Koh Samui

Koh Samui is Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket, off the east coast in the Gulf of Thailand, about 229 square kilometres. For generations it lived on coconuts and rubber; its life changed when the airport opened in 1989.

Samui Airport is owned by Bangkok Airways, and most of the terminal is open to the gardens, so the holiday begins as you step off the plane. Flights arrive from Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Phuket, and a 51 km ring road links the beaches.

Chaweng is the longest and liveliest beach, Lamai lies to its south, and the north holds Bophut, Fisherman's Village and quiet Choeng Mon. To the west lies Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park and its 42 islands, the island's finest day at sea.

Samui's season is not Phuket's. It is at its best from January to August, and its heaviest rain falls from mid-October to early December. That makes it the natural choice for a Gulf summer holiday, when Phuket is wet.