Where to go in Thailand

With the crowds comes a lively nightlife, with good deals on drinks late in the evening, including the popular coin toss, which gives you a 50/50 chance of winning a free drink.

Ko Samet is popular with Thais, foreign travellers and expats from Bangkok and Rayong, so there's always a good mix of people. However, this also means that it can get rather hectic unless you arrive mid-week.

As Ko Samet misses most of the heavy monsoon that plagues other islands, the weather is guaranteed to be pleasant at almost any time of year. Although most beaches have been overdeveloped, they still manage to be beautiful, with sparkling white sand curving between coconut palms and clear cerulean water.

The island is famous among Thais as the setting for a story by their most famous poet, Sunthorn Phu. Travellers will notice on Haad Sai Kaew the decaying statue of Phra Arpaimanee, who travelled with his flute around Thailand until one day he was captured by a ravenous giantess.

Most popularly originating from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, these 2-6 day treks take visitors through forested mountains and high meadows in what are, actually, the lower extremities of Himalayan foothills.