For the love of the islands, the Quest continues
What to expect as Thai Island Quest evolves for the future.
Please note, billing for paid subscriptions has resumed.
Not a paying subscriber to Thai Island Quest? For $5 USD per month or $50 annually, you get the entire Thai Island & Coastal Directory, featuring 800+ islands and 24 coastal provinces, as it’s published, plus many other in-depth articles in a growing archive. And there is much more to come.
The wind is blowing me back to Thailand and I’m in that buzzing state of mind that arrives during a big trip or move. Once back in that muggy Kingdom, I expect to throw myself into Thai Island Quest and work towards the completion of the Thai Island & Coastal Directory while gradually adding some new types of posts as I continue to grow a resource that already has some of the most in-depth travel coverage of Thai islands and shorelines found anywhere on the web.
This return is really a new beginning for myself and this newsletter / online resource. Here is what to expect from TIQ ahead.
1. First, check out the new look and menu
I’ve updated the online home of TIQ with a magazine-style appearance while stitching in a menu bar at the top of the homepage that will make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for. Want to see? Just hit the homepage and click on any tag word in the upper menu bar to view posts arranged into these categories: T.I.C.D.; Islands in depth; Mainland coasts; Stories & issues; and Island Wrap.
2. Hammering out the Thai Island & Coastal Directory
Has this mega-project taken on a life of its own? Yes. To be precise, the completed 36 sections of the T.I.C.D. currently come to 72,000 words, averaging 2,000 words per post — a length that I reckon is about twice that of an average post on Substack. The finished book should be well over 100,000 words.
Am I going to finish it? You better believe it. And when I do turn it into the first-edition ebook, paying subscribers will get that first, at no extra charge.
I’ll shoot to publish four T.I.C.D. sections per month once I’m back in Thailand, but keep in mind that some of them are lengthy and take serious time on my end. For example, the most recent section on Ao Phang Nga ran 2,900 words. So from here I’ll be posting a minimum of two to three T.I.C.D. sections per month, until the book is complete — and it’s about two thirds of the way finished now. I’ll also be sprinkling in some of the new types of posts that I’m excited to share.
3. So a paying subscription gets you…
Full access to the Thai Island & Coastal Directory as it’s published and the free first-edition ebook if you’re a subscriber when it’s completed.
Full access to the archive of over 90 in-depth, photo-rich articles (not including Island Wraps), most of which are now paid only.
Exclusive access to all Thai Island Quest coverage of obscure or remote areas along with most coverage of mid-level tourism areas.
A minimum of three new paid postings per month along with the free monthly Island Wrap. So, islands in your inbox at least once a week.
4. About those new types of posts
Joining the T.I.C.D. will be at least one of the following each month:
Extraordinary spots: Featuring my favorite and/or the most beautiful or intriguing spots in all of coastal Thailand, as chosen a travel writer who has almost continuously covered Thailand for many years. An extraordinary spot could be a beach, bay, viewpoint, waterfall, or even a market or temple. The point is to feature specific spots that I find truly extraordinary.
Islands and coastal areas in a nutshell: These posts add meat to places that are covered in the T.I.C.D. by honing in on each of them in a travel-guide writing style and format. Expect brief guides that explain things like beach areas, what the scene is like, villages, lodgings, activities, etc. Also included will be photo galleries for each island or coastal area.
Pier profiles: I’ve enjoyed getting to know the piers and ferries and longtails that link all of those islands and coastal areas together. These posts focus on the transport side of the islands and coasts, providing insights and warnings about each pier along with info on ferries, private boats, day trips, parking, the nearest transport hubs and options for onward travails out of each pier.
5. What about the old in-depth articles?
I do want to get back to writing long-form island profiles like this one on visiting Ko Phi Phi Leh after the reopening, or on soaking in the extraordinary beauty of Ko Kradan, or this old favorite on trekking into a remote part of Ko Chang, or even the stuff by the wayside, like meeting a landmine disposal team in Trat or running a solo marathon on a Krabi beach. Though I’ll probably hold off on this type of content for now, I expect to add it back into the mix once I finish the T.I.C.D.
6. Back on a weekly schedule
I do apologize for bombarding you with hefty T.I.C.D. sections in the latter half of recent months and leaving you with radio silence in the earlier halves of those same months. Once I’m back in Thailand, I’ll be returning to a more regular publication schedule with at least one posting per week.
7. TIQ is mostly a paid resource
Including a trove of those archived articles, the majority of Thai Island Quest — other than the free Island Wraps and short previews of other posts — is now set aside for paying subscribers. If you haven’t upgraded or are considering whether or not to renew a subscription, I would love to have you aboard for $5 a month. Poke around and I hope you’ll find that TIQ has grown into a valuable resource.
Plus, this publication is always written by a real human travel writer with 15+ years of experience in Thailand! I honestly do this for the love of the islands (yes, all of them), and I’m always doing it 100% independently — never for freebies in exchange for positive coverage. Thanks so much to subscribers for supporting independent media via an endless dive into Thailand’s beautiful islands and shorelines. 🌴
Thank you for reading Thai Island Quest. For the love of the islands. (Yes, all of them.)
big ups on your imminent return to the Kingdom, i will be back there in 2 yrs, would be nice for us to meet for a meal somewhere in LoS then...