Lonely Planet Thailands Islands & Beaches

Beaches may bring you to Thailand, but its often the food that lures you back and then sends you in search of it when you return home. Thai cuisine embodies the countrys culture: generous and warm, outgoing and nuanced, refreshing and relaxed, delicate and surprising. With its tropical bounty, the varied national menu twirls around four fundamental flavours: spicy, sweet, salty and sour. And its exquisitely hot and salty in the seafood-focused south. Dishes build on fresh, local ingredients, from pungent lemongrass, juicy yellow mangoes and searing chillies to just-caught seafood, plump tofu and crispy fried chicken.

Sun-Kissed Smiles

Whether its the glimmering eye of the meditative wi (the palms-together Thai greeting) or the joyful grin of passers-by, its hard not to be charmed by the Land of Smiles. Thailand has long been Southeast Asias most friendly country, inviting travellers from near and far to indulge in the kingdoms natural splendours. While development has had an impact on Thailands beauty, the welcome is still as delightful as ever and on the islands and beaches youre still greeted by a heady mix of sparkling seascapes, limestone towers and equatorial sunshine.

(James Bond Island) | DAY2505 / SHUTTERSTOCK

By David Eimer, Writer

Its obvious why Thailands islands and beaches are superstars in the world of travel, but what I love best about this region is the welcome you get from the locals. Everyone is so quick to smile, and that unconditional delight means this is a place where everyone can fit in, whatever their tastes or personal travel style. I can also never get enough of floating in that turquoise sea, exulting in the tropical breezes and watching the sun go down, before enjoying a cold beer and some of the most delicious seafood youll ever taste.