From Bangkok to Phuket
 

My fiancee and I are planning, well, I'm planning our honeymoon (not planning to leave until September '09) We are fascinated with traveling to Thailand. We have traveled extensively through the Caribbean and Europe, so something new is in order.

I'm planning on 10 days in Thailand, 4 days in BKK (first 2 days and last 2 days) and 6 days in between in Phuket province. We want to enjoy what Bangkok has to offer, see some temples, do a little shopping and eating then head to Phuket, probably JW Marriott for a little R&R.

I realize that the JW in Phuket is fairly isolated, but with that being said, any suggestions on where to go if we want to leave the "reservation" for a half/full day?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

best to rent a car....you can then see quite a bit of the island....rental agencies will deliver to the hotel from the airport: avis and budget....

patong is the usual place to hear....but kata and other beachside are are well worth exploring...

jw is so nice you may not even want to leave...

are you aware that september is probably the worst month to travel to thailand because often it rains a lot that month...and floods too sometimes...

mid october or august would be better

September is a great month to go to Koh Samui. Prices are reasonable and the weather is generally fine, particularly early in the month. If you are truly facinated by Thailand, regardless of where you stay, do try to escapt the "reservation" for more than just a half day. There is no sense travelling so far and just spending your time in a 5 star luxury complex. All parts of Thailand have alot more to offer than that.

Samui in September is a very good idea. This rainfall chart comparing the rainfall in Phuket and Samui is helpul, showing how September is the rainiest month of the year in Phuket, with Samui getting only 1/2 as much. http://thailandforvisitors.com/south/phukvsam.html

That said, we are rainy season travelers, and rain does not spoil our trips. For the most part, in our experience, all day rain is not frequent, but daily afternoon/evening rain can pretty much be counted on. We travel in August, and September is wetter, though. If you think that weather might spoil your time, Samui would be a much safer bet.

Good weather=good Honeymoon. Go to Ko Samui, not Phuket in September.

BTW, speedos are the Honeymoon clothing of choice.

I would agree with those that suggest going to Samui in September. We stayed at the Sala Samui and really enjoyed it. On Phuket, we have stayed at the Twin Palms. We found both places a nice compromise between being "near stuff" and privacy.

But... (assuming you are from the US) I have to insert my normal advice that I don't find a compelling reason to fly all that way if you are primarily going to the beach. The beaches are nice, but nothing spectacular. The water in both places lacks the clarity of the Caribbean. And the natural surroundings are not as impressive (IMHO) or well-kept as Hawaii. Development on both islands has clearly seen little regulation, resulting in some pretty bleak parts of both islands. And the hawkers are pretty much omnipresent.

On the bright side, food is cheap and good, and some of the resorts do offer good value. The wife is also a sucker for the dirt cheap massages offered along the beach. And the Thai people are warm and welcoming, almost too polite, if that is possible. I'm sure you will have a great time, but I know I left Phuket thinking I would have been a bit disappointed if I had flown 20+ hours from the US to get there.

KUUK
No one seems to have had any thoughts on where to go, should you leave the resort for part of a day. I would suggest heading down to Kata Beach and Patong area. You can walk the beach, shop for souvenirs, ride an elephant, parasail on Patong Beach; and then stop by Mom Tri's Villa Royale for a dinner at Mom Tri's Kitchen. Fantastic! Frankly, you'll wish you'd stayed there (Villa Royale) instead of JW.
Carol

Can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet: If you go to Phuket, you MUST take a tour of Phang Nga bay - sea canoe is the best option. In Samui, same goes for Angthong Marine Park.

I would not go to Pukent in September, however when in Phukent you need to go a boat somewhere as it is a tropical paradise!
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/coun.../Thailand.html

Thank you. I think I have found some good advice. I think I'm thinking of staying around Kata Beach. That way, we'll be close to some places like Patong. Early November may be a possibility, but if not, any other suggestions as to when to go?

Thanks again!

I've been to Phuket in September. We had some rain, but we also had some really nice weather. The main problem is that the red warning flags are up... that means that swimming in the Andaman Sea can be hazardous at that time. Currents.. Caution advised.

If you are thinking of going to the Kata Beach area, take a look at KataThani Resort, which is just below Kata Beach, on Kata Noi Beach. I'm not the only one from this board who has stayed there and thoroughly enjoyed it.

(If you want real LUX... but at a big cost..... altho Sept rates are cheaper..... look at Mom Tri's Villa Royale!!! It overlooks Kata Noi beach... very romantic for honeymooners IMO)

OK, what about going to Samui instead of Phuket? Have you considered that idea? The weather there would probably be better if you opt to travel in September.

November weather on Phuket is right about the time it really gets to be nice. Dec/Jan/Feb is practically ideal IMO.

I think you will love Thailand! Your schedule looks really good... visiting Bangkok at both the beginning and end of your trip, altho I might add another day at the beginning and shorten Phuket time by a day. Just my suggestion. Bangkok is an amazing city.

Have a great time!

Carol

I have been to Kata several times in late October and have always struck nice weather and the sea conditions were generally reasonable. It is the time we choose to go as you can still take advantage of low season prices. From the 1st of November,prices rise drastically. I wouldn't go there in September as I love my daily dip in the ocean and at that time of year, Kata can be dangerous with strong currents and rips. An option you may look at in September if that is the only time you can go and you are set on Phuket in to stay at Le Meridian. They are set on a smaller semi private beach that is in a bay that tends to get protected from the worst of these currents.

My vote for September would still be for Samui.