The holiday resort with private bungalows, sunset cocktail bars and free kids clubs

I FEEL like I am in a scene from a cooking show.

I’m watching my pan of red seafood broth bubbling gently on a portable gas hob against a picture-perfect beach backdrop.

GettySouthwestern Thailand is the place to go for a picture-perfect holiday destination[/caption]

SuppliedWe stayed at the five-star Robinson resort in Khao Lak[/caption]

The sea breeze wafts the aroma of tom yum soup towards me and I can’t wait to tuck in.

It is part of a Thai cooking class with chef Vindika Muthumala at the five-star Robinson resort in Khao Lak, in southwestern Thailand.

The soup I have just made, served with a gigantic king prawn peeping out of the bowl, is quite the showstopper and tastes just as impressive, hitting salty, sour and spicy notes.

During the class, we make this delicious dish, a restaurant-quality yellow curry with chicken, and a zingy steak salad, before sitting down together as a group to feast on our homemade lunch in the shade of a palm-thatched gazebo.

This is one of the many activities on offer at the resort and it is easy to fill the days, no matter what pace you want to take things at.

I eased into most mornings with a dip in the sea or the pool, followed by a yoga class overlooking the beach.

But if you want something more energetic, there is a wide choice of fitness classes on offer, including Muay Thai boxing, HIIT sessions, spinning, Pilates, aqua jogging and much more.

Plus there is tennis, mini-golf, beach volleyball and archery.

Or if you are itching to get out on the water, there are kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for hire, as well as something called a Mirage Eclipse board, similar to a surfboard with foot pedals and handlebars.

To dive deeper into Thailand, you can also book scuba and snorkelling trips to the nearby Similan Islands, which are home to world-famous dive sites.

Should you need a break from the kids, the activity club takes children aged three to 12 and runs for four hours a day, six days a week at no extra cost for guests.

One afternoon, I headed to the resort’s spa for an hour-long Thai massage and came away feeling about three inches taller as the therapist unlocked pockets of tension I didn’t even realise I was carrying.

I then retreated to the paradise of my private bungalow, which had its own six-metre long pool and sun loungers set in a tropical garden.

Lush foliage, bright orange Heliconia flowers and magenta leafed Ti plants provide a screen from the outside world.

But you might prefer to sacrifice some of this privacy for one of the bungalows that opens directly on to the beach.

The resort also offers huge villas and suites, plus more affordable — but no less chic rooms — in the main building.

You will not have a private pool, but trust me, you will never be short of somewhere to swim at Robinson.

Kids will love the family pools with waterslides, while grown-ups can retreat to one of the calmer bathing spots such as the child-free relaxation pool.

SuppliedGetting up and about was no issue as we were offered Muay Thai boxing, HIIT sessions, spinning, Pilates, aqua jogging and more[/caption]

SuppliedWe were astounded by the golden Buddha temples that punctuated the streets[/caption]

Plus, the resort backs on to the irresistible waters of the turquoise Andaman Sea.

Food options are also plentiful and, whether you go for bed and breakfast, half-board, full-board or all-inclusive, you will never get bored.

The buffet breakfasts, lunches and dinners give a wide range of Asian and European dishes, and feature cooking stations.

Or, for an extra cost, you can book into the elegant Baan Thai restaurant serving local cuisine, or the beachfront Bamboo bar and restaurant that does surf and turf pizza.

The bar is perfectly located for a sunset cocktail and I spent many an evening watching as the sky glowed pink before dissolving into darkness over the rim of my martini glass.

If you are more of an adventurer, there is much to explore in the surrounding Phang Nga province, with excursions you can book through the resort for an extra fee.

Peaceful river paddling

Prepare for an early start if you want to retrace the steps of Roger Moore on a cruise around the spectacular landscape known as James Bond Island.

In Khao Phing Kan, where The Man With The Golden Gun was filmed in 1974, limestone karsts rise out of the sea like alien forms.

And a visit to the elephant sanctuary is a must for animal lovers.

Take your swimsuit and you can even hop into the water with them to help with the daily bath.

I took a trip that includes a kayak tour through the jungle, visit to a local market, restaurant lunch and several temples for around £51.

Picturing it all now, it is so peaceful, paddling along the river to the soothing rainforest soundtrack of birdsong and chirruping insects.

We drifted beneath a lizard who was napping on an overhanging branch and spotted a mangrove snake with black and yellow colouring, like a hazard tape warning against getting too close.

At the food market in Takua Pa, jostling shoppers stocked up on unfamiliar ingredients such as purple mangosteen and hairy red rambutan fruits as casually as if they were buying Granny Smith apples at Tesco.

Back on the road, we paused to photograph a herd of water buffalo whose big-eyed, bandy-legged calves could have been drawn by Walt Disney.

Then we reached the ornate Chinese-style temple, with spiky blue dragons coiled protectively around its pillars, and a giant gold Buddha, cross-legged and serene at the top of a grand staircase guarded by a pair of nine-headed serpents.

It was a whistle-stop tour, but I left with a better grounding in the culture and landscape of this beautiful region, as well as a yearning to return to explore further.

Back at my bungalow on the final evening, I had the sudden impulse to put on my bikini for one last dip.

Floating on my back in the moonlight, it was hard to imagine a more serene sight.

SuppliedThe Thai cookery course on the resort site is £48[/caption]

SuppliedWe made tom yum soup[/caption]

SuppliedThailand was abundant with Instagrammable beach snaps[/caption]

AlamyKhao Phing Kan, was where Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun was shot[/caption]