Bkk to Chiang Mai to Koh Samui to Bkk:

We will fly to Chiang Mai from Bkk, need information as to how to get from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui, preferably by air, and return to Bkk.

The only airline that flies to Koh Samui is Bangkok Air, so that is your only option. Most flights have to connect through BKK, but I think there might be a direct flight from CM to KS. Check their website - bangkokair.com

i believe bkk air a a three times a week flight from CM to samui...but check with them and use the air pass...

Thanks for the info. I priced out the flights and for the two of us, its very expensive. I'm thinking of giving up on Chiang Mai, and spending more time in BK and Koh Samui.

i would applaud that....i hate chiang mai....

its not all that expensive really...if you use the air pass it is only $50 each way...so $50 to CM, $50 back...then same for samui...for a one hour flight that is cheap it seems to me...to fly from boston to ny is one hour and cost $275 each way...

Why do you hate Chaig Mai? Most of what I read seems very favorable.

I'm the opposite of Bob. I love Chiang Mai. Northern Thailand is my favorite part of the country. On the other hand I went to southern thailand in 1985 and saw absolutely no reason to ever return. If I want a generic beach (and I was in Phuket before it became westernized) I don't have to travel 24 hours. On the other hand I have been to northern thailand and chiang mai 7 times since that first trip and next week will be spending 10 days in Chiang Mai alone.

We all like different things, so it's worthwhile to figure out what you might like or not like about an area.

I'm also not a fan of CM. For me, it has all the disadvantages of a big city (traffic, air pollution) without the cultural advantages. For me it's worth a couple of days, but I would spend my northern Thailand time in smaller places. CM is the second largest city in Thailand, but it gets billed to people as the "real" Thailand, or the "countryside."

I would also note that Gloria and I agree about most things, but we disagree on this one.

I think kathie and I agree on almost everything except Chiang mai (I like and she doesn't) and Singapore (she likes and I don't).

I don't post very often, but I'm with Gloria about the North. Unless you are specifically wanting beaches, they are not very unique to a coutry. Getting into the culture of the country is so much fun, and Chiang Mai is a starting point to do that. I'm going back to thailand for my second time, and I am skipping the beaches altogether. They were too westernized for me. However, we all like different things like Kathy said.

It depends what you are looking for, CM is the 2nd largest city, despite what some people might think 90% plus of Thailand rarely sees a tourist, there are temples abounding everywhere, rivers, waterfalls, there is so much to see. Isan province I love, Buri Ram, the parks. Nakhon Pathom has superb temples and that is not far from Bangkok, lots of Elephant treks etc available in many places. Riverside hotels in Ubon Ratchatani and overlooking the Mekong, there is so much.
It realy depends what you are looking for in a place. I like the coastal villages and towns along the coast south where you can beach-hop but also stay near villages where elephants wander through and there are local temples.
It just depends what you are after.

Everywhere of course is 'real' but if you want to get more off the beaten track try Isan province and if you want beaches far from the crowds there are plenty, with the benefit of many having reasonable or even great accommodation, there are many places that are favorites for those who live here, sometimes a tourist comes along, other times though few, but it depends how far from tourist trapping people seriously want to venture, it 'is' there though.

Yikes! Now I'm perplexed. Actually a little nervous that we are trying to do too much in the limited time we have. Thanks for the comments.

I don't know what your full itinerary looks like, but I think the error many people make is trying to do too much in too little time. You have to slow down to really experience Thailand.

In my opinion about Chiang Mai as my hometown, the city is very a large area, it covers in many district, almost beatuy attraction are surrounding downtown and far away such as Ang Khang Mountain. If you get outside downtown , you will feel like you go in real chiang mai. That are great mountain, cold weather and very cultural in some part of that. There are also many activities to do.