AIR WE GO
British Airways launches new UK flights to winter sun city named one of the best to visit in 2025
Brit holidaymakers can enter the country for 60 days visa-free
BRITISH Airways has relaunched flights to Bangkok following a four-year hiatus.
The flag carrier launched flights between London Gatwick Airport and Bangkok earlier this week.
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Its first flight to Bangkok in four years left London Gatwick Airport at 9.15pm on Monday October 28, touching down in Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport at 4.10pm the following day.
The flights will initially operate three times per week before increasing to five times per week in January and February.
Services will then drop to four times per week in March.
Return fares start from £718 per person, with a choice of three cabin options available, including World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and Club World (business class).
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The airline has also expanded its partnership with Bangkok Airways, helping customers to connect to five other holiday destinations from the Thai, including Phuket and Chiang Mai.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, said: "We know that Bangkok has been a highly anticipated route restart for our customers, so we are thrilled to see it firmly back on our global route map."
Earlier this year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) changed its entry rules, with visitors from the UK, along with 92 other countries, being able to enter the country for 60 days at a time, without a visa.
Tourist numbers to Thailand are still down compared to pre-pandemic levels.
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However, tourist numbers could soon rise once again, with the Thai capital being named one of National Geographic's Best of the World 2025 earlier this month.
Its luxury shopping centres, glittering skyscrapers and upscale hotels were praised by the judges.
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They wrote: "While the city is an art and design hot spot in its own right—with popups and festivals like the Bangkok Art Biennale and the Bangkok International Film Festival, centered around the burgeoning Bang Rak neighborhood—it’s also a hub from which tourists can access Thailand’s rich cultural heritage."
The best time to visit Thailand is between November and early April, as temperatures average between 32 and 36C, and there are up to nine hours of sunshine every day.
Prices in Thailand are cheap too, with beers costing around 40Thb (89p).
Accommodation in Bangkok is similarly affordable, with a night for two costing as little as £7, while luxury five-star properties will set visitors back around £82 per night.
There are plenty of attractions in Bangkok waiting to be explore, with the Grand Palace being a must.
At the Grand Palace, holidaymakers can admire the intricate architecture and the revered Emerald Buddha.
Boat tours along the Chao Phraya River are another popular tourist activity, with visitors able to see the city from a different perspective.
There's also the Wat Arun, which is one of the city's most famous landmarks.
Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, the temple is renowned for its towering spires, which are intricately decorated with colourful porcelain and seashells.
Wat Arun is named after Aruna, the Indian god of dawn, and its architecture reflects a blend of Khmer and Thai styles.
There's also Chatuchak Weekend Market, one of the largest markets in the world, which sells everything from clothes to street food.
The nightlife in the Sukhumvit area is another must-see, with its array of bars, clubs, and restaurants.
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What is it like to visit Thailand?
EARLIER this year, travel reporter Hope Brotherton went on a bucket list adventure to Thailand, here's what she thought...
The elephant moves its trunk towards my outstretched arm.
I’m shaking slightly as she carefully retrieves the pineapple wedge from my quivering fingertips.
The piece of fruit vanishes into her mouth.
Before I can grab a small banana from the woven basket placed at my feet, the trunk is back, eagerly pointing towards me.
She is asking for more and I’m happy to oblige until every banana, sugar cane and pineapple wedge has been polished off.
I’m at Elephant Hills, a luxury tented jungle camp in Thailand’s Khao Sok National Park, which has its own elephant sanctuary.
My guide, Pond, explains there are 14 female elephants that have all been rescued, along with their mahouts — elephant keeper.
After every morsel of food has been eaten, the elephants return to relaxing in the large, open paddock.
Visitors can then watch the animals rest under the shade of a tree or bathe in the pond.
I am astonished at just how close I have come to one of these remarkable creatures. It is a true bucket-list moment and one that will stay with me for ever.
A visit to the sanctuary is one of the excursions offered to guests at Elephant Hills.
Other activities include a trek through the jungle, kayak tour along the Sok River and an excursion to Cheow Larn Lake to visit the Lake Camp, where you can paddleboard, kayak and swim.
After days packed with activities, I am easily able to unwind in my glamping tent, which has an outside porch with wicker armchairs and a hammock.
Other on-site amenities include a small pool, as well as a large dining area where all meals are eaten.
In the evening, small groups of local schoolchildren perform traditional dances and chefs put on cooking demonstrations.
Ryanair recently launched a route from Newcastle to Marrakech.
Earlier this year, Jet2 confirmed that a new route will operate between Manchester Airport and Porto.
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