Thailand

A jewel of an island, it has endless stretches of golden sand, lovely coral reefs to explore and sumptuous dining in beachside restaurants.

Second only to Phuket in size, there is exotic wildlife in abundance, colourful coral reefs, mountain peaks and stunning waterfalls.

Full of natural charm, this is a slice of Thailand 20 years ago and although there are water sports to indulge in and a few bars and restaurants, relaxation is definitely the ‘main activity’! ...

A must-see is the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple.

The ancient city of Chiang Mai is the area's principal city and a great starting point to explore this spectacular region.

Cha Am has a glorious, 4-mile stretch of white sand beach, but it's rivalled by the one at Hua Hin, 20 miles further south.

By day, take the boat ride from Pattaya town to Coral Island or Larm Island, where you'll find good beaches for swimming, water sports and coral beds.

At the end of a lazy day, nature creates its own magical event with stunning sunsets setting the sky on fire.

The diving is pretty spectacular with coral reefs teeming with colourful marine life. When you can tear yourself away from the beach, there's plenty to discover inland, too.

The pace is unhurried and locals are friendly and welcoming. There's a wide variety of beach bars and simple restaurants serving tasty local dishes.

The islands are 25 miles south of Krabi and 30 miles east of Phuket. There are no roads, but many beaches are connected by footpaths and longtail boats will take you between beaches.

When you're lying back on your lounger, you'll be able to smell roasting coconut on the breeze.