Road Map to Re-Opening Thailand

Thailand is preparing to welcome fully vaccinated travelers to the island of Phuket, quarantine-free, starting July 2021. Under the Road Map to Re-opening Thailand, guests will be able to enjoy time in Phuket before traveling on to the mountains of Chiang Mai, bustling Bangkok and other parts of the country. Here are our recommendations on how to make the most of your stay in Phuket – the A&K way. Keep posted with A&K Southeast Asia as more provinces open for quarantine-free travel in the coming months, including Chiang Mai, Samui, Krabi and more.

Cocktails and Coconuts

Kick off your stay with cocktails by the pool or a fresh coconut juice by the sea at your luxury hideaway resort. For a secluded retreat on the island’s finest white sand beach, think of Amanpuri, or embrace wellness-inspired living at COMO Point Yamu where signature COMO Shambhala spa experiences come with dramatic views of limestone karsts in Phang Nga Bay.

Kayak to Caves

Go sea kayaking in Phang Nga Bay, a spectacular seascape filled with natural limestone grottoes, tree-topped islands and emerald lagoons. Concealed by tall cliffs, these hidden lagoons are home to a surprising variety of wildlife such as macaques, kingfishers, egrets, sea eagles and brahminy kites.

Colorful Coral and Swimming with Sea Turtles

Schools of snapper, elusive octopus, elegant manta rays and giant pufferfish can be seen on an underwater expedition to Phuket’s small neighboring islands. Explore amazing snorkel and dive sites ranging from easy shallow reefs to more challenging wall dives. Popular spots include Ko Phi Phi, Racha Yai and Racha Noi islands, Shark Point and Anemone Reef where you may catch sight of the local leopard sharks as well as schools of tuna and barracudas.

Old Town Wandering

We love Phuket’s charming old town heritage - a mix of vibrant, colorful Sino-Portuguese architecture, traditional Chinese temples and contemporary street art. Browse boutique shops selling batik fabrics and local artisan products, taste the local cuisine and discover a dynamic mix of Thai, Malay and Chinese culture. Your private Akorn guide and driver knows all the best spots so you can make the most of your day.

Design Your Day by Superyacht

Explore the Andaman Sea on one of our favorite yachts where you can enjoy bespoke adventures, from fishing and paddle boarding to water skiing, diving, snorkeling and more. Consider spending a few nights on board to explore more remote islands and pristine waters.

Rum and Royal Cuisine

What is the tropics without a little rum? Take a drive to Chalong Bay along the island’s southeast coast for a fun rum and cocktail-making session at the island’s very own rum distillery, or cook up a storm at Blue Elephant, a renowned culinary institution where you can make your own lunch of royal Thai cuisine during a private cooking session.

Keep Fit with Muay Thai

Thailand’s national sport, Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) is a martial art developed by ancient Siamese fighters on the battlefield. Nowadays, it’s a great way to stay active and keep fit. Akorn can arrange a private session at one of Phuket’s well-known training camps. The street where many of the gyms are located has a great fitness vibe where you can combine your workout with a visit to one of the health food cafés nearby.

Hike to the Big Buddha

The third-tallest statue in Thailand, Phuket’s Big Buddha is covered in white marble and offers panoramic sea views from the top of a hill. You can reach the Buddha via a long, winding road, but for the more adventurous, Akorn can arrange a private jungle walk, taking you on a 2.5-kilometer (1.5-mile) moderately challenging hike that ends with scenic views from the Big Buddha.

Akorn Southeast Asia arranges private and custom-made journeys in Phuket, Thailand and across the region. Contact us to discover the possibilities.
Explore More Thailand Travel Ideas Start Planning Your Journey

Back to top

Top 5: Our Favorite Restaurants on Asia's 50 Best List

The List is out! Culinary experts and leading restauranteurs recently voted for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants for 2021, and we are thrilled to see many of our Southeast Asia favorites on the list. Singapore and Thailand took 8 and 6 of the top 50 spots respectively. However, the most exciting entry comes from a newcomer in Vietnam that is finally giving the nation’s cuisine the recognition it deserves. Here is a rundown of our Top 5 favorites:

#5 Gaggan Anand, Bangkok, Thailand

The eccentric and experimental Chef Gaggan is back with his new restaurant, Gaggan Anand and his unconventional dining experiences that deliver art on a plate. Choose from an a la carte menu or take a seat at the 14-cover Chef’s Table to experience a decadent 25-course tasting menu curated by the chef. 

Back to top

#39 Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Vietnam’s first entry on the list since 2013, Anan is the brainchild of Chef Peter Cuong Franklin whose training at Le Cordon Bleu led to an inspired career from Hong Kong to Chicago, Bangkok and Hanoi. Inspired by its setting within a traditional fresh food market, the restaurant celebrates traditional Vietnamese street food and adds a modern Asian twist.

Back to top

#20 Nusara, Bangkok, Thailand

Chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn, the mastermind of Le Du, which climbed to #4 on this year’s list, takes us back to his roots with a traditional and authentic menu inspired by his late grandmother who was the backbone for his success. The chef showcases his Thai family recipes in a 12-course tasting menu that starts with a series of appetizers followed by mains served for sharing, traditional family style.

Back to top

#41 Euphoria, Singapore

Just opened in November 2020, Euphoria presents the latest “gastro-botanica” dining concept by Singapore stalwart, Jason Tan, who rose to fame with his Michelin-star creations at Corner House. This heritage shophouse in Tras Street, an up-and-coming part of town, seats just 26 guests and creates the perfect ambience for the chef’s classical French menu of vegetable-heavy haute cuisine.

Back to top

#11 Sorn, Bangkok

One of Bangkok’s hottest restaurants right now, Sorn debuted two years ago at #48 on Asia’s 50 Best and is fast becoming a mainstay in Bangkok’s ever-evolving fine dining scene. Focusing on southern Thai flavors from his home province, Chef Supaksorn Jongsiri, or “Khun Ice” presents mostly Thai ingredients with some added flavors from neighboring Malaysia, giving regional cuisine a sophisticated fine-dining flair.

Beyond the Top 50, there were several notable entries in the 50-100 List and we couldn’t leave without mentioning a few of our personal favorites:

• #62 Raan Jai Fai, Bangkok, Thailand – the only street food vendor on the list, this local eatery and its charismatic grandma chef is famous for its Michelin-worthy crab omelets
• #63 Locavore, Bali, Indonesia – Showcasing hyper local ingredients, from raw Balinese abalone to Sumbawa Island oysters, this modern restaurant is one of Indonesia’s best-known fine-dining venues
• #98 T.U.N.G Dining, Hanoi, Vietnam – another exciting entry from Vietnam, this innovative restaurant incorporates revolutionary 3D food printing technology in their Nordic-Southeast Asia fusion tasting menu

View the Full List - Asia's 50 Best 2021 Explore More Top 5 Lists Start Planning Your Journey

Back to top

Just Back: Similan and Surin Islands

After returning from their holiday travels, Sonja, our Regional Director of Sales and Marketing, and Nia, our Sales Manager for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia, share two very different ways to experience the islands of Similan and Surin in Thailand’s Andaman Sea, off the coast of Phuket.

Making Moken Memories

Located off the west coast of Thailand, Surin National Park is a small archipelago of five islands in the Andaman Sea. This little known, off-the-beaten-path destination offers amazing snorkeling and diving experiences away from the crowds and is also home to a small, very traditional community called the Moken.

“As a non-diver, snorkeling in the shallow reefs was an incredible experience. I saw big green turtles, black tip reef sharks, and beautiful corals,” Nia said. “I spent my time at the island’s Moken community. This traditionally nomadic, seafaring tribe are skilled sea divers who are able to dive to unimaginable depths without oxygen or other modern equipment. The community live very simply.  They forage for food in the jungle and go spearfishing for their daily meals. There is no word for “worry” in their language, no writing system and the village chief is a medicine man.

“Traditionally, the Moken lived on cabang (wooden boats), spending most of their time at sea, cooking, eating and sleeping on boats carved from a single piece of wood. Nowadays, they live in stilted wooden huts on the island. Visiting Surin gives you a fascinating glimpse into their culture and lifestyle.”

Click here to view photos of Nia’s island adventure

Akorn can arrange your Surin Island adventure as a day trip from Phuket or Khao Lak in Thailand’s southwest coast. For the more adventurous, stay a night or two in a tent or beach bungalow within the Surin National Park.

Back to top

Living La Vida Liveaboard!

On a separate trip, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing and Diving Enthusiast, Sonja Stoerr, recently explored the islands aboard a liveaboard dive boat.

“Being out on the water for several days, cruising between all of the best dive spots in Thailand was incredible!” she said. “I’ve been diving for over 10 years, from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the remote corners of Indonesia, and this was my first experience on a liveaboard. Surin National Park has some of the best macro-life in Thailand. At Ko Bon and Ko Tachai Pinnacles you find manta ray cleaning stations, large schools of barracuda, bat fish and yellow-striped sweetlips. The highlight for me was Richelieu Rock, one of the top dive spots in the world, it is famous for its purple coral and is a favorite hangout for whale sharks.

“My trip was on one of the newest dive boats in the Andaman Sea. It has just eight cabins, including several with en suite bathrooms and divers can do up to four dives a day – including amazing dives at the break of dawn and exciting sunset and night dives.”

Contact our Thailand team for special rates for a liveaboard adventure to the Surin and Similan Islands. Private multi-day dive trips can also be arranged aboard our curated luxury yachts based out of Phuket.
Start Planning Your Journey

Back to top

Catch Up with Akorn Southeast Asia

“Travel will bounce back, and bounce back quickly. We are seeing an increasing number of inquiries from our clients and partners around the world who are making plans for travel in 2021 and beyond,” Belinda Shillcock, Regional Managing Director for Southeast Asia expressed optimism about the outlook of the travel industry.

“There will be a shift in the types of experiences that people are looking for, as we are seeing more interest in private journeys with a focus on nature, beach, wellness, and relaxation. None of this is new for us, as Akorn Southeast Asia has always specialized in private and highly personalized journeys - social distancing and best practices in health and safety have always been our service standard. Skipping the lines, curating experiences away from the crowds and arranging VIP fast track services is just part of what we have been doing for over 30 years.”

Think private jet or private yacht charters, private villa accommodation and transformative, off-the-beaten path journeys. Whether its trekking through the Vietnamese highlands, exploring forests and waterfalls in Thailand or diving off the islands of Indonesia, our teams are looking forward to welcoming travelers to Southeast Asia soon.

Start Planning Your Journey

Back to top

Regional News

Southeast Asia: Our Book with Confidence policy has been extended to bookings made between now and 31 July 2021 for travel through December 31, 2022. Read more

Myanmar: The country remains under a State of Emergency since the military coup in February. Our Akorn Myanmar team remain safe as we continue to monitor the situation closely.

Thailand: Thailand has announced a Road Map to Re-opening, which will allow fully vaccinated travelers to visit the island of Phuket without quarantine from 1 July 2021. See more details about the plan here.

Indonesia: The country is taking steps towards re-opening the island of Bali from end of July 2021, with officials discussing plans for travel corridors and travel bubbles.

Vietnam: Vietnam Airlines resumed commercial flights to Taiwan and Japan, marking the first international commercial flights to leave the country since March last year. The country remains closed to tourism, however, we expect to see more developments in the coming weeks and months.

Cambodia: The government is currently discussing a re-opening strategy for Quarter 4 of this year.

Do you have a travel colleague who would find our newsletter and updates useful? Please send them our sign-up link here.

----------------------------------

For more information about anything you have seen in this newsletter, contact us:
Thailand Cambodia Laos Myanmar Vietnam Indonesia

Looking for more INSIDER news, ideas and travel information? 

Explore Our Archive

Back to top