Phuket

Owns most of Kata Noi's beachfront, and it's built for families who want three generations under one roof.

Fifteen minutes from the airport, yet the emptiest beach on Phuket starts at the front gate.

All-pool-villa seclusion behind Mai Khao Beach, fifteen minutes from the airport and a world away from Patong.

Paresa Resort perches on the 'Millionaire's Mile' cliffs between Kamala and Patong, and every one of its suites and villas looks straight down onto open Andaman Sea — no beach, no road, just water.

A treetop village of a restaurant where the setting does half the work and the kitchen handles the rest.

Punjabi cooking on Soi Rommanee, open till midnight, and the staff will talk you out of over-ordering.

Three full menus, Turkish, Indian and Thai, and the kitchen takes all three seriously.

Southern Thai cooking with a Bib Gourmand behind it, and a queue out front to match.

A 45-metre marble Buddha on a hilltop, though the front is closed and you'll be viewing from behind.

Climb the chedi for the murals and the view, then let the crowds thin out in the quieter corners.

A big evening of Thai culture on stage, with a buffet and a walkable park before the curtain goes up.

A big seafront park where Phuket Town actually goes to jog, eat and sit under the trees.

Three kilometres of white sand with jet skis, loungers and Bangla Road behind it, so come for the noise, not the calm.

Crystal water and soft sand, but you pay 100 baht and earn it on a steep climb back up.

Four kilometres of clean sand with calm shallow water, and sunsets that make the evening the main event.

Come for the sunset, not the solitude, and expect to pay for a lounger if you want front row.

A car-free island near Phuket with crystal-clear waters, sandy beaches, and resorts for all budgets.

A largely undeveloped island in Phang Nga Bay offering secluded beaches, dive sites, and peaceful rural scenery.

Koh Yao Noi sits in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, thirty to forty-five minutes by boat from either Phuket or Krabi, yet it feels a decade removed from both — a quiet Muslim fishing island of rice paddies, rubber plantations, water-buffalo pastures, and east-coast viewpoints looking onto the.

Turquoise water and snorkelling straight off the sand, but every lunchtime tour boat lands here at once.

Air-conditioned escape from Patong's heat, with a food court that beats the mall shops for value.

The island's biggest mall, and the one place worth heading to when the rain sets in for the day.

Pick your seafood downstairs, haggle hard, then carry it upstairs to a stall that cooks it to order.

Weekends only, 4pm to 10pm, and the food court at the back is the reason to come.

Phuket's southern tip, best at sunset, though sunrise is when you get the cliffs almost to yourself.

Ten minutes in a cage with a tiger, mostly spent taking photos, and you'll have opinions about it either way.

Three beaches in one frame, no entry fee, and a car park full of taxis that won't wait for you.

Bangtao's original see-and-be-seen beach club, and still the one that gets sunset right.

Come for sundowners at 4pm, stay for the DJs, and don't expect a quiet lunch.

Bangla Road's proper club night, with real sound, real production and a free general floor.

Bang Tao's polished beach club, calm music by day, DJ and a 7pm fire show once the sun drops.

Serious, results-driven massage in central Phuket Town, with therapists who actually read your body.

Proper spa treatment at Chalong prices, with therapists who actually ask how hard you want it.

Massage plus sauna, steam room, ice bath and a pool, so give it half a day rather than an hour.

Deep tissue done properly, with therapists who actually ask about pressure before they start.

A working departure point for island boat trips, not a place to linger, and mornings are when it matters.

A working local pier in Ratsada offering motorcycle ferry crossings and boat departures with authentic Thai waterfront character.

A working fishing pier near central Phuket and the main departure point for speedboat tours to nearby islands.

Duty-free shopping complex inside Phuket International Airport, open 24 hours for departing and arriving passengers.