Thailand’s sunny winter paradise
AS OUR long and often balmy summer slips away, why not plan to keep it going with a sun-soaked trip to Thailand’s blissful Andaman coast?
This is the perfect winter sun destination — one of those places that makes you want to quit the humdrum and live in flip-flops for ever.
And it is absolutely stunning. Pearly white beaches of soft sand meet turquoise sea, limestone stacks and emerald rainforests, making for an almost impossibly vivid landscape.
The vistas are jaw-dropping, the culture fascinating and the food fabulously fragrant in this enchanting paradise that’s like an exotic dream turned into unforgettable reality.
Thailand’s west coast weather is ideal from November to April, with temperatures in the mid to high 20s, minimal rain and calm seas, offering a delicious sunshine boost when skies are grey at home.
And whether you want to go with the family, relax in romantic seclusion, hop between islands or snorkel amid bright fish over coral, the Andaman coast really has everything you need.
Phuket and Krabi are the hedonistic show-stealers, drawing many a firsttimer to their stylish sun-loungers and deluxe beach bars.
Meanwhile, 65 per cent of repeat visitors from Britain will search out lesser-known gems, returning again and again to explore more. Savvy first-timers and confirmed Thailand fans might also like to consider a third option, easily arranged with the help of the experts at Travelbag.
Discover the dreamy best of both worlds with a two-centre holiday featuring a stay in a renowned resort, followed by heavenly days relaxing on one of the more offbeat and unspoiled islands Thailand’s west coast has to offer.
Here are some of the best two-centre beach options for tailor-made winter fun under the warm Thai sun.
PHUKET AND KO PHI-PHI
GO TO Phuket for dramatic karst islands, relaxed beaches and a rich variety of experiences, from coral reef diving and sea kayaking in crystalline waters to indulgent world-class dining and spa treatments in five-star resorts. You can also spend quality time at an elephant sanctuary, explore waterfalls, go trekking or just relax on a beautiful beach. Then enhance your holiday experience still further by hopping over to otherworldly Ko Phi-Phi to explore beautiful Maya Bay, the main location for Hollywood blockbuster, The Beach. Cavort by day in azure seas and party all night on powder-soft sand. And do take a boat trip to undeveloped Ko Phi-Phi Leh to see its coral reefs.
KRABI AND KO LANTA
WHEN travellers talk dreamily about the amazing Andaman, they often mean the serene, 75-mile Krabi shoreline, where karst pinnacles curve along the coast or hang over idyllic softs and beaches (pictured left). In this serene tropical paradise, you can dive and snorkel among natural coral and marine life, or kayak around rocky outcrops to see prehistoric cave art. For more beautiful beaches, decamp to the blissfully serene island of Ko Lanta. Once a luscious Thai backwater, it now draws wannabe castaways to its divine, miles-long beaches, dive spots centred on underwater pinnacles, seafood restaurants and colourful crucible of cultures.
KHAO LAK AND THE SIMILAN ISLANDS
ESCAPE from it all in the northern Andaman at Khao Lak, a big favourite with families and northern European tourists. Newly built and refurbished luxury five-star resorts sit alongside the pristine beachfront, backed by a cool tropical forest, making it a perfect holiday destination for beach lovers. A speedboat ride away, the Similan Islands are surrounded by turquoise waters teeming with tropical fish, with exceptional underwater visibility around the coral reefs, providing some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world. With the vivid colours of the Andaman coast at their best in our winter, why let this summer’s relaxation unravel? Book stays in Thai resorts, large and small, through Travelbag — and have the promise of blissful winter sunshine to look forward to.
SPEND five nights on Ko Phi-Phi and seven in Phuket, staying in a four-star hotel (B&B), with Qatar Airways flights from Heathrow, from £1,299pp. Travel dates: December 1 to 15, 2018. Price includes three FREE nights, saving up to £280 per couple. Book by September 6, 2018. Visit travelbag.co.uk/thailand or call 020 7001 5268.