We will be in Thailand the first week of May.
We would like to spend most of our time in either Phi Phi or Kho Lanta.
We would like to be somewhere that we can go to offsite restaurants and maybe some sites. We love local dining and would love to try “street food”.

Which location has better snorkleing from the beach?

Which is easier to get to from Bangkok ?

May isn't a great time to go to that area, as it's monsoon season. The area averages over 13 inches of rain in May. Now it usually doesn't rain all day, but tends to come in shorter, more intense showers. Monsoon season isn't the best for snorkeling or diving. But who knows, you may luck out on the weather.

You'll find the best and greatest variety of street food in Bangkok. If you want street food and restaurant choices, you want an area that is more built up rather than an area that is more isolated.

Both PhiPhi and Koh Lanta take extra time to get to, as you have to take a boat to PhiPhi from Phuket and the drive from Phuket to Koh Lanta is 1.5 - 2 hours.

You might want to consider a location in the Gulf of Thailand. However, if rain doesn't bother you, you can get great hotel rates in the rainy season.

Actually, the drive from Krabi airport to Koh Lanta is 1.5 - 2 hours, so I'm pretty sure the drive from Phuket is more like 4 - 6. But everything else Kathie says is true. Average rainfall for Phuket in May is double that of Samui. Hua Hin is about half again as wet as Samui in May - and it is a GREAT place for street food (especially seafood). It's only a two hour drive from Bangkok, so it's actually the quickest and cheapest destination of all.

Thanks MichaelBKK and Kathie. We are flexible to go anytime between mid April and July. Would June or July be better months to visit?

Oops - you are so right, Michael.

Are there any beaches on Samui or Hua Hin that have great snorkeling. Similar to Phi Phi?

No !

If we can change our dates to the third or fourth week of April, would the conditions be better than the first week of May at Phi Phi?

Oops, forgot about the snorkeling bit. Hua Hin is definitely not the place for that. One of my favorite snorkeling spots is Koh Taen, a small island off the south coast of Samui. The beaches on Samui itself are not that good for snorkeling.

Koh Tao would be ok for snorkeling in May.

For Phi Phi / Koh lanta April should be better with less rain and clamer seas. But would be double what you would get on Koh Tao. The sea conditions not just rain can maker a big difference. You could do quieter part of Samui and then some days on Koh Tao for snorkeling.