A week in Thailand encompasses two complete worlds. The Andaman Coast — Phuket, Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay — offers dramatic limestone topography, extraordinary marine environments, and a concentration of the country's finest luxury resorts. Cross to the Gulf of Thailand and Koh Samui brings a different register entirely: lusher, more intimate, with hillside resorts cascading down to secluded beaches and a reef-fringed marine park offshore that rivals anything in the Andaman.
Seven days allows you to experience both without compromise. This itinerary is calibrated for travellers who want genuine depth in their experiences — not a highlights reel, but a real encounter with Thailand at its most extraordinary.
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Fly into Phuket International Airport (HKT) and transfer directly to Amanpuri on Pansea Beach — the original Aman resort, opened in 1988, which established a standard of seclusion and understated luxury that defined the entire Aman philosophy. Your pavilion villa sits among coconut palms above the resort's private cove; the Andaman Sea fills the horizon.
Spend the afternoon of Day 1 settling in — the private beach, the extraordinary pool terrace, sunset cocktails at the main sala as the light turns gold over the water, and dinner at the Thai restaurant overlooking the sea. Day 2 belongs entirely to Phang Nga Bay.
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Day 1 PM
Arrive Amanpuri — Private Cove Afternoon The resort's beach is sheltered, calm, and impeccably quiet. The water is warmer here than the open ocean — swim, read, decompress from the journey.
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Day 1 Eve
Sunset Cocktails & Thai Restaurant Dinner The main sala catches the last light with particular beauty. Dinner in the lantern-lit pavilion above the sea — the massaman lamb and the grilled river prawn are exceptional.
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Day 2 Full
Phang Nga Bay — Private Longtail Boat Day James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) early, sea cave kayaking through the hongs, Koh Panyee floating village for lunch, emerald lagoon swimming in the afternoon. Return by 6pm.
The Phi Phi Islands — forty-five minutes by speedboat from Phuket's south coast — are among the most visually dramatic islands in Southeast Asia. Phi Phi Don, the larger inhabited island, rises in sheer limestone cliffs from the Andaman; Phi Phi Leh, uninhabited, contains Maya Bay and the extraordinary enclosed lagoon of Pileh.
A day trip here by private speedboat allows you to arrive at Maya Bay when it opens — the National Parks authority now operates a time-slot entry system to manage visitor numbers, and the water quality has recovered dramatically since the closure years. Snorkel in genuinely emerald water beside limestone walls that rise fifty metres above the surface. Pileh Lagoon, accessible only by small boat, is an enclosed emerald bowl that consistently astonishes first-time visitors. Viking Cave — where swiftlets' nests are harvested for bird's nest soup — is a more unusual and haunting stop.
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7:30 AM
Depart Phuket by Private Speedboat 45 minutes across the Andaman. Pack snorkelling gear, sunscreen, and a dry bag for camera equipment. The sea is typically calm November through April.
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Mid AM
Maya Bay — Snorkelling & Swimming The curved white beach enclosed by limestone cliffs. The national park entry system limits visitor numbers; the water quality is now exceptional. Snorkel the coral formations along the bay walls.
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Late AM
Pileh Lagoon An entirely enclosed green lagoon, accessible only through a narrow passage at water level. The colour of the water inside is extraordinary — a deep jade entirely unlike anything outside.
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Midday
Viking Cave & Lunch on Phi Phi Don The cave where swiftlet nests are harvested on bamboo scaffolding — a peculiar and ancient trade. Lunch at one of the beachfront restaurants on Long Beach.
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Afternoon
Return to Phuket & Dinner Back by 5pm. Dinner at Amanpuri's beach club or a table at Suay Restaurant in Old Phuket Town — one of the island's most creative Thai kitchens.
Your final full day in Phuket covers the island's cultural landmarks before a farewell evening at Amanpuri. Begin with a morning in Old Phuket Town — the Sino-Portuguese shophouses along Thalang Road and Soi Romanee are the finest surviving example of this colonial vernacular architecture in Thailand, their facades painted in muted greens and terracottas, ground-floor cafés spilling onto five-foot ways shaded from the sun.
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AM
Old Phuket Town & Chalong Temple Wander the shophouse streets before the midday heat. Chalong Temple (Wat Chalong) — Phuket's most important Buddhist temple complex — is a genuine centre of local religious life, not merely a tourist attraction.
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Midday
Big Buddha (Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakkiri) The 45-metre white marble statue on Nakkerd Hill commands panoramic views across southern Phuket — the two bays of Kata and Karon laid out below, the Andaman extending to the horizon. Morning mist sometimes lingers; the views are always worth the drive.
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Afternoon
Amanpuri Spa The standalone spa pavilions in the resort's forested hillside. Book a two-hour treatment — the Thai herbal compress massage is the house speciality and genuinely restorative.
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Evening
Farewell Dinner at Amanpuri A final meal on the terrace above the Andaman. Order the five-course tasting menu — it is the most considered expression of the kitchen's range.
Bangkok Airways operates several daily flights between Phuket (HKT) and Koh Samui (USM) — typically routing via Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, though direct seasonal flights occasionally operate. The aircraft is usually a small ATR 72 turboprop; the flight over the Gulf of Thailand offers a beautiful aerial perspective of the islands below. Flying time is approximately 1.5 hours direct or 3 hours via Bangkok.
Arriving at Koh Samui Airport — a charming open-air terminal of thatched roofs and palm trees that perfectly sets the island's tone — a resort transfer carries you northeast along the coast to the Four Seasons, perched on a hillside above Bang Rak Bay.
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Morning
Check Out Amanpuri & Transfer to HKT Late check-out subject to availability — confirm with the resort. A private transfer to the airport takes approximately 45 minutes.
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Flight
HKT → USM via Bangkok Airways Book the earliest available departure to maximise afternoon time at the Four Seasons. The ATR 72 offers window views over the Gulf islands that are genuinely lovely on a clear day.
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Afternoon
Arrive Four Seasons Koh Samui The villa's private plunge pool hangs over the hillside, the Gulf of Thailand spread below. Spend the afternoon horizontal. Dinner at Koh Restaurant — the finest table on the island, with exceptional seafood and a wine list that punches far above what you'd expect.
Ang Thong Marine National Park — forty-two islands scattered across 102 square kilometres of the Gulf of Thailand — is one of Southeast Asia's most pristine protected marine environments. The archipelago was the inspiration for Alex Garland's novel The Beach; the emerald lagoon at Koh Mae Ko (Thale Nai) is the specific landscape he had in mind when he wrote the opening descriptions.
A full-day boat trip from Koh Samui takes approximately 90 minutes to reach the park. The day combines snorkelling in clear water above healthy coral, kayaking through limestone caves and sea arches, and a hike to the panoramic viewpoint above Koh Wua Talap — from which the full sweep of the archipelago is visible, island after island stretching to the horizon in every direction.
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8:00 AM
Depart Koh Samui for Ang Thong 90-minute speedboat crossing. Pack sunscreen, a mask and snorkel if you have one, and sturdy footwear for the hike.
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Mid AM
Thale Nai Emerald Lagoon (Koh Mae Ko) The saltwater lagoon hidden inside the island — connected to the sea by underground passages but entirely still on the surface. The colour of the water is jade green. Access requires a short hike through the forest.
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Midday
Kayaking & Snorkelling Paddle through sea arches and into limestone cave systems at water level. The snorkelling off the park's outer reef is excellent — clear water and healthy coral.
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Afternoon
Viewpoint Hike on Koh Wua Talap A 20-minute steep hike to a panoramic platform above the archipelago. The view — forty-two islands stretching in every direction across turquoise water — is among the finest in Thailand.
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Evening
Return to Koh Samui Back by 5:30pm. Dinner at the resort or at Fisherman's Village Bophut — a strip of colonial shophouses on the north coast with excellent seafood restaurants.
Your final morning belongs to the quieter pleasures of Koh Samui. Fisherman's Village in Bophut, on the island's north coast, is a row of century-old Chinese shophouses converted into boutique shops, breakfast cafés, and seafood restaurants that open onto the beach. Arrive before 9am and the light is extraordinary — low, golden, falling across the whitewashed facades. Order a coffee at The Hut and take your time.
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Morning
Fisherman's Village, Bophut Colonial shophouses on the north coast — the best morning walk on the island. Fresh seafood breakfast at one of the terrace restaurants facing the beach.
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Mid AM
Na Muang Waterfalls Two waterfalls in the island's interior — Na Muang 1 and Na Muang 2 — accessible by a 30-minute drive inland. The lower falls pool is swimmable and almost entirely tourist-free before midday.
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Afternoon
Final Pool Afternoon at Four Seasons The plunge pool, the view, a long lunch on the villa deck. This is where you realise you need another week.
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Depart
Transfer to Koh Samui Airport (USM) Bangkok Airways connects Koh Samui to Bangkok and onward international connections. Allow extra time — the open-air terminal is charming but the check-in queues can be leisurely.
Practical Information
Getting between islands: Bangkok Airways operates the HKT–USM route multiple times daily, routing via Bangkok (BKK). Book both segments as a single itinerary. The baggage allowance on the Bangkok Airways Samui flights is generous — typically 20kg checked plus 7kg carry-on.
Private vs group transfers: Private transfers are strongly recommended throughout. The difference in comfort and convenience — especially after a long flight or a full day on the water — justifies the cost. Your hotels can arrange all transfers directly.
Reef-safe sunscreen: Both Phang Nga Bay and Ang Thong Marine National Park are protected marine areas. Use reef-safe sunscreen (mineral-based, no oxybenzone) throughout. Some parks now check at entry.
Currency: Thai Baht (THB). Cards are widely accepted at resorts and restaurants; carry cash for local markets, Old Town cafés, and longtail boat operators. ATMs at both airports and throughout both islands.