I need help planning a holiday in Thailand - don't want a package tour as we need to fit in with family who are teaching there. We hope to leave for Bangkok 1 December, be in and around the city with family 2 - 5 Dec. They work again on the 6th and then have another long weekend 10 - 12 Dec. We would need to occupy ourselves 6 - 9 Dec and then meet up with them for the long weekend. We would also like to go to Phuket and Phi Phi Islands - how long does one need to spend in each of those places to enjoy a full experience there? Hope someone can advise us! Thanks!

Do you only have Dec 6 - 9 to yourselves? If so, choose a place that is easy to get to, that is, Phuket rather than PhiPhi. To get to PhiPhi you have to take a ferry or a speed boat. WHile private speedboat transfers are available, they are expensive.

If a beach is what you want, fly to Phuket early the morning of the 6th, return on a late afternoon flight on the 9th. You could also consider Krabi, though flights to Krabi are less frequent than those to Phuket.

Have your relatives suggested a hotel for you in Phuket? Where are you staying in Bangkok? Look here for hotel options: www.sawasdee.com This is a local Thai booking site that many of us use.

It sounds like your trip is all planned - is there something else you need advice on?

length of visit depends on you... 5-7 days certainly would give you plenty of time but 3 days can be good too, but essentially getting there and back takes the better part of a day, even if the flt is only 1 hour...

Thanks for your advise thus far!

Okay, so now I would appreciate any suggestions about how we can occupy ourselves not too far from Bangkok from 6 - 9 December if we save our travel to Phuket and Phi Phi Island after the second weekend when we've spent time with our family so we can have a bit more time down there as has been suggested???

Phuket area 4 days minimum for me

www.sawadee.com good info

Fly Thai Air down

stay someplace nice

betterbidding.com great deals on the JW Marriott bidding there

booking.com otel.com asiarooms.com agoda.com for great rates

Personally in another 4 days head to theangkorguide.net

my fav or Chang Mai...

Have fun,

I have been advised to consider a visit to Chiang Mai - any favourite things you have done there???

Chiang Mai would be a good choice. It is exactly what I was thinking as I scrolled thru this thread.

For me, CM is all about shopping in the markets outside of the city. BoSang, Hangdong, Bantawai. You might enjoy them as well as the night bazaar in downtown CM.

Also, Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon are very nice. Both at higher altitudes. Doi S overlooks CM city. Doi I is near the highest point in Thailand... takes maybe 1 hr 20 minutes or so to get there. Gorgeous gardens!!! For me, it was worth the ride in the car to get there.

Carol