I’d also recommend a visit to the “floating” Muslim community – different in lifestyle to the nomadic Sea Gipsy (Moken) communities which are also found in Phuket – and also try to see a rubber plantation.
Anna Ingham, East Sussex

More advice from readers

Kata above the rest

Forget Patong and try Kata instead; a very long, quiet beach separated from the road by casuarina trees – perfect as the sun goes down. Have a beer at Ratri restaurant (Kata Hill; 0066 7633 3538), it looks like a temple on the (very steep) hill behind Kata and offers a spectacular view. The best breakfast can be found at Larba Kata on Patak Road opposite Kata temple – good for hot and sour omelettes (or a haircut). Big Buddha is also well worth a visit.
William Byrnes, Greater Manchester

Inside job

In Phuket we quickly discovered that hotel bar staff often knew of people that could run excursions much cheaper than those offered by tour operators – sometimes for a fifth of the price. The trips were longer as well: often we were picked up at around 9am and dropped back between 6-7pm (tour operators picked up around 10am and dropped off at 4pm). We saw more of Phuket than other people at our hotel and the full day tour cost us just £10 each. The minibuses were also very clean. Similarly, jewellery and gifts were cheaper this way.

There is a high demand for football merchandise among the locals but much of it is counterfeit. We were told before we went to take some official Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal merchandise as gifts. So we took a few items which the reception, bar staff and chambermaids loved.
Paula Baguley-Hems, Runcorn

Call of the gibbon

Pay a visit to the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre (www.gibbonproject.org) in the north of Phuket. It’s set in a national park and there’s also the Bang Pae waterfall a short walk away. See the rescued gibbons swinging in the cages and read the numerous success stories of those that have been released back into the wild.

It’s a great opportunity to see gibbons, which normally live high in the tree tops and are rarely seen. It’s free to enter but there is a charge to enter the national park (around £5).

Many people visit Phang Nga Bay by organised trip. However, the best way to see enjoy the stunning limestone karst scenery is to drive to Phang Nga Bay and charter your own long-tail boat.
Helen Lewry, Lincolnshire

Another world

Within easy access, on a short crossing by speed boat from Phuket, Koh Yao Yai is less than half an hour from Phuket – but a it might as well be a world away. It is surprisingly off the beaten track and still unspoilt by too much tourism.

A delight to visit and explore, with its dramatic scenery and deserted beaches, it is located in the heart of Phang Nga Bay and is well known for its sheer limestone cliffs that jut vertically from the emerald green water.

We stayed at the Koh Yao Yai Village (584555; www.kohyaoyaivillage.com), one of the two high-standard resorts of the island. The resort features large bungalows decorated in Thai folk art. The attention to detail in the rooms is remarkable, from the outdoor living area to the amenities and handmade wooden buffaloes produced by local islanders.

The huge infinity pool has breathtaking views overlooking the Andaman Sea and struck us as particularly beautiful.

The “Yao Yai Island Exploring” excursion by long-tail boat ought not to be missed.
Rachel Brown, Edinburgh

On the mat

I spent very happy five days at the Karuna meditation centre (www.meditate-thailand.com), near the town of Kamala.

This was an experience I’d highly recommend. It was the first time I had been to a retreat so I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was a lovely setting and excellent yoga tuition (three classes a day, starting with morning yoga on the beach), use of the pool and vegetarian meals included (though perhaps the portions could have been more generous). There were also daily meditations sessions and some interesting lectures.
Joanna Davies, Shropshire

Perfect pearls

We really enjoyed the visit to Naka Noi Pearl Farm, where the owner will prepare the cultured oysters for demonstration, which takes about one and a half hours. You get to the island by long-tail boats, which leave from Ao Poh off Route 4027. Brian James, West Sussex

Breakfast on the beach

We first went to Phuket on our honeymoon more than a decade ago. We returned last year expecting everything to have changed but were delighted to find that our favourite restaurant, Chez Bernard, on the beach at Patong next to Patong Municipality Food Court, was still going strong. It serves Thai and Western food in simple surroundings – it’s great for lunch and dinner but we like it best for breakfast, before the crowds arrive and before it gets too hot.
Olivia and Jamie Butler, Suffolk

Get aboard

If you’re heading out to Phi Phi Islands, forget the ferry, which is slow and often crowded, and take a day tour on a speed boat. Not only is this a quicker and more efficient way of getting around all of the beautiful bays and islands, but you will feel as if you’re starring in your own Bond movie. Our day tour, which included Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Leh, Bamboo Island and Khai Nai Island, cost 3,100 baht (around £63) per person and was arranged through our hotel. It was the highlight of our trip to Phuket.
Freya Robinson, Herts

Paddle power

Everyone goes to Phang Nga Bay and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. But once you’ve seen it by day, go back and visit the caves by starlight. There is a tour you can take that takes you kayaking round the islands during the afternoon then, after supper on the escort boat, you return to your kayaks and paddle back to the caves. It’s quite magical under the stars and so peaceful. You can book the tour before you travel at www.phuket-travel.com and it costs around £80 per person. Expensive but worth it.
Helen Ward, East Sussex

Phuket with a bang

Don’t miss Phuket’s most famous Buddhist temple, Wat Chalong, around five miles south of the city. The Grand Pagoda is particularly interesting with paintings that tell the story of the Buddha’s life. But be prepared for gunfire. It’s not really gunfire, thankfully, it’s the sound of firecrackers, which locals light to say thank you when their prayers are answered.

Of great interest to most visitors, are the statues of a local known as grandpa Khee-lek who apparently won the lottery several times after appealing to another statue here – Poh Than Jao Wat. Needless to say, my wife and I made a similar appeal but without success so far – but perhaps Poh Than Jao Wat’s powers only extend to local lotteries.
Rupert Voss, Bristol

Peace and quiet

Well worth visiting is Koh Yao Noi, not far from Koh Yao Yai in Phang Nga Bay. This island is smaller but more populated than its big sister, with 5,000 islanders, many of them fishermen who still use traditional wicker cages and hand-knotted nets.

The islanders made a decision to regulate tourism when they saw local customs being threatened on Phuket. As a result, visitors must respect local rules such as modest dress, no littering, no illegal fishing, and no alcohol or drugs. There are no big hotels – just homestays and a few low-key beach bungalows.

Cycling round the island you can glimpse unspoilt mangrove swamps, rice fields, water buffalo and orchards of tropical fruit, where villagers hang sheets of rubber out to dry. It’s a far cry from the hectic resorts on Phuket.
Sarah Shepherd, London

What to avoid

Tuk tuk code

Hiring a tuk tuk is expensive. If you really want to, first establish how much it’s going to cost you. Preferably hire a moped and always ask for a helmet and go to a reputable hire company. They will always ask for a deposit and your passport which you have to give in order to get a moped. Also when riding the mopeds don’t drink and do wear the helmet – the police often stop riders at random.
Nadia Nell, Middlesex

Shark alert

Stay clear of the shark’s fin soup which you may well find in some traditional or expensive restaurants. It doesn’t suit large-scale fishing and fishing for it has a detrimental effect on the marine ecosystem. It’s also not that tasty anyway.
Fiona Keene, Hampshire

Beach blight

Miss the beach communities where the accommodation can be overpriced and the food in the malls is less than appetising. Instead, stay in the more aesthetically pleasing Phuket town.
Michael Goddard, Buckinghamshire

Send us your tips

Do you have tips, advice or observations on any of the destinations below to share with other readers? If so, we would like to hear from you. A selection of your submissions will be published in Discover and on our website.

The sender of the best entry on each destination will win a two-night stay for two, in a superior room, with breakfast, at the Halkin hotel in Belgravia, London.

The destinations

Oxford
Avignon
Sicily
Boston
Singapore

The prize

The prize will be awarded to the sender of the best submission on each destination. It is offered strictly according to availability and must be taken before March 31, 2012. Transfers and transport to and from London and the hotel are not included. Other terms and conditions apply.

The Halkin (020 7333 1059; www.halkin.como.bz) provides the perfect sanctuary in the heart of London. Located in a quiet street close to Hyde Park Corner, the shops of Knightsbridge and Mayfair, and surrounded by the discreet charm of Belgravia, The Halkin provides an ideal base for those visiting the capital to shop, sightsee or relax.

With its elegant and contemporary interiors, in which comfort is fundamental, the hotel has the feel of a home away from home. It also has a boutique size that creates an air of intimacy, with just 41 guest rooms and suites. The wonderfully innovative design, the work of Italian architects Laboratorio Associati of Milan, is clear from the moment you step into the airy lobby and glance up at the soaring atrium ceiling.

The hotel is also renowned both for its five-star service and its technically sophisticated in-room services, with state-of-the-art-touch-screen consoles, on-demand movie and music selection, and complimentary WiFi access. Gourmet visitors should visit 'nahm’, the hotel’s acclaimed Thai restaurant by celebrated chef David Thompson, or The Halkin Bar to sample its new 'Flights of Wine’ menu.

How to submit

Email your tips and recommendations (no longer than 150 words, please) on any of the five destinations with your name, address and phone number, by April 28, 2011, to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or click on one of the links below.

Oxford
Avignon
Sicily
Boston
Singapore