Thailand Honeymoon - HELP NEEDED!
 

Hi all,

I'm just in the final stages of planning a 3 week honeymoon to Hong Kong & Thailand and I'm a bit unsure how to split our time across the South West islands, so just wanted to get your advice before we book our accommodation!

So far the itinerary includes:

* Kong Kong - 4 nights

* Bangkok - 4 nights

* Chiang Mai - 3 nights

* West Railay - 3 nights

* Ko Lanta (Long Beach) - 2 nights

* Phi Phi (Tonsai Bay / Long Beach) - 2 nights

* Phuket - 2 nights (as a base to do Similan Islands & catch flight home - otherwise not sure I'd bother with Phuket!)

I'm a little unsure whether it will feel a bit too much like backpacking having 2 nights in each of the last 3 places and whether we'd be best staying a night longer in both West Railay and Ko Lanta and just doing Phi Phi as a daytrip instead so it feels a bit more like a honeymoon - albeit we'd miss out on the Phi Phi nightlife.

Has anyone got any advice please?

Your have four beach locations, all quite close to each other. You will end up spending way too much of your beach time packing and unpacking and moving from one hotel to another. I'd choose two places maximum in order to maximize your time doing the things you want to do. (you could probably do everything you want to do from one location, but two locations does give you some variety)

Also, don't schedule yourselves too full with day trips, leave lots of time for relaxing and enjoying each other - this is a honeymoon! If there are day trips you are particularly interested in, wait until you are there to book them. I don't recommend a PhiPhi day trip - it's the way to see the worst of PhiPhi.

Happy Honeymoon!

That was the worry! We considered just splitting time in South between West Railay and Phuket (as a base to do day trips to Islands) but was concerned any more than 3 nights / 4 days in WR would be too much.

We definitely want a bit of relaxation but get the impression there's not an awful lot to see / do in WR if we got a bit bored of sunbathing but might be wrong? Are there enough bars / restaurants dotted around WR for a bit of variety if we were to do 5 nights in WR and then 4 nights in Phuket for example?

Decide on one beach place and concentrate on that... My choice would be a nice hotel (Marriott or meridien) in khao lak with a side day trip to similans.

I can only recommend you to write down your schedule including your precise times of departure and arrival, airport/pier transfer etc.etc.. Otherwise you simply risk of spending too much time in transition.

Any day trip to any island is really a fully packed touristy event with the least of enjoyment you could imagine unless you manage to hire a private boat, get/pay them guys to get up really early and visit the islands till sunset.

Phi-Phi and Similan day tours, as well as all island tours around Ao Nang are a waste of time especially for a honeymoon in my humble opinion.

If you want to do Phi-Phi, stay the minimum of two nights, get up early to visit whatever you want to see, because all tourist boats will arrive from 10 and not leave till 4pm. Then again you may enjoy some if the beauty that is left.

For the Similan Islands, you have to stay one night to avoid sharing the ocean and turtles with half of China. Maybe you'll find a trip to get there in the afternoon, camp a night, leave when all the others arrive in the morning.

Railay is not what it was before. I've just been there, stayed half a day in the off-season and while it was not too crowded yet, I wouldn't want to spend my honeymoon with 250+ ppl and 25+ longtails surrounding me and my view. In case you don't bother, it may be just fine to sunbathe. You still have to know that getting anywhere requires a boat transfer.

For a honeymoon I'd suggest you look up Ko Yum, spend your beach time on Lanta or try Ko Yao Noi, especially when flying out from Phuket.

...Chiang Mai - Phi Phi - Koh Yao Noi is what I could see being the best route.