Going to Southern Thailand is a bit like going to America: one has first to decide which coast to head for, the east or the west. Both the east and west coasts of the Thai isthmus offer equally astonishing choices of white beaches, clear water and fun-filled destinations, but they exist in opposite monsoon regimes.

Rainy season on the east coast comes with the northeast monsoon in November-January, but this is the best time to drop by the west coast. When the south-west monsoon hits the west coast from June to September, it's time for the sunny east coast to attract the crowds. But unlike America, both coasts are just a few hours away from each other.