As the film location for Danny Boyle's "The Beach," Koh Lipe is a tiny pocket of paradise situated just off the coast of Krabi, Thailand. Pristine beaches, shimmering coral reefs and hundreds of thousands of tropical fish surround the flat rock, and despite the island's claim to fame, it still boasts sparsely populated beaches and persistently perfect weather. During a Thailand tour, you can hop on a boat from Krabi or Malaysia's Langkawi island to get to Koh Lipe, which National Geographic has ranked as one of the best places to visit in 2012.
Koh Lipe 101
The island of Koh Lipe is located at the southern end of the Andaman Sea. As part of the Tarutao National Marine Park, the island is one of more than 70 protected rocks and is famous for its amazing diving and snorkeling sites. Similar to most other Tropic of Cancer locales, Koh Lipe has only two seasons during the year: wet and dry. Monsoon season starts toward the end of May while the dry season starts sometime in November. Temperatures remain a consistent 70-80 degrees and while it can get humid, the beach is always there to relieve you from the mild heat.
Into the sea
The island has three main beaches: Sunrise, Sunset and Pattaya. The largest and most popular of all three, Pattaya is a sheltered bay with incredibly clear waters. In the shallows, you can throw on a snorkel and wade through schools of rare tropical fish rarely seen outside of the area. You could even charter a boat to go scuba diving at a relatively reasonable cost, and with a guide on-hand, you'll have the chance to swim through the best spots on the island. Although it gets busy during the high summer season, you can easily walk to Sunset or Sunrise beaches, which are located just 15 minutes away.
If you're thinking about taking a tour of Thailand during monsoon season, Sunrise beach is protected from the worst of the wet season. Smaller than Pattaya, this little bay also has spectacular snorkeling just off shore - perfect for families with young kids who're just gaining their sea legs.
