Southeast Asia

Where to Go

• Phuket's west coast: quieter bays and headlands away from the busy towns, with boats to the islands offshore.
• Phang Nga Bay: hundreds of limestone islands rising from calm water between Phuket and Krabi, with sea caves and hidden lagoons.
• The Similan Islands: a national park of granite boulders and clear water, known for diving, open in the dry season.

What to Do

Spend a day on a boat in Phang Nga Bay and paddle by kayak into the lagoons inside the rocks. Dive or snorkel the Similan Islands in season. On land, walk Phuket's Old Town with its Sino-Portuguese shophouses and food markets, take a Thai cooking class, and visit the rural villages of Koh Yao Noi by bicycle.

Best Time to Go

November to April is the dry season on the Andaman coast, with calm seas and the best diving. December to February is the most comfortable and the busiest. From about May to October the southwest monsoon brings rain, wind and rough seas, some boat trips stop, and the Similan Islands close to visitors.

Getting Around and How Long to Stay

Phuket has direct flights from the Gulf hubs and Singapore, and short flights from Bangkok. Koh Yao Noi is about 45 minutes by boat from Phuket. We suggest five to seven nights, split between Phuket and Phang Nga Bay if you want variety, with two or three nights in Bangkok before or after.

Where to Stay

Phuket: Amanpuri, Aman's first resort, sits on a headland above Pansea Beach and has its own fleet of boats. Rosewood Phuket is a modern resort on Emerald Bay, a quiet cove just south of Patong.

Phang Nga Bay: Six Senses Yao Noi has hillside pool villas facing the karst islands.

Pairing

Thailand's Andaman coast pairs well with Bangkok and with northern Thailand around Chiang Mai. It also makes a winter beach stop on a longer trip to Asia or on the way to Australia.