How to save thousands on a Thai beach holiday: I've visited the country hundreds of times over the years... and this is how you can get serious bang for your buck - and why you should avoid Phuket

TOP TRAVEL STORIES

• Inside the UK and Ireland's best holiday lets for 2026: From an enormous Yorkshire country house to a quirky lighthouse stay - we look at this year's winners
  
• From champagne and lobster dinners to measly cheese sandwiches and 'mouldy' veg: Plane food over the last 100 years
  
• Forget the holiday cottage - book your own pub! 200-year-old Lake District boozer available to rent, with open fire, 10 bedrooms and a working bar
  
• How Europe's 'most boring country' became a bucket list favourite: Tiny principality has fairytale castle and reigning prince - and you can walk three countries in one day
  
• Fancy lunch on a volcano? Lanzarote restaurant serves up tasty grub cooked by 250C geothermal heat
  
• National Fish and Chip Awards 2026: Top 40 chippies batter the competition to make this year's longlist
  
• 'Sad', 'gimmick' and 'mass-produced': Is the 'nonna pasta window' trend in Rome the latest tourist trap to avoid?
  
• Heathrow opens new 'remote' airport lounge - with free-flowing champagne, jet-lag massages and a £340 price tag
  
• 'It needed a new EVERYTHING': Couple reveal the reality of transforming an Italian lakeside property into their dream home - for just over £100,000
  
• The top countries for tourism in 2026 revealed - as Europe heavily dominates leaderboard
  
• Inside the abandoned Scottish island where time stands still - and its surprising link to Italy dating back to World War Two
  
• Britain's best beaches for a coastal walk this autumn - as temperatures remain unseasonably high
  
• Failed capitals around the world: From a £12billion abandoned metropolis in India to a Myanmar jungle 'ghost town' with empty 20-lane motorways
  
• North Somerset town to receive new train station - after DECADES of locals calling for railway to be reopened
  
• Believe it or not, THIS is Dubai. Forget the skyscrapers, shopping malls and soulless brunch spots - the UAE's crown jewel has hidden pockets of old town charm, riverboat rides and traditional street food. Here's how to find them...
  
• Speeding back to motoring's Golden Era at Goodwood Revival: Britain's celebration of classic cars and vintage fashion is as glorious as ever
  
• Fake tour guides, scammers, camera hogs and corrupt cops: How to dodge idiots abroad and holiday in peace
  
• The world's most beautiful hotels: From an Irish castle owned by the Guinnesses to a clifftop retreat in Bali and California's extraordinary 'caveman' rooms
  
• Bottoms up! Munich has Oktoberfest but these are the MUCH cheaper alternatives for Brits looking for beer abroad (from only £1.40 a pint)
  
• Cruises aren't just for old people! Why a quest for Instagram-worthy snaps has led Gen Z to discover the joys of life on the high seas
  
• Feel like you've forgotten something? Expert reveals their ultimate travel packing list (and what to leave at home) - including a £5 must-have Amazon accessory
  
• Scottish castle on a 3,000-acre estate hits the market for £9million - with 18 bedrooms and its own herd of cattle
  
• REVEALED: The world's best restaurants 2026 according to Tripadvisor, from hidden gems to sizzling steakhouses - and the standout UK winners
  
• Love Italy? Here's where to go NOW! Our ultimate insider's guide to the best places to visit - and the overcrowded tourist traps to avoid
  
• France on course to lose crown as world's most-visited country - with UK's favourite set to take top spot despite furious overtourism protests
  
• How to spot a Brit abroad! The tell-tale holiday habits that give us away - from packing teabags and downing airport pints to always getting sunburnt
  
• Pitcher perfect day! Britain's best pubs on the beach - from a Tyneside grotto to a Welsh favourite
  
• Hotels have gone bonkers! You can bed down in a potato-shaped Airbnb in Idaho or a UFO in Wales - but what's wrong with a simple B&B?
  
• Who needs Montecito? The VERY starry Cotswolds pubs where Meghan and Harry can still hobnob with Hollywood
  
• Is it 'coming home' after all? Amsterdam proves winning city break for England fans headed to Hockey World Cup
  
• Would YOU stay here? The world's ugliest hotels - from bizarre pyramids to a bright yellow eyesore and Britain's 'worst'
  
• Tourists deface UK World Heritage Site by hammering 10,000 coins into its rocks - forcing officials into a 200-hour clean-up
  
• Sardinian coastal beauty spots are overrun by 'locust swarm' of tourist party boats sparking fury among conservationists
  
• Are YOU the problem on holiday? The infuriating habits ruining everyone's summer break - and you might not even realise you're doing them
  
• The nine contenders for next UK City of Culture RANKED - including a concrete jungle and 'Las Vegas of the North'
  
• Trailer trash no more! Why caravans are fast becoming the 'cool' holiday of choice. Here's how you can make the most of these budget-friendly breaks that celebrities and influencers are loving this summer
  
• Britain's huge new £500m water wonderland takes shape - with 25 waterslides, a beach and pools set to attract 1.7m visitors a year
  
• Ignore the haters - I fell in love with Scarborough all over again, from Anne Bronte's grave to fish and chips, cheap arcades to seaside tat
  
• The infuriating 100ml airport liquid rule is just 'security theatre', Harvard expert claims
  
• The secret UK getaways where you can escape Britain's summer crowds, from glorious Welsh mountains to sleepy Norfolk villages
  
• Think twice before packing that bathrobe! The hotel room items you can take home - and what could cost you
  
• Forget the overcrowded Canary Islands, this is why GREECE is the best place to visit this summer: Delicious food, gorgeous beaches, the friendliest locals. I've stayed in countless Greek hotels over the past 40 years - here are my top ten...
  
• All you need is a backpack! These budget flight-approved travel bags officially fit under your seat - tried and tested by frequent flyers
  
• The five mistakes travellers make when buying a new suitcase: The Daily Mail travel team reveal their ultimate guide to choosing the right carry-on, cabin or hold bag - and how much a good quality case really costs
  
• Fancy a cheap pint? These are the cities where beer is still a bargain - and the places where a night out can blow your budget
  
• Aer Lingus pilot in frightening botched landing 'may have been tired', investigation finds
  
• The world's biggest pickpocket hotspots revealed - including Paris, Rome... and one UK city
  
• Late summer break? The European holiday spots where you can dodge the crowds and bag a bargain - from a £65-a-night all-inclusive to cruises with Michelin-starred dining
  
• As rooftop tent boxes become the latest camping craze, thieves are targeting them - here's how to stop yours being stolen
  
• Is this the world's most luxurious cruise ship? We get a first look onboard Explora III - with €6,400-a-night suites, a gold staircase and five swimming pools
  
• Dreaming of a new life abroad? The world's best countries to relocate to have been revealed
  
• The Alpine ski resorts transforming into summer adventure playgrounds - from epic hikes and mountain biking to family breaks and spa escapes
  
• Could you own Scotland's 'Grand Canyon'? Famous beauty spot with Hollywood links goes on sale - but the price is a mystery
  
• 'No people in their right mind would go': St Tropez was once the height of glamour. Now it's 'overhyped', filled with influencers and packed with 'scam' beach clubs
  
• Inside the charming eight-bedroom guest house crowned England's best B&B - where the breakfast is labelled 'better than most five-star hotels'
  
• The 'holiday sleep hangover' hitting Brits: How travel tiredness costs you the first two days of your break
  
• The cruise ships set to transform holidays in 2026, from record-breaking 'mega ships' to the world's largest sailing yacht
  
• Middle East holidays are back - and with UAE prices down 25%, there's never been a cheaper time to go. But which destinations are chic... and which scream 'new money'?
  
• New £1.3bn Legend of the Seas liner has a zip-line, giant waterpark and TRAIN at sea plus room for 7,000 passengers - but is this floating goliath actually fun to holiday on?
  
• Expert-approved hacks for tackling jet-lag: From packing essentials to 45-minute naps
  
• Loud music, drinking til dawn - not Ibiza, but UK campsites! Experts reveal what to do if you've pitched up next to a nightmare on your summer holiday
  
• Costly bureaucracy including 12-page form deterring 4 in 10 pet owners from taking animals on holiday to Europe
  
• Inside the 'Vinted of travel', where you can snap up second-hand holidays at a bargain price - and even haggle for them
  
• Holidaymakers queue for more than an hour in Tenerife hotel's daily sunbed battle
  
• Britain's favourite road trips revealed, from Scotland's take on Route 66 to the spectacular Jurassic Coast
  
• I spent thousands trying to keep up with my rich friends and their very expensive luxury holidays. This is how the 'wealth gap' can impact friendships and lives - and what YOU should do if you're in the same trap
  
• Slovenia's beautiful Vipava Valley is just like Provence without the annoying billionaires - with wine for £5 a bottle (but you might eat bear for dinner)
  
• How to charter a private 50ft yacht with its own captain and chef... for just £65 a night
  
• Airport lounges promise luxury before take-off - but are they actually worth the money? The Daily Mail's Holiday Guru has the answer
  
• Mount Olympus and D-Day beaches among new Unesco World Heritage sites - as six locations face 'serious threats'
  
• More than one million holidaymakers risk being stopped from entering Europe over passport validity rules this summer
  
• 'I'd forgotten all about rollercoasters': Inside the surprising new UK theme park with no rides - that won over a whole family
  
• What really happens to your body on a plane? Why food tastes different, skin dries out and stomachs swell
  
• Britain's best walks with a pub at the end - from castle ruins and spectacular views to hidden village inns
  
• Brits swap dream long-haul holidays for cheaper European escapes as travel costs soar - these are swaps that could save you hundreds
  
• 'James Bond lair' private island once owned by pioneering Brazilian butt lift surgeon on the market for £75 million
  
• The spectacular locations couples could marry under groundbreaking wedding law reforms in England and Wales
  
• Europe's most magical fairytale escapes revealed - from Disney-like German castles to underrated Baltic gems and £22 return flights
  
• I've been to thousands of UK hotels and this is my favourite, by the Hotel Inspector - plus my other UK top picks, from country manors to a cosy British pub
  
• The cheapest European family holidays revealed, with beer for £2.60 and affordable meals - this is where your money goes furthest this summer
  
• Inside the world's most incredible airport lounges - from Michelin-star dining and cinemas to spas
  
• Just how unhealthy are your favourite nostalgic seaside holiday foods? From ring donuts to 99 ice creams and fish and chips - and the snacks that are surprisingly packed full of vitamins
  
• Is this the UK's worst hotel? The £49 rooms that feel like you're in a dirty prison cell - our travel expert reveals the misery in Coventry
  
• Want to bag a break but save some cash? Here's our pick of the best travel deals available this week - from UK staycations to bargains in Barbados
  
• 32 brilliant days out - from Scottish castles to Kentish wineries and the UK's biggest space museum, how to make the most of the Great British Summertime
  
• Major cruise line is turning its biggest ship into an adults-only liner
  
• Mum-of-four says term-time Gran Canaria trip was a 'no-brainer' after saving £2,500 - despite £480 school absence fine
  
• Why your flights are getting bumpier: Experts reveal the surprising reason turbulence has soared by 55 per cent
  
• I've lived in 25 countries - here's why Turkey's Turquoise Coast beats Thailand and the Caribbean
  
• Forget just turning up! Now you have to book a spot on these popular European beaches before you even arrive - and many are SOLD OUT
  
• The Bayeux Tapestry has come to Britain - but is the French town it left behind still worth the trip?
  
• Bognor Regis named Britain's worst coastal town again - with visitors slamming the 'foul' fish and chips and calling Butlin's the 'worst place on earth'
  
• Dubrovnik is packed with crowds and expensive - swap it for a quiet Croatian city that is a third cheaper (and pints are half the price)
  
• Do the Channel Islands even exist? Family left £5,000 out of pocket and holiday ruined - because airline didn't know Jersey was real
  
• REVEALED: The world's most beautiful cities - and three places in the UK make the list
  
• This tiny beach hut is on sale for £50,000 after 60 years in the same family - and its best feature isn't even inside
  
• 'It was like a private jet': Family reveal surprise onboard Orlando flight - so why are some planes flying half empty?
  
• A first look at Europe's largest ever river cruise ship, with a private cinema and a pickleball court onboard - but fewer than 200 passengers
  
• Inside the peaceful German wellness retreat loved by Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston - where luxury meets a dark chapter of history
  
• World's safest and least safe countries revealed in Global Peace Index 2026 - as UK drops further down the ranking
  
• Best countries to retire abroad for 2026 - as a tropical holiday hotspot beats Spain and France with its £11,000 Special Resident Retiree's Visa
  
• UK travellers required a staggering £181.7 million worth of medical treatment abroad in 2025 - these are the countries where most was spent
  
• Single mum left 'stranded' in Gran Canaria after Ryanair seats her two-year-old daughter on her own on flight home
  
• Most underrated coastal spots in Europe - from remote Finnish archipelago to the crystal-clear waters of the 'Maldives of Europe'
  
• Global Airlines finally announces new routes from the UK - a year after its first and only two flights took off
  
• Europe's 10 best beaches revealed - with dazzling turquoise waters, unmatched views of beautiful sunsets and fresh seafood
  
• Beaches across Britain left in 'absolute mess' following UK heatwave, with overflowing bins, glass bottles and disposable barbecues left behind - forcing furious locals to endure two-day clean-up
  
• This private, 243-acre Greek island is on sale for half the price of a London flat... but there is a catch!
  
• The 'Maldives of Africa' is getting direct flights from the UK for the first time - and hotel stays are as little as £13.50 a night
  
• Revealed: The breathtaking National Geographic Traveller UK Photography Competition 2026 winners
  
• UK-bound easyJet flight diverts to Rome as power bank is found in passenger's luggage
  
• Tourists still abandoning Cyprus three months after drone attack - with deserted pools and beaches, empty hotels, and cruise bookings down by 50 per cent
  
• Forget Cornwall, THESE are the best places to buy a beachfront bolthole: Ultimate guide to little-known 'up and coming' coastline havens (without the massive premium)
  
• Inside the secret art of hotel towel twisting: Artist reveals how she makes fluffy crocodiles, frogs, dogs and tiny bunnies for guests
  
• Hedsor House owner reveals what it takes to run the luxury manor house built for Queen Charlotte and loved by Gemma Collins and the Beckhams - and how Nicole Kidman film was driving force behind the business' success
  
• I've been visiting the Caribbean for 25 years: these are the BEST boutique hotels for every island, from luxury hideaways to bargain gems on hidden beaches: NIGEL TISDALL
  

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