48 hours in . . . Phuket, an insider guide to the pearl of the Andaman Sea

Thailand's largest isle lingers on the country's southwest coast, kissed by the Listerine-green Andaman Sea. The interior is a lush jungly tangle, its 36 beaches a paint chart of creams and golds, and there's a capital city – Phuket Town – packed with character and cracking good street food.

That's not to say it's perfect: large chunks of the island have been horribly overdeveloped, but those areas (such as Patong) are largely confined to the southwest coast and are easily avoided – leaving those in the know to lap up the rest of the island's many charms. Read the full travel article here.