There can be few people in the world who don't know that a tsunami struck South Asia on December 26, causing severe damage to a number of countries, including Thailand. Much of the international television focus was on Phuket, because of the number of foreigners at the island's luxury resorts at the time. As the death toll rose, TV footage showed wrecked hotels, rubble-strewn beaches and airports crammed with holidaymakers heading home. It was feared that tourism in Phuket, and the entire country, could take a long time to recover.

However, those concerns have proved groundless. Within days, other beach resorts, unaffected by the tidal wave, reported that bookings had soared as people switched from Phuket hotels. Bangkok hotels also recorded very high occupancies, as did the northern resort towns of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. The coastal resorts on the Gulf coast, unaffected by the tsunami, of Pattaya and Hua Hin were already very busy with high season crowds; the overflow from Phuket had them bursting at the seams. Islands which attracted many holidaymakers were Koh Samui and Koh Chang. Koh Samui had already established itself as a popular destination, but Koh Chang is one of the newest "unspoilt" islands off the coast.

One month after the disaster, our reporters visited Thailand's premier coastal destinations to assess the situation. Our first stop was Phuket, known as the Pearl of the South. Much of the island, including the entire east coast and the central areas, were not affected. Not a single yacht moored at the marinas on the east coast was lost. West coast resorts which sustained damage were the popular Patong Beach and Kamala Beach. However, much of the rubble was cleared away within days.

A number of beachfront hotels, restaurants and shops in Patong are closed for renovation, but off the beachfront there is no sign of damage. The beach has been restored to its pristine beauty and, without the rows of sun loungers and umbrellas, many long-time visitors say "it looks like it did 20 years ago". Other resort areas like Kata Beach, Nai Harn and Karon Beach are operating as usual. Popular destinations near Phuket, Phi Phi Island and Khao Lak, suffered severe damage and many resorts will take many months to rebuild.

Local hoteliers and tour operators have done much to assist those who suffered tragedy. Many held fund-raising drives and one hotel, the Mangosteen Resort and Spa, is donating 10 percent of room revenue until the end of March to the victims of Khao Lak. Although the Holiday Inn Phuket Resort will only re-open part of the hotel in April, it has urged tourists to return now: “Many other beaches and resorts have returned to normal operation. Don't stay away, come to enjoy Phuket and its wonderful friendly people.”

Tourism officials have launched a big drive to reassure visitors that it is safe to visit the island. A string of celebrities, including Latin singer Ricky Martin, have toured the island in recent weeks. Shortly after the tragedy, hotel occupancies slumped to around 10 percent, but these are continuing to climb. One visitor told us that he was having the holiday of a lifetime: “It's not crowded, it's got everything I need and there are few places in the world that can compare with the beauty of Phuket.”

Our next stop was the lively resort of Pattaya, which is only a 90-minute drive from Bangkok. Beaches in Pattaya and nearby Jomtien are packed. A restaurant owner said business had definitely increased; “I don't know if it is a result of people changing from Phuket to here, things were going pretty well anyway.” In recent years, the resort city has spent millions to clean up the beaches and develop it as a family resort. Top resorts in Pattaya include the Royal Cliff complex, the Hard Rock Hotel and the Marriott Resort & Spa.

Another resort area doing big business this year is Hua Hin. The holiday destination favoured by the Thai Royal Family, it combines the attractions of a modern holiday spot with the charm of an active fishing port. Horse-riding is offered along stretches of the eight-kilometre long beach . Many of Bangkok's rich and famous built their own beachfront summer homes here, giving the resort a uniquely Thai atmosphere. One of the famous hotels here is the majestic Sofitel Central Hua Hin, which was built in 1923 and sits in 15 hectares of landscaped garden. Modern hotels include the Hilton Hua Hin, the Hyatt Regency and the famous Chiva-Som International Health Resort.

Across the bay in the Gulf of Thailand is an island that has long been a secret among regular visitors. Although it is the country's second largest island and only five hours drive from Bangkok, Koh Chang has remained off the mass tourism trail. That is not likely to last, seeing the publicity it has received as an alternative to Phuket in the aftermath of the tsunami. It is the largest of the 52-island Marine National Park, with 75% of land protected by law. A number of resorts have sprung up in recent years, with the major attraction being the forests and beautiful white beaches. These include the Aiyapura, Koh Chang Cliff Beach Hotel, the Panviman and the Barali Beach Resort.

So, far from being down and out, Thailand is certainly still firmly on the tourist map. Some damage will take a long time to repair, but the country remains one of the most sought-after and intriguing holiday destinations in the world.