Asia

Grand river hotels in Bangkok, two Thai coasts with different seasons, the cool north around Chiang Mai, the valleys and bays of Bali, and the harbour cities of Singapore and Hong Kong.

We began in Asia, and it is still the part of the world we know best. Thailand has the most hotels on our list: the grand hotels along the Chao Phraya in Bangkok, beach resorts on the Andaman coast and Koh Samui, and quieter hotels in the hills of the north.

Bali is a short flight from Singapore and Hong Kong, with hotels in the river valleys around Ubud and on the bays of the south. Singapore and Hong Kong are city stays, and work well as a first or last stop, a few nights of harbour views and good restaurants before or after the beach.

The seasons decide the trip. The Andaman coast is dry from November to April, Koh Samui from February to September, and the north is coolest from November to February. Between them there is a good beach somewhere in Thailand in every month.