Koh Lidi Yai

Ko Lidi Yai is the larger of a pair of islands — Ko Lidi Yai and Ko Lidi Lek — inside Mu Ko Phetra National Park, a 30-island marine park in Satun province’s stretch of the Andaman Sea, between Trang and the mainland gateway of Pak Bara. It sits roughly 10 km from Pak Bara Pier and 5 km from the park’s mainland office, reached by chartered longtail boat since there’s no scheduled ferry service.

The island is uninhabited, with a white sand beach, a fringing reef, and low limestone cliffs typical of this stretch of coast. Snorkeling is decent close to shore, and the wider park is set up more for kayaking and beach camping than for day-tripping — several of Mu Ko Phetra’s islands, Ko Lidi among them, allow overnight camping on the sand, which is unusual for a Thai marine park and worth planning around if you want more than a few hours here. There’s no accommodation, shop or fresh water on the island, so a day trip means bringing everything you need, and camping means bringing considerably more.

Because Mu Ko Phetra draws far fewer visitors than Tarutao or Koh Lipe further south, boats here are chartered rather than scheduled, at roughly 800-1,600 THB per day depending on the operator and how many islands are on the route. That also means the park’s entrance fee isn’t always collected in person on the outer islands — budget for it anyway, since a ranger boat can and does check permits.

The wider park spans about 30 islands between Trang and Satun, with an open-water character that’s noticeably less developed than the marine parks further south — a proposed deepwater seaport near Pak Bara has been a long-running point of contention for a park this undeveloped, so don’t expect the infrastructure of Tarutao’s main pier. Ko Lidi Yai’s low limestone cliffs shelter a few small caves worth a look at low tide, though there are no marked trails — this is a beach-and-water island, not a hiking one.

Watch out: There’s no fresh water or shelter on the island — bring more water than you think you’ll need, especially for a camping trip, and check weather with the park office before a crossing during the tail end of the rainy season.

Insider Tip: Combine Ko Lidi Yai with a kayak rental from Pak Bara to explore the channel between Ko Lidi Yai and Ko Lidi Lek at your own pace rather than a fixed boat-tour schedule.