Thailand 4N/5D — Phuket & Krabi

Wat Chalong, the largest and most visited temple on Phuket, built around relics of two monks who led the island's 19th-century revolt. Gold leaf, painted ceilings and a working shrine.

Why we include it · The temple Phuket locals actually use, which after a beach-and-boat itinerary is the one stop that is about the island rather than the coastline.

Good to know · Shoulders and knees covered. Busiest late morning; quieter after four.

The Sino-Portuguese quarter — shophouses in pastel plaster, Thai-Hokkien cafés, and the street art that has filled the lanes off Thalang Road in the last decade.

Why we include it · Phuket was a tin-mining island long before it was a beach one, and the Sino-Portuguese shophouses are what that money built — the part of the island that has nothing to do with why most people come.

Good to know · Best walked in the late afternoon. Sunday evening the main street closes to traffic for the market.

Why we include it · A retail stop the supplier includes rather than a sight — Thailand's gem trade is genuine, but this is a shop and the visit exists because it pays commission.

Good to know · No obligation to buy, and no pressure if you say so at the door. Ask to skip it at booking if you would rather have the time.

Why we include it · A commission stop on the drive rather than a sight, and honest to say so — the cashews are decent and it breaks the road, but it is shopping, not sightseeing.

Good to know · Free samples, no obligation. Fifteen minutes unless you want to buy.

A close-quarters encounter with tigers of different ages, with keepers present throughout. Photographs are the point; the ticket is bought on the day and the size of animal is the guest's choice.

Why we include it · A photo opportunity alongside captive tigers, included by the supplier as an optional add-on. It is a commercial attraction rather than a sanctuary — the animals are bred for and handled during these sessions.

Good to know · Paid separately on the day, and priced by the size of the animal. Skippable if a captive-wildlife encounter is not something you want to support; say so at booking and the day runs without it.

The pull-off above three bays — Kata Noi, Kata and Karon — laid out in sequence below. Best in the hour before sunset.

Why we include it · Three bays in one frame, which is the shot people come to Phuket for, and it takes ten minutes on the way between Kata and the south of the island.

Good to know · Free, roadside. Crowded at sunset; the hour before is better.