Hilly and mountainous, covered mainly in rain forests. The land is rich in mineral deposits. This area also receives the most annual rainfall.
Lush tropical islands, palm-fringed beaches, coral reefs with colourful marine life, picturesque fishing villages with distinctive hand painted boats, remote national parks, forested mountains, waterfalls, historic cities, rubber estates, scenic wildlife sanctuaries, the combination of temples and mosques clearly define the region's visual appeal. Geographically, southern Thailand extends through the Kra Isthmus from Chumphon, 460 kilometres south of Bangkok, to the Thai-Malaysian border, and is bordered in the east by the Gulf of Thailand, to the west by the Indian Ocean.
The south of Thailand is most famous for the many tourist beach and island resorts like the island of Phuket. The provinces of Phang-Nga and Krabi also house many attractive hotels and resorts. Thai people are certainly good at is building attractive accommodation.
Koh Samui is a very popular destination with its many scenic beaches. It is off the coast of Surat Thani province. You can fly to the island with Bangkok Airways.

	Most of these islands invariable offer diving courses and facilities, i did my advanced PADI scuba diving course around the beautiful bays and emerald waters of Koh Tao.

Koh Samui

Samui Island is located in the Gulf of Thailand 20km from the Thai mainland and about 600km south of Bangkok. It is Thailand's third largest island and covers an area of 247 square km.
In recent years tourism has increased significantly, but for most of the island's inhabitants the coconut is still the mainstay of the economy. The island has some magnificent scenery, excellent facilities and has attained an almost legendary status with Asian travellers.
The best time to visit Samui is from February to June when the weather is hot and dry. July brings the rainy season which lasts until October, but there is still plenty of sunshine between the showers. From October to January there are sometimes heavy winds.
For an even more relaxed pace, nearby Koh Tao, may be the place to visit.

Samui has some of the best beaches in Thailand with excellent facilities for swimming and water sports. Chaweng on the east side of Samui is the islands longest beach and a good place to go wind surfing. A little further south is Lamai which has plenty of accommodation and good facilities. At the north-east corner of the island is Choeng Mon Beach. You will also find numerous little bays and coves all around Samui.
The town Chaweng and Lamai beach resorts are the place for night owls. Here you will find bars and discos which stay open until the early hours.

Samui has a couple of temples worth visiting, Wat Plai Laem and the Temple of the Big Buddha Wat Phra Yai located at the end of a causeway at the north-east corner of the island. Big Buddha sitting 12 meters tall was built in 1972 by the local society to give visitors a place to pay respect to The Lord Buddha. Big Buddha silhouette at sunset, before it was modified with the boat and big wheel. In front of the temple is a cluster of shops and food stalls catering to bus loads of tourists and day-tripping Thais.
18 armed Buddha at Wat Plai Laem Koh Samui

If you like waterfalls Hid Lad is 3km from the port of Nathon, or you could visit the more scenic Na Muang which is in the centre of the island. There are several small islands which you can explore, all within easy reach of Samui. Koh Phangan, Koh Tae and Koh Tao.

Well worth a visit is The Jungle Club set in a coconut plantation overhanging the bay of Chaweng with breathtaking panoramic view over the Gulf of Siam. The Jungle Club is often described as one of Samui’s best kept secrets. An experience not to be missed! Located between Chaweng and Lamai. They have accommodation, bar, food and a wonderful pool, the small off road track to the Club is best by 4x4.

The Grandmother and Grandfather rocks on the south end of Lamai beach are an occasional source of amusement for tourists due to their striking similarity to a vagina and penis.
	For those who would like to hear a legend or two surrounding the rocks, they need only ask a local.

Phuket

Located in the Andaman Sea 885km from Bangkok, the Pearl of the South, is Thailand's largest island covering some 810 square km. Tropical vegetation, long sandy beaches, limestone cliffs and forested hills make Phuket a magnificent holiday resort.
The tourist industry on Phuket is well developed, much more so than Koh Samui, and there is plenty to do and see. Development has generally been well thought out so the natural beauty of the island has not been spoiled and you can still find some secluded areas.

	Those who like to party until the early hours are likely to make Patong Beach their first port of call. Here you will find plenty of night clubs, bars and discos. If Patong is not to your liking then Kata Beach also has a number of clubs and bars. Other beach resorts are more laid back than Patong or Kata but you will usually find somewhere to wile away the evening.
Phuket Town has a good selection of bars and coffee shops which stay open until late, you will find a number of medium sized department stores. paintings, silk, jewellery and a host of other things can be found in shops around the town.

About 20km north of Phuket Town is Ton Sai National Park which has a picturesque waterfall. For the energetic a walk up Phuket Hill, to the south-west of town, is rewarded with a fine view of the city. Phuket Aquarium is at the south of the island.
A little further a field is Phangnga Bay, which has white sandy beaches, offshore islands and caves to explore.
There are several islands within easy reach of Phuket, most popular of which are Koh Phi Phi and the Similan Islands.
Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving are some of the most popular activities for the island's visitors, many of the beaches have wind surfing facilities and water scooters. Phuket has good facilities for those who enjoy golf and plenty of gyms for the keep fit enthusiast. Charter boats are available for those keen to try their hand at deep sea fishing.

koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi

Koh Lanta National Park is a group of 10 islands located 80km south of Krabi. The islands have some excellent white sand beaches the best located on Koh Lanta Yai and several have shallow water coral reefs.

The islands of Koh Phi Phi Le and Koh Phi Phi Don are 40km from Krabi and about the same distance from Phuket. They feature limestone cliffs surrounded by beautiful curved bays and emerald waters. The marine park is home to some perfect coral formations.

Krabi

Krabi, which sits on the banks of the Krabi River, is located 180km by road from Phuket town and almost 1000km from Bangkok. The area around Krabi was discovered by tourists about 10 years ago, but it has not suffered from excessive development and remains unspoiled.
About 17km from Krabi town is the village of Ao Nang which has a good selection of accommodation for those wishing to stay near the local beaches. Best time to visit is between November and April when the climate is at it's best. During the monsoon season, when the seas are high, tour boats do not sail to the offshore islands.

National Parks

Phetra National Park

The park encompasses a group of islands off the south-west coast and offers beaches, coral reefs and rain forests. Turatao island has an outdoor museum and an aquarium. The visitors centre is located at Pak Bara.

Hat Nai Yank National Park

The park HQ is 1½km from Phuket airport. Turtles nest in this marine park from November to February.

Phang Nga Bay National Park

Probable one of the most photographed spots in Thailand, Phangnga Bay was made famous by the James Bond movie Man with a Golden Gun. Forested limestone pillars rise out of the sea like inverted mountains, while Tham Lot Caves provide plenty of scope for adventure.
The offshore islands of Koh Thalu and Koh Tapu are major attractions, where small boats pass under magnificent natural rock formations.
The park is located 96km by road from Phuket Town and can be reached by tour bus or boat. Most hotels will be able to arrange day trips.

Koh Panyee is a small island. Most of it is huge, almost vertical, limestone cliffs. The hundreds of huts, shacks, restaurants and houses where the villagers live are built on stilts over the surrounding shallow sea. No one seems quite sure how many wooden and concrete piles hold up this extraordinary community, but it is certainly a fascinating and unique feat of informal engineering.
	At first, fishing was the sole industry for this Muslim community but nowadays half the locals service the tourism industry and the remaining are fisherman. The village has its own school, a mosque, a health center, lots of small souvenir shops and a handful of large restaurants, all facing the sea, where tourists can enjoy a fresh seafood lunch

Thaleban National Park

Located 90km south of Had Yai almost on the border with Malaysia. The parks beautiful unspoiled forests support a great variety of wildlife.