There is a stretch of the Andaman Sea where the water turns a shade of green you will not quite believe until a long-tail boat is cutting through it, limestone karsts rising straight out of the shallows on every side. This is southern Thailand — Phuket, Krabi and the Phi Phi islands — and it is the reason so many first-time Gujarati travellers fall for Thailand and keep coming back. It is close (roughly a four-and-a-half-hour flight from Mumbai), it is famously good value, and the density of beaches, viewpoints and day-trip islands means you are never short of something to do. If you are still deciding which country to start with, weigh it up in our Thailand vs Bali vs Vietnam first-trip comparison before you book, and read our Thailand first-timer guide from Surat for the arrival basics.
Entry in 2026: Thailand is NOT visa-free — you need a visa plus the TDAC
Get this right first, because it trips a lot of people up. Thailand is not simple visa-free entry for Indian passport holders — you either take the Visa on Arrival at the airport or, better, arrange an e-visa online before you fly, and on top of that every traveller must now complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within three days of arrival. The TDAC replaced the old paper TM6 card and is compulsory even for infants, so fill it before you leave and keep the QR confirmation on your phone. The full step-by-step, with current fees and forms, sits in our Thailand travel guide from India, and when you are ready you can start your Thailand visa through our desk. It is also worth a glance at our travel advisory updates for Indian travellers for the latest entry notes before you fly.
Phuket & Phang Nga Bay: your base, the Old Town, the Big Buddha and James Bond Island
Phuket is the natural landing point — it has the international airport, the widest choice of hotels, and it works as a calm base if you avoid noisy Patong and stay around Kata, Karon or Kamala instead, where the beaches are broad and the sunsets are the event of the day. Give a morning to Phuket Old Town, whose Sino-Portuguese shophouses in pastel pinks and yellows are a genuine surprise, and drive up to the 45-metre marble Big Buddha for the island's best panorama. Then spend a full day north in Phang Nga Bay, where limestone towers erupt out of emerald water: the headline is Ko Tapu, the needle-thin rock nicknamed James Bond Island, but the real joy is sea-kayaking into the hidden lagoons and the stilt-village of Koh Panyee. It is a completely different landscape from the open beaches and well worth the day.
Krabi, Railay & the Phi Phi day trips to Maya Bay
A short ferry or a two-hour drive across the bay lands you in Krabi, which many travellers end up preferring to Phuket for its slower, more scenic feel. Ao Nang is the walkable beach-town base, and from its pier long-tails run to Railay — a peninsula cut off from the mainland by cliffs, reachable only by boat, with soft sand, world-class rock-climbing and the beautiful Phra Nang cave beach; this is also the launch point for the famous four-island snorkelling tour. From either Krabi or Phuket you can run a day trip to the Phi Phi islands, the postcard everyone comes for, where Maya Bay has reopened with rules — timed boat slots, a small fee and no swimming in the bay itself — so it is best done on an organised tour that knows the schedule. Go early, because by mid-morning the popular bays are busy, and Krabi's quiet pace makes it a firm favourite for couples on our honeymoon packages.
Island-hopping, when to go, a 5-6 day plan and costs
The three hubs are stitched together by ferries and speedboats — Phuket to Phi Phi is about two hours, Phuket to Krabi's Ao Nang runs by both boat and road, and most island day-trips leave early and return by late afternoon. The season matters enormously: the Andaman coast is at its best from November to April, when seas are calm and skies clear, while May to October brings the monsoon and some cancelled boat days. A relaxed route runs Phuket (2N) for the town, Big Buddha and a Phang Nga day, then Krabi/Ao Nang (2-3N) for Railay, the four islands and a Phi Phi day trip — five to six days in all. Because it is warm and dry exactly when north India is cold, Thailand's islands are a staple of our winter sun destinations from India list.
On cost, Thailand remains one of the best-value beach holidays going. Return flights from Mumbai or Ahmedabad typically run around 25,000-40,000 rupees depending on season and how early you book, comfortable three-star beach hotels sit around 3,000-6,000 rupees a night, and island day-tours run roughly 1,500-3,500 rupees per person including lunch, with street-food meals a few hundred rupees. All in, a mid-range six-day island trip lands comfortably around 70,000-1,10,000 rupees per person, which is why it stays the easiest first beach holiday abroad for Gujarati families.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thailand still visa-free for Indians in 2026? No — you need a Visa on Arrival or an e-visa, and separately you must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before you arrive; we can handle the visa for you.
Should we base ourselves in Phuket or Krabi? Do both if you can — Phuket for the airport, the Old Town and Phang Nga, then Krabi for Railay and a quieter beach; they are only a couple of hours apart.
Can you still visit Maya Bay? Yes, it has reopened with rules — timed slots, a small fee and no swimming in the bay itself — so visit on an organised tour that works to the schedule.
Ready to trade the office for a long-tail boat? Message our Surat team on WhatsApp or through the contact page and we will build your Phuket-Krabi-Phi Phi trip end to end — flights, island stays, day tours and the visa — so all you pack is sunscreen.
