the 10 best romantic places to stay

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1. Krabi

Of Thailand’s go-to resort hubs, lush Krabi has a naturally bountiful setting with “honeymoon” written all over it. A flight onward from the Thai capital Bangkok, it’s a forested region of limestone cliffs and snorkel-friendly coral reefs, blessed with some of the country’s best beach resorts. All the big names are here: Banyan Tree, Centara, Ritz Carlton, Avani — as well as some individual hotels that have become destinations in their own right (Rayavadee, the Tubkaak). If you’re thinking of island hopping, Krabi is a great first unwinding spot, post-flight, before carrying on to lesser-trodden, smaller islands a boat ride away.

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Stay at the fabulously authentic Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, for pagoda-style architecture, spacious private villas, spa with exquisite couples’ treatment room and boat trips over to the protected Hong Island.

2. Koh Lanta

It takes a skip and a jump to get to Koh Lanta, meaning mass tourism hasn’t quite reached this island’s pristine shores. You fly to Phuket or Krabi and take a car, then a ferry across. Once there, there’s plenty of unspoiled, jungly greenery and powdery, pale beaches — though there’s a sprinkling of high-end resorts here, there’s still a backpacker flavour to the beach bars and coffee shops. It’s also a jumping-off point for boat trips to sleepier and uninhabited islands (it’s part of an archipelago of 52 isles), while there’s a national park to explore at the southern tip, and caves and waterfalls to hike to in the green interior.

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Stay at Pimalai, the honeymooner’s choice of spa hotel, set in a 100-acre tropical forest. The hotel can help organise your transfer from the airport, while villas for two have honeymoon-worthy private, sea-view pools.

Hayes & Jarvis offers a 14-day Bangkok, Krabi and Koh Lanta itinerary, centred on five idyllic nights in the latter.

hayesandjarvis.co.uk

3. Koh Phangan

Previously a backpacker’s haven, Koh Phangan has had a boom of luxury accommodation, with secluded pool villas tucked into the jungly landscape the ideal setting for a peaceful honeymoon. Reached by a boat from Koh Samui, it has a bit of a scene — full moon parties, massage huts on the beach, fishing boats in the bay — but it’s easy to get away from all that. Mainly tourists come here to explore the natural beauty, stay in style, practice yoga and admire the sunsets. Some of the most beautiful and secluded beaches include Thong Nai Pan Noi, Thong Nai Pan Yai, Haad Khom and Srithanu; the snorkelling here is exceptional, while Phantip Night Market makes for an authentic night’s feasting.

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The affordable Buri Rasa Village, set on Thong Nai Pan Noi beach on the northeast coast, has oceanfront rooms, an authentic Thai spa, beach-club style loungers and a restaurant.

Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan, a 45-minute speedboat ride from Koh Samui, has an indulgent spa, private pool villas, complimentary kayaking and paddle boarding, and the option to book private dinners on the beach.

• Best things to do in Thailand

4. Chiang Rai

Thailand’s about more than beach — its hilly, lusciously green interior is home to wildlife, temples and hiking trails galore. In the far north, Chiang Rai and its “Golden Triangle” is a hub of luxe camps and rural resorts, where daily excursions can be taken to visit temples where monks still live and pray, and cycling fans can rent bikes to pedal about the emerald countryside (or just bring your best hiking boots). The jewel in the crown is the riverside Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, where you can sleep in transparent bubbles to watch elephants stalk by — its Canopy treetop dining experience is another honeymoon must.

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Inspiring Travel can arrange a seven-night honeymoon across Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort (including one night in a Jungle Bubble), Anantara Riverside Bangkok and Anantara Ko Yao Yai, including flights and car and boat transfers.

inspiringtravel.co.uk

InsideAsia’s Trails of Northern Thailand tour channels the rural peace and calm of these highlands, with an active focus and plenty of opportunity to meet locals. You’ll visit Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and the hilltribes of Mae Wang District.

insideasiatours.com

5. Khao Lak

Ninety minutes from one of Thailand’s top entry points, Phuket, this Andaman Coast resort has a sprinkling of great hotels, and the Bang Niang Night Market for a delicious night out. Bang Niang beach is the pin-up here, while Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park hides more under-wraps beaches reached by a hike through the jungle — it’s also home to Sunda flying lemurs, monitor lizards and hornbills. If you fancy yourself a bit of an Attenborough, Khao Sok and Khao Lampi-Hat Thai Mueang National Parks are also worth your time. The most famous base among couples seeking privacy and romance is the Sarojin, with hot tub suites, romantic beachfront restaurants and a world-class spa.

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Stay at the Sarojin hotel, designed for couples with private beach dining experiences, waterfall picnics and the nature-wrapped Pathways spa — Kuoni can package up seven nights’ B&B, flights and transfers.

kuoni.co.uk

Tui can package up a week at its Platinum-rated hotel the Haven Khao Lak (over 12s only), with a beachfront setting, thatched swim-up bar, traditional Thai massages and romantic villas with hot tubs.

• Best hotels in Thailand

6. Island-hopping by boat

Honeymoons are getting more intrepid, with couples prioritising adventure over beach fly and flops. Why not channel a bit of both on a live-aboard boat, whisking you to a handful of gorgeous Thai islands? Sharing a cabin might be the polar opposite of a beachfront villa, but you could even combine the two — most boat trips of the sort leave from Phuket, where you can book a few nights’ luxury and spa at the end of your seafaring break. Small-occupancy boats often have groups of up to just 15 or 20 on board, with paddleboards and snorkelling gear to borrow: smaller vessels like this can get you to protected national park islands and less-touristed beaches, be it in the Gulf of Thailand or the Andaman Sea.

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Intrepid Travel’s Phuket Sailing adventure sees you sleep, eat and sunbathe for six nights on a five-cabin catamaran, leaving to snorkel off white beaches on islands including Koh Mai Thon, Coral Island (Koh Hae) and Chicken Island.

7. Koh Yao Noi

A 45-minute boat ride from Phuket’s Bang Rong Pier, Yao Noi is something of a secret. Partly known for its incredible, meditative view of Ao Phang Nga National Park, a huddle of limestone karsts seemingly floating in millpond sea, it doesn’t attract the same mass tourism as other islands within easy reach of the mainland. It’s inhabited by a traditionally Muslim community, so no full moon parties or chaotic boat trips have been permitted to spring up. Yet if you’re here for natural beauty — blonde beaches, jade shallows, kayaking around protected mangrove forests — this could be the honeymoon bubble for you. It’s established enough to have a Six Senses resort, plus a sprinkling of other independent hotels savouring the pretty coastline, and you can rent scooters to explore beyond their doorstep.

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Seeking something rustic and remote-feeling? Treehouse Villas on Koh Yao Noi will give you that castaway feeling: Tropical Warehouse can package up a week plus return flights to stay in its high-design thatched houses on stilts.

Carrier can arrange a super-luxe week at the soporific Six Senses Yao Noi, where eco-conscious bamboo villas look out over Phang Nga and spa treatments use natural Thai products from coffee to green tea.

carrier.co.uk

8. Koh Samui

Like Krabi, Koh Samui is well-connected, blessed with natural good looks, and peppered with fantastic, couples-focused resorts — making it ideal for a honeymoon. Well-developed and on the upmarket side, it’s a little like the Ibiza of Thailand: an old classic, not a secret. Chaweng beach is the place for a lively night out, with beach bars and DJ sets, but you may want to retreat to an exclusive resort (Ritz Carlton, Banyan Tree, Conrad and Four Seasons all have a presence here), heading out on hiking trips to the beautiful Na Muang waterfalls, taking the boat to Ang Thong Marine Park or learning to scuba dive in bright teal bays.

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Stay at the secluded Cape Fahn resort, where just 24 generously sized villas sit on a private island outcrop, just off Samui’s northeast coast. Reservations with Mr & Mrs Smith get a complimentary floating breakfast service for two.

Regent’s Sacred Temples and Wild Beauty cruise visits Koh Samui as part of a 14-night itinerary travelling from Thailand to Bali, via Vietnam.

9. Phuket

One of the easiest and most accessible entry points to Thailand (particularly if you’ve already dabbled in Bangkok) is beach-blessed Phuket. Parts of this island were once seen as seedy, especially around Patong, but it’s always had dazzling beaches and sunsets, with Kata Noi, Bang Tao and Surin beaches just some of the more sophisticated choices. Transfers here are short and speedy and boat trips out to smaller islands ample, meaning if you’re short on time off, you can still pack in a great honeymoon. Don’t miss atmospheric Phuket Old Town, to see colourful shopfronts, eat street food and buy ceramics.

Stay at the Shore at Katathani, an adults-only hideaway on Kata Noi beach. Kuoni can organise a week’s package.

kuoni.co.uk

Silversea’s 18-night, wide-ranging Mumbai to Singapore cruise takes in Phuket’s beaches, as well as Langkawi in Malaysia and two stops in Sri Lanka.

Wendy Wu’s ambitious Singapore to Bangkok By Rail tour takes in Phuket, alongside Hua Hin’s seaside scene, James Bond Island and Khao Sok National Park before heading to the capital.

• Best hotels in Phuket

10. Koh Lipe

When a Thai island bags the nickname “the Maldives of Thailand” you know you’re on to a winner. And this far southern island, down near northern Malaysia and Langkawi island, is poster-worthy stuff: part of Tarutao Marine Park, it has dazzlingly clear and pale turquoise bays, whiter-than-white sand and longtail boats lingering offshore. The downside? It’s tricky to reach. The easiest way is to fly into Thailand’s southern Hat Yai airport and take a boat from Pak Bara pier, but you can also go via Malaysia. Once there you can get around on foot or by hire scooter, heading out for snorkelling trips and hiking across neighbouring island Koh Adang. There are no big-name five-stars here, but a sprinkling of boutique hotels have pool villas and beach bungalows. A taste of how adventurous Thailand used to feel.

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Stay at the dreamily located Irene Pool Villa Resort, on Koh Lipe’s Sunrise beach.

• The most romantic holiday destinations around the world

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