Winning tip: Camping and snorkelling, Mu Ko Surin national park

The Surin islands in the Andaman Sea about 50km from the mainland are surrounded by coral reefs and considered the best snorkelling destination in Thailand. There are numerous day trips but to really experience the magic, stay a few nights at the back-to-basics campsite at Mai Ngam bay, a perfectly formed horseshoe bay. Spend your days hiring longboats captained by locals to take you to snorkelling hotspots such as Suthep Bay, Thailand’s first underwater sign-marked snorkelling trail.

• Book at nps.dnp.go.th, two-person tent about £10 a night, park entrance £12 for foreigners, open October-May

Cassandra Jackson-Baker

Train from Hua Hin to Petchaburi

Hua Hin railway station, opened 1911. Photograph: John W Banagan/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

I started in Hua Hin, where the king has his summer palace (it beats Balmoral any day) and took a train to a town an hour or so north called Petchaburi. There is a temple and old wooden houses and a decent lunch place on the river but really it’s the train journey there and back that had me. It returns at sunset, costs about 13p, the windows are open, you go through farmland and villages, and there are hardly any tourists.

Deecee Hall

Ubon Ratchathani, Isaan

Strange rock formations at Sao Chaling, near Ubon Ratchathani. Photograph: sugarbutty/Guardian Witness

A less-travelled part of Thailand is Ubon Ratchathani province in Isaan. We stayed at Toh Sang Resort, which sits alongside the Mekong opposite Laos. We drove there from Bangkok but it can be reached by train or plane. There are interesting and stunning sites to visit such as 3,000-year-old cave paintings in Pha Taem national park and strange rock formations at Sao Chaling. Boats will take you to see where the two-coloured rivers the Mekong and the Mun meet.

sugarbutty

Chiang Kham, a secret northern getaway

Unspoilt countryside in the Chiang Kham district. Photograph: Nath Phl Phechr Vththi/Getty Images

Chiang Kham district offers scenic, crowd-free countryside on the lush, mountainous border of Laos. Phu Sang national park is home to rare plants and animals, limestone caves, waterfalls and isolated natural plunge pools. There are also a number of hidden, beautiful temples, such as Wat Saen Mueang Ma, and a museum of the resident ethnic Tai Lue population, whose colourful woven fabrics decorate the town. Chiang Kham Grand Villa (doubles £16 a night) is a welcoming place to stay. We went with our three-year-old son and he loved it.

Charolude

Maya Bay Sleep Aboard

Maya Bay, made famous in Danny Boyle’s The Beach. Photograph: MikeLadyman/Guardian Witness

We experienced a magical night on the Maya Bay Sleep Aboard boat in Kho Phi Phi,visiting the cove made famous in the film The Beach. Arriving at the spectacular bay you have the opportunity to explore the beach and surrounding caves and jungle before watching the sunset with a cold beer. As soon as it gets dark snorkels are provided for night swimming with luminous plankton. Fresh local food is served and bedding is provided for a night on the beach or aboard the boat if you wish. £87 gets you the full experience including evening meal.

• mayabaytours.com

MikeLadyman

Thai new year

Thai people celebrating Songkran (new year). Photograph: Alamy

I went to Thailand during the Songkran new year celebrations. Think the biggest water fight you have ever seen, plus lovely hot weather. Think a water fight on every single corner. It was the most amazing experience and I still think about it. My tip would be to buy a water gun early if you’re going – and book early.

Wain Yuen Nam

Koh Yao Noi

Morning on Klong Jark beach, Ko Yao Noi. Photograph: Lucy Brown/Getty Images

This lovely little island around an hour from Puhket by boat is inhabited by Muslim fishermen and their families and is not your typical Thai island. Most people get around on scooters and bicycles. I stayed in Namtok Bungalows (doubles £11), a place of hammocks and garden huts by the beach, run by a Thai lady and an American man who have made this island their home. The food served by the couple was local, fresh and delicious and was always in the company of other off beat travellers and climbers. I also discovered a Muay Thai boxing school run by an ex national champion who allowed me to photograph students in his open-air gym by the beach.

torchia

Hiking through the jungle in Pai

Jungle near Pai. Photograph: Vyacheslav Argenberg/Getty Images

Pai, about 25 miles from the Myanmar border, is home to hidden geographical treasures. A short way from our hotel, we saw a sign for Mae Yen waterfall, which was one of the best discoveries of our trip. The walk up to the waterfall took around three hours though, with such amazing wildlife, it seemed like no time at all. Local farmers along the way run small stalls selling fruit, with an honesty box if they’re out. We were a little spooked by the first “river crossing” section, but small signs along the way, with helpful additions written by fellow travellers helped lead the way. Our shoes got a little wet as we walked but the views throughout the trek were amazing.

Alex1300250

Nai Yang beach

Photograph: Alamy

A few steps from Phuket airport is one of the quietest and most peaceful beaches in Thailand, so before your early or late flight, spend a night at any hotel near the airport and just walk a short way south to find soft sands and cool waves. It’s a good birdwatching spot, too, as there is nearby green forest and small canals.

Abdelrahman Hassanein

Wat Ban Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima province

Wat Ban Rai, an elephant-shaped temple in the middle of a lake. Photograph: Shei La

This temple in north-eastern Thailand is a gem for two reasons: being less known … and for being out of sight. From Bangkok,it’s a three-and-a-half-hour road trip. Wat Ban Rai is an elephant-shaped colourful temple in the middle of a lake and guarded by two gigantic 19-headed nagas, a group of serpent gods in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Besides its distinctive elephant structure, Wat Ban Rai boasts astonishing statues and paintings depicting Buddha’s life. From pillars to walls to ceilings, Wat Ban Rai has an endless spectacle of vibrant art. Every visit is like a walk in an gallery – and the shrine collects no fee from visitors.

Shei La

Self-drive Thailand

Photograph: James225/Guardian Witness

We rented a car in Thailand and it transformed our time in this beautiful country. We meandered down the gulf coast from Bangkok, stopping to take advantage of out-of-the-way places to stay and eat. Near the laid-back town of Ban Krut, 350km south of the capital, the idyllic and super-friendly Sirarun Resort (from £90 a night) has huge bungalows on what feels like a private beach, with free bike and canoe hire. A little further on, Bang Berd Bay is a tree-lined golden strip of sand with beachside seafood restaurants serving deep-fried mackerel or squid with basil and chilli. The roads are good, the signposts are in English and Google maps works for navigation.

james225

Craft beer tour of Nonthaburi

The Fellowship of Beer brewery, north of Bangkok

Experience the rebellion against Thailand’s lager duopoly by sampling the craft beer hotspots of Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok. Start at Chitbeer on the manmade island of Koh Kred. Here the pioneer of Thailand homebrewing Khun Wichit sells his microbrews. Next, enjoy an open-air beer at Na Mi Beer in Pak Kret, which has creative Thai beers (legal and illegal) on draught, such as Pandan Pale Ale. A short drive from here, sample award-winning Bang Bang IPA at the Fellowship of Beer brewery tap from the Sandport Brewing Company. Last, head to Rattanathibet Road to meet Tao at Taopiphop Bar Project. Tao became a poster boy for the craft beer struggle in Thailand when he was arrested in January 2017 for illegally brewing beer. His now-legal Hurtster Saison, a potent fruit beer, is a regular on tap.

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