We are going to Thailand in early June. What is the weather like in Phuket, Hua Hin and Koh Samui? We can't decide which place to go to for our beach vacation. Want to be on the beach, nice atmosphere and as my daughter says, "we don't want to feel like we are in the Caribbean...or any other beach...want to look out and see the little islands jutting out of the sea". Price range per room about US$200-400 dollars.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

welcome back!
This question has been answered already many times on this forum. For an average look at www.weather.com and the places you are planning to visit.
In general June is rainy season in Thailand. But the heaviest rainfall on Phuket occurs normally during May and October and for Koh Samui and Hua Hin its October to beginning of November.
But you never can precast the tropical depressions exactly.
If you are lucky, there are just 2 days of rain in the afternoon during a 2weeks vacation.
If you are not, it can pour for 5 or 6 days in a row.
But June is not such a bad month to visit the country. Prices are down, beaches are mostly empty and the hottest season is over.
Enjoy your trip!

"little islands jutting out of the sea"

Well, I wonder what photos your daughter saw. Have her go back and see where the photos were taken.

I've stayed in Hua Hin and on Phuket but I haven't seen "little islands jutting out of the sea" Phuket is a huge place, and there may be somewhere that has that view.

As wolf says, the weather will be pretty similar at all three beaches in June. You might get lucky and have little rain or you might have a lot. WHen you look at weather base, use Surat Thani for Koh Samui.

By the way, have you browsed though www.sawwasdee.com ? it's a great way to get ideas for places to stay.

By the way, have you browsed though www.sawwasdee.com ? it's a great way to get ideas for places to stay.

Your daughters are old enough to take some responsibility in this. Have them read a guidebook to Thailand and offer some suggestion as well as also browsing though the hotels website. Come back with some specific places and we can give you feedback.

In June I would perhaps head to Koh Samui, although very developed you can easily include some days on Koh Tao ( for snorkeling or scuba ) and/or Koh Phangan / Nangyuan which is pretty scenic !
Koh Phanghan has been famous for full moon parties and a backpacker style, but some good resorts like Panviman and Green Papaya. You can fly fromm bangkok to Samui in just over an hour, then take the short boat trip or have some days on Samui. You can stay very well with that hudget. See the map:
http://www.beachsiam.com/koh_phangan.html
You can also look from their for Koh Tao island and Samui. There are fast boats linking those islands.

On Phuket side as Kathie said you have the rain risk factor.

Some of the nicest 'tropical/laid back places are south east from Phuket, unfortunately at that time of year are not so good weatherwise, places like Koh Ngai or Koh Mook, probably the places she has seen, you will find small islands around and good 'classic' beach cabins but often with good a/con and other facilities, the only problem is the risk with the weather. It is always a gamble, June is not the worst month but it really is sheer 'luck', you could have solid sunshine or get soaked, or lots in between.
http://www.beachsiam.com gives some easy ideas for beaches and islands.

Im would perhaps have a couple of days on Samui and then either/or Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.

"little islands jutting out of the sea"

I wonder if these are the sort of pictures your daughters saw?

http://www.leightravelclub.com/littleislands.htm

If so they are all from the Railay area of Krabi. But as others have pointed out....June can be unpredictable weatherwise.....not that I would let that put me off!!!

Thanks to all of you for the information. I guess it's a gamble on the weather. Both daughters are helping with the plans, however both are in college so their time is limited. The younger one would stay on-line for hours reearching all this rather than study! She was home this weekend and we did figure out that the pictures she has seen are from Krabi mainly....and Phuket. We might take the gamble with the weather and are now looking into Krabi on sawadee.com. Have you been there? Any recommendations? We are all doing our research and we really appreciate the feedback from all of you. I've used Fodor's for previous trips to Italy and Panama. Thanks!

Hi again,
I also had my thoughts about >little islands jutting out of the sea<.
There is another place where they do next to Phuket (Phi-Phi islands ?) or the bay of Phangnan (not far from Krabi).
Those are the islands offshore Trang/Kantang. I visited Koh Muk and (my absolute favorite) Koh Kradan. The latter one is maybe one of the few islands left in Thailand with that tropical island loneliness feeling.
Check out their homepage. Maybe you will love it like I did.
Trang is not so far from Krabi, just a few hours by bus.
Or use the plane (Nok Air?) from Bangkok.

Definitely Koh Tao & the Gulf side that time of year... avoid Andaman Sea/west coast of Thailand-- Phuket as there are rip tides & LOTS of drownings that time of the year.

Sawadee is great for looking at hotels, but if you book via AsiaRooms.com you can book in US$ & not pay the 3% MasterCard conversion rate for foreign currencies.

They had the best price for the Peninsula in BKK.

If you were going another time of the year, I'd recommend KKK island off the coast of northern Khao Lak... but NOT in June due to the rip currents.

It's a good time of year for the Isaan Region (NE Thailand)... along the Mekong River... the parks in the region will have waterfalls... there are western hotels in Udon Thani & you can get a visa & go over the bridge into Laos.