Best eSIM Travel Best eSIM for Thailand Islands Not on the Tourist Trail
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Beyond Koh Samui and Phuket, Thailand has dozens of beautiful, less-visited islands. Here’s the connectivity guide for the archipelago beyond the tourist trail.
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Thailand’s Quieter Islands — Coverage
| Island | Region | Coverage | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Chang | Eastern (near Cambodia) | Very good | Large, forested, waterfalls |
| Koh Kood (Kut) | Eastern | Good | Very quiet, pristine |
| Koh Mak | Eastern | Fair | Tiny, peaceful |
| Koh Lanta | Andaman (south) | Good | Long-term travellers |
| Koh Lipe | Andaman (far south) | Fair-Good | Near Malaysia |
| Koh Phayam | Andaman | Fair | Backpacker island |
| Koh Yao Noi/Yao Yai | Near Phuket | Good | Traditional Muslim villages |
| Koh Muk | Andaman | Fair | Emerald Cave |
| Koh Libong | Andaman | Poor | Dugong sanctuary |
| Koh Ngai | Andaman | Fair | Small, quiet |
Koh Chang — Thailand’s Second Largest Island
Koh Chang is large enough to have good infrastructure:
- White Sand Beach (main tourist area): Very good — 30-45 Mbps
- Klong Prao Beach: Good — 25-40 Mbps
- Lonely Beach: Good
- Interior waterfalls (Klong Plu): Fair — 10-20 Mbps
- East coast (very quiet): Fair-poor
Koh Lanta — Long-Stay Favourite
Koh Lanta attracts slower travellers and remote workers:
- Lanta Old Town: Good — 25-35 Mbps
- Main Long Beach: Good — 25-40 Mbps
- Klong Nin (mid-island): Good
- Kantiang Bay (south): Fair — 15-25 Mbps
- National Park (south end): Poor
Koh Lanta has reasonable connectivity for month-long stays — co-working options are limited but café WiFi exists in the main towns.
Koh Lipe — The Far South
Koh Lipe is the southernmost Thai island, near Satun province and Malaysian waters:
- Walking Street: Fair-good — 15-25 Mbps
- Sunset Beach: Fair
- Pattaya Beach: Fair
Coverage limited by the remote southern location. Adequate for messaging and basic navigation. Regular passenger boats to Langkawi (Malaysia) make this a popular Malaysia border run point.
Koh Yao Noi — Traditional Muslim Fishing Village
Koh Yao Noi sits in Phang Nga Bay between Phuket and Krabi — stunning karst scenery and traditional Thai Muslim culture:
- Main village: Good coverage
- Bicycle route around island: Variable (10-25 Mbps)
Less development means less infrastructure — coverage is adequate but not fast.
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The Eastern Island Chain (Koh Chang, Kood, Mak)
The eastern Thai islands near Cambodia have coverage driven by proximity to the mainland:
- Koh Chang: Very good (30 min ferry from mainland)
- Koh Kood: Good (2 hours from mainland)
- Koh Mak: Fair (between the two)
Distance from mainland correlates with coverage quality — logical for island chains.
Best eSIM for Quiet Thailand Island Travel
Airalo Thailand covers all these islands. For the eastern island chain or Andaman circuit:
- AIS network (Airalo): Best rural and island coverage
- True/Holafly: Adequate in main beach areas
10GB is sufficient for a quiet island stay with slow travel habits.
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