HI everyone

We have decided to go to Thailand for our honeymoon next April, and have already booked a week in Koh Samui. I am looking for another place to go for our first week, and I am very stuck!

I loved the look of Koh Lanata, but unsure of which place to go to, and worried it may be too quiet. We would like a lovely beach, relaxed, flip flop environment, nice local beach restaurants, and laid back bars on the beach for cocktails and sun sets. I would ideally like the calssic accommodation on teh beach, and do not mind paying for it, but am slightly worried that these 4 * resorts are very hotely/conferency, and not very peronal.

Please help! I am driving my fiance mad!

Jo

Are you only interested in going to beaches in Thailand? Thailand has lovely beaches, but Thailand is so much more. If you only have two weeks, consider spending the first week in Bangkok or a combination of Bangkok and somewhere in northern Thailand.

Thanks so much for responding.

I do agree, but my fiance has been to the North already, and we will be spending 3 days also in bangkok at teh beginning, so we thought it would be good to see somewhere else. Also, we both work long hours, and travel alot so we really fancy a relaxing, beach time holiday.

Hi Jo

I would say that Ko Lanta is one of the quieter islands. If the Pimalai is in your budget, that is lovely. I wouldn't have said that the hotels on Ko Lanta are particularly 'conferency'. You may want to consider Krabi province - although you are less likely there to get the classic 'beach hut' accommodation on the beach there. However, the beaches are beautiful with very dramatic limestone cliff formations - you can take day trips to Phang Nga (James Bond Island), kayaking around the limestone caves, Phi phi island.

Alternatively, and this would involve less distance travel, consider Ko Tao or perhaps Ko Pha Ngan. These islands are next to Samui and take 1hr 30 mins to get to the first and just 30 mins to get to the second, by boat.

Ko Tao is very laidback - definitely possible to get a bungalow right on the beach. Laidback bars and restaurants etc. Great snorkelling and diving if you like that. Ko Pha Ngan is renowned for the Full Moon Party but this is but once a month and on one beach only - there are some beautiful beaches elsewhere on the island, particularly Thong Nai Pan Noi.

We have travelled to both these places in our 'backpacker' years, but they now have more upmarket accommodation than previously. However, the islands still have limited infrastructure and you are not going to get 5* luxury - but what you wil get is the relaxed flip flop environment, beach bars and beachfront accommodation. These islands are much less developed than Samui.

I've listed below places that have been recommended to us for our honeymoon next summer. We are getting married in Ko Samui but are spending some time on Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao.

Ko Tao:
Sensi Paradise
Ko Tao Resort (this is where we are staying - it is on a nice beach, has beachfront accommodation, a/c and a swimming pool - the latter two are important to us because we will be with our 2 year old)
Coral Grande Resort
Thipwimarn
Charm Churee

Ko Pha Ngan
Thong Nai Pan Noi beach:
Panviman Resort (up on the cliff above the beach, beautiful location, more luxurious resort)
Baan Panburi Village (nb - not air con, but very well reviewed and recommended by friends of ours)
Thong Nai Pan Beach Resort & Spa
(I think this is where we are going to stay, but with some reluctance as we preferred the sound of Baan Panburi but this place has a pool and air con, which we think we need for Bella).

Hope this provides some food for thought. Where are you staying in Bangkok and Samui?

I agree, Koh Tao would be an easy choice, close to Samui, mainly budget places put a couple of nicer. Koh Lanta from Samui: That is a ferry and the road trip which can be interesting, would take up most of the day. Koh Lanta is quiet but lovely resorts, Koh lanta is not really a conference type place at all, certainly not for the Thai market at all, even for international market those going for conferences tend to go for Phuket/Samui. Koh Lanta would be very different but as with Koh Tao it is quiet, but on Koh Lanta you get more choice of luxury accommodations, you can do some snorkel, but it 'is' quiet.

Another thing you could do is after Koh Samui take the 1 hour flight to U-Tapao/Pattaya and then go down to Koh Chang Island, that is quiet but getting busier, beach places, bars and things, then you are either a road trip back to Bangkok or fly from mainland airport at Trat to Bangkok in 40 minutes.