Kathie

BB, the malaria issue does, unfortunately, rule out the Golden Triangle and Luang Prabang. Bali is a wonderful place. You could do a combination of Bali and Bangkok or fly into Singapore instead and visit Singapore and Bali. I wouldn't spend less than a week in Bali (so much to see and do).

JamesA

Nice pic Cyn of the Golden Buddha, often wonder they do not use that as a more prominent image for HH. Supatra is nice, only the wine list price is 'ouch'.
I saw that pic of the soi along by the fishing pier area, Monsoon is nice for a drink.
Bella, Hyatt is good with kids for the great pool and slide. Wora Bura is romantic.

rhkkmk

fly air asia to K/L in malaysia for a few days....

singapore is also an easy jaunt...air asia flies there also i believe...

yangon in myanmar (burma) is nice for a few days....bkk air

Smeagol

Tiger Airways is also an EXCELLENT budget airline from SP to lots of places . We used them and thought they put easy jet etc to shame. (which i know isnt hard)

I really would also stress booking a regency club room at the hyatt- i know Bob wasn't so impressed but the BF and i loved the tranquility of it all and the included breakfast and cocktail hour bewteen 5-7 was good. they also bring you fruit and ice cream and bottles of water throughout the day. Definately worth the few extra ££

Smeagol

Oh and we ate some of the best food of our lives in HH. Infact one of our most favourite meals was in HH. James A gave us some top recommendations. If yoi do end up booking HH let us know and we can post you all the great places we went

rhkkmk

why don't you just meet down on the 'broadway' as you live close to each other....??

rhkkmk

anantara is one hour north of chiang rai by car.....we took anti-malarials there too...

Smeagol

Bob
Do you mean me meeting BB at the broadway? whats that? Am pretty sure BB lives in or around london which is about 100 miles away from me.... (which you will see in Nov! muffin has more stories for you!!)

rhkkmk

i thought that you always called the main street of town--"the broadway"....

can't wait for more tennis stories...maybe your friends will have some too.....what happens if we make lots of noise in the dining room of the restaurant...?? they will put us out in the kids play area...

Smeagol

Never heard of the expression "The broaddway" more like "up our street" (if from "up north&quot or down the road/round the corner something like that
Nah no more tennis stories but we had some friends over from Asia this weekend and he dug a few traesures out!!! boy muffin certainly knows how to tell them.....

JamesA

Bella, did not see was this year ! Hyatt is in the USD 115-120 a night range, you have also the Marriott etc, I would think about spliting time as you can also get to some other good places quickly with highway, Dolphin Bay is about 40 minutes by road, boat to Monkey Island and on the way look out for the Pink Dolphins(!), it's only a certain time of year, not sure when, Dolphin Bay resort is 2/3 star small but well run place there but interesting for a night, 1 hour 30 more by road and you can speedboat over to Koph Talu island resort, snorkeling, laid back, no shopping or anything, just a couple of 2/3 star a/con places on the island, get asway from it all or what! Entertainment is a fe beers and an old tape player, if you get the idea, but well away from it all but a lovely small island.
So if you don't want to stay just HH it is easy to get to some nearby places with car+driver. $ for $ the Hyatt is good if in that price range.

Bella_Bluebell

I thought the broadway was in NY!?

Thanks for all the tips guys - JamesA - really like the suggestions of dolphin bay and the islands.

Everything is on hold at the moment - we are waiting for my friend's funeral date to be finalised but there is a delay and it may not be until mid until the end of July which would mean we could not come to thailand as I could not miss her funeral.

Still hoping for her family's sake that it is sooner.

Had tried sawadee.com to see about Marriott's availability for a few nights at the beginning - and it was fully booked! I wonder if I went direct to the Marriott if that would still be the case? That would mean a marital Oriental vs Peninsula debate/full blown row would commence as that would be our next choice (well really the first choice but financially, the second choice...)

BB

Bella_Bluebell

JamesA - just looked at Dolphin Bay website - looks great for us as has a playground etc. Would you hire a car in Hua Hin area or best to get a taxi/songthaew around? I've driven on Ko Samui but not on Thai mainland at all.