Phuket

Phuket's Italian restaurants range from serious, chef-led fine dining to relaxed beachfront bistros and one of Thailand's best-ranked pizzerias. Many are run by Italian chefs who have made the island home, and the best of them combine imported Italian produce with fresh Andaman seafood caught a few miles offshore.

Kalim Bay, just north of Patong, is home to the island's most respected Italian fine dining, with a cellar of more than 500 wines. At the quieter southern end of Patong Beach and around Emerald Bay, resort restaurants serve handmade pasta on terraces with sweeping sea views, perfect for a sunset dinner. Away from the beaches, Phuket Old Town has become a destination in its own right for food lovers, with a wood-fired pizzeria that features in the Asia-Pacific pizza rankings.

Prices vary widely: a pizza in the Old Town can cost a fraction of a resort dinner on the coast. In high season, from November to April, sunset tables fill up early, so book a day or two ahead and ask for a terrace seat when you reserve.