Ko Phayam

This pocket-sized Andaman Sea island in Ranong Province, close to the Myanmar border, draws independent travellers with an unusually dense café and restaurant scene for its size, centred on Ao Mae Wai, the island's main bay and commercial hub. Four bays punctuate the coastline, the interior rises into forested hills with wildlife including hornbills and wild boar, and the island's Moken sea-nomad community has long combined fishing with cashew and rubber cultivation.

• Population500
• Nearest water0.8 km
• Nearest mountain12.5 km