When a destination feels done.
There was a time when the mere mention of Thailand conjured images of spice-laced street food, linen shirts sticky with humidity, and beaches so dreamy they barely seemed real. And while all of that still exists, one place feels increasingly distant from the magic: Phuket.
Yes, I said it. Phuket.
It’s not that it isn’t beautiful—those limestone cliffs still rise like monoliths from the sea in Phang Nga Bay—but the spirit? That can be harder to find. Instead, you’re faced with two extremes. On one side, there’s Bangla Road in Patong: neon lights, cheap vodka, and an uncomfortable undertow of sleaze that’s impossible to ignore. On the other, you’ve got overpriced beach clubs on Bangtao beach, where the goal is less about soaking in the moment and more about soaking in imported rosé, showing off your surgeon’s latest handiwork, and pretending you’re not sweating through your Dior.
And here’s the irony: people fly halfway around the world to eat Australian Wagyu and drink French champagne. But if you’re in Thailand, shouldn’t it be about smoky noodle stalls, fiery green curry, the smell of lemongrass and diesel on the wind?
I get it—Phuket is convenient. Great connections, visa-free entry for many, beautiful villas. But Thailand is so much more. Sukhothai’s temples at dawn, the Isaan countryside where time stretches out like a lazy river, even lesser-known islands where you can still find solitude and authenticity.
It’s the same story everywhere. Florence in July? Shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and queues for gelato longer than most relationships. Florence in October? Pure magic. No elbowing your way into the Uffizi, no sunstroke as you sip wine under a pergola. Or take Genoa, once seen as just another port city. It’s now Italy’s quietly confident comeback kid (Condé Nast Traveller, April 2025).
We always tell our clients: look for the second cities. Go off-season. Ask yourself—who benefits from your spend? Is it the community, the small restaurant owner, the craftsperson selling ceramics in a back alley? Or is it just another multinational cashing in on mass tourism?
And maybe, just maybe, skip the Instagram photo everyone’s already taken. Put the phone down, lift your gaze, and see what’s beyond the frame. The real luxury isn’t in the picture. It’s in the moment you didn’t expect.
Yours in travel and the pursuit of the extraordinary,
(Ps. We have views on ethical travel, fragile places, and doing good – you can find them here.)
