CAJ

I'm just in the throes of planning this trip. I'm thinking Bangkok then Chiang Rai then Samui or Hua Hin.

Last time we went to Thailand we did Bangkok then Chiang Mai then Phuket.

I have lots of questions:

1. We are thinking of staying at the Anantara in the Golden Triangle: are there any big fans of this place or are there any warnings about it? Specifically, does anyone know how the setting compares to that of the Regent Chiang Mai (now Four Seasons)? Is it too far away from Chiang Rai to be able to explore Chiang Rai properly?

2. A couple of years ago my other half and I went to Phuket as part of our holiday to Thailand. We were really disappointed with how seedy Patong was. This time, we are thinking about going to Samui as our "beach" part of the trip. Is Chaweng as bad in this way as Patong?

3. Samui again: Is Bo Phut a good alternative to Chaweng? It looks like there are some decent hotels sprouting up there. Any preferences for 5* hotels in Bo Phut? What's the beach like?

4. Does anyone recommend Hua Hin/Cha Am above Samui? We like traditional places and good beaches. How long does the trip from BKK to Hua Hin by road really take?

5. In Hua Hin: Sofitel Central or Anantara or Hyatt or Marriott? We like tranquility but to be in easy reach of good restaurants.

6. Intrigued by Chiva Som: No chance of affording it without a discounted rate. Sawadee.com and Asiahotels.com appear to have stopped featuring it - any advice on getting a reduced rate? I know it's a "dedicated health resort" rather than a hotel.

7. Any must sees/must dos in Chaing Rai/Hua Hin/Samui?

Thanks a lot in advance for all your help in response to any or all of these questions - it will be much appreciated!

JamesA

Chaweng is a smaller and somewhat 'milder' version of Patong. I lived for some years in Phuket but moved away some time ago. My own personal opinion is that for a beach vacation Samui is nicer anyway, not too much to do but there are sufficient local trips and tours to keep most people occupied.
Bophut is quiet but still easy access to Chaweng, search this forum as a lot of posts about Samui including reports from Bob who stayed at Bophut last August.
Hua Hin is a totally different ball-game, very quiet, no nightlife as such except for barsa dn restaurants and a couple of disco pubs. Beach not nearly as good as Samui, it's plus side though is dry weather, cheap, cheap to get to from Bangkok, relaxed, great Golf and viryually 'tout free'.

For a tropical beach vacation though I would suggest Samui but as I say Hua hin has a good deal going for it but lacks those Palm tree style beaches of Samui.

JamesA

Each of those Hua Hin hotels has individually things going for it. Anantara is nice Thai style but beach not so good and you have a 10 minute road trip to/from town, few places to walk to nearby.
Sofitel is the 'Grande Dame', originally the Railway hotel bhuilt in the 1920's, very "Raffles" in concept, bang in center of town right on the beach.
Marriott is a few minutes by tuk-tuk from town center or you 'can' walk if you are feeling like the exercise.

Hyatt is 10 mins by road from town but has a good stretch of beach, extensive grounds, probably the biggest pools out of those choices. Although Hua Hin has masses of restaurants some of the best ones are actually just outside the center and closer to Hyatt such as La Mer, Supatra-by-the-sea, Sasi and Rua Rimtarn, these all in the Khao Takiab beach area, it's also close to the beach beyond the Golden Buddha ( Takiab bay ) which has clear water and is a good long stretch of beach. The journey from Bangkok by road takes 2.5 to 3 hrs depending on traffic. The Chiva Som is expensive, Seems to be somewhat regimented to, I think it suits those who really want a 'health resort' but from what I hear it really is a 'health resort', e.g I don't think you can get alcohol excellept for wine at dinner, not sure if that is true.
Remember, don't expect Samui style palm fringed beaches.

rhkkmk

lets see you have asked lots of questions....we stayed at the anantara GT last june...it is fantastic...it is quite remote...we had a car which we rented at arrival at chiang rai...CR is a one hour drive south of the anantara...the roads are very good and easy to drive---no traffic...we never did any exploring of CR other than one stop at a craft center on the way into town...we ran out of time actually...

there is plenty to do around chiang saen where the anantara is located...we particularilly like the doi tung estate of the princess mother....cooking classes at the hotel are fabulous...the opium museum is good across the street from the hotel as well...
you are a captive at the hotel as it is remote--be warned...the hotel is very nice, has good food (more expensive as most hotels are than outside restuarants)...we went out one nite to the thai kitchen restaurant down the road....it was simple and quite good and very cheap...

make sure you do the cooking class at least once....the pool is fantastic...the rooms are comfortable...its a good vege out place...the hotel will take you around but that is quite expensive...p/u at the airport is about US $50.

as compared to the 4 seasons CM...it is not nearly as beautiful or as lux...they are owned by the same company by the way...here you have mountains or hills that you look out at and the river rather than rice paddies....at anantara there is an elephant camp with 4 elephants and you can do things with them---we did not have time...

samui---we stayed at peace resort at bophut..it is not 4 or 5 star but rather 3*..the pansea north of bophut is fantastic and 5*...there is a new anantara which just opened at bophut which is also owned by the same group as the others, incl. bkk and CM 4 seasons... i found CH> BCH area to very honky-tonk...there are some nice hotels there like poppies, but we found it to be crammed into a piece of property in the center of the town so we liked staying further away...i have not been to patpong, but i think the two are similar but Ch. is smaller than what i expect patpong might be and not as go-go...

the actualy beach at bophut we found to be very nice, but we found the water not too clear and the bottom of the sea to be a bit muddy...we never went into the ocean for that reason...it is lovely to look at and to walk on....that may have only been our stretch of the beach...pansea does not have its own beach by the way...they take you to a public beach..they have a fantastic pool however

i have spent time a hua hin as well...we stayed at the marriott which has the best stretch of beach in my opinion...the rooms however are not as nice as some other places....the hyatt is very nice as is the sofitel...we thought we would stay at the hyatt next time, even though it is further out of town...the marriott was perfect for us as we did not care about the room...we also had the lowest category room... cha-am we found to be too "thai" for us....lower level of everything---snobs...
thought hyatt and anantara were too far out of town...sofitel is right in the middle of town and marriott is close....the good restaurants are in town or the la mer is above the hyatt on a hill (make sure you go there once)
samui is nicer in every way than hua hin imo....

must doos: doi tung north of CR...opium museum across from anantara....hua hin: la mer restaurant...relaxing...
samui: relaxing...dinner at zazzen...eating in and visiting bophut town...

ask more questions as your planning progresses...

Kathie

I'm a fan of the Anantara at the Golden Triangle (and many others on this board are as well). If you do a search on Anantara on this board, you'll come up with a number of reviews. I stayed there right after they opened and did a long review. It's a beautiful setting about an hour north of Chaing Rai. It's a good location for exploring a number of interesting areas, but not Chaing Rai.

I can also comment on Hua Hin. I've stayed at the Anantara there (the Deluxe Lagoon rooms are gorgeous!). James is right, the beach is just so-so. But if you're in the Lagoon rooms, you'll likely spend time at the Lagoon pool and on your balcony (and at the wonderful spa) anyway. I also have stayed in the Regency Club rooms at the Hyatt. The rooms are nice (but no comparison to the Anantara), the grounds lovely, and the beach is better than the Anantara. The best part of the Hyatt, though, is that it's a five minute walk on the beach to the Chiva Som. We spent a couple of days at the Chiva Som's spa while staying at the Hyatt. The spa is fabulous - best I've been to. However, I wouldn't stay at the Chiva Som. The Thai pavillions are claustrophobic and lack privacy. The rooms are basic. Only the suites were really nice. I also did a full report on that trip, if you do a search.

James notes, correctly, that both the Hyatt and the Anantara are 10 minutes from town. Personally, I don't find that a disadvantage as Hua Hin is not an attractive town.

hipvirgochick

bob or kathie -- do you know the hours of the opium museum? seems most places close up around 4:00 or 5:00, would like to go later.

CAJ

Thanks, all. I'm now leaning a bit more to Koh Samui, Bo Phut area but no-one has mentioned good restaurants there. You have made restaurant recommendations aplenty for Hua Hin! Food is a big part of our holidays! Can anyone recommend good out-of-hotel restaurants in Bo Phut and/or Chaweng. We like really really hot good Thai food.

BTW how do we get hotel restaurants not to "westernise" the chilli levels (not been a problem in out-of-hotel restaurants for us, just in hotel restaurants).

Thanks again!

rhkkmk

hip---opium museum is open just normal hours i think...e-mail anantara and they will tell you i am sure... allow a couple of hours for the museum at a minimum....its fantastic...

restaurants in samui..

the best we visited was the Terrace rest. just south of CHW. beach on the main road, up high overlooking the water.. 20 minutes from bophut village...

we had a wonderful evening meal at the zazzen ...its a hotel at the end of bophut beach...near to the fishing boats...north end....very romantic, alfresco...very fresh fish

the five islands restaurant very close to the mereidien hotel was also excellent... australian owned... very authentic atmosphere and right on the beach...