Phuket Island Escape

Fly into Phuket, transfer to your beach base, and catch the first sunset from Karon or Kata - the gentler introduction to the island, a world away from the airport queues. Dinner within walking distance; ambition can start tomorrow. Unpack fully - this build keeps one hotel throughout, the quiet luxury that makes a four-night island trip feel longer than it is.

The Phi Phi day cruise is the one fixed appointment of this trip: lagoons, snorkel stops and limestone walls straight off the wallpaper. Choose the big boat over the speedboat if seasickness is even a question - same islands, steadier ride.

Sea-canoe through the caves and karst of Phang Nga Bay past the James Bond Island profile, or declare a rest day and let the resort do its job. Both are correct answers on day three of an island holiday. Whichever way the vote goes, keep the evening free for the beachfront; the day's choice reads better with sand underfoot.

Phuket beyond the beach: Old Town's shophouse facades and coffee, the Big Buddha on its hilltop, Wat Chalong's spires. Close with either Bangla Road's neon or a barefoot dinner - the island genuinely does not mind which you pick. Thai temple visits ask for covered shoulders and knees, so dress the morning accordingly and change for the evening later.

Last swim, late breakfast, airport. Phuket departures usually hop via Bangkok, so keep the layover roomy and spend it on one more round of Thai food - the holiday technically continues until the second boarding pass. Souvenir maths favours the Old Town shops over airport shelves - finish the shopping before the transfer, not after it.