My fiancée and I are planning our honeymoon in Thailand for the beginning of September. We are planning to start with maybe 4 days in Chuang Mai to take in a bit of the north. Then we want to spend the rest of our trip relaxing by the ocean. This is where I would love some advice.

We want to be pretty low key, just hanging out, reading, swimming, and just having together time. We will want the option to do some trips to see beautiful sites, and some hiking but don't need tons of activities. We like spending time at the spa, and would love to have a room with living space. Finally, we would like to be able to eat at more than just the hotel or resort we are staying at (preferably by walking). We are looking to spend $150- $250/night. Do people have suggestions for destinations and hotels/resorts?

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Oh one more thing. We prefer more intimate hotels (i.e. a 500 room place won't be our preferance, although I am still open to hear about a large place you loved).

Jirung Health resort and Spa is just outside Chiang mai itslef, it is all suite place under $100, for within your price range a deluxe suite. For beach in September you need to look around perhaps the Samui area, there are lots of smaller and romantic places around, try www.phuket-luxury-hotels.com and click on the various places like Chaing Mai and Koh Samui, also look on Phuket Honeymoon hotels section there. If you can handle the chance of rain there are some good bargains on Phuket at that time, yes, it could rain, it's a chance but the other side of the coin is that rates are half what they would be in high season, popular places for honeymooners include the Chedi and such who should still be offering their low season specials like stay some nights and then get extra night free ( but has to be prebooked and pre-paid ), but you will get some great deals. However, if you want to be closer to restaurants then perhaps the kata Thani resort might be within your range, if not being on the beach itself is okay the 'Baan Yin Dee' in hills overlooking Patong is a boutique luxury spa resort, very romantic, 5 minutes by tuk-tuk to Patong which is the busiest resort, though not too busy in September and lots of restaurants.

A regular here ( Bob ) and his wife are heading to Phuket now and hthey will no doubt be trying a lot of the restaurants already mentioned here by many so you can hold on for his report, they are staying at the JW marriott so we will soon be seeing Bob's full report on that place.

If you tell us whwre you are flying from and which airline that helps to work out which best airline to use domestic-wise, Thai is the obvious choice and if you do 4 sectors, check for the Thai Aiways pass which will work out cheap. wsww.thaiairways.com, now, if you are actually flying into Thailand with Thai then you can often get one destination ( e.g Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok ) for just the same as the normal Bangkok fare.

Let us know and everyone will give you enough cents worth to make a dollar ( or save one ! )

Hi

My wife and I have been on vacation to Thailand a couple of times.,..both times in September by the way. I have posted trip reports with pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com Maybe you can find some useful info there...we have been to Bangkok, Samui, Krabi, Phuket, Hua Hin etc. Get in touch if you have any questions or comments

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

Thank you James and Gard. Thanks for suggesting Jirung Health Resort. It looks like a very nice place. To answer you question, I am flying from Los Angeles.

I think the rain risk in Phuket is not comfortable to me. Does anyone have any suggestions for Koh Samui?

Others can tell you about flights from LAX and in fact if you search here there was a recent post all about flights and fares and even leads to get good deals from Thai specialist air fare agents around LA. United, Eva, China Airlines, Cathay and Thai all your options but try and scroll down and find that post, if I see it I wil 'top-it' for you.

practical tip: don't go swimming in the surf if you look forward to a romantic evening. Sand is not good.