Most travellers start their Thailand holiday in Bangkok – where ornate temples and traffic jams characterise this distinctly cosmopolitan South-East Asian capital – then head to the rural and more traditional realms of Northern Thailand or to the alluring islands for its stunning beaches.
Chiang Mai, the north’s capital, is a favourite if you're looking for a more rustic side to Thailand, with its authentic Lanna-style architecture and famous night market, while Chiang Rai is sleepier and a great option if you want the northern experience with fewer crowds. On the Andaman coast, Phuket is a popular beach destination with lively nightlife, while in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui has long been a romantic spot favoured by honeymooners for its balance of beaches and buzzing towns. For a quieter, castaway experience, there are the lesser visited Koh Yao Islands and Koh Samet.
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Koh Samui is a name-drop-worthy island of palm trees, emerald-tinged waters and sultry weather that elicits a languid, lazing-by-the-pool kind of pace...
Peering out of the plane window, a surprising sight awaits. You might be just an hour from Bangkok, but suddenly the high-rise buildings have disappea...
Zip down the streets in a colourful, tassel-lined tuk-tuk, passing Starbucks and food stalls selling grilled pork skewers for breakfast. Once you reac...
The province of Krabi is just a one-hour flight to the south of Bangkok, set on the shores of the glorious Andaman Sea. Relatively low-key compared to...
On Thailand’s beautiful Gulf of Siam and just a few hours by road from Bangkok, Hua Hin is home to a Royal Palace and enjoys long attractive beaches, ...
Devour a delicious curry in a family-run restaurant, chase waterfalls in a national park or nest on soft sands where there’s hardly anyone else around...
Dawn breaks and a sea of monks swathed in orange and saffron robes make the journey to the bottom of Mount Suthep to collect their alms. Scooters whiz...
With endless white sand beaches, world-class diving and a friendly, laid-back culture, the islands of Koh Lanta are ideal if you're looking to enjoy a...
Escaping the southern shore where the famed monthly Full Moon Party is held, Koh Phangan’s northern shore offers an idyllic break with picturesque bay...
Thailand’s northern beaches offer a mix of intriguing culture and superb beach hideaways. If you’re looking for the ultimate romantic escape, Koh Same...
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful experiences of Thailand is to escape to one of the smaller islands that offer some of the best and most unspoilt...
The stunning Phi Phi archipelago boasts marine-rich clear waters, rugged jungle-clad islands, dazzling white-sand beaches and stunning Phi Phi Leh –...
