A week in Thailand.......
Discussion
Mrs S has decided we need an extra week in Thailand,we have everything booked for Bangkok and Chiang Mai but are undecided where to spend the extra week.
We quite fancy the beach but don't want massive crowds or chav scum/kiddy fiddlers in close proximity.
I know one of you has the right answer.
We quite fancy the beach but don't want massive crowds or chav scum/kiddy fiddlers in close proximity.
I know one of you has the right answer.
Try any of the following:-
Khao Lak, Koh Kood, Koh Chang, Koh Samui (parts) and Krabi.
It's all down to budget, requirements/needs, desired quality of hotel and expectation.
You could consider the overnight train from BKK to Surat Thani. Transfer to Samui and then onto Koh Phangang, staying away from the Full Moon party. Train is great; private sleeper cabin for 2 is around £32 each and includes the ferry to Samui. The weather there is unseasonably good at present, so you just might get a hotel bargain.
Tell me a bit more about what you are after and I will suggest some specific hotels.
Khao Lak, Koh Kood, Koh Chang, Koh Samui (parts) and Krabi.
It's all down to budget, requirements/needs, desired quality of hotel and expectation.
You could consider the overnight train from BKK to Surat Thani. Transfer to Samui and then onto Koh Phangang, staying away from the Full Moon party. Train is great; private sleeper cabin for 2 is around £32 each and includes the ferry to Samui. The weather there is unseasonably good at present, so you just might get a hotel bargain.
Tell me a bit more about what you are after and I will suggest some specific hotels.
Samet is a good bet IMO, very family orientated, no girly bars etc, but quite small and limited for more than a couple of days, unless you really like the beach that much!
Koh Chang, a bit further down is meant to be really nice too. I think it does have a girly bar area, but it's a fairly big island.
Koh Chang, a bit further down is meant to be really nice too. I think it does have a girly bar area, but it's a fairly big island.
Just summarising these replies a little.
Phi Phi - since it was flatted by the tsunami, it has been rebuilt and fully recovered.
It is now very much like many of the Thai beach destianbtions and has lost a fair bit of its 80's/90's USP. It gets extremely busy with day trippers from Phuket from 10-5 each day. after 5ish, its a lot more enjoyable.
Samet - an option. However, it's VERY busy at the moment, with displaced BKK residents, avoiding floods.
Chang - indeed, there are a small number of girlie bars, mostly restricted to a small enclave of White Sands Beach. Areas such as Lonely Beach, Bang Bao etc are still a wonderful option. Check out the Buddha View Restaurant and Hotel at Bang Bao, for a pleaseant place to stay.
As I said before, say a little more about what you are hoping for, and you'll get some more focused responses.
Phi Phi - since it was flatted by the tsunami, it has been rebuilt and fully recovered.
It is now very much like many of the Thai beach destianbtions and has lost a fair bit of its 80's/90's USP. It gets extremely busy with day trippers from Phuket from 10-5 each day. after 5ish, its a lot more enjoyable.
Samet - an option. However, it's VERY busy at the moment, with displaced BKK residents, avoiding floods.
Chang - indeed, there are a small number of girlie bars, mostly restricted to a small enclave of White Sands Beach. Areas such as Lonely Beach, Bang Bao etc are still a wonderful option. Check out the Buddha View Restaurant and Hotel at Bang Bao, for a pleaseant place to stay.
As I said before, say a little more about what you are hoping for, and you'll get some more focused responses.
Jackleman said:
Koh Phi Phi is a s
t hole, was there earlier this year and I would avoid it given what you said you were looking for.
Wow, what happened?t hole, was there earlier this year and I would avoid it given what you said you were looking for.I went there around 5 years ago and found it very nice tbh. They were doing quite a bit of building work post Tsunami. I remember doing some snorkeling, kayaking and visited the beach from The Beach.
We're in Koh Lanta at the moment, have been here for two days. If you are looking for somewhere quiet for a bit of relaxation then this place is perfect. We're in a great hotel about half way along Long Beach and finding it very relaxing. We're a couple in our (very late!) 20s and are some of the youngest here but we just wanted somewhere to chill out so the fact there is not a great deal of activities or partying to be had is fine with us. No chavs or kiddie fiddlers as far as I can tell.
We flew from Bangkok to Krabi (1hr), minivan to the coast (1hr) and speedboat (20 mins) to the hotel.
Having a great time (although the rain isn't much fun
)
We flew from Bangkok to Krabi (1hr), minivan to the coast (1hr) and speedboat (20 mins) to the hotel.
Having a great time (although the rain isn't much fun
)Koh Lanta is absolutely lovely, far less developed than Samui. It's a bit of a PITA to get there from the rest of Thailand by road/rail AFAIK however you can take the easy option of flying to Krabi and then getting a taxi down (£40 direct to anywhere on island) or the minivans.
Very relaxing, lovely relatively untouristy island with some very hippie-ish beach resorts. Well recommended by me.
Failing that, Hat Bo Phut on the north coast of Samui is quite nice- Loads of decent restaurants.
Very relaxing, lovely relatively untouristy island with some very hippie-ish beach resorts. Well recommended by me.
Failing that, Hat Bo Phut on the north coast of Samui is quite nice- Loads of decent restaurants.
smifffymoto said:
Thanks chaps for the opinions.
Nobby Diesel,if it was your money where would you go? I don't really have a budget in mind but needless to say,a happy wife makes a happy holiday.
Smiffy,Nobby Diesel,if it was your money where would you go? I don't really have a budget in mind but needless to say,a happy wife makes a happy holiday.
Koh Lanta (as suggested) is wonderful.
Krabi - Railay Beach.
Khao Lak - lovely area, but haven't been post tsunami, so cant tell you about spercific hotels.
Samui - The Tongsai Bay Hotel or Sala Samui
Krabi - The Rayavadee.
Koh Kood - Six Senses Soneva Kiri
Koh Chang - Buddha View
Some of my favourites here. They are all quite different to one another and you really need to look at them all to decide exactly what suits you.
Soneva Kiri is the top of my list and very much a "money no object" option.
The Tongsai is very good too - but you need to be in a Grand Villa to get the full experience.
Buddha View is the other end of the cost scale, but special for other reasons.
To answer your question, at this time of year, I would probably head for Soneva Kiri - the transfer from BKK airport has to be the best way to arrive!
Listen to Nobby Deisel he looks like he actually spent more than just two weeks in Thailand, everything he says makes sense.
A week in Bankok is too long for me, go back to the beach idea, SuritThani on the tain like ND said, you wil see some of the country that way,
I would not go in a taxi that tried to do Bankok to Surit Thani in 3 hours.
A week in Bankok is too long for me, go back to the beach idea, SuritThani on the tain like ND said, you wil see some of the country that way,
I would not go in a taxi that tried to do Bankok to Surit Thani in 3 hours.
Berw said:
Listen to Nobby Deisel he looks like he actually spent more than just two weeks in Thailand, everything he says makes sense.
A week in Bankok is too long for me, go back to the beach idea, SuritThani on the tain like ND said, you wil see some of the country that way,
I would not go in a taxi that tried to do Bankok to Surit Thani in 3 hours.
If you get a sensible one though taxi isn't a bad way of doing long distance routes in Thailand, especially with baggage and kids. Most of them have a price list in the back by province, I would guess Surat Thani is not much more than 5,000THB or 100GBP, air con, no messing around, stop when you like.A week in Bankok is too long for me, go back to the beach idea, SuritThani on the tain like ND said, you wil see some of the country that way,
I would not go in a taxi that tried to do Bankok to Surit Thani in 3 hours.
smifffymoto said:
That's it I've had enough.
Mrs S has changed her mind again!
Got any suggestion for a suite/aparthotel in BKK,this will be the 3rd week in that bloody place
A touch out of the centre, but Park 9 Living is good. You'll get good rates on a week and cabs are dirt cheap. Cab, then skytrain. Beats the hell out of some of the over priced hotels downtown. However, if you want to be central, look at Siam@Siam.Mrs S has changed her mind again!
Got any suggestion for a suite/aparthotel in BKK,this will be the 3rd week in that bloody place
When are you going to be there?
Are you absolutely sure you want all that time in BKK, given that you want to avoid chavs, crowds and fiddlers? It has more than its fair share of all 3
Edited by Nobby Diesel on Tuesday 22 November 21:32
smifffymoto said:
That's it I've had enough.
Mrs S has changed her mind again!
Got any suggestion for a suite/aparthotel in BKK,this will be the 3rd week in that bloody place
A touch out of the centre, but Park 9 Living is good. You'll get good rates on a week and cabs are dirt cheap. Cab, then skytrain. Beats the hell out of some of the over priced hotels downtown. However, if you want to be central, look at Siam@Siam.Mrs S has changed her mind again!
Got any suggestion for a suite/aparthotel in BKK,this will be the 3rd week in that bloody place
When are you going to be there?
Are you absolutely sure you want all that time in BKK, given that you want to avoid chavs, crowds and fiddlers? It has more than its fair share of all 3
Edited by Nobby Diesel on Tuesday 22 November 21:37
smifffymoto said:
My wife and kids have a Bangkok addiction,after this jolly it will have been 6 weeks over 3 holidays.
Thanks for the hotel tip but as normal Mrs S has just gone and booked the Anantara suites after going round the internet yesterday,all yesterday.
I have used Anantara in Hua Hin many times, you will love Anantara, they are superb for service and decor, i promise you wont want to leave.Thanks for the hotel tip but as normal Mrs S has just gone and booked the Anantara suites after going round the internet yesterday,all yesterday.
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