As a one-time architect, I have a deep interest in the built environment. While the colonial era — some might say “occupation” — when European powers held sway over much of Southeast Asia had a lot of negative aspects, the wedding-cake confections of the buildings it left behind are still fascinating, where they still exist.

Phuket is Thailand's largest island, a idyllic site for the country's premier international beach resort. Much of the island's charm is that the ocean facing west coast is lined with a series of bays where white sand beaches span between two rocky points.