If you fancy a holiday where the sun is as hot as a bird's-eye chilli and palm fronds whisper in the breeze, head to the glorious islands and beaches of southern Thailand. Close your eyes and imagine towering limestone islands, dripping with stalactites and ringed by shimmering white sand. Conjure up images of crystal-clear waters teeming with exotic fish, and steamy tropical jungles. Of course, you've seen it all a million times on postcards and tourist brochures, but Thailand is one place where the reality lives up to the ideal.

There are literally hundreds of tropical islands on both sides of the Thai-Malay peninsula. There are established backpacker hang-outs (Ko Samui) and paradise getaways (Ko Tarutao). The mainland has virgin jungles full of tumbling waterfalls and secret caverns, and hundreds of kilometres of immaculate sandy shoreline.

Other destinations may have white-sand beaches and azure seas, but where else can you combine the sea and sand with adventure activities - scuba diving with whale sharks, rock climbing on limestone sea cliffs and sea kayaking through mangrove forests and prehistoric caves?

Thailand is cheap and well organized, and the steady flow of travelers moving up and down the coast means that travel can be as comfortable or as rugged as you want it to be. If you want to escape the crowds, rent a boat to an uninhabited island and live on the beach. If you want company, head to Ao Phra-Nang's full-moon party. Add some of Asia's finest food to this heady mix and the only question you need to ask yourself is, when shall I go...?

This travel guide includes background information on Thailand's islands and beaches. To assist travellers in transit, this guide also covers Bangkok.