Asia - new 'hot' backpacker island thailand--is there one?

hubby and i are going to thailand in october, will spend two weeks bumming around with the backpackers before doing the grown-up thing at the mo in chiang mai for the last week.

he was there 20 years ago 'before koh phangan had electricity or a dock,' and he's looking for a place that's like it was, then...i.e., hasn't yet been overdeveloped/overrun by and for tourists. does such a place exist?

i've been scouring the backpacker boards, would also take tips for same if anyone has any ideas.

thanks ^

Just how 'undeveloped' do you want? Ko Chang and Ko Lanta seem to be popular choices if you want the mod cons without go-go bars or tattoo parlours, but electricity arrived a long time ago. To really get off the beaten track, check out the national parks like Tarutao (of Survivor fame), where development is very restricted.

I've found the Travelfish (http://www.travelfish.org/islands.php) site good for backpacker type information about SE Asia. What sites have you been looking at? Thorntree? Passplanet? Do you want to partake in or avoid the full moon parties? Do you dive?

If you're looking for really undiscovered, you could bring your insect repellent and a tent and get off at a deserted island or mainland beach in Cambodia. Next step up from there would probably be Kampot.

Here's a weather tool (http://www.travelfish.org/weather_fish.php) for Thailand.

i keep coming across mentions of koh lanta, and at this moment it's looking like that'll be our destination, thanks jpatokal. i'm perfectly happy with electricity, thanks very much :D

to that end, rjh, i'd found travelfish, but hadn't gotten to the weather tool, so thanks for that...i think we'll avoid the full moon parties, as we may have exceeded the height requirement (i.e., we're too old) and while we do dive, we're not planning a dive-intensive holiday. i was scouring travelpunk but found that wasn't quite what i was looking for. will check out your other suggestions, thanks!

You can also find lots of "backpacker" type info here (Thailand is probably the most discussed destination):

http://boards.bootsnall.com

You want to go quiet and natural? Go south!

I'm not recommending this guesthouse, but their page has a good explination of the area http://www.poohlipe.com/www/about_koh_lipe.html

Also, not as far south, but great natural feel is http://www.ethaiguide.com/trang/koh_libong.asp

Have fun :)

he was there 20 years ago 'before koh phangan had electricity or a dock,' and he's looking for a place that's like it was, then...i.e., hasn't yet been overdeveloped/overrun by and for tourists. does such a place exist?
thanks ^

To really find undiscovered Thailand - try the coastal areas INSTEAD of the islands. If you head up (or down) the coast from Phuket there are lots of relatively undiscovered places.

I live on Phuket - but my hobby is driving around - and I often head up the coastline.

Take a look at Khok Kloy, Thai Muang, or head north of Takuapa. Head south to Trang and areas in that region.

Websites? Not if you are looking for undeveloped . . .

Tales of Asia's take on Thai Islands is here (http://www.talesofasia.com/thailand-t-islbea.htm)