Holiday in Thailand

From the temples and street food to the pristine beaches and luxury hotels, you’ve got every excuse for a holiday to Thailand.

The land of smiles

Thailand is known as the land of smiles, thanks to the welcoming nature of the Thai people. But there’s so much more to the country than friendly faces. In fact, it’s impossible to sum up Thailand in a nutshell, because every part is different.

Bangkok

Mixed in with the religious landmarks is one of the world’s most hectic capitals. Bangkok is a strobe-like city, where motorways have 12 lanes, markets have upward of 15,000 stalls, and restaurants are so concentrated, you’ll never be more than 50 metres away from one.

Beaches and islands

Then there’s the coast. In the Krabi province alone, there are 150 kilometres’ worth of beaches, many of which are backed by photogenic rock formations. In the Khao Lak area, the sands get swallowed up by national parks a few hundred metres from the shoreline. In Phuket, meanwhile, there’s a real mix. While the crowdless beaches in Mai Khao let you live incognito for a while, the ones in Patong invite you to a permanent party.

Multi-Centre holidays to Thailand

Settling on just one spot is no easy feat in this kaleidoscopic country. That’s why we’ve hand picked a selection of choices, which let you tick off two or more places in one trip. They pair up Bangkok with beach resorts, like Phuket and Khao Lak. Our Multi-Centre tours, meanwhile, cover off even more, from traditional Chiang Mai in the north to the picturesque Phi Phi Islands in the south.

Amazing Thailand

From the temples and street food to the pristine beaches and luxury hotels, you’ve got every excuse for a holiday to Thailand.

The land of smiles

Thailand is known as the land of smiles, thanks to the welcoming nature of the Thai people. But there’s so much more to the country than friendly faces. In fact, it’s impossible to sum up Thailand in a nutshell, because every part is different.

Bangkok

Mixed in with the religious landmarks is one of the world’s most hectic capitals. Bangkok is a strobe-like city, where motorways have 12 lanes, markets have upward of 15,000 stalls, and restaurants are so concentrated, you’ll never be more than 50 metres away from one.

Beaches and islands

Then there’s the coast. In the Krabi province alone, there are 150 kilometres’ worth of beaches, many of which are backed by photogenic rock formations. In the Khao Lak area, the sands get swallowed up by national parks a few hundred metres from the shoreline. In Phuket, meanwhile, there’s a real mix. While the crowdless beaches in Mai Khao let you live incognito for a while, the ones in Patong invite you to a permanent party.

Multi-Centre holidays to Thailand

Settling on just one spot is no easy feat in this kaleidoscopic country. That’s why we’ve hand picked a selection of choices, which let you tick off two or more places in one trip. They pair up Bangkok with beach resorts, like Phuket and Khao Lak. Our Multi-Centre tours, meanwhile, cover off even more, from traditional Chiang Mai in the north to the picturesque Phi Phi Islands in the south.

Dancing in the street Chinese style

Santorini

Dreamy Santorini is in the Cyclades. It has become, in recent years, one of the most popular of all the Greek Islands, photogenic for its iconic caldera and its clinging-to-the-clifftop whitewashed villages which overlook the still-smoking volcano across the expanse of quite phenomenal blue.

The prettiest and most dramatic places to stay are those hillside hotels with caldera views in Firostefani, Fira, Imerovigli and, best for sunset, pretty Oia; they are created from ancient cave dwellings, now all smartened up and with pools and spas installed, and characterised by simple, all-white interiors. Fira is the capital, all winding streets and steps running up and down the hillside, dotted with shops, bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

Where to go

The one ‘must’ in Firá is the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, with its Minoan murals rescued from pre-cataclysm Akrotíri. Santoríni’s dark, volcanic-sand or pebble beaches are as much curiosities as bathing venues; the most practical and enjoyable are Perivólas and Vlyháda in the far south of the island. Two classic hiking routes among many go from Períssa to Kamári, past post-eruption ancient Thera, and along the caldera edge from Imerovígli to Oía. For a sense of the ancient volcano’s lingering power, take a day-trip to the caldera islets with their shoreline hot springs and clinker surfaces.

Where to stay 

The Santorini Grace sits on the very edge of a cliff; viewed from above, it looks like a sunbather languidly dangling a limb over the lip of the island's famous caldera. Carved out of two village houses partially destroyed in the 1956 earthquake, the hotel had 17 rooms and seven suites, plus two pools. All the rooms have terraces and are simply decorated in white. The hotel is not suitable for the elderly or infirm (there are 149 steps to negotiate), or children (under 14s are not allowed). Book room number 46, a honeymoon suite, for complete privacy.

Katiki

Located right on the cliff edge in Oia, this is one of the island's best hotels. Two split-level suites are in the 18th-century former home of a noble family: the façade is painted its original pale ochre and the interiors are decorated with antiques and Orthodox icons displayed on pale-blue walls. The other 25 rooms and suites, with similar interiors, sea views and patios, have bright white exteriors and look like a jumble of sugar cubes tumbling down the cliff. More than 200 steps connect the rooms, swimming pools - including a beautiful infinity pool - and public areas, and the small rooftop terrace restaurant serves delicious, fresh seafood. The nearest beach is five minutes' free transfer away, although it's probably quicker to walk in summer, when the narrow roads are clogged with coaches.

Contact All World Journeys for more information

discover@allworldjourneys.com 

+447824 099686