The kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia with over three thousand kilometres of tropical coastline. It is bordered by Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia making multi centre cultural trips a possibility especially with the growth of low cost regional airlines. For example there are now direct flights between Phuket and Siem Reap, Cambodia - home to the famous temples of Angkor Wat. For ideas on combination holidays - a bit of culture followed by R&R on the beach please call us on 0207 112 0019 or email us.

Bangkok

Bangkok is a wonderful city offering an enigmatic and awkward mix of old and new. On the one side of the city sits the old town with its royal palaces, temples and crumbling riverside teak houses displaying Thailand’s proud cultural heritage. On the other an unexpected Mecca of shinny glass and steel encased 5 star hotels, designer shops and office blocks.

In Bangkok’s old town the streets are dominated by tuk tuks, tour groups, orange clad monks and endless rows of pavement food stalls, not to mention the occasional elephants. In the new town is all about the ultra modern sky train, metre taxis, trendy youth culture, Starbucks and shopping. Both with their obvious merits, the two sides of the city joined by Chinatown in the middle collectively offer something for everyone.

If I had just one day to spend in Bangkok I would take in the Grand Palace and Reclining Budda at Wat Pho in the morning. Eat noodle soup for lunch down a tiny riverside street and then amble a bit until I got lost. Jump in a tuk tuk to the infamous Koh San Road for a spot of bargain basement shopping. Then over to Bangkok’s China Town for a foot massage in the old Thieves Market before a bedazzling drive along Chinatown’s main street Yaowarat Road, which is quite clearly home to the countries gold trade. As evening falls it’s all about the New Town. One of the best things I have ever done in Bangkok is take a moped taxi down the gridlocked Silom Road during rush hour. The buzz of these modern Thai people commuting home or heading out for dinner in a sparkling new city with a warm tropical climate is just fantastic. A spot more early evening shopping (mainly for fake designer bags in outrageous Pat Pong) and you will be ready for a swanky dinner followed by cocktails at a roof top bar and then bed...PERFECT!!

Gulf of Thailand

Originally the haunt of intrepid travellers only, the islands that lie within the Gulf of Thailand are slowly developing to combine their untouched beauty with small exclusive resorts and villas. Koh Samui is the most advanced with a domestic airport, closely followed by Koh Phangan and finally the dive haven of Koh Tao which still only has one road on the island.

Koh Samui

We love Koh Samui!! It is the country’s third largest island and in our opinion the best place for a beach holiday in Thailand. It is what Phuket should and would have been if only developers had started 25 years later. Not one high raised hotel spoiling the beaches and the ability to still find real solitude should you wish. It’s sophisticated and yet still fun.

Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui’s east coast is the most popular beach on the island and deservedly so. While it is very busy the beach is still extremely beautiful and the crowds can be avoided towards the quieter northern end. The town itself remains a favourite with backpackers who haven’t as yet been priced out of the market, which helps to create a warm relaxed atmosphere suitable for couples, groups and families. The nicest thing about Chaweng is that on an accommodation front it has now gone full circle. It started off with Thai beach bungalows and then moved on to cheap and tacky hotels which gave the town a bad reputation, but nowadays it is being reconsidered by developers and slowly a small collection of new boutique resorts and some extremely chic restaurants are emerging.

Lamai Beach which neighbours Chaweng is by contrast still in the cheap and cheerful bracket. Not recommended unless in one of the smaller coves at either end.

Bohput Beach on Koh Samui’s north coast is ideal if you are looking for something quieter than Chaweng but still want a nice selection of restaurants for the evening and activities on the beach during the day. The beach is lovely (although can occasionally appear a little thin), in a protected bay that is very safe for swimming and has with picturesque views over to neighbouring Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Originally Bohput was a tight knit fishing village. So while the main emphasis is now on tourism and many of the business owned by westerners, there is still a feeling of community amongst the locals who often sit to have lunch together on the beach under the palms. There are also a number of traditional houses that still remain in the town and have been converted into gift shops or small guesthouses.

South/West Coast is the most untouched part of Koh Samui and almost makes you feel as though you are on a different island. The vegetation is wonderfully lush and the views from the west coast out onto the five islands are glorious. If you are looking for total relaxation in a private top of the range villa then this is the side of the island for you.

Koh Phangan

Famous for its monthly Full Moon Parties, Koh Phangan is the original party island. All night beach parties and endless rounds of ‘buckets’ are the order of the day here. Fantastic fun for those of a certain ages, but definitely not a family destination! Koh Phangan’s Had Rin Beach is the epicentre of the islands shenanigans with a lovely beach and endless restaurants and bars. The northern part of the island however is very tranquil and makes for a nice escape from the madness should you wish to hire a car for the day.

Koh Tao

With just one main road and a population of 1000 people, Koh Tao is still just a dot on Thailand’s major tourism map. The island is mainly the domain of would be divers who come to do their PADI scuba courses at Sairee Beach, but it is not a pre-requisite. Non-divers could quite happily spend a week on Koh Tao just drinking in views of the mist covered hills and enjoying the deserted white sand beaches. Honeymoon heaven!! Should you wish to do some diving however, there is no better place during the summer months from March to October.

Ang Thong National Marine Park

Ang Thong National Park otherwise known as the ‘Golden Basin’ lies off the North West coast of Koh Samui and consists of 42 stunning limestone islands, covered in rainforest with dramatic rock formations. The numerous small coves are perfect for snorkelling especially from March to October when the water is crystal clear and Ko Mae Ko is home to a beautiful emerald coloured saltwater lake. There is a considerable amount of wildlife inhabiting the islands including the Asian long-tailed monkey (langur), hair-nosed otters, pacific reef egrets, white-bellied sea eagles, ashy drongos, tortoises, sea turtles, lizards and pythons. Ang Thong National Park makes a wonderful day trip from any of the islands in the Gulf and there are many local agents who can arrange trips for you.

Andaman Coast

The nature of the Andaman Coast is fairly varied, contrasting islands such as lively Phuket with the unspoilt hideaways of Koh Phi Phi and the Similan Islands. Famous for stunning limestone cliffs and beautiful marine life, areas of this coastline are simply breathtaking.

Phuket

Approximately one hours flying time south of Bangkok, Phuket is Thailand’s largest island as well as its wealthiest, busiest and most visited province. The west coast of Phuket is the most developed and offers long sandy beaches and clear water. This is where you will find the best restaurants and the nightlife. The East coast of Phuket is much less developed and quieter. There are some nice beaches here too but the sea tends to be much calmer and has a slight lagoon appearance.

It really is important to choose wisely where you stay on Phuket as some of the beach resorts can be too crowded and lacking in Thai character. We recommend Surin Beach on Phuket as being the best option and it would appear that the more luxurious hotel chains are in agreement, with both Amanpuri and the Chedi residing here. Surin Beach is just a little quieter and more up market than some of the other resorts, yet it is still within easy reach of Patong should you fancy a lively night out.

The island has a lot to offer as well as its beaches, with five international standard golf courses open to the public (one was voted the number one Championship golf course in Asia), the sophisticated Phuket Marina and the faded colonial Sino-Portuguese style of Phuket town. The reefs and islands around Phuket are rated among the best in the world and offer wonderful opportunities for a huge range of water sports from sea kayaking to jet skiing, sailing to parasailing as well as some magnificent diving and snorkelling in the clear tropical waters. Boat trips to some of Phuket’s neighbouring islands are also highly recommended. Koh Phi Phi is especially beautiful and famously formed the backdrop to Hollywood movie ‘The Beach’.