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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Thailand or Hawaii

20 replies

Heels99 · 13/07/2015 11:12

hi, considering either of these for 2016
Thailand would possibly be Bangkok, chaing mai, koh Samui.
Hawaii open to suggestions I prefer picturesque to built up locations.

Taking 8 year olds.

I am not an adventurous traveller I do not do roughing it.

Dcs are fine with long haul travel

Also pondering a return to Australia or south Africa where we went pre dcs but both are much more expensive than the other 2 options.

OP posts:

NickiFury · 15/07/2015 10:58

I've been to Thailand, it was not all that!

Personally I would go to Hawaii in a heart beat so I can't recommend anywhere but will be hoping for some pointers on this thread.

Original poster

Heels99 · 15/07/2015 11:10

Thanks nicki interesting that you did not particularly rate thailand

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NickiFury · 15/07/2015 11:14

There was a LOT of poverty and I just found it hard to reconcile that with the tourist side of things. Believe me I am not one bit precious but there was just something off about the place. On arrival there was this mildly worded sign in the airport about not taking advantage of local children which clearly meant child abuse and it kind if coloured how I saw the place. Loads of people I know love it though so don't take my word for it .

Original poster

Heels99 · 15/07/2015 11:51

Good info thanks nicki I have been to some poor countri but the child abuse and sex trade stuff is very off putting

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wickedfairy · 15/07/2015 13:55

We spent a summer travelling round Thailand with a young child and saw nothing remotely dodgy - we weren't frequenting any bars, eye is tourist areas, possibly where it is not obvious?

We stayed in local areas the whole time and it was lovely

BeanCalledPickle · 15/07/2015 16:20

Absolutely love Thailand. Very easy to travel around and beautiful. And very cheap. Hawaii is actually pretty expensive. Islands, obviously, so everything shipped in. Also such a long way to travel. When we went there we actually said we'd be better off going back to Thailand! You also have a variety of islands and so would have to spend money on internal flights which are expensive contrasted with internal Thailand flights.

Yes there is poverty in Thailand. You won't see much of it if you limit yourself to western hotels. You can stay in locally owned places and make a real contribution to the local economy. Thai food also amazing though probably not if you didn't stray outside of a resort.

Hawaii also means travelling through at least one major city like LA, New York or San Francisco so you lol probably end up spending some time there!

Climate wise Hawaii is consistently great. Thailand has a monsoon season and is terribly humid even in the dry. Though chaing Mai will be much cooler.

Happy to answer any specific questions you might have:)

SorrelForbes · 15/07/2015 16:24

I adore Hawaii. The stop in LA or SF is usually about 4 hours but by the time you've cleared customs and immigration there's not too much time left to kill.

Waikiki is a gorgeous place but fairly busy so day trips to the north shore, island tours and then trip to the other islands give you lots of variety.

ltk · 15/07/2015 16:28

I have been to both: Hawaii. Just incredibly good.

Canyouforgiveher · 15/07/2015 16:36

I've been to both and I would say Hawaii. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been (in fact the only place that rivaled the west coast of Ireland for me). Maui is just beautiful. completely warm, beautiful seas with volcanic mountains looming overhead. The road to hana was amazing, we swam in waterfalls, took surf lessons, went snorkeling, boat trips etc. If I went back I would go to Maui for the entire time. The Big Island (Hawaii) was amazing too just for the volcano - it was surreal to step out into an active volcanic field.

It is pretty expensive because everything is shipped in more or less. but it is a very easy place to holiday in. Plus there is definitely a laid-back island feel which is lovely.

We went through Seattle and our layover was long enough on the way out to spend an afternoon in Seattle which was also interesting.

Thailand is beautiful and amazing but I found the poverty in Thailand very disturbing.

ShatnersBassoon · 15/07/2015 16:37

Hawaii. Kauai is beautiful and not very busy. Great climate, accessible culture, the most beautiful people I've ever seen and mai tais on tap .

specialsubject · 15/07/2015 21:23

haven't been to the parts of Thailand you mention, (been to Krabi/Phuket and didn't see any of what is mentioned) but have been to Oahu and the Big Island.

love the latter, some great sights on the former but very busy and terrible traffic. Waikiki beach shallow, crowded and high-rises up to the sand, Tenerife with warm water (in fact Tenerife is nicer!). See Diamond Head. Watch yourself at night - you WILL see the usual American social problems.

Big Island; volcanoes! Big mountains (don't take your kids up Mauna Kea though, they are too young). Wonderful scenery. Book your hire car in advance, they run out and there's almost no public transport.

ShanghaiDiva · 27/07/2015 14:21

Chiangmai is wet in the summer, but is lovely with good food and amazing temples. I have been to the north of Phuket and it is really quiet and not seedy at all.
Have not been to Hawaii, but if your kids are fine with long haul travel I would go there.

iseenodust · 03/08/2015 13:29

Been to both Bangkok & beach and Hawaii. I would choose Thailand. Both have lovely beaches, snorkelling etc. Thai people were warmer and food much better. Hawaii is a long journey if you're not planning a few days in California (where I would always choose SF over LA). St Lucia offers a lot similar to Hawaii on a smaller scale.

NotAMamaYet · 03/08/2015 13:34

Been to Thailand early this year and absolutely loved it. Beautiful beautiful country, we saw nothing dodgy and couldn't recommend it enough. Cheap delicious food and tonnes to do.

We much preferred to go 'off the beaten track' but all I would say is don't do Koh Samui - felt like the whole island was something off Sun Sex and Suspicious parents. Beaches were crap and prices were 4x more than rest of Thailand. No culture and just awful. Go to Koh Tao (the island just north of it). Absolutely dreamy

PowderMum · 07/08/2015 19:26

Been to Thailand once - Krabi in late July, start of the monsoon season so although weather was ok the sea was rough, hotels expensive, but loads of cheap stuff in town/market. Was OK but I wouldn't rush back.
First went to Hawaii 10 years ago when DC were 8 & 6 absolutely love the place, been back 5 times, done all the islands, Big Island is my favourite by far but they all have their own qualities.
Getting there we usually fly into LAX or SFO which is 12 hours from London, there is then around 3 hours to clear immigration and stretch our legs before the flights out to the islands which is a further 5 hours. Coming back leave around lunchtime back to the west coast, hop across to the east coast (night flight) and catch the early morning flight out of NY getting back to London in the evening - no jet lag

No trip this year trying somewhere different, now I want to look for flights for a winter break

PuppyMouse · 07/08/2015 19:33

We did Hawaii as part of our honeymoon (Maui). Loved it. Deliberately chose it over Oahu because it's less built up. But as pps have said you have to fly to San Fran or LA etc then get another flight.i wouldn't choose to do that journey with kids I don't think. And agree as everything is shipped in it is expensive but we spent a week there and hired a car and we're not particularly well off. It's stunning.

SnowBells · 07/08/2015 20:17

HAWAII... All the way. Particularly Kauai. Love that island!!! I mean... there's a reason it's been used for various films.

Been to Thailand as a (young) teenager with my parents. I hated it. I have some East Asian blood in me, and the whole half-blood/mix thing seemed to be 'de rigeur' at the time or so. There's something sick and scary when someone (adult men) start stalking you on holidays at the age of 13/14 and there were plenty around who just stared! Some even asked my parents about my 'breeding'. The ONLY thing I remember liking was the impressive presidential penthouse suite of a fancy hotel we stayed in in Bangkok. Primarily because it was spacious, and I was far away from the crowd I could see through the floor-to-ceiling windows down below.

Someone I know went there with her family when she was a student. They took a wrong turn, and women (obviously prostitutes) were trying to 'attract' her dad and her teenage brother.

When DH and I fly to Asia, I consciously make the decision to always fly via Hong Kong.

It might all be different now, but first impressions count a lot, and I just can't get over the one I got...

Original poster

Heels99 · 09/08/2015 10:15

Thanks everyone I have decided Thailand isn't floating my boat but the cost of Hawaii is astronomical so I think we may do Florida instead

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code · 09/08/2015 10:26

Hawaii is lovely, beautiful, safe, climate warm and dry, not humid. It feels very American though.

Original poster

Heels99 · 13/08/2015 08:46

Thank you All I have now booked Florida! Saving Hawaii for another year and have gone right off Thailand!

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