To ask people who've been to Thailand

[disorderedeating333]

Going for two weeks in Easter with my partner.

Bangkok for 3 days
Phuket for 4 days

Now trying to decide on a third destination for the final 4 days. Somewhere with loads to do and not somewhere tiny and boring, we aren't ones for lying on the beach all day?

Which is best:
Koh Samui
Koh Phangan
Phi Phi Islands

Or something else? I'm thinking maybe koh samui?

Do NOT go to Phuket- hell hole. Koh Panyang is not what it used to be and Koh Samui is very developed.

Like PP I'd go to Chang Mai, Koh Tao, Phi Phi or Krabi. If you really want an island experience try the Pernthian Islands in Malaysia.

I adore Thailand - I'm very jealous.

Perenthian*

I think it depends where in Phuket you go to. Patong- yes... hell hole. Bang Tao or Surin- quite high end and lovely resorts!

Went for 3 weeks just before the pandemic.

We stayed in Bangkok just two nights and it was more than enough. We booked 5 days in Phuket and really wished we hadn't - it's the Benidorm of Thailand and some!
Koh Samui is nice, we were due to stay there a few days but decided to move on early because it's also very touristy (think, American restaurants, Irish bars etc)

Phi Phi islands is by far the best and would 100% recommend.

As we were there longer we did a bit more travelling though; Bangkok > Koh Phangnan > Koh Samui > Krabi > Phi Phi > Phuket

@mybodymychoice

Phuket was a bit too seedy and souless for my liking. I probably went to the wrong bit though. I didn't stay long.

Completely agree with this

Kao Sok National Park was amazing but a long time ago that I went

So pleased you have done this thread. We are going for 2weeks at Xmas.

We are staying in chalong but hiring a car so can travel around a wee bit.

I agree with everything everyone else has said about Phuket. I wouldn’t go back.

We went backpacking for 6 months so did a lot of Thailand in that time, although 20 years ago.

If you don’t want o go up to chang Mai then you might want to go to kanchanaburi. It’s where the bridge ok the river Kwai is and there is a museum at hell fire pass etc. We did a 3 day tour starting from kanchanaburi which included a tiger temple (bit more dubious about those sorts of places now!) a tour of. Cave, train trip, walk up to some dams, visit to hell fire pass and we slept on some floating river huts.

When we went to Chang Mai we did a few days cooking classes which was great and then on the way back to Bangkok we stopped off at lopburi ( full of monkeys) and also stayed a night in Ayuttahaya which is the old capital of Thailand.

Down south we did krabi and stayed on a beach only accessible by boat and then did a couple of islands.

Koh Samui loved it or chang mai

I'd do Krabi and other places you mention over Phuket. One night there was more than enough!!

@disorderedeating333

How come Phuket was the least favourite? Is there loads to do there? Or should I miss it out?

Phuket is an island, where about son Phuket are you staying?

As you don't like beaches, I would absolutely recommend Chang Mai instead. Lots of interesting things to do, quite a different atmosphere to the other places you are visiting.

We went to Hua Hin last time and it's a beautiful coastal town. It has a royal Palace there too. Or Chang Mai, that's lovely. The touristy islands have never really appealed too much

It's ferociously hot at Easter.

15th April is Thai New year which is a water festival, it would be good to be at a beach resort that day.

I would recommend a side trip to Ayutthaya - 80kms north of Bangkok. It's the old capital of Siam and the ruins are beautiful - not quite as impressive as Angkor Wat but still very lovely and lots to see.

I also recommend the Erawan NP waterfalls (can be combined with the Bridge over the river kwai if interested) there are seven levels of different waterfalls and they are a beautiful colour. It's north west of Bangkok.

Chaing Mai is a huge trek, these options are much closer! But if you're heading all that way up you could consider stopping off at Sukhothai another old city of Siam.

I would though definitely consider Khao Lak I haven't been there but it's on my bucket list!

We're doing chiang rai next time but really liked Krabi and would recommend the fisherman's village area of Samui. We didn't like chaweng - too touristy.

Phuket was awful 20 years ago so I can't think it's improved. Phi phi is stunning but there's not loads to do other then beachy things.

Koh Samui was the best holiday I've ever had. It was ten years ago now but we are not really party people, but we do like good food and a few drinks and it was perfect for laid back beach meals. The beaches were stunning too.

Oh yes, songkran is great fun and they go mad for it in chiang Mai. It's all decorated and gorgeous

Koh Samui will have the most to do

Koh Phi Phi was so quiet I loved it but that was in 93 and 2000 had changed a huge amount in seven years

But check when the rainy seasons are I was on Koh Samui in the rainy season it can rain for hours and hours (we decided to go elsewhere after a few days)

To me Phuket felt like the benidorm of Thailand, I wouldn't choose to go back there. Chiang mai was my favourite place in Thailand, I had a 2nd trip planned during covid that got cancelled but I was planning 3 days Bangkok, 4 days chiang mai, 7 days khao lak then fly back from phuket via dubai.

We loved Koh Phangan. We stayed in a quiet, not bargain basement resort on the north side of the island (full moon party resort is on the south side), hired a scooter and just bimbled round exploring by ourselves. Very chilled out and low key. I don't remember everything we did but we went to a temple that has a steam bath and massages, hired a driver to go over the middle to a little resort on the far side, went snorkelling near Mae Haad, ate in random places, and sat in backpacker bars on hilltops watching the stars. That would be about 6 years ago I think so I assume it's still the same.

Chiang Mai is beautiful and worth the trip.

Phuket - DH went twice for work (yes, really, no idea why someone thought a engenieering conference should go there). When we went to Thailand a year after he went the first time he refused to even think about it, he actually called it "Fuck-et", it's a sad place, not a holiday destination. It may have changed in the last 10+ years though.

We went to Koh Samui, I loved it and will go back when the travel is safe again.

We did Bangkok, Koh Samui and Khao Lak - all were fabulous.

Did a Koh Samui island tour whilst there and that was interesting and visited an elephant sanctuary which was great. Also went to watch a Thai Boxing match which was fun. The beach was stunning and overall it was so relaxing.

In Khao Lak, we visited the Tsunami museum (so harrowing but felt like it was something we had to see), did a tree tops zip wire, visited the National park, did an organised day (visited lots of places which were amazing) and a few other things.

There was more to do in Khao Lak as compared to Koh Samui, but personally I preferred Koh Samui.

I would do Bangkok
Hau Hin or Chiangmai
And then Phuket
I did this 4 years ago for 3 weeks

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