I wanted to hear thoughts of those who are more familiar with the area. I was planning a July vacation with my wife in thailand and was looking to spend 4 nts at the Peninsula in BKK, 4 nts at the Regent Chiang Mai, and 5 nts at the Meriden Ko samui (in that order).

Am I hitting the right spots? Will the weather in Ko samui in July be a factor, or should I consider the Phuket area? Has anyone been to the Meridian property in Ko Samui? Other suggestions? Thanks!

Well you won?t be staying at the Regent in Chiangmai, as it is now the Four Seasons. It is a delightful hotel and a perfect place if you just want to chill out, but it is a long way out of town. If you want something closer in, consider Tamarind Village (www.tamarindvillage.com) or the Sheraton, previously the Westin.

you are right on with the penn and the four seasons (still owned by the same thai/american group)...i don't know ko samui as of yet...

plan on very hot weather....

July is much drier Koh Samui than Phuket ( where it would be peak rainy season ). On Samui the Meridien is quite out of the way, take a look at the Dusit Santiburi if you want top class or Peace Resort if you want cheaper.

I just returned from vacation in Thailand - we spent 4 nights (3 full days in Bangkok) it was enough time. We stayed at the Four Seasons (was the Regent).
I have heard only great things about the Four Seasons/Regent in Chaing Mai and would not stay anywhere else if you are interested in luxury accomindations. We stayed at the Sheraton(Westin) and we found the rooms dark & run down and were not pleased at all. The buffet breakfast offered did not compare in quality to what we had in Bangkok or Phuket.
You don't mention what you are doing in Chaing Mai but 4 nights maybe a lot of time to spend in this area.
Sorry no opinion about Ko Samui as we went to Phuket - only to say that 5 days or more to relax & recover from the busy schedule of the first half of your trip will be ideal.

We went to Thailand in July in 2000. I agree with the above poster that 4 nights in Chiang Mai might be too much. After 2 nights there we were ready to go. Perhaps if we had been staying at the Regent/4 Seasons we might have felt differently. A 2 night trip to Chiang Rai and northern Thailand is well worth considering. There was a post recently about a new Anantara Resort which, although not in Chiang Rai, seems very well situated for the sites in the area.

Forgot to mention--in July the weather was very hot, especially in Bangkok. Just remember to wear light clothes and you should be fine. We had 3 wonderful sunny days on Koh Samui.

I also agree the Regent/Four Seasons is a long way out and add my vote to Tangata's for Tamarind Village ( We sent some business cients there on Tangata's recommendation ) and they loved it, really natural yet so convenient. May try myself next time we go up.

Let me know when you are coming James and we'll try for a beer.

Hello,

Message to Craig,
We are thinking of going to Thailand with our 2 daughters in June. Am also wondering about the weather. When you say hot, can you tell me what the temperature was in fahrenheit? What percentage humidity?

Message to anyone else,
As far as clothing goes, do people wear shorts in Thailand?

Where else would it be dry besides Koh Samui?

We are in very rough stages of planning the trip and are open to suggestions.

Thanks.

June would be 30-35 degrees. Yes it's hot, but that is to be expected and is relative to where you are from and what temperaturs you are used to. Wear light cool cotton clothing, drink plenty of water, take opportunities for shade and you should be fine. Yes you can wear shorts except for visits to Grand Palace and temples. The Gulf of Thailand includes Koh Chang/Koh Samet, Jomtien/Pattaya, Cha Am/Hua Hin, Koh Tao(mainly for diving) and Koh Samui. Another place worth thinking about is the River Kwai area, just a few hours from Bangkok, good if you want some jungle experience.
Travelling around the Gulf side in June is quite clever, because it rains a great deal in the south and also because of 'travel trends' this period is called the low season, which means hotels are far far cheaper. There are also Budget airlines coming onto the scene which should make domestic travel even cheaper.

To Kwoo, as the old saying goes, it's not the heat, it's the humidity. We stayed at the Oriental and although our room faced the river, the water droplets from the humidity pretty much obscurred our view at times, especially in the morning. I would guess that afternoon temperatures were around 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). We didn't wear shorts at all in Bangkok. I feel that the Thais respect you more for doing this and that you receive better service all around. Other posters may disagree. BTW, the temperature was more comfortable in northern Thailand.

I agree with not wearing shorts in Bangkok. I only wear shorts at beach resorts. By the way, having fewer clothes doesn't make you cooler. You'll do best with long, loose cotton clothing. Add I do agree that respectful dress will get you more respect and better treatment.

Personally, I'm not fond of Chiang Mai. If you want the north, I'd opt for the Anantara a hour outside of Chiang Rai. I've posted a long review of it on this site. Do a search.

we also do not wear shrots in bkk...this allows you access to everywhere you would want to go...a temple, a fine restaurant, etc....also we find that by being covered up we are cooler and cleaner (bkk is quite dusty sometimes and the water from the river????not on me.....

plan to wear loose fitting cotton or natural fibre clothing and you will be in good shape....many wear hats, but i find them hotter, although sometimes you need the cover, like at the palace...

we always wear socks even with sandles---cleanliness....
we are not clean freaks, just wise....

laundry is cheap and easy throughout thailand....

personally i never have enough of bkk, so 4 days is way to short for me....but the main sights can be handled, within the city, in 4 days...shopping, now that's another question, especially if you want custom work....arrange it as soon as you arrive and pick-up just before you leave at the end of your trip---allow time for mistakes however....

Many thanks to everyone who responded to my questions. All your answers are very helpful.

Regarding the weather and what we are used to...we are from Massachusetts in the U.S.A. Our summers can vary. Sometimes very hot and humid (in the 90's fahrenheit), or in the 80's and dry, or 70's and rainy! It sounds as though, from everyone's responses, that the weather will be tolerable as long as we plan for it.

I'm sure that as we get deeper into the planning of our trip I will have more questions. Many thanks again.

Thanks also to all that have replied to my original message. Your thoughts and comments are well appreciated.

Regarding the Meridian versus the Dusit on Koh Samui, how do the two of them compare? I have heard that the Meridian is out of the way and doesn't have the greatest beach. Is the dusit amongst other hotels and developments. Does each one attract a different crowd (families, honeymooners, etc?) How is each for on site activities?

I think the Dusit has a better location, Le Meridien is fine if you want to be out of the way, Le Meridien, they are both 'up market' resorts, if I had to choose it would be the Dusit Santiburi straight of, no question.

Just returned from 3 weeks on Samui. great place for peace but also for partying, if that's your thing. Highly recommend the Rock Resort just outside of Lamai.

Leslie

oops, I mean "Rocky Resort"