I’m an expert on Thailand. These are the 24 trips you should try

By the time we got there, after months in South America and Australia, we were, ironically, a little beached out. We weren’t partied out though.

I don’t remember much from that trip apart from wincing my way through super-strong whisky buckets in the glow of Koh Phangan’s full moon. Picture evidence suggests we painted our faces in neon colours. I witnessed some sort of semi-naked conga line too. That was my first introduction to Thailand, and it set the bar high (no pun intended).

In the almost two decades since, I’ve returned about 15 times. I’ve been back to Koh Phangan twice, discovering the quieter side of the island, reading books on the beach while monkeys stole snacks from my bag. I’ve whizzed through fishing villages on the back of a moped in tiny Koh Yao Noi, and signed up to a “love workshop” in Bangkok with my (now) husband.

I’ve watched the beaches get busier each year. Maya Bay, which featured in the film, only reopened last year after being shut for several seasons — over-tourism had destroyed coral and vegetation. But as Thailand’s popularity has grown, tourists have explored more, from food in Bangkok to homestays in the highlands. And there are still plenty of quieter pockets.

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● Best places to visit in Thailand

During the Covid travel restrictions we jumped through many necessary hoops to get into the country for a high-risk, high-reward trip. A week spent meditating and talking with the life mentor Krishna Raj at Kamalaya, a wellbeing sanctuary on Koh Samui, changed the course of my life completely, and led me to have a go at being a mum.

Keen to escape the oppressive gloom of January, my husband and I now swap the chill for cheap curries and ice-cold Chang beer every year. The next trip — with our one-year-old son along for the ride — will feel a little different. With his love of food, keenness to splash about in calm, clear seas and habit of grinning at anyone who crosses his path, he’ll be the perfect tiny tourist for the “land of smiles”. I suspect he’ll love it too.

Here is where I recommend that people of all ages go.

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1. A wellbeing sanctuary on the beach

Some visit for gut cleanses, others for sleep retreats, but the real star offering at Kamalaya, a wellbeing sanctuary on a peaceful curve of sand in Koh Samui, is the Embracing Change programme. Designed to help you adjust to life’s most challenging curve balls (grief, divorce, estrangement, redundancy), it’s a week of carefully selected spa treatments and nourishing meals combined with meditation and talking sessions with “life enhancement mentors”. Think therapy, but with the added bonus of a former Buddhist monk.
Details Seven nights’ full board from £4,399pp, including flights and transfers (healingholidays.com)

2. Elephant bathing and sleeper trains on a child-friendly break

Bathe rescued elephants in Chiang Mai

Intrepid Travel’s Thailand Family Holiday removes the headaches — the logistical ones, at least — of travelling with children and packages up the most child-friendly elements of the country. This means longtail boat tours through Bangkok, bathing rescued elephants, swimming in shallow calm waters in Hua Hin, and some life lessons too, including learning about natural remedies and visiting Baan Hua Thun, a local village. A couple of overnight sleeper-train trips only add to the sense of adventure.
Details 11 nights’ B&B from £1,525 per adult and £1,373 per child (aged five and over), including transfers, activities and some extra meals (intrepidtravel.com). Fly to Bangkok

3. Night markets and dessert workshops on a foodie tour

Lemongrass trail cooking holiday with Responsible Travel

There’s much more to Thai cuisine than green curry and pad Thai. This private cooking tour for two takes you on a culinary journey of the country, starting in Bangkok, where you’ll learn the basic principles at the Baipai Cooking School. Then you’ll head to Isan, near Laos, where you will pluck organic veg, herbs and berries from a forest, and learn about this region’s cooking traditions and Laotian influence. Visits to night markets on the coast near Krabi, lessons in countryside cooking, meals in small villages, and seafood and dessert workshops are all on the menu, as is time for swimming and sightseeing.
Details 15 nights’ B&B from £2,175pp, including flights, transfers, lessons and some extra meals (responsibletravel.com)

4. The affordable island stay

Koh Samui and Phuket are often the go-to regions for luxury beach stays in Thailand, but you’ll get more for your money (and far fewer tourists) in Koh Lanta, an island in southern Thailand, near Krabi. Hole up at Pimalai Resort and Spa on Kantiang Bay, one of Thailand’s best beaches. The hotel is pretty perfect, too: it sits within 100 acres of native forest, and has serene and spacious rooms, plus excellent facilities, including a muay Thai academy and an excellent spa to tend to screaming muscles afterwards.
Details Ten nights’ B&B from £1,508pp, including flights and transfers (kuoni.co.uk)

5. Mountain treks and traditional village visits

Northern Thailand with World Expeditions

Go beyond the beaches and see the often overlooked northern region of Thailand. This eight-day trip will have you trekking for about five hours a day through some of the country’s most remote natural areas, taking on the forest-covered hills and misty mountains of Khun Khan National Park and the Old Elephant Trail, a former trading route that was abandoned in the 1950s as cars grew in popularity. Homestays will give you the chance to learn about the Karen tribes and provide culturally sensitive insights into life in traditional villages.
Details Seven nights’ full board from £995pp, including transfers (worldexpeditions.com). Fly to Chiang Mai via Bangkok

6. A trip that’s a masterclass in Thai history

Doi Inthanon, Chiang mai

ALAMY

This tour of the kingdoms of Thailand is a great tag-on to the start of your trip, or an entire history-focused holiday in itself. You will see the cities and countryside of the north, and learn about the beginnings of Thai culture via the ruins of Ayutthaya — which date back to 1350 — the temples of Chiang Mai, and Sukhothai, known as the “first Thai Kingdom”. And forget the bars of Bangkok; this trip homes in on the capital’s more regal sites, such as the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, one of the oldest Buddhist temples, with plenty of street-food stop-offs along the way.
Details Eight nights’ B&B from £2,880pp including flights, tours and some extra meals (insideasiatours.com)

7. Kayaking and a jet ski safari

Kayaking through flooded forests and sleeping in a floating rafthouse in Khao Sok National Park are just some of the highlights on this nine-day Alternative Thailand trip from Flash Pack, experts in solo group travel for people in their thirties and forties. But the things you do and the places you see (such as the exhilarating jet-ski tour to the islands Yao Yai, Naka and Koh Li Pe) are half the fun. The other? The people you’re with. Flash Pack has a strong focus on group dynamics creating the ideal circumstances in which to make new friends.
Details Eight nights’ B&B from £1,950pp, including transfers, activities and some extra meals (flashpack.com). Fly to Bangkok

8. An easy-going island retreat

The Sanctuary resort on Koh Phangan

ALAMY

A range of accommodation options, including cheap shared dorms and pricier private suites, means that the Sanctuary draws all types of travellers, from burnt-out Londoners to couples and friends looking for a wholesome and relaxed escape. You could choose to simply sit on the beach or swing in a hammock, burning through books while filling up on vegan food and green juices, but if you’re keen to go hardcore, there are several programmes on offer, such as three-day and seven-day ayurveda-inspired detoxes and
yoga retreats.
Details Room-only doubles from £17 (thesanctuarythailand.com). Fly to Koh Samui via Bangkok and transfer by ferry to Koh Phangan

9. Luxe villa stay with beach parties on tap

There’s more to Koh Phangan than full-moon parties. Yes, the whisky buckets, neon paint and dancing on the beach until dawn are fun, but if you’re after something more grown up, then five-bedroom Anaia Villa is it. With four full-time staff, coconut grove gardens, serene all-white interiors and an infinity pool, you may not want to leave. Do, though. This is a magical island with access to Ang Thong Marine National Park, jungle treks and waterfalls.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for ten from £6,216 (welcomebeyond.com). Fly to Koh Samui via Bangkok and transfer by speedboat

10. A glitzy city stay

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, recently came tenth in the World’s 50 Best Hotel awards (four of the 50 are in Bangkok). It’s one of the city’s glitziest, most talked about hotels, having hosted big-name guests, including Audrey Hepburn and Stanley Tucci, for more than 150 years. Yes it’s a splurge but its unbelievable spa and Michelin-star restaurants are the perfect antidote to the city’s frenetic pace and heat.
Details Five nights’ B&B from £3,699pp including flights and transfers (abercrombiekent.co.uk)

11. Island-hopping Thailand-style

Sailing in the Andaman Sea

We all know that Thailand has great beaches — so how about ticking off the southern region’s finest on a seven-day sailing trip aboard an 82ft catamaran? You’ll drop anchor at islands including Koh Yao Yai, Koh Racha, Koh Ha Yai and Koh Phi Phi, while also spending time at ridiculously pretty Railey Beach on “James Bond Island”, with its zingy blue water and limestone cliffs. By day you’ll be diving into the clearest water, snorkelling and sunbathing, while evenings will be spent dining at local restaurants sipping ice-cold Chang beer. Cabins are compact but come with air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms.
Details Six nights’ B&B from £1,499, including some meals and activities (gadventures.com). Fly to Phuket

12. Tranquil shoreside cottage stay

Thailand is full of great rentals, from villas with infinity pools to one-bedders on the beach. For a budget option try Ocean Experience, a clutch of rustic thatched cottages on the talc-soft sands of Haad Khom, on the quieter north side of Koh Phangan. Decor is simple, the location Insta-worthy. The owner, Bovy, is an excellent chef — it’s worth a visit just for her homemade coconut yoghurt and granola breakfast.
Details B&B doubles from £55 (oceanexperience.space). Fly to Koh Samui via Bangkok and transfer by ferry

13. Sister hotels made for people watching

If cocktails at Bangkok’s highest rooftop bar before an easy-breezy week on the beach in Hua Hin is your idea of a fine time, then book a stay at Thailand’s two Standard hotels. Both serve up great food and stop-in-your-tracks interiors, including canary-yellow loungers and parasols. The real fun, though? The people watching. This is where TikTok influencers and celebs hang out, keenly creating content by the pool. Drag yourself away from the show for great night markets and nearby beaches.
Details Ten nights’ B&B — three in Bangkok, seven in Hua Hin — from £1,219pp including flights and transfers (travelbag.co.uk)

14. A marine life-spotting adventure

A dugong reaching the surface

ALAMY

One for budding marine biologists and conservationists, Black Tomato’s “field trip”, aimed at teenagers and adults, promises a fascinating insight into the now-endangered dugong, cousin to the manatee. You’ll join a local conservationist and dugong tracker on a day-long habitat-conservation mission, spotting the rotund marine mammal, planting seagrass beds and dismantling hazards such as tangled fishing nets in the Trang province, which is the dugong’s preferred home.
Details Seven nights’ B&B with a bespoke Thailand itinerary and field trip from £4,500pp including flights and transfer (blacktomato.com)

15. Learn to scuba on a balmy island break

Diving off of Koh Tao

GETTY IMAGES

Reasonably priced dive courses and excellent marine life make Thailand a great place to learn to scuba. Dive Worldwide’s three-day SSI Open Water Course wraps up classroom, pool and sea-diving modules into one. Skip Phuket and learn in Koh Tao: reached by ferry from Koh Samui, it’s a small, laid-back island with long golden beaches. Dive sites such as the pretty Japanese Gardens are ideal for beginners while the Chumphon Pinnacle is popular for its shark population.
Details Seven nights’ B&B from £1,695pp including the course and flights (diveworldwide.com)

16. A spa, temples and markets stay

Combine a restorative three-night break at Aleenta Retreat with the temples and markets in the northern city of Chiang Mai. It’s a fitting place for Aleenta’s meditation mind-training programmes (choose from “Monk Level” or “Lite”), which will help you learn the art of deep relaxation, in between strolling the city, dipping in your private pool and zenning out with Tibetan sound therapy. Then, it’s on to the beach to practise what you’ve learnt; Aleenta Phuket is an elegant retreat on a quieter stretch of sand to the north.
Details Ten nights’ B&B at the above hotels from £5,599pp including flights and transfers (luxtripper.co.uk)

17. Health-focused camps on an idyllic island

Popular with solo travellers and fitness fanatics, the pastel pink Absolute Sanctuary on Koh Samui is a go-to for a huge range of dedicated health programmes, from detox to Thai kickboxing. The Pilates Reformer sessions are our pick; there are two group classes a day, a 60-minute private session to help hone your technique, healthy meals, massages and facials, plus access to other group fitness classes.
Details Eight nights’ full board from £1,845pp including transfers (healthandfitnesstravel.com). Fly to Koh Samui

18. A beach and city foodie tour

Roast duck from Bo.Lan

ALAMY

There are 35 Michelin-star restaurants in Thailand, many with tasting menus that are far more affordable than in Europe. Make the most of it by basing yourself for three nights at 137 Pillars Suites, a hotel near Thonglor, Bangkok. The trendy neighbourhood is packed with bars and restaurants, including the Michelin-star Thai restaurant Bo.Lan. From there, try a week-long luxe beachside stay at The Surin, on one of Phuket’s prettiest beaches. Book a meal at Pru, at Trisara Resort, which has been awarded a Michelin green star for its sustainable gastronomy.
Details Ten nights’ B&B from £1,875pp including flights and transfers (kenwoodtravel.co.uk)

19. Plant-based delights and nights under the stars

Koh Samui does fancy hotels very well, but if that’s not for you, then try glamping at Kapuhala. Located in the hills of Chaweng Noi, the spacious villa tents feature removable panels for you to make the most of the views (and sounds) of the jungle and sea, while huge terraces are prime meditation or digital nomad-friendly work spots. There’s an infinity pool and the island’s only high-end vegan restaurant, Halapua, which has a menu inherited from a sister resort in Italy (three courses, £22). Elsewhere, Koh Samui does plant-based dining to a high standard.
Details B&B doubles from £100 (kapuhalasamui.com). Fly to Koh Samui

20. A high-end island retreat

You can pootle between Thailand’s idyllic islands on inexpensive ferries, but if that feels a little too slow and high effort, plan something more refined via the new Anantara Koh Yao Yai. The luxury resort is a handy 45-minute private speedboat transfer from Phuket, or 25 minutes from Krabi. It’s tempting to simply laze by the pool, but this is a pretty island with minimal big-resort development, so get out and dine in local restaurants, ride a vintage sidecar through fishing villages and take a longtail boat trip to the clear lagoons of Hong Island.
Details Seven nights’ B&B from £3,500pp including flights and transfers (true.travel)

21. A see-it-all-in-style itinerary

If your plan is to do it once and do it well then this luxury itinerary will show you some of Thailand’s highlights, and a series of very comfy beds. You’ll start with two nights at Capella Bangkok, with its seriously good service and riverside pool. Then there are two more at Anantara Golden Triangle near Chiang Rai to sleep alongside rescued elephants before three nights at Raya Heritage, a peaceful base from which to explore Chiang Mai’s temples. Round it off with a week-long stretch at Rayavadee in Krabi, with its three beaches and jungle-draped pavilions.
Details Fourteen nights’ B&B from £5,675pp including flights and transfers (elegantresorts.co.uk)

● Best hotels in Thailand
● Best family hotels in Thailand

22. A mid-range Thai highlights trip

Tamarind Village

VIKROM CHOUYLAI

More interested in what you see than where you stay? This more moderately priced tour swaps five-star luxury for four-star boutique stays, and allows three nights in Bangkok to make the most of the street food and temples; two nights’ temple-touring in Chiang Rai, sleeping at the stylish Tamarind Village; then two nights’ glamping at Elephant Bush Camp, learning about the rescued gentle giants. It ends with a week-long luxurious hurrah at the Pavilions Phuket, an all-suite luxury retreat.
Details Fourteen nights’ B&B from £2,099pp including flights, transfers and some extra meals (tropicalsky.co.uk)

● Best hotels in Phuket
● When is the best time to visit Thailand?

23. Great value kid-friendly beach resort

Avani+ Khao Lak Resort

PETER BAAS FOTOGRAFIE

If your children are the type to happily potter on the beach while you stretch out on a sunbed, congratulations. Make the most of it at Avani+ Khao Lak Resort, an hour north of Phuket airport. Along with pools, a golden sweep of beach and toddler-pleasing buffets, there’s a great kids’ club, water park and skate park for when they get bored. For you? A spa, climbing wall and hundreds of sun loungers around four relaxing pools, with excellent cocktails.
Details B&B doubles from £79 (avanihotels.com). Fly to Phuket

24. A capital and country rail journey

Phae Muang Pee Forest Park, Phrae Province

MAE LAI/GETTY IMAGES

Slow the pace, and swap planes and cars for trains, on this trip that takes in rivers and rural areas. From the temples of Chiang Mai, you will travel by train to the Phrae province where visits to markets and local businesses offer insight into village life. It’s a six-hour train ride to Bangkok and, once there, you can explore the canals by boat before hopping on another train to Kanchanaburi, sleeping in a floating bungalow nearby. Your last few days are on quiet Koh Kood, close to the Cambodian border.
Details Seven nights’ B&B and four nights’ half board from £4,684 including flights, transfers, train travel and excursions (experiencetravelgroup.com)

Where’s your favourite place to visit in Thailand? Let us know in the comments below

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