Take me to the beach...
… and the mountains and the cities and the jungles. With Thailand open to visitors from tomorrow, Sarah Marshall has a tempting trip to suit every taste
Fantasy is forever blurred with reality in dreamy Thailand. Fairy-tale temples, exotic flavours and endless beaches set the scene for romance, making it a hot favourite for newlyweds and couples seeking to reignite a spark. Make up for holidays lost by planning a celebration of epic proportions, exploring the country in style with Original Travel’s tailor-made Megamoon. See Bangkok from the air on a helicopter ride above the Grand Palace, learn how to meditate from masters in Chiang Mai, and disconnect from the outside world in the northern highlands. Finish off on a high at Soneva Kiri, on Koh Kood island, where treetop dinners are served by a waiter on a zip line.
A 17-day trip starts from £28,115pp, including flights (020 3582 4990; originaltravel.co.uk)
FITNESS FREAKS
Treat your body like a temple and train it to be a powerful weapon by getting to grips with the ancient sport of Muay Thai. Known as “the art of eight limbs”, this athletic form of kick-boxing uses elbows, knees and every bit of body available to knock down an opponent, building both muscle and mental strength in the process. Master the basics on a FitVentures group holiday with TruTravels, staying in Bangkok and Koh Phangan. Yoga sessions, Pilates classes, bike rides and sunset beach workouts fill a calorie-busting itinerary, leaving ample time to wind down with spa sessions and massages at the Wonderland Resort.
A nine-day Thailand Energise trip starts from £985pp, excluding flights (020 3542 2463; trutravels.com)
WALKING ENTHUSIASTS
Yes, Thai beaches are beautiful – but opportunities for heavenly holidays at higher altitudes rise sky-high. Part of the Himalayan mountain range, Doi Inthanon National Park, in the north of Thailand, has elevations up to 8,500ft above sea level, creating a hiking wonderland above the clouds. Trek through evergreen forest, where gibbons and deer roam, or visit in January when the Siamese sakura flowers are in full cherry-blossom bloom. Combine a trip with the neighbouring Mae Wang District, spending time with indigenous hill tribes and overnighting at traditional homestays.
Inside Asia offers an 11-night Trails of Northern Thailand trip from £2,165pp, excluding flights (0117 244 3380; insideasiatours.com)
ADVENTUROUS FAMILIES
Rattling through a dull list of dates will instantly lose a child’s attention, but put them in a tuk-tuk and historical sightseeing immediately appeals. Finding new ways to keep young minds active, Stubborn Mule has devised a family adventure sampling cities and national parks. Cycle through Bangkok’s backstreets; meet the crab-eating macaques of Erawan National Park; and jump on board an overnight train to Chiang Mai. After spending time at a responsibly run elephant sanctuary, kids can bed down for a sleepover with a difference at a stilt-house homestay. A 15-day Highlights of Thailand tour starts from £11,995 for a family of four, including flights (01728 752751; stubbornmuletravel.com)
FOODIE FANATICS
Food is undoubtedly Thailand’s greatest worldwide export. But a local takeaway is completely different to tasting the real deal. Discover regional specialities and national oddities on a culinary and cultural journey, learning from local chefs, shopping at floating markets and dining in family homes. Alongside variations of classics such as pad Thai and khanom krok, take the opportunity to sample more unfamiliar creations, such as elephant-dung coffee, fried bugs sold at an edible-insects market and – weirder still – Thai wine, cultivated in the Asoke Valley.
Gane & Marshall offers a 10-day Taste of Thailand tour from £1,998pp, excluding flights (01822 600600; ganeandmarshall.com)
OFF THE BEATEN TRACKERS
Tribal tourism is a delicate topic. Conducted properly, however, travel can be a powerful force for good, benefiting communities financially. Determined to make a positive impact, G Adventures supports several community projects in rural northern Thailand through the not-for-profit NGO Planeterra. Living close to the Myanmar border, an area considered too remote by most operators, the Mae Hong Son hill tribe receive funds for hosting G customers on homestays. Equally overlooked due to their location close to Krabi in western Thailand, the Laem Sak community benefit by guiding kayak trips. Experience both projects on a 14-day Thailand Hike, Bike & Kayak tour from £1,349pp, excluding flights (020 7243 9870; gadventures.com)
CASH-CONSCIOUS TRAVELLERS
There’s a reason backpacking students flock east on their gap years: cheap prices and excellent service mean even paupers can travel like kings. Balance budget with comfortable accommodation by joining an escorted tour, guaranteeing the best value by travelling as a group and stretching the pennies to cover longer stays. G Adventures has struck gold with a trip encompassing the country’s highlights, averaging about £60 a day. Trek with hill tribes in the north, relax on golden beaches in the south, and plug into the electrifying night markets of Bangkok.
The 15-day Thailand: Night Markets & Blue Waters trip starts from £899pp, excluding flights (020 7243 9870; gadventures.com)
SUN-CRAVING FAMILIES
A laid-back alternative to the hectic throngs of Phuket, Khao Lak, with its white-sand beaches, showcases a slower pace of life along the Andaman coast. The Tui Blue Mai Khao Lak is the perfect fit for families with their sights set on sunloungers and the sparkling sea. From large pools with swim-up bars to buffet restaurants and age-specific kids’ clubs, all bases are covered. Beyond the resort’s comfortable confines, Phang Nga’s natural attractions are also appealing. Nearby Khao Sok National Park is one of the oldest rainforests in the world, while the Surin and Similan islands – a short boat ride away – are excellent for snorkelling and diving.
Tui offers a seven-night stay from £1,287pp ( four sharing), including flights from Manchester on December 22 (020 3451 2688; tui.co.uk)
HISTORY ENTHUSIASTS
Mighty civilisations shaped the culture of South-east Asia, leaving a legacy of magnificent temples and opulent palaces. In Ayutthaya, spiralling towers and sprawling monasteries hint at the splendour of a 14th-century Siamese kingdom, while the Sukhothai Historical Park is a marvel of Khmer shrines. Filling the gaps between crumbling ruins requires the expertise of a knowledgeable guide – all part of the package on Inside Asia’s Kingdoms of Thailand tour. Spiral back several centuries at top World Heritage Sites and lost cities to discover what makes this modern-day destination tick.
An eight-night trip starts from £1,795pp, excluding flights (0117 244 3380; insideasiatours.com)
RAIL OBSESSIVES
Interest in railways was sparked by Queen Victoria’s gift of a model set to King Rama IV, and the country’s first lines were built in the late 19th century.
Taking a ride along the tracks is a journey back in time, passing through coruscating paddy fields and white picket-fenced stations plucked from a Hornby toy set. Do it properly with a trip on Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express, a glamorous cherrywood sleeper train finessed with Thai silk fabrics, intricate marquetry and a grand piano in the lounge bar. Stops include a guided tour of the controversial bridge on the River
Kwai and the ThailandBurma Railway Centre.
Cox & Kings offers a sevennight trip from £4,695pp, including flights (020 3797 8866; coxandkings.co.uk)
FIRST-TIMERS
Punchier than one of its explosive trademark curries, Thailand can be overwhelming at first sight. A complex jigsaw of ancient kingdoms, tribal cultures and seasonal weather systems can only be pieced together after several visits. Setting foot in the country for the first time, it’s hard to know where to start. Abercrombie & Kent’s 13-night Discover Thailand trip gives a decent introduction, covering the highlights from Chiang Mai’s jungle-wrapped mountains right down to the Gulf of Thailand’s gleaming-white beaches. Essential temples, palaces and flower markets are all ticked off, leaving enough time to switch off and relax.
A 13-night Discover Thailand trip starts from £3,975pp, including flights (01242 386500; abercrombiekent.co.uk)
WILDLIFE WATER BABIES
Heart-poundingly beautiful on the surface, the Phi Phi Islands are even more of a mind-bending spectacle underwater. Limestone mountains plunge to great depths, creating walls for an unusual array of brightly coloured soft corals. Swim into caves concealed by fanning gorgonians, searching for seahorses and shrimpfish that reside in the delicate fronds, and float through gardens filled with staghorn corals and white bushes shaped like Christmas trees. Between February and March, leopard, nurse and reef sharks can be seen at the appropriately named Shark Point.
Dive Worldwide offers a 10-day Koh Phi Phi scuba-diving trip from £2,595pp, including 10 dives, and flights. Departs from November to May (01962 302087; diveworldwide.com)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORERS
As comfortable underwater as they are on land, Moken spearfishers can freedive to dizzying depths on a single breath. The ancestral skill is now part of their DNA, allowing them to comfortably survive without interruption from the outside world. Get an insight into their way of life on a
trip to the Surin Islands, a reef-fringed archipelago in the Andaman Sea. Listen to songs and stories shared inside beach homes built on stilts, hike into surrounding forests to forage for medicinal plants, and snorkel with a Moken guide for an authentic taste of sea-gypsy living – encountering sharks, mantas and sea turtles along the way.
Pelorus offers a 10-night Thailand’s Charming Culture and Coastal Wonders tour from £10,500pp, excluding flights (020 3848 5424; pelorusx.com)
ETHICAL WILDLIFE LOVERS
South-east Asia’s forests and grasslands once swelled with Asian elephants. But – just like their African cousins – the species is in devastating decline. Once used to tug logs around forests, many end their days carrying tourists on jungle rides. But the award-winning Elephant Hills Camp has found an alternative
and more humane way to fund the animals’ upkeep. As part of a small group session, guests at the tented camp in Khao Sok National Park can watch the elephants take a mudbath and join in feeding sessions, ensuring an up-close encounter without compromising the creatures in any way. Audley offers a 13-day Thailand for families: elephants and island escape, from £2,610pp ( four sharing), including flights (01993 460875; audleytravel.com)
ISOLATION WORSHIPPERS
Proof that safari-style adventures aren’t restricted to Africa, the Four Seasons Golden Triangle Tented Camp promises immersion in nature and an introduction to Thailand’s wilder side. Surrounded by bamboo jungle along the Mekong river, glampers wake every morning to the sound of trumpeting elephants. Fishing lessons and hilltop cycling tours provide a chance to meet local communities and appreciate the environment. Alternatively, lazy days can be spent admiring mountain views of Myanmar and Laos, participating in a guided meditation session or being pampered in the open-air spa.
Steppes offers a four-day trip from £5,650pp , including flights (01285 880980; steppestravel.com)
MULTI-GENERATIONAL GATHERERS
After months of Zoom sessions and Facetime calls, physically reconnecting with family is a key priority for 2022. Start the year on the right footing with a family-friendly escape, balancing the needs of peace-loving grandparents with the demands of entertainmentseeking teens. ANI Private Resorts has a 10-suite oceanfront property on the island of Koh Yao Noi, equipped with security, housekeeping, a butler and a resort GM, available for exclusive hire. A dedicated concierge can arrange spa treatments or plan treasure hunts for kids, and with all meals prepared by an executive chef, there won’t be any arguments about whose turn it is to do the washing-up.
The Villa Collection offers a seven-night stay from £7,650pp (20 sharing), including flights on December 20 (020 7183 3554; thevillacollection.com)
SPA DEVOTEES
Guiding guests along a path to achieve happiness and spiritual well-being, Thailand’s spa retreats famously deliver much more than a standard massage and body scrub. Operational for more than 25 years, Chiva-Som leads the pack, with devotees regularly making a pilgrimage to worship at its temple of treatment rooms. Surrounded by tropical gardens in Hua Hin, a two-hour drive from Bangkok, the beachside complex offers a dizzying menu of therapies: Tai Chi classes, yoga, meditation, floatation sessions and chakra balancing can all be incorporated into programmes. Get a good all-round overview with the A Taste of Chiva-Som package, improving health, well-being and happiness through fitness classes, massage, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy.
Healing Holidays offers a three-night package from £1,799pp, excluding flights (020 7843 3597; healingholidays. com)
SEAFARING SAILORS
The star of several big-screen productions, Phang Nga Bay masqueraded as a Wookie planet in Star Wars and provided an exotic backdrop for Roger Moore’s James Bond. As you weave through the cluster of limestone karsts, however, you’ll find the scenery is far grander than any CGI wizardry could conjure up. Join a voyage on board a 14-passenger twin-hulled catamaran to explore hidden lagoons and remote islands inhabited by gibbons. Spend evenings stargazing from beanbags on the deck, while a chef cooks Thai classics. Intrepid Travel offers a seven-day Phuket Sailing Adventure from £1,235pp , excluding flights (0808 274 5111; intrepidtravel.com)
URBAN DREAMERS
Bold, boisterous and charismatically chaotic, Bangkok has inspired artists and writers for decades. Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham and John le Carré all holed up at the Mandarin Oriental, still the city’s undisputed grande dame 145 years after its teak doors first opened. Every room of the riverside building is steeped in nostalgia and the impeccable golden-era service hasn’t changed one bit. A wooden boat shuttles guests to the Oriental Spa, housed in a restored century-old house. Try a signature treatment of body wrap and bamboo pummelling, or experiment with a Muay Thai massage inspired by the energetic martial art.
Elegant Resorts offers a seven-night stay from £5,800pp, including flights (01244
897271; elegantresorts.co.uk)
EXPERIENCE SEEKERS
Relatively untouched by the outside world, the rural and rarely visited northeastern region of Isaan has traditions that have been practised for centuries. One of the greatest spectacles is the Loy Krathong festival of lights, celebrated in the 12th lunar month (November). Using community contacts, Black Tomato has secured special access to the event, allowing guests to watch as boat-shaped krathongs are filled with offerings, lit and floated down the Mekong river. The longer the flames burn, the better fortunes will be for the year ahead.
A 14-night Bangkok & Isaan trip starts from £5,750pp , excluding flights (0808 280
8438; blacktomato.com)