Koh Lipe is the best island in Thailand!
There, we officially declared it. The secret’s out…
We’ve been visiting Thailand for over a decade, trying out many islands along the way, but each time we keep circling back to Koh Lipe.
Why?
Koh Lipe still has those crystal clear tropical waters you associate with Thailand – surrounded by healthy coral. So you can literally wake up, go to the beach, put your head in the water and see Nemo swimming about around you! It was like this when we first visited many years ago and has remained this way on our recent visit.
We used to think the same about Phuket, Koh Tao and Koh Phi Phi, but over time they quickly became built up, super touristy and overcrowded. Not gay Koh Lipe! We put this down to the fact that it’s quite remote and rather complicated to reach: first, you need to fly to Hat Yai airport in South Thailand, then drive over to Pak Bara port (around 2 hours) to then take a 2-hour speedboat to Koh Lipe…Let’s just say this is enough to put off the large crowds of packaged tourists.
Don’t get us wrong. Koh Lipe is developed enough to have plenty of restaurants, hotels, bars and shops, but it’s a controlled growth, helped by the fact that it is part of the group of Tarutao National Marine Park islands. We’ve put together our love for Lipe in this detailed gay guide to include the best gay friendly resorts, bars, practical tips and more.
How Friendly is Gay Koh Lipe?
Koh Lipe is very gay friendly! We met many more other gay travellers here than we did on most of the other Thai islands, plus the Thai locals are super friendly and accepting. Even if they don’t approve, unlike other places in the world, they would never outwardly express this in front of you.