Phuket Island and Krabi on the west coast of southern Thailand and Samui in the Gulf of Thailand offer an idyllic combination of a sunny climate, stunning beaches, a lively nightlife, world-class dive sites, a delicious cuisine and extraordinary natural beauty. This fully updated edition explores the west coast of Phuket, the largest island in Thailand, with its beautiful beaches, azure waters and white sand. Most of the island's resorts and night-time entertainments are to be found here. The east coast has excellent marinas, while inland, Phuket Town has a charming historic centre with well-preserved examples of Sino-Portuguese shophouses and mansions now serving as elegant guesthouses, boutiques and restaurants. Krabi, with its fabulous beaches, clear waters, picturesque limestone outcrops and protected national parks has a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most beautiful places. Koh Samui with its exotic resorts offering serious spa pampering is also the ideal destination for sun-worshippers. Enchanting Phuket, Samui & Krabi takes an illustrated tour of the region introducing the best inland sites and the most exciting beaches, both for those who want to chill out and those who want to party.

Mick Shippen is a freelance writer and photographer who lived in Thailand for over 25 years, first in the northern city of Chiang Mai and then in Bangkok. He travels extensively throughout Asia conducting research for articles and taking photographs for local and international publications. He is the author of Enchanting Thailand, Enchanting Myanmar, Enchanting Laos, Enchanting Cambodia and Enchanting Bangkok also in this series.