Located off Thailand's west coast in the clear, jade coloured Andaman Sea, Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. One of the first places for beach tourism to develop in Southeast Asia it has a well established infrastructure with excellent connections by road and air to the rest of the country. There is a dizzying choice of luxury hotels and resorts and wonderful restaurants together with two stunning marinas with glamorous yachts that are available for charter (no better way to explore the evocative limestone karts islands on the east coast). Parts of the island have become busy and built up especially around the towns of Patong & Phuket however the bulk of the island is still surprisingly quiet with plenty of idyllic wide golden sand beaches, turquoise waters and colourful coral reefs, which offer some of the best diving in the world.