I think this forum is an absolute treasure! I've used it for other trips and have been so happy with the wealth of useful information. From reading tons of posts I've come up with the following itinerary and would love like some feedback.

Some background info, we are two couples in late 20s traveling to Thailand for the first time in mid-January for 17 days. We would like to see as much as possible, relax on the beach (we all love the beach), do some partying and get some Thai massages! While we don't want to cram too much into the trip, we'd like to experience everything we can, since I don't think we'll be coming back to Thailand any time soon.
We are traveling on a budget, but it is somewhat flexible.

Here's the itinerary we're considering:

3 nights - Bangkok (Jan 16 - 19) - with a side trip to Konchanaburi
3 nights - Chiang Mai (Jan 19 - 22) - elephant riding is a must
4 nights - Koh Samui (Jan 22 - 26) - Full Moon Party on Jan 22 is a must, therefore this has to be our first stop on the islands despite the expensive flight.
7 nights - Phuket/Phi Phi/Krabi (Jan 26 - Feb 2)

Now for the questions:

Bangkok:
In Bangkok we would like to visit some of the many temples and take a day trip to Konchanaburi.
Do we stay on the river on Suhumvit Rd? Any recommended hotels for about $100 a night?

Chiang Mai:
Our goal there is to go elephant riding, visit a hill tribe village, and see some beautiful nature. We might visit some wats and the market, though we would rather not repeat too many of the things we will have done in BKK.
Is Chiang Mai this the best place to stay in the north?
What would be some recommended activities/ highlights?
What are some good hotels that are not very pricey?

Koh Samui:
Is the fastest way to get to the eastern islands from Chiang Mai by flying into Koh Samui?
Our main reason for going here is the full moon party. From what I've read, Koh Samui is a better place to stay than Koh Phangan. Is this true?
I've read wonderful things about Ang Thong National Marine Park, but haven't seen much about it on this forum. Is it worth visiting? If so, what's the best way to go about it?

Phuket/Phi Phi/Krabi:
It seems like I have to pick just one
Which one is the most beautiful, with great beaches and a decent nightlife and possibility of some side trips?
What's the best way to get there from Koh Samui?
Any recommended hotels? Would this be a good place to splurge on a nice resort or should we do that elsewhere? I'd really like to stay at a 5 star hotel at some point in the trip.

Thanks for your help!

We always stay at the marriott resort on the river, but it will probably be a little over $100 US a night. Half the people here will tell you to stay on the river and the other half will say not to
You will also probably here that you have too much time for the beach, it looks like a total of 9 or 10 days? If you are all 4 total beach people then it might work out just fine, but a lot of people here think that's too much.
Since you are leaving in a month, you probably need to get your hotel reservations quick! And get in contact with a guide if you wish to use one.

Have fun with the planning and enjoy thailand! You said you probably won't return to thailand any time soon, but you might just fall in love with the land of smiles!

ok...you have made one mistake already....YOU WILL BE BACK AND IT WILL BE SOON!!!

here is a good hotel site--all are pre-pays

www.huahin.20m.com
www.asiarooms.com

these give you a wide range of hotels...

most of us prefer the river hotels but they are all over $100...

january is still high season so prices are more than at other times...

i personally prefer the marriott resort and spa on the river...

take a look at the majestic grande, just off of sukhumvit....it might be perfect for you...around $100.

you will want to be as near to the skytrain as you can be in any case...

you might want to consider a driver like tong for your trip outside....why do you want to go all the way to kantchburi?? your time is so short i would stay in bkk the whole time...she could also help you in bkk....

i have a bkk restaurant listing if you want it: [email protected]
to request it...

chiang mai is a big city too, but not high rise....outside it there is decent countryside...

baan orprin (sp?)is one hotel many like in CM....

i am not sure if you want to go to both koh samui and to phuket....both are beach places...i would choose only one...the weather could be a factor....they are on opposite sides of the peninsula...

if the only reason you want to go to KS is for the party....i would skip it...reports of young drunks and druggies abound (younger than you)....

bophut is very nice in samui, but the action is at charweang beach area....

i think you would have to fly back to bkk from KS to get to phuket, but others may know another way...

the flight to samui is expensive for domestic flights....only bkk air does it...they own the airport...

phuket is cheap to get to with many airlines going there....i would be inclined to only go there and split my time around in that area: phuket, krabi, khao lak, phi phi...
i would do some bkk at both the beginnin and at the end of my trip...you could shave some time from phuket or use the KS time for bkk...

as you develop your trip let us help you more..

bob

A couple of things to consider:

Why did you choose Thailand? Do you want to experience a different culture or are you only interested in new beaches?

I ask because you are spending almost twice as much time at the beach as you are in other parts of Thailand (12 nights vs. 6 nights). Thai beaches are nice, but the beaches are much more international in flavor; you'll get little sense of the Thai culture. Also, especially in January, you'll pay much more at the beaches than you will in other parts of Thailand for comparable accommodations.

You have a mere three days in Bangkok, and one of these you are planing to be outside the city. Thus will be right after you arrive and will be the most jet lagged. First, I'd add more time to Bangkok, and second, I wouldn't spend a day in Kanchanaburi unless you were to increase your time in Bangkok to 5 or 6 days.

I'd also recommend you choose one beach area. Each time you change locations, you basically lose a whole day. Also, the extra flights (especially to/from Koh Samui) take up a lot of your budget. If you eliminate that part of the trip, you'll be able to opt for much nicer places to stay.

How much do you know about the Full Moon party? Most attendees are late teens. early twenties, and spend the party drinking too much and drugging too much vomiting on the beach. The next day, literally tons of trash are hauled away. If this is your idea of a great time, by all means, go. But if it's not your idea of a good time, you'll want to avoid the whole area. If you really want to go to the FMP, you'll likely want to stay in Koh Phangan, as the boats going to and from the night of the FMP are seriously overloaded and dangerous. Also, for the FMP, there are minimum stays at all the places on Koh Phangan.

You need to decide on your itinerary soon, as this is quite late to be making reservations for January. Many places will be long filled, and you'll have to do quick research and reservations to get places you want.

I agree with kathy 100%. The thai beaches could be anywhere in the world. You will come back from this trip basically without seeing anything of thailand. If you only have 17 days I would spend no more than 4 or 5 days at a beach. Or if what you really want is a beach vacation, I'd go someplace closer to home. If you want to go to thailand and see something of thailand you should rethink your itinerary.

I agree with K and G. I think your proposed itinerary has way too much beach time. Thailand is a very special place. the beaches are definitely Thailand-Lite. They are geared for western tourists and the people and culture of Thailand are muted. Think about it, if you were taking a trip to the United States would you really want to spend all your time in Florida? Especially, if it was hot weather all over the US.

also remember all of us who have sent suggestions are over 50....

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. I'm definitely interested in experiencing Thailand, but I felt that about a week in BKK and the north would be enough.
- Am I wrong?
- What are some of the things I will miss?
The rest of our time would be spent relaxing and enjoying different beaches, massages, thai cuisine etc. I would like to make this an interesting and a relaxing trip at the same time.

FMP is such a Thailand experience to me, that I would hate to miss it, especially since I'm now only a little too old for it Still hoping I can fit it in...

Having read your feedback, I'm considering adding another day to BKK, so we will have 3 full days. 2 to explore BKK (Grand Palace, Wat Po, Klong tour, Vimanmek Mansion, Jim Thompson House) and a 3rd day with one of Tong's guides (she's booked) to go to the Floating Market, Tiger Temple and maybe River Kwai.
- Does that sound reasonable?

For the Northern part of the trip, I'm considering staying in Fern Paradise.
- Is that too far away?
- Will we be able to go elephant riding, visit a hill tribe village, and see some beautiful nature?
We might want to visit some wats and the market, though we would rather not repeat too many of the things we will have done in BKK.
- What are some other recommended activities/ highlights in that area?

I'm still undecided about what the best way itinerary for the south part of our trip would be, but here are a couple of questions.
- Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi if I have to pick just one?
We're looking for some lively and beautiful beaches. We'd like to stay on a nice beach but also have an opportunity to explore others.
- What are your thoughts on Ang Thong National Marine Park?
- Is it worth visiting?
- What's the best way?

Thanks again for all your help!!!

Two days in Bangkok and one outside of Bangkok will mean that you will only see the most popular attractions, and you'll be rushed in doing that. Bangkok is hot, and you'll need to make allowance for that in your schedule. Bangkok will have the best Thai food of the places you are visiting, and will have the best variety of restuarants from which to choose. It will also have the best massage/spa experiences typically at the best prices. And if you are at all interested in shopping, Bangkok has the biggest variety and the best prices.

As far as sightseeing goes, there is much more to see, depending on your interests. If you visit some of the wats "off the tourist track" you'll likely be the only westerners there. You might be interested in the Prasart Museum which is just outside of town. For those interested in the arts of SE Asia is really a fabulous place. It's private, so you have to maek an appointment to visit and you'll have a guide to show you around and introduce you to Mr. Prasart. If you are interested in house museums, I highly recomend the Suan Pakkad Palace, home of the famous Laquer Pavillion. There are plenty of other house museums as well. Are you interested in Buddhism? Perhaps you'd like to make merit at one of the wats early one morning.

Personally, I'm not fond of Chiang Mai as it's a huge srawling city with no public transportation. So from my perspective, staying outside of town will give you more of a northern Thai experience. You see some nice countryside, you can choose an elephant camp to visit (do your research, a couple of very good, the rest are in the ok to awful range). You can visit a hilltribe village, but be forewarned that it will be highly touristed. Some of these visits (for instance to see the long-necked women) have more the flavor of a human zoo. If you want to get off the tourist track, you'll need a knowledgable guide and be willing to trek for hours to get to a less "spoiled" place. Most people would recommend that you visit Doi Suthep, the most famous temple in the CM area. There is a night market in CM, which now carries mostly tourist junk and at high prices. You'd be better off shopping in Bangkok.

You may want to divide your Bangkok time so you have perhaps three days at the beginning and two or three at the end. This would give you to opportuity to shop at the end of your trip so you don't drag things around with you. It also means you don't have to worry about your flight connection to get you to your international flight your last day.

Five full days in Bangkok! Happy Travels!

Hey now Bob! I am only 30! But still at 30 we couldn't do that long at the beach! Our 3.5 days on koh chang were perfect!
I agree with at least 5 full days in bangkok!

your outline for bkk will work but will not work if you are coming from north america....you need a day at least up front to adjust---jet lague and humidity....

i would prefer a minimum of 4 days in bkk and two at the end also...

i would not stay outside CM....you will be bored i think...

pick one: phuket for you i think of the 3 listed...

If I was to choose one beach location and was in my late 20s again (having been to all of the above at lease twice between the age of 25-40)it would have to be Samui. It is the only one where you will find a picture postcard beach (south chaweng) that has a great range of nightlife that is not totally focused on prostitution. THe better beaches on Phuket are relatively quiet and Patong is very lively but the beach isn't antwhere near as good. I have spent 20 nights at Chaweng and not been bored. Samui has Temples, waterfalls,elephant rides,a liitle bit of culture and farming (it was primarily a coconut plantation before it was discovered.
The day trips to the Marine park are fantastic as well as overnight trips to KOh Tao. You can play golf,drive go karts, go to Muay Thai,snake farms,a Zoo/Aquarium where you can feed baby tigers,buteryfly farm etc etc..

At night you have a great range of restaraunts and markets and a few great casual nightclubs that keep going until the wee hours. It is proberbly too much excitment for me these days, but if you want to experience a full moon party, you will love Samui.
My first ever Thailand trip 15 years ago was Bkk 3 days, Trekking in Chang Mai/Chang Rai 4 days and 8 days in Samui and I loved it so much that I have been back to Thailand 10 times.

You've gotten some interesting advice -- so just thought I would add this: if you want to trek/elephant ride/see hill tribes and have a more authentic Thai experience, maybe try Chiang Dao Nest north of Chiang Mai. They have little huts, can organize everything else for you, and are well liked by others who've been often to the area. I don't know anything about Fern Paradise but it looks like much the same idea outside Chiang Mai. CM is a big city -- and more commercial than I thought it would be.
Beach-wise -- I was a go to the beach for weeks kind of person into my 30s (I would go to Mexico for over a month) so I can understand wanting a lot of beach time. I wish I'd actually been to the Thai beaches so I could compare them to what I loved about places in Mexico for you but I'm sure there's a vibrant group of travelling people and from the pictures and scenery I've seen the visuals are striking enough to let you know you're not in San Diego -- if you're a beach person follow your heart.
BKK is a big big city and some of what you'll like best about it may not be the actual sites. It has a vibrant pop culture very much its own and the contrast of high rise to eat-on-the street food stalls is striking. The sky train is easy to use -- I don't know that I would do the out of the city trips there tho.
Have fun !!