We are planning a trip to Thailand mid January for about 17 days including travel to Bangkok from London and back. We want to spend around 2 weeks on some of the islands in the SW including Lanta. Can anyone recommend hotels, bungalows, beaches, etc. We are happy to spend days on the beach but also like a bit of exploring. Also what clothing to take, are there lots of mosquitos, etc? We are mid 40's/mid50's age! We don't want too low budget but not your 5* either! Any suggestions would be most welcome!

you need all light weight clothing made from natural fibers, mostly cotton or linen.....in the beach areas shorts are very appropriate as are T shirts and polo type shirts....at nite you might want long pants for dining...

bugs are a constant problem in all tropical areas....bring deet....many hotel spray for bugs frequently and also provide cars to spray your room with...

tell us your hotel budget....stars don't always mean something...

khao lak is a nice place and the le meridien there is fantastic if you can get a good rate....

the amari vogue near to krabi is outstanding, the sheraton there is nice also...

phuket of course has all sorts of hotel categories....

Hotels provide cars....? Gee - that would have been nice.

Trust rhkkmk when he says to bring natural fiber clothing. I brought one short sleeved top that was a stretchy spandex kind of material and the one night I wore it I almost died! It stayed in the bottom of the suitcase from then on and I bought a couple of cotton tops at one of the markets. Actually I wished I had just brought an empty suitcase and bought all of my clothes there.

For your beach time, bugs are not usually a problem. Coming from the U.K., take Jungle Formula. Cream, spray and handy sachets, and be sure to apply before going out in the evening.

Light-weight summer clothing is best. Loose cotton tops will be fine. You really can pack light for this part of the world especially for January.

As for bungalows, hotels, beaches etc.,and even islands, it really depends on what you want to do. Do you want quiet, sandy beaches with crystal clear water and wonderful snorkelling and pure chill-out time.....or do you want a beach location with loads of action?

You can't have both...at one location..IMO...but if we know more clearly what you are looking for, there are many on this board who can offer advice.

Thanks for all the help and info. We really would like a quieter type beach - chill-out time, etc. we're not into clubbing! However, we do like to dine out and try new cuisines.

Any ideas for accomodation still welcome. Thanks.

There are many different hotel options. to advise it would be helpful to give your per night budget. There are choices at every level. We can recommend all the high end places, but that may not help.