Three countries' worth of contrast in twelve nights. A Gulf city, a South-East Asian capital that never stops, and an island where nothing is expected of you — with the flights broken into manageable pieces.
London to Phuket direct is thirteen hours. Split into three flights of seven, six and one, it stops being an ordeal.
Emirates route through Dubai to Bangkok anyway, so the first stop is nearly free. Then Bangkok is two nights rather than five — it's an extraordinary city and an exhausting one, and most people find that's the right dose. The island leg does the recovering. It's the same structure as our Dubai and Maldives route, but with a middle act and a beach you can leave when you feel like it.
Twelve nights, three flights out and one long one home. All internal legs booked with the holiday.
1The first break, and the one where jet lag is easiest to absorb.
Where you stay: JBR beachfront or Downtown.
Getting there: 7 hours direct overnight from the UK.
2Two nights is the right dose. Long enough for the temples and one great meal, short enough that the city doesn't wear you out.
Where you stay: Riverside for the boats and the views, or Sukhumvit for restaurants and the Skytrain.
Getting there: 6h 30m Dubai to Bangkok.
3Which island depends entirely on your month, because the two coasts have opposite seasons.
Where you stay: Krabi or Phuket November to April; Koh Samui May to September. We'll match it to your dates.
Getting there: 1h 20m from Bangkok, several flights a day.
Everything below is quoted up front. Nothing appears after you've paid a deposit.
Guide prices per person, two sharing, outside school holidays. The hotel standard is the biggest single variable.
| Standard | What that means | Guide price pp |
|---|---|---|
| 4-star | Good hotels throughout, beachfront on the island | £1,849 |
| 4-star plus | Beachfront Dubai, riverside Bangkok, strong island resort | £2,399 |
| 5-star | Landmark hotels throughout, luxury beach resort | £3,449 |
Thailand is where your money goes furthest — a five-star beach resort there costs less than a four-star in the Maldives. If the budget is tight, trim Dubai to two nights rather than downgrading the island leg.
The critical detail: Thailand's two coasts have opposite seasons, and booking the wrong one is the commonest way this trip disappoints.
November to April is dry on the Andaman side — Krabi, Phuket, Phi Phi. May to September is the Gulf side's turn — Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao. Same country, same week, completely different weather. Dubai is comfortable November to April, which lines up neatly with the Andaman season. If your dates are fixed to summer, we simply put you on Samui instead.
We'll pick the right coast for your month, price all three legs, and write the payment plan out in full.
Your dates decide it, not preference. Andaman coast November to April, Gulf coast May to September. We'll tell you which before you pick a hotel.
For most people, yes. It's intense. If you love cities, three works; four and you'll be looking for the beach.
Yes — it adds three nights and a one-hour flight. Ask us for the four-centre version.
We wouldn't. Finishing with Bangkok and Dubai means your last days are the busiest and hottest, with a long flight still to come.
Similar shapes, and the ones people most often weigh up alongside it.
Same approach, different shape. All reshapeable around your dates.
12 nights · Apr–Oct · from £1,749pp
13 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,649pp
13 nights · Nov–Mar · from £2,099pp
13 nights · Dec–Mar · from £1,599pp
14 nights · Apr–Oct · from £1,849pp
15 nights · Apr–Oct · from £2,199pp
