Ao Nang - Krabi

The 1km long beach is great for walking, swimming, sport and relaxing. You can take a day trip by long-tail to some of the idyllic islands nearby such as Ko Hong, Ko Poda and Ko Gai. You can also reach Railay, the world-class rock-climbing destination from here.

Local tour operators also offer a variety of land and sea tours. Jungle trek, zip line, rock climb, scuba dive, snorkel – everything is on offer here.

You could, of course, just kick back at one of the many beach bars instead. Sunsets are spectacular from this beach, as the sun and sky reflect off the wet sand at low tide.

Ao Nang town has two main roads: Moo 2 has a large selection of restaurants, and Moo 3 many souvenir and trinket shops. Tuk tuks are an easy and cheap way to get around though most things are within walking distance.

Dining suits all budgets; there is a large choice of local and international restaurants. The many bars, clubs and live music venues will keep you entertained until the early hours.

Once a backpacker paradise, Ao Nang has become more upmarket. These days most accommodation ranges from mid to luxurious. The most exclusive resorts are on or close to the beach, with the cheaper bungalows closer into town.