Phuket

One of the world’s premier tropical beach resorts, Phuket blends natural beauty with tourism facilities that ensure the perfect holiday in the sun just one hour’s flight from Bangkok. Against a backdrop of green hills, the west coast of Thailand’s largest island has magnificent beaches and coves bathed by the clear blue waters of the Andaman Sea. Holiday accommodation ranges from luxurious hotels and resorts to simple bungalows, while for leisure and pleasure there are water sports, yachting, scuba diving, world-class golf, spa treatments and some excellent restaurants.

The largest concentration of resort hotels is on Patong Beach, also the centre for shopping and a vibrant nightlife. South of Patong lie Karon and Kata beaches behind sand dunes and pools, natural protection from high tidal waves.

The Similans are a group of nine islands in the Andaman Sea northwest of Phuket renowned for the beauty on shore and in the surrounding underwater world. With smooth granite rock formations and inviting sandy beaches, the Similans are an alluring destination for divers.

Diving trips from Phuket leave for excursions to some of the best diving sites in Southeast Asia, and, indeed, the world. Well-established dive firms offer trips to prime destinations such as Shark Point, Red Rock, Ko Yao, Ko Yai and Ko Raya.

Ko Racha Yai & Ko Racha Noi: South of Phuket, Ko Racha Yai is the larger of the islands. It is popular with divers who enjoy exploring its sloping rock face, the colonies of hard corals and the vivid diversity of marine life. Ko Racha Yai is known in particular as the habitat of cuttlefish and false barracudas.

Ko Racha Noi provides more demanding diving for older hands, with deeper sites and stronger currents. To the south of the island is a beautiful beach from which you can experience an excellent drift dive.

Krabi

Dramatic limestone cliffs are a feature of Krabi and its 150 nearby islands. Krabi is also a centre for sports, and the cliffs of Hat Tham Phra Nang and Hat Rai Leh East provide climbing opportunities for all levels of skill. Sea-canoe expeditions around uninhabited islands, hidden lagoons and tidal caves are easily arranged, as well as diving trips to submarine tunnels and coral reefs.

Around Krabi, Phra Nang Beach is considered by many to be the most beautiful on the Andaman coast. Beneath its steep limestone cliffs, a gleaming white beach faces two rocky inlets rearing up from a turquoise sea. Inside the cliff are Phra Nang Cave and a tidal lagoon that can be reached by a brisk rock climb.

Phra Nang and neighbouring Rai Ley Beach are on an isthmus accessible by long-tail boat from Krabi town. A little further away from the town, Hat Noppharat Thara is a long sandy beach, popular with Thai visitors, which is part of the National Marine Park of the same name. At low tide it is possible to walk out to some of the islands in the bay.

Ko Lanta: South of Krabi is the island of Lanta, one of the 52 islands of Mu Ko Lanta Marine National Park, with gloriously unspoilt beaches. Ko Lanta Yai, the biggest of the islands, is now gradually being developed for visitors with budget and more up-market bungalow accommodation.

Phi Phi Islands: The tsunami had mercifully little effect on Phi Phi, which is famous for its fabulous beaches and relaxed pace of life. The islands are part of the Hat Noppharat Thara Marine National Park, and their proximity to prime dive sites and reputable dive shops put the islands among the most popular diving destinations in Thailand.

The group consists of Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Le, Phai Island (Bamboo Island) and Yung Island (Mosquito Island). The area is distinguished by towering limestone cliffs, their surface eroded into fantastic shapes. Extending down to the seabed, they form a natural network of caves and caverns. Here, the undersea life includes sea whips, giant orange sea fans and black coral as well as the more usual varieties, and species of tropical fi sh unique to the immediate area.

Maya Bay: The turquoise coloured sea softly laps the white sandy beach of seductive Maya Bay in Phi Phi Le beneath high cliffs crowned with dense, untouched forest.

Phang-Nga

The coast of Phang-nga has an otherworldly atmosphere created by the oddly shaped limestone atolls and islands that rise up from the jade waters. The most famous of these was featured in the 007 movie, The Man With the Golden Gun, and it is still remembered as “James Bond Island”. As well as the scenery and some excellent beaches of its own, Phangnga is a gateway to the fabled Surin and Similan island groups.

Mu Ko Similan Islands: There are 25 world-class dives sites on the Similans. The sites on the west of the islands open to the sea, those on the east fringed with hard coral. Larger marine animals in the waters around the islands include whale sharks and cow-tail rays.

Ko Bon & Ko Tachai: Ko Bon, 20 kilometres north of the largest Similan, is famed for its corals in extraordinary hues and its large population of manta rays. From Ko Tachai 25 kilometres further north, divers can expect to see whale sharks, leopard sharks and hawksbill turtles. The waters around the island teem with tropical fish and coral.

Surin Islands: Five islands make up this National Marine Park just south of the Myanmar border and 53 kilometres from mainland Thailand. This tiny atoll is ringed by coves and bays and surmounted by dense jungle. The waters around Ko Surin are said to have the most diverse coral in all of Thailand, and seem to attract stranger species of marine life.

Satun

Most tourists to Satun head out to the islands of Tarutao Marine National Park. There are 51 islands in two main groups ranging from the largest, Tarutao, to small, uninhabited retreats used for scientific study. The landscape is full of underwater peaks, excellent beaches, calm and peaceful coves, jungle and mangrove swamps. There is much wildlife to be seen, including innumerable birds and monkeys, as well as green turtles, dolphins and dugong. There is also excellent snorkelling at Lipe island.

Mu Ko Tarutao & Adang Rawi: Tarutao was Thailand’s first marine national park established more than 30 years ago. There are two island groups in the national park, Tarutao and Adang-Rawi. Good snorkelling, swimming, trekking and diving and available on the major islands in the group. There are many dive sites around Tarutao, such as Papillon Cliff and Ao Son. The Adang-Rawi group has wild jungles and deserted beaches and is a prime destination for adventure travel. Coral reefs fringe the islands, and granite hills rise from the interior.

Trang

Trang is an emerging destination, with modest islands and a fl amboyant underwater world. Hills of colourful coral rise from the seabed among which schools of white-collared butterfl y and banner fi sh enjoying the freedom of the coral colony.

Ko Libong is the biggest of the islands off the Trang coast. A little further out, Ko Kradan is thought to be the most beautiful island in the Hat Chaomai National Park. Ko Muk, opposite Hat Chang Lang Beach, has vibrant live coral, and visitors can enjoy diving at waters off Ko Takiang, Ko Chuak, Ko Wan and Ko Lao Liang.

With fewer crowds, Trang beaches are more tranquil than most and the calm sea is a perfectly hideaway for those who prefer peace and quiet. For loving couples seeking a secluded beach, Ko Sukon would be a perfect choice. The romantic atmosphere has proved a major contribution to the province’s annual underwater weddings on Valentine’s Day.

Ko Ha Yai: Accessible from the Trang coast, the incredible underwater caverns of Ko Ha Yai are a favourite with knowledgeable divers. Exploring the mysterious interiors is an unforgettable experience with looming stalactites of up to 30 metres in length descending from the ceiling.

Ko Rok: This is a multi-layered dive site 25 kilometres south of Ko Ha and the deeper you go, the stranger things get. At around 20 metres the undersea landscape is all hard coral and tropical fi sh. Further down, divers see every surface breathing with soft corals.