Phuket

Phuket is really many destinations in one. Patong delivers nightlife; Kata and Karon suit families; Bang Tao and Nai Harn offer calmer luxury. Save a morning for the Sino-Portuguese shophouses and café scene of Phuket Old Town, and use the island as a springboard to Phang Nga Bay and the Phi Phi islands. High season runs November to April, when the Andaman Sea is at its calmest.