Tachai Island Similan: The Virgin Island in Thailand

Tachai Island Similan: The Virgin Island in Thailand

Where is this Virgin Island in Thailand? A few years ago, I met Torphong the owner of LoveAndaman.com in Bangkok at Thai Airways Bloggers event. He told me of this beautiful island with white powder like sands in Similan. The island is called Tachai Island and it is very popular among the locals and not exposed to foreigners yet. LoveAndaman is one of the few licensed tour operators to this island.

A year after that, I decided to visit Tachai Island or Ko Tachai during one of my assignment with Tourism Authority of Thailand. The island is located at the north of Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea and it is near a small coastal town called Khao Lak (in Phang Nga province in Southern Thailand).

Like Tachai Island, Khao Lak is a quiet beach town only known to Thais and Europeans and it was the biggest hit during the 2004 tsunami. The town was rebuilt to dozens of serene and quiet resorts. Khao Lak is easily accessible with car and it is less than two hour drive from Phuket International Airport. Most resorts in Khao Lak offer airport transfer but do check with them. We stayed in Ramada Khao Lak and the award winning Casa de La Flora Resort.

Tachai is not as popular like other islands such as Ko Lipe, Phuket, Ko Samui or Ko Phangan to tourists. It is very popular with locals and one of the top destinations for locals.

Tachai Island is 50km off the coast and it is located in between Surin Island and Similan Island in Andaman Sea.

If you think Ko Lipe is beautiful well Tachai will blow your mind away. LoveAndaman team will pick you up from your hotel with a van (please do check with them when you book) and you will depart from Khao Lak Jetty. Please take note that LoveAndaman is a professional premium travel company so you get welcome drinks and snacks in the jetty.

They only use high speed boat and they have limit on passengers so you won’t get overcrowded. Professionalism is the motto of LoveAndaman and they will do their best to take care of their customers.

Basically the Tachai Island tour is a day trip and you can’t overnight on the island. The Mu Ko Similan National Park is protecting the island from over commercialised so strict rules are applied.

The LoveAndaman package inclusive of snorkelling (inclusive of gears), tea break with food and drinks and lunch on the island. There are life vest on board and most of the gears including the cruise are pretty new and clean!

People named it the Virgin Island because it is still clean, untouched and pristine. The locals love this place as it is not commercialised as other popular islands and it is beautiful. This is the REAL Maldives of Thailand, not Ko Lipe in our opinion.

The colour of the water here is navy blue as in the picture. The water wasn’t that clear that day and as it was the last day of the season. There is a period of time for the island to open for public as the authorities will close the island on monsoon season.

The island is usually closed from mid June to mid October every year due to the monsoon season.

There will be guides monitoring during the snorkelling time. If you are not into snorkelling, you can chill on the beach.

After the snorkelling session, everyone chills on the beach. You can still take the snorkel gear if you want.

On the island, there is a resting area, eating area, toilet and also a small little forest for you to explore.

The authorities disallowed cooking on the island so tour operators are not allowed to cook so they can only bring the packed food.

Unlike the usual island hopping tours serving cheap packed food, LoveAndaman offered premium lunch box and you can refill the food especially the meat balls and the prawns.

There is also a mini jungle trekking session of 30 to 45 minutes. It is small jungle trekking and you get to see some of the plants and inhabitants of the islands such as crabs, bats and lizards.

Back to the beach, it is only about chilling and relaxing here. You can sunbath, suntanned, swim or walk around.

We know many Asians are not big fan of sunbathing but this is the way of enjoying the beach.

The sand is powder like and it is white in colour. It is hard to describe but you can tell from the picture.

The sky was extremely blue and this place is great for photography. The view is spectacular even under the hot sun.

The tour ends on late afternoon. Everyone will move back to the speed boat and all the remaining food and rubbish will be moved back to the mainland. The local operators here are very professional, keeping the island clean and to create a healthy tourism.

Since last year, the local authorities have tried imposed new rules to restrict visitors to the island soon. Currently, they are in talks to impose the new rules with tour operators.  It is the proper way in tourism, preserving and maintaining nature for tourism.

Only selected tour companies are allowed for Tachai Island and the best so far is LoveAndaman.com. It is not because they sponsor our trip but it is simply the fact. When you reached the jetty, there will be drinks and ice cream served too and it is free of charge and included in the package.

This is our second time travelled with LoveAndaman.com as we travelled with them to Maiton Island of Phuket.

They are highly recommended as they are reliable and professional. They limit the number of visitors per boat and they offer good food for lunches. Expect five stars in terms of service and quality with Love Andaman. Book your trip to Koh Tachai with LoveAndaman.com

Tachai Island is Thailand’s best kept secret. You can call it the Virgin Island or you can call it the Maldives Island of Thailand. If you are the beach goer and lover, Tachai Island is the must visit island in Thailand and Asia!