Thais have good reason for their famous welcoming smiles – their country is so enticing that it is ranked among the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Holiday-makers now exceed 32 million a year, making tourism the country’s top industry. With a unique culture and a piquantly delicious cuisine, year-round sunny weather, palm-studded and powdery white-sand beaches, forested cloaked in dawn mists, time-honoured ancient ruins and old temples, and the excitement of a bustling megalopolis such as Bangkok, it’s easy to see why planeloads of visitors keep touching down on this exotic land.
For the majority of them, a Thai sojourn consists of a brief flirtation with the bright lights of Bangkok before escaping to the thousands of kilometres of sun-kissed coastline, or to an island getaway. The clear azure waters of the Eastern Seaboard, Andaman Coast to the west and the Gulf of Thailand along the east, are among the world’s best for scuba diving and snorkelling, sailing and fishing.
Fishing off Paton Beach, Phuket, at sunset.
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Thailand’s islands and beaches offer plenty of attractions for those who like swimming with vibrant marine life among kaleidoscopic coral reefs, but there is also plenty to please less energetic visitors. These regions of Thailand, which border Burma to the west, Cambodia to the east and Malaysia to the south, have a topography where Thai royal palaces and the statues and spires of Buddhist temples contrast with the blue waters and lush verdant forests. And family attractions are abundant in the shows and theme parks in places such as Pattaya and Phuket.
Once extensively the preserve of cash-strapped backpackers and tour groups, many of the country’s beach areas now cater to a broader mix of travellers, with stylish boutique resorts, spas, clubs and fine restaurants. Holiday-makers cross paths with hedonistic Full Moon party animals, and starry-eyed honeymoon couples with spa lovers and New Age junkies seeking spiritual awakening or the ultimate massage.
Lest you think that tranquil hideaways no longer exist, Thailand still has near-desolate beaches and remote islands that the chain hotels have yet to discover. It is a safe, family-friendly country, despite the ongoing restlessness in the southernmost provinces. Who needs an excuse for a beach holiday anyway?