil more secluded sands. A 10-minute walk leads to good snorkelling off Hat South. A second path winds to wild, magical Hat Sunset, with its rocky panorama and fiery sunsets.
Stay: Jungle-based Paradise Lost offers rickety bungalows plus delicious Thai cooking. Seven Seas Resort is Kradan’s boutique beach choice.
Colours shift as you venture southeast from Ko Muk or Ko Kradan to rugged Ko Libong. Cloaked in mangroves, rubber-tree plantations and skinny dark-gold beaches, Trang’s largest island sees fewer visitors than its white-sand neighbours but it's easy to access: a 30-minute long-tail ride from mainland Hat Yao.
Libong is an island for nature lovers, famous for its migrating birds and approximately 100 endangered resident dugong. Your best bet for sighting these magnificent local inhabitants are naturalist-led dugong- and bird-spotting tours (1000B to 1500B), organised by most west-coast resorts.
Stay: Choose between budget shacks and stylish wood-and-thatch bungalows at Libong Beach Resort (libong-beach.com)
