Can you recommend a good laidback beach on Koh Tao where a non-diver can relax? - Sarah
Q: Can you recommend a good laid-back beach on Koh Tao where a non-diver can relax? - Sarah
A:Though quite small, Koh Tao has many beaches, among them Sairee, Mae Haad, Chalok Baan Kao and Hin Wong.
Mae Haad has the island� (relatively) busy main pier, so the most popular beach for chilling out is Sairee, a 10minute walk further down and stretching for 1.7 kilometres.
Sairee Beach isn� the quietest on Tao, but it has plenty to offer, from bungalows and dive schools to restaurants, bars and Internet cafes.
Ao Thian Og - Rocky Bay - is more secluded, ideal for just relaxing and lolling on the beach. The sand is very white and the water calm and shallow. The beach is rarely crowded. Shark Bay is also a great place, with a stunning beach that� quiet but still close to everything. Hin Wong on the northeast coast is also good one, with a few resorts and small, quiet beach. Many bays at Koh Tao are so remote that they�e only accessible by foot or boat. Ao Leuk, surrounded by steep hills, is a top spot for snorkelling off Rocky Bay. If you don� mind a little adventure getting there, it� great for a lazy afternoon.
It� hard to decide which is best for you, but I� sure you�l find your own favourite.
Q: I�e heard about the �ish pedicures�in Thailand. Can I try this in Phuket or it something that only the Bangkok spas offer? - Himma
A:The fish pedicure is now available in all of our big cities, and no need to go to a spa �" you can enjoy one in upcountry department stores too.
This unusual treatment wasn� that popular last year because most people were too intimidated to try it, but now there are queues.
You�l easily spot a big tank of tiny �octor fish� all of them hungry for the flakes of dead skin on your feet. You just sit down and paddle in the water and they�l get to work.
Doctor fish - the species is actually called Garra rufa - have long been used in Turkey and other countries to treat skin ailments including psoriasis and eczema.
The Lanna Spa on the second floor of Central Festival Phuket offers 30minute treatments for Bt250, and you�l also find the nibbler fish at the Jungceylon shopping centre and around Bangla Road. Enjoy!