5 days anywhere in Thailand...apart from BKK and Chiang Mai
 

I am due to be in Bangkok for work in February. I have been before and loved it, so looking fwd to being there for a few days - I will stay afterwards for another 2 days and hopefully manage a day trip to the River Kwai this time.

My friend will be joining me for 5 days after that. She is willing to fly into anywhere in Thailand (we live in the region) but we haven't settled on a location. I was in Laos and Chiang Mai this time last year (although I spent most of my time lounging by the river as I stayed at the Chedi Hotel - bliss! and did a cookery course. V disappointing).
and my friend and I aren't that keen to hang out on a beach for 5 days.
Does anyone have ideas for something a bit different? I don't mind going to Chiang Rai or elsewhere northern, but hear Mae Son is very commercialised these days. I would like to go to the southern islands, but have been on jungle treks already. But are there nay national parks worth seeing, or places of quirky tourist interest? We don't mind beach but would like there to be other adventures to be had as well.

Any ideas please?
We are in our 30s and late 40s, but both pretty active.

You can fly to Siem Reap and see Angkor Wat and a 5 days trip will be just perfect IMO but you will have to leave the country.

How about hiring a car and drive around the North of Thailand(Chiang Mai, Hang Dong, Pai, MHS etc). Or you could do the same down South and drive around Trang, Phuket, Krabi and that general area.

the new jw marriott is really nice in khao lak...i know you said not beach but this is special... rent a car in phuket

the sheraton at pattaya is a nice property with water views..

i like both the sheraton and hyatt at hua hin

anantara north of chiang rai

the new jw marriott is really nice in khao lak...i know you said not beach but this is special... rent a car in phuket

the sheraton at pattaya is a nice property with water views..

i like both the sheraton and hyatt at hua hin

anantara north of chiang rai

sorry for dupe

I prob should have said, I have travelled around Cambodia and also Laos (altho not the south) and as I live in Malaysia travelling to thailand isnt difficult.

what and where is trang?

I would recommend avoiding Pattaya. So many wonderful places around than to waste your time at this dump. You're better off getting a driver to hua hin and stopping off at some markets along the way. Krabi is nice if you'd rather fly to a southern beach. Koh phi phi's great too.

The Golden Triangle area is lovely. Hanuman's idea of a driving trip in the north also sounds great.

I would recommend Pattaya or Hua Hin to enjoy the beach scene! once u decide let us know can suggest some hotels depending on your budget :-)

I agree with hanuman's suggestion of renting a car and driving around Northern thailand. we did "Mae Hong Sorn loop" from Chiang Mai a few years ago. No need to stay in CM just pick up a rental car at the airport and set off from there. The loop takes an unhurried 5 or 6 days. Lots of national parks, trekking opps, minority people villages along the way. We used the Budget world class drive map as a guide. Good directions and detils of places of interest along the way. You can download a pdf. of the guide from http://www.budget.co.th/travel_worldclass.aspx