ktal

My first posting. Traveling to Thailand for the first time with the family for 15 days in the latter half of June (we're 2 adults and 2 kids-aged 10 and 14).

I've read through many postings, and gotten lots of great tips. Based on many of the recommendations here and elsewhere and built the following itinerary:

Days 1-3 (3 nights): BKK. Staying at the Marriott Resort and Spa. Touring with Tong on Days 1-2.

Days 4-5 (2 nights): Anantara Golden Triangle

Days 6-8 (2 nights): 3 days of touring with Sgt. Kai. Picking us up at the Anantara, day one Mae Kok river etc. staying in Tha Ton. Day 2 Chiang Dao etc. staying in Chiang Mai (at the Lanna Accent Villa for one night). Day 3 Doi Inthanon etc. dropping us off in Chiang Mai and the Mandarin Oriental.

Days 9-12 (4 nights): Chiang Mai at the Mandarin Oriental (they have a deal at the moment of pay 3 days, stay 4).

Days 13-16 (4 nights): Island in the south. The dilemma is whether to go to Phuket or Koh Samui (or Hua Hin or elsewhere)? I'm looking for recommendations.

Phuket Pros: I can buy a Thai Airways Discover pass and fly direct from Chiang Mai to Phuket, so it's only 1.5 hours and I won't waste the day. Additionally, we can stay at the JW Marriott for a very good rate for the 4 of us, and the kids will enjoy it.

Phuket Con: The rain. We don't mind some rain in the afternoon (we did Costa Rica in August and loved it in spite of the rain), but I'm concerned that we could have our entire 4 days completely rained out.

Koh Samui Pros: The weather (little chance of being rained out)

Koh Samui Con: The only direct flight is on Bangkok Airways, and then I have to buy different airlines (and therefore more expensive) to go direct from BKK-Chiang Rai and from Chiang Mai-Koh Samui. Also not sure of something similar for the kids in Koh Samui to JW Marriott in Phuket.

Any suggestions about Phuket vs. Koh Samui vs. other islands/beaches as well as comments on the rest of the itinerary would be GREATLY appreciated.

Kevin

MaryW

Hi Kevin - welcome to Fodors. Firstly can I make a small suggestion about titles. Although you've tagged this thread Thailand - that doesn't show in the title so many people may not bother to open it and you'll potentially get less feedback.

Sounds like you've been doing a lot of work for your trip. It sounds great but will be a lot of moving around but you will see a lot. Great that you've booked a number of days in the same places. One question - why are you changing hotels in Chiang Mai? It seems a bit of a nuisance to me but maybe its the deal at the Mandarin Oriental. Actually just looked at Lanna Accent - it looks really nice so I've bookmarked it for myself.

As for Phuket or otherwise. I've been to Phuket in June - It does rain - mainly for an hour or two in the afternoon but its not too bad. It is much hotter and more humid than the rest of Thailand so more oppressive. Koh Samui will be drier but I agree that the airfares and time loss for the flights might outweigh that. I've also been (many times ) to Hua Hin during June and prefer that to Phuket. Its much more pleasant weather. Actually I prefer Hua Hin all round. Not wonderful beaches or spectacular island but nice and some lovely hotels. Much more Thai IMO than Phuket which depending where you are is very touristy - full of Aussies!!!! - I can say that as I'm one.

If you don't want to do much in Phuket then the deal you can get at the JW Marriott may well be the best option. Its quite out of the way but I believe nice - hopefully Bob will chime in here as he knows it. Tours will usually pick you up at your hotel anyway.

Where are you flying out from and what time of day. Will you have to go back to Bangkok?

ktal

Mary, thanks so much for your reply.

You are quite right about moving around so much. The reason for the hotel change in Chiang Mai is that days 6 and 7 will be packed with Sgt. Kai, very very little time in the hotel. Seemed like it would be a waste to pay Mandarin Oriental rates if we won't be there at all.

The suggestion about Hua Hin is a great one, makes me think I should look into it. Any suggestions on where to look, based on where we are staying elsewhere?

We are flying back to the States on Korean Air. Originally, I had us flying out of Bangkok back home leaving Bangkok at 10:30 at night, but I realized that Korean Air flys directly from Phuket leaving at 2:00am so we can return home from there if we go to Phuket at the end.

I didn't realize that tagging the post as "Thailand" wasn't enough. Unfortunately, I can't see how to edit the post/title, so not sure how to change that unless I repost.

Thanks again for your help.

MaryW

Hi Kevin,

I don't think you can change the title to include the tag so I suggest you copy and paste your question and maybe a little note saying what you've done so people know. Then add some more into the new title. Say Thailand itinerary - June, questions about islands. or even mention Phuket if you think thats the main place of interest.

I just check the Mandarin rates so can see there is a big difference. I must say the Lanna Villa looks nice too.

Now Phuket verses Hua Hin.

Hua Hin is a quiet place - not a lot for the kids to do in the way of tours, fun fairs etc but if you just want quiet relaxing hotel time then its good. The beaches aren't as good as Phuket but the hotels all have lovely pools. You can get a car down from Bangkok - about 2.5 hours and very easy. Its a flat drive but there are some interesting things to see - salt farms a range of limestone outcrops etc. Hotels - I use to stay at the Dusit which is out of town about 15 minutes. Newer and now probably more popular are the Hyatt and the Sheraton so worth looking at. Long ago I stayed in the Sofitel in town - I loved it - they had huge gardens, its an old heritage hotel etc but now they have built over much of the gardens and got rid of their resident elephant - a great shame. Still nice but you know how it is when they change places. There are better deals now in other hotels. Another half hour south of Hua Hin is the Evason which is lovely - nothing around but a lovely hotel - great pool.

As for Phuket - you will get rain but its unlikely to last all day every day. Beaches are much nicer but in June there are strong rips at some beaches which will make them unsafe. In Phuket you can go out to the Phang Nga Bay on a trip - thats worthwhile and I'd recommend the John Gray Sea Canoe evening cruise. A little dearer than some of the others but good - the kids would really enjoy that. They go whether its raining or not and it doesn't make a lot of difference. The bay is pretty calm nearly all the time. If you do this book and pay online as its cheaper. They will contact you in Phuket so if one day isn't suitable you can change to another. There are lots of tourist things to do in Phuket elephants etc but you may have done them up north and thats a better place to do them IMO.

Since you can fly from Chiang Mai to Phuket and then out from Phuket without having to go via Bangkok - I'd find that very tempting. For Hua Hin you'd have to fly to Bkk and then drive down to Hua Hin and then drive back up for your flight but you can get a car straight from the airport and a late transfer back in the afternoon on the day you leave for the 10.30 flight you'd probably need to leave at around 4.30 to 5.00pm

For hotels try www.sawadee.com/ as a starting point. I often use www.atsiam.com as they are often cheaper for some hotels (but check carefully)- you have to pay upfront with them unfortunately whereas with Sawadee you don't which is a bonus if you want to change your mind. Also hold off a little if you can as with the recent problems in Bkk there may well be a few discounts coming up. There already are in the short term but they may come down for June.

Best of luck. Definitely repost you'll get lost more info.

Regards, Mary

rhkkmk

slow down!!! it seems you have packed way tooooo much in....

any chance of skipping one place? or two even....i'm concerned the kids will flip out and be difficult??

any ways.....having the guide on day one in bkk will be difficult after a flight from usa....you all will be bushed....can you change tong to days 2 and 3?? you will be happier...

allow at least one down day in each place for the kids to swim, relax, etc...and you too...

the humidity will knock you for a loop believe me...

i spent last june in thailand....we had almost no rain....some in the afternoons for an hour or so...

we were in phuket, khoa lak, bkk, pattaya, hua hin...krabi....

take a look at the hyatt in hua hin....the kids would love the huge pool areas and the large slide---best i have seen in asia....nice hotel, right on the beach....10 minutes to town....

the sheraton is also wonderful but quite a ways out of town...

the marriott in bkk and in phuket are both very nice....good place in phuket to escape the horrid side of phuket....

hua hin is a 3 hour drive from bkk so you could eliminate the flt to phuket if you went there....

the hotel pricing will be very good in june....

ktal

Thanks so much again for the great suggestions.

I've already managed to change things a bit based on the suggestion so that the first day after we arrive in Bangkok we won't be doing touring with Tong. We will the second day and 1/2 the third day, before going to the DM Bangkok airport for a 6:20pm flight. That should give us the first day after arriving just to decompress.

I've also found out that the Anantara Golden Triangle is offering 3 nights for the price of 2, so I'm adding a day there (without paying anymore), and we'll just chill at the hotel/pool, etc.

Because of the ease of flying out from Phuket, I think I'm leaning heavily toward Phuket as opposed to Hua Hin, but I'm going to look into Hua Hin one last time before deciding for sure.

The Marriotts (both in Bangkok and in Phuket) are offering incredible deals at the moment: approximately $115/night. The only problem is that you have to prepay in full and it's non-refundable.

A last question: we're planning on arriving in Chiang Rai at 7:40pm. We'll need to get to the Anantara Golden Triangle that night. Is there any problem with traveling those roads at night? We'll either use a hotel pickup or get a taxi.

Thanks again.

rhkkmk

the CR road is easy but it is a one hour drive....hotel cost is quite expensive....not sure on the taxi situation....i rented a car but you might not want to do that at nite...

you might want a car up there however....

you have made good decisions with these changes i think you will be much happier in the long run....

the kids are going to love all the pools at the places you are staying....at the bkk marriott there is a mini mall out front with video games, ice cream, mcdonalds, etc....

MaryW

Hi Kevin - I also think you've made a good change. It was really shifting before and you'd all be so tired you wouldn't get as much from it.

I think if I were in your place I would go with the phuket leg. The hotel rates are very good, the flight option is good and if you don't plan on running around everyday there then a bit of rain won't worry you.

Have fun. Mary