Thailand

The little sister to Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan has a name of its own as a world class diving destination. Wannabe divers flock to Ko Tao to get their PADI open-water certificate making Ko Tao one of the most popular and cheapest places to do it in the world. But beside the bobble blowers tiny Ko Tao also attracts travellers who want to escape the commercialized Samui and party crazy Ko Pha Ngan. Though Ko Tao has several beaches, it is lovely and long Sairee Beach that most people stay at. A low key mix of bungalows, sea side restaurants, in-land town (if you can call a couple of streets a town) and funky bars makes it a fun place to be, diving or not. But as with any other islands in Thailand you can choose other bays if you are into more secluded beaches and resorts.

Ko Yao Noi is ideally located between Krabi and Phuket but remains a destination that few travel to. Its location offers uninterrupted views of the majestic limestone cliffs of Phang Nga Bay while also being an excellent base to explore nearby islands by kayak or boat without crowds. Life here has remained largely untouched by tourism and people still leave their keys in the ignition without a passing thought. Slow paced and friendly, Koh Yao is also home to an unspoilt coastline of pristine beaches, striking lagoons and scenic rice paddie fields. The island may be small but its diverse enough to offer an off the beaten track adventure or secluded beach retreat, all while enjoying the surreal beauty of the bay. A couple of yoga and medication centers have also cropped up if inner discovery in a tropical setting is what you're after.

The largest island in Thailand is Phuket. It is so big that it does not fell like one, which is kind of good for the place is welcoming several millions tourists every year. Most people only make it to the main strips of sand at Patong, Karon and Kata, leaving a fair bit of beaches and green countryside to travellers seeking more than Starbucks, jetskies and expat bars. Phuket admirable manage to offer something for everyone. Even the Old Town of Phuket city is inviting and is a great base for the money tights who are more interested in exploring the island than spending money on prime beach location.

For an idea of the different beaches on Phuket, check out the photo gallery.

Railay is a beautiful peninsula fenced off by steep limestone cliffs and turquoise sea. The steep cliff walls is a climber's mecca and attracts world-class climbers along with a mellow crowd in the slip wind. Expect a lot of Bob Marley, John Johnson and fire dancing in the evening. Railay beach is actually four beaches; Tongsai where the hardcore climbers hang out, East Railay which is more mangrove than beach, the broad West Railay which is the main stretch of sand for backpacker and flashpackers, and the gorgeous Phra Nang Beach which is famous for its overhanging cliff formations right on the beach. Railay is only reachable by boat which create a happy island vibe.

If you like flowers, specifically sunflowers, make a trip to Lopburi or Saraburi Province. The Sunflower Festival goes on between November and February of every year. Only 150 km from Bangkok, the vast fields of sunflowers is a beautiful site when in bloom. A nice way to spend a day if you are in Bangkok and want to get out of the mayhem and big crowds for the day. Warning, the area gets very crowded on weekends with local tourists.

Surin is mostly famous for the annual Surin Elephant Round-up which is held in November, but you are likely to see some of the stars any time of the year – and we don't just mean the countless elephant statues that are littering the town. It not unusual to see an elephant parked between the cars waiting for passers-by to buy some fruit for them from the mahout. Beside the elephants the town doesn't offer much in terms of unusual sights, but since it is well connected by both buses and train it functions great as a base to explore the countryside. Within proximity you find some of the best Angkor temples in Thailand; Khao Phra Wihan/Preah Vihear (150km to the East), Prasat Meuang Tam and Phanom Rung historial park (both 100km to the West).

Even if you are templed-out this wat is still fun to visit. The abbot got this insane idea to cover the pagaoda in empty bottles in a statement of half save-the-planet-by-recycling and half religious thoughts about glass symbolizing the search for clarify in one's mind. The official name of the wat is Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaeo but most locals simply know it by the name Wat Lan Khuat, Million Bottle Temple. Some travel guides misleading state that the temple is build out of beer bottles (Heineken and Chang) but firstly it is "only" the surface that is covered in bottles (concrete is certainly also used) and most of the bottles seem to be energy-drink bottles (from M-150, Red Bull, etc) which doesn't make it any less wicked. Everything is covered in bottles; the monk's huts, the toilets, the water tower, even the crematorium is covered in glass bottles...

The area around Khao Lak was one of the worst hit when the tsunami, on the 26th of December 2004, washed away the west coast of Thailand. People, locals and tourists alike, were totally taken by surprise by the first disappearing and then fast rising sea. Thousands of people lost their life and the survivors lost everything they owned. Beach resorts were demolished and boats were lifted kilometers inland. Today it is hard to see the scars from the tsunami. Most hotels and houses have been rebuild, but in Khao Lak you can still find some tsunami leftovers. The Similana resort, or rather what once was the Similana resort, was stripped bare from the waves (and later thieves) and lies now abandoned and overgrown. The ground is easy accessible from the beach, but you better hurry before hotel investors reclaim this prime location.