Arriving at Ko Kho Khao feels like you've stumbled onto a wonderful secret. There's no hotel or taxi touts waiting to greet you when you get off the boat, the roads are quiet and the locals very laid-back. There's an excellent beach along the coast looking out to sea and that's where you'll find most lodgings.

Ko Kho Khao has a long history -- it was one of the first landing points for ancient sea-bourn settlers who later spread out across southern Thailand and Malaysia. There are some ancient ruins to visit, as well as a couple of low-key waterfalls. But with a cluster of resorts already operating on the island and plenty more in the making, it's a secret that won't last long.