I have a quandary. My wife to be and I are going on our honeymoon in November and there is no doubt that we want to go to Thailand. We are spending the first week on a culture-fest and will spend the second week at a beach resort. Our first thought was Pattaya, being in the North it is less prone to rainfall in Novemeber. But clearly Phuket and Koh Samui are nicer resorts (unless your after a sh*g, not that we are prudes). But these resorts are particular prone to rain in November. So nicer resort, bigger risk. What is your advice please (maybe Hua Hin, but is it too quiet?)

Yipes! I'd say that anyplace, even in a downpour is better than Pattaya.

Actually, November isn't too bad on the Phuket side as I remember, better the later you get in November.

Hua Hin has some really wonderful resorts. If you are worried about it being too quiet, then stay in the middle of town. The Sofitel is the best in that area. If you are fine being a 10 min tuk tuk ride from town, then sonsider the Hyatt or the Lagoon rooms at the Anantara.

thanks Kathie
how about Koh Sumai, have you been there?

Martin

It's my understanding (from a friend who lived there for years) that the monsoon in Samui is strong in November, early December and that it is cleared by Christmas. We went once for Christmas and twice in August and had lovely weather, but I would guess November would be quite rainy.

Our last trip to Samui was 3 years ago, and it seems that even since then, development has been rapid. There are several new resorts and hotels. I don't know that you'd have a great beach experience in November, but you could certainly enjoy relaxation, spa, and good food. Samui doesn't have a whole lot of attractions other than the beach...there are elephant rides in several locations, some nice hiking inland, markets...they are all outdoor activities.

Honestly, I'd try and choose somewhere with less rain for my beach time. The rain can be nice, and you'll get great discounts on rooms, but I'm afraid you'd be disappointed with a rainy beach holiday.

Thanks for taking time to reply and sorry for my poor spelling of Samui.
So one vote for the sunnier North and one vote for the better resort in the South. I knew this wasn't going to be easy!

DO NOT GO TO PATTAYA FOR YOUR HONEYMOON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.... unless you want to share it with lots of prostitues and old men and young girls/boys....

hua hin would be a nice alternative...one fodors couple went to the barali on koh chang island and had a beach front place...i can also suggest the new amari resort on koh chang....fly from bkk...see my current report for talk about koh chang...

samui would also be perfect, but i do not know about the weather and so would phuket depending on weather....

Hi gubbins-what date in November?
I ask because we arrived Samui Dec 2, 2004 and for the 6 nights we were there, we had perfect weather. 30 degrees, a little rain early morning & sometimes at night but lovely days, so if it's late November you should be OK. The best beach is Cheong Mon, so say locals. There is a new resort up there which has just opened. I'm sorry I don't know the name of it. There is also the White House & the Peninsula which are both perfectly positioned for a wonderful honeymoon. There's also the Fern Resort In Mae Hon Song-no beaches-it's in the mountains but it's pretty special for a few days & the staff say the weather in November is the best! Good luck.

Lyndie's reply reminded me that another non-beach option would be the Anantara at the Golden Triangle. It's a gorgeous place in a gorgeous setting.

But Phuket and the surrounding area should be fine in November as well as Hua Hin. As others have noted, it's not the time o the year for Koh Samui.

In November best weather would be around Phuket, krabi/Koh Lanta area if you want busy lively island or Hua hin near bangkok if yuo want quiet. November 1st is when rates go up especially in Phuket.

Thanks everyone, some great advice, but I'm still not absolutely sure. Maybe if a try to sum up and you can point out any misconceptions that I have.
Pattaya – good weather but dodgy resort. Question – should I be put off by the sleaze factor, is it really that bad?
Hau Hin – attractive resort, quiet at night. Q – is it too quiet? I’m happy to sit and listen to live music but I am a restless type.
Koh Samui – good and upcoming resort, weather a bigger risk factor.
Phuket – good resort, not as busy as usual (post Tsunami) and plenty to do. Good weather. Q – my fiancée is still very concerned about the Tsunami aftermath, how do I reassure her?

As we are looking to relax all day and get out at night we want something of an atmosphere but not too “in your face”. I am leaning towards Phuket. Can you reassure us both.

tsunmai aftermath....its been 6 months ...have you seen any thing happening?? no and it may not for 100 years...or it may happen tomorrow or there may be a disaster in your home town...

go and enjoy...i would not consider samui, up and coming...it is here now....

phuket would be a good alternative if the weather is good...

My answers tou yout questions:

Pattaya - Yes, you should be put off bt the sleeze factor. Indeed, I can't understand why it is even on your list.

Hua Hin - It's got some lovely resorts there, but if it's noisy nightlife you want, it's not for you.

Koh Samui - I agree with Bob, it's not an up and coming resort area (maybe 20 years ago it was). It's well established, but the weather is pretty much guaranteed to be bad during November.

Phuket sounds like the ideal place for you in terms of wanting lovely resorts (literally hundreds to choose from) and wanting a variety of lively nightlife. I don't know what your gf is worried about "the aftermath of the tsunami" Most areas with damage have been repaired. There are a few areas that had extensive damage where the rebuilding in is progress. All of the hotel booking websites give clear and detailed info about whether places have reopened. There are many parts of Phuket that had little or no damage.

We've been to Phuket twicew in late November and the weather was perfect. Don't know what your budget is, but the Royal Meridien Yacht Club is very nice for around $200 per night. Nai Harn Beach is very quiet, but you can take a cab into Kata or Patong for more nightlife.