Thailand beaches - Andaman Sea or Gulf of Thailand?

Here is the video

Tonight, I’m going to Sapporo, Japan.
I show this on a map of the world.
I’ll be flying from Thailand here, up to the northern most prefecture of Japan. It’s called Hokkaido.
It’s way up north by Russia’s Sakhalin Island.

Last week, I was on the beach in the south of Thailand, in the province of Krabi.
It’s a two-hour flight from here in Chiang Mai.
It’s on the west coast of Thailand, on the Andaman Sea. I show this on a separate map of Thailand.

Several people have asked me about beaches in Thailand.
When I think about beaches here, I consider my experience in Florida where I prefer to be on the ocean – the Atlantic Ocean.

The west coast of Florida is on the Gulf of Mexico.
It has beautiful white beaches with calm, shallow, warm waters.
The sunsets over the Gulf are very pretty.

The Atlantic side of Florida also has beautiful beaches.
But there’s this amazing energy that comes from the ocean. Lots of waves, and cooler, deeper water.
The early morning sunrises over the Atlantic are amazing.  

Next, I show a map of Thailand. I live up north in Chiang Mai.
For beach life here, I prefer southern Thailand, on the Andaman Sea.
It’s on the west side of the peninsula. The Gulf of Thailand is on the east side of the peninsula.
This peninsula is known as the Malay Peninsula since it sits on the northern stretch above Malaysia.

The Gulf of Thailand is similar in some ways to the Gulf of Mexico.
The water is generally calmer, warmer, and shallower.
The beaches here are wide, but the sea is often murkier.
Sunrises over the Gulf of Thailand are beautiful.
Popular destinations on the Gulf are Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Pattaya.

In Thailand, my preference is to be on the Andaman Sea.
Popular destinations there are Krabi, Phi Phi, Khao Lak, and Phuket.
The sea here has deeper, cooler, clearer water.
There are dramatic limestone cliffs on the mainland and across many islands.
Marine life is amazing, and diving and snorkeling are world-class.
Sunsets over the Andaman are spectacular. They remind me of California sunsets over the Pacific Ocean where I grew up.

So, for those of you who’ve been asking about beaches here in Thailand, I hope that helps with your planning as you explore Thailand.

Well, I need to finish packing. Our flight leaves Chiang Mai tonight at midnight.
We should land in Sapporo, Japan around 11:30 tomorrow morning. It’s an 8-hour flight that includes one stop in Taipei, Taiwan.
Sapporo has the best sushi in the world, and of course, the Sapporo Beer Garden, which I need to research.
Hokkaido is a wonderful territory to explore nature and outdoor life.

As Willie Nelson said, "On the road again – Going places that I've never been." 😎

Thank you for reading this blog or watching the video.
Peter

Here is the video