Thai treat

It took less than 20 minutes to find Nemo in the swirl of sun-dappled water he was weaving playfully in the feathery coral just ten feet below us on the bed of the Andaman Sea.

Our snorkelling party spotted Nemo with dozens of his adoring clown fish cousins at Kos Surin island group off the coast of mainland Thailand.

The star of Disney's full-length cartoon film couldn't have chosen a more picturesque spot. But Nemo, bright orange with black and white stripes, wasn't the only colourful character in this coral reef.

Shards of luminous marine life, every shade and combination of hues, deep blue starfish and the mystically-shaped coral itself provided a living, mobile tableau in the emerald green waters.

We had reached the reef after a five-minute journey by tender from our mother ship, the Star Flyer, which had dropped anchor in Thailand's National Park in the Sea.

While some of our fellow guests bleached themselves on the sublime, white powdery beaches, others relaxed on the deck with books from the ship's library, or enjoyed a traditional Thai massage from the Star Flyer's resident masseuse.

The more active, including yours truly, either learned or honed their skills at scuba diving, sailing, windsurfing and water skiing, while the young-at-hearts opted for high-speed thrills bouncing through the water on a giant banana' towed by the Flyer's water sports team.

The Star Flyer, and its twin sister Star Clipper, are the tallest ships ever built with their main masts rising to 226 feet. And they provide a sailing experience unlike any other cruise ship.

Their en-suite cabins offer almost identical facilities with the same standard of the luxury juggernaut floating hotels roaming the world's oceans. But above decks, they are superb replicas of the sleek, four-masted barquentines which dominated sea travel at the end of the 19th Century.

Under full sail, the Star Flyer, with 36,000 blossoming square feet of canvas, pushes her sleek 2,298-tons along at an exhilarating 17 knots.

It is undoubtedly this unique sailing atmosphere that has lured thousands of discerning holidaymakers yearning for a luxury life on the ocean wave since her launch in 1991.

However, the accent is on informality. We sit where we like, with whom we like, at mealtimes. And although the cuisine is of the highest standard, no jackets or ties are ever required.

In the balmy heat of a Thai evening, this was a real blessing. It also means passengers can travel light on long-haul flights and don't cram cabins with suits or full-length dresses.

After spending our first day at sea in Kos Surin, we sailed on to Ko Miang in the Similan Islands, which is rated one of the best deep diving spots in the world. All water sports facilities on Star Flyer are free with the exception of the scuba diving. An introductory course, including use of equipment, costs 96 Euros (around £65).

Next day, we dropped anchor off Ko Rok Nok, which since 1990 has been declared part of the Ko Lanta Maritime National Park to protect its beautiful but fragile coastal environment.

Because of its status, many of the larger diesel-engined cruise ships are banned from these unspoilt, sparsely populated areas. But Star Flyer is welcomed because of its environmentally-friendly appearance.

Our next port of call was Langkawi, the biggest island in Malaysia, with its tax-free shopping. Recent legislation has prevented tourist exploitation of this tropical paradise and no buildings taller than a coconut palm will in future receive planning permission.

I recommend the island excursion, which included a tour of the film set for the 1999 movie Anna and the King, starring Jodie Foster. During a longboat trip through the mangroves, I was delighted to see many of the 37 species of eagles found in Langkawi.

Next day, we were off to Ko Phi Phi, where Hollywood idol Leonardo di Caprio starred in The Beach. A water taxi costing around £7 took a group of us on a 90-minute round trip to Maya Bay on the spectacular crescent-shaped island which became the other star' of the movie.

Our final destination was Kao Ta Poo, known as James Bond Island because it was here that 007 actor Roger Moore and Christopher Lee, as the evil Salamander, featured in the 1974 film The Man With The Golden Gun.

Despite the final scenes in which, as ever, the lair of Bond's opponent was destroyed in a series of apocalyptic explosions, Kao Ta Poo is still standing in its spectacular glory and well worth a visit.

From here, we returned to our original port of departure at the bustling holiday resort of Phuket, having travelled 566 nautical miles during our week at sea.

Many passengers had spent several days in Phuket prior to their voyage. Others had enjoyed some nights in the Thai capital of Bangkok.

Here, the five-star Amari Watergate Hotel in the centre of the city provides exceptional value with luxury double rooms costing as little as £70 a night.

But dawdling over the ship's side before saying my final farewell, I saw a bright splash of orange it was little Nemo - and I swear he gave me a wink!