thailand i advice please

[bigbushes]

Hi there we are thinking of going to thailand next year february probably.
i am clear about what we will do in week one but week two is proving really confusing.
we would like a nice resort opportunity to go out to eat in the evenings preferably walking but not essential.
We would like nice bars etc but we are late 50s so not keen on wild night life.
i keep looking at Phuket as it looks easy to get to we will need internal flights but am really hoping to get advice from some of you who are familiar with it .
thankyiu in advance

I would recommend Koh Samui and staying in the Choengmon region. Great places to eat in walking distance and relaxing

I have heard good things about Koh Samui but I’ve not been. When I go I go to Phuket, hire a car and drive north to Khao Lak. Phuket is too much of a party town for me. Koh Lanta was also nice and peaceful when I went a few years ago.

Don't go to Pattaya it was like benidorm

Phuket is very built up and touristy in my opinion. We loved koh lanta. Presuming that you are flying into Bangkok and spending some time there, koh Chang is a good option. It's about 5 hours in a private taxi and ferry crossing which we found easier than a flight

I was wondering about Phuket for a few nights as I like the sound of the town and maybe a couple of nights on a tiny island??

There is a lovely smaller island called Koh Samet, you drive from Bangkok & take a boat, as opposed to getting domestic flights. I don’t know your budget but the Paradee Hotel on there is gorgeous & has some early bird booking deals. Otherwise Phuket or Koh Samui will give you lots of options for beach & restaurants. Fisherman’s Village on Samui is nice to nightmarket, restaurants etc.I’d probably advise avoiding Koh Lanta and Koh Pipi, Koh Phangnan as they’re party islands for backpackers on the whole… what are your interest and plans for week 1?

I got back yesterday. We spent 4 nights in Bangkok, which was great. Stayed at The Tower Club at Lebua, couldn't fault it, it is amazing. Visited the grand palace etc. to be honest 4 days was more than enough though, it's all a bit overwhelming. We then went to Koh Phangan (flight to Koh Samui then a short ferry trip). It is absolutely beautiful. We stayed in the Buri Rasa and again it was outstanding. Had an amazing time going to Bottle Beach viewpoint and on boat trips plus the Full Moon party.

We then flew back to Bangkok and stayed at Hotel Indigo Wireless Road. This hotel is crazy in the best way possible. Google it.

I used to live in Thailand and would recommend Koh Samui as straightforward internal flight, beautiful island and great food and hotel options. Also opportunity to do some fab day trips to the Marine Park etc. I love fisherman’s village particularly but it really depends on your budget and what you want eg do you want private beach/resort vibes or do you want to be in an area with bars/restaurants?

Ahh I used to live on Thong Nai Pan Noi. A piece of my heart is always there. Soooo different now but I am pleased that the developments have at least been tasteful. Ah im homesick now!

Hua hin is lovely - about 3 hours drive from Bangkok. Lots of bars but not "Benidormy"

Great food & night market, fab beaches

Banyan Tree or Four Seasons in Koh Samui

Hi op, if you are looking for islands, Phuket and Koh Samui will have good weather in February. And you can get to other smaller islands easily from both. Koh Samui is more of a town/village feel on an island while Phuket is more built up like a city, but both have beautiful beaches and outstanding places to eat.

On Samui Fisherman's village is ideal for night life, restaurants etc, there is a very nice anantara hotel there (and also some beautiful villas if you prefer.

Phuket, Rawai is lovely, but for nightlife Patong is more popular (more of a nightclub scene than koh samui)

As others have said Bangkok is great but 4-5 days is plenty.

Chiang Mai is lovely. But February is not a great time to visit as it's the start of smoky season and the air quality can be very bad.

Hope you have a great time!

thankyou all some really good information here .

Karon beach in Phuket was a nice chilled out resort when I was last visited about five years ago, some really excellent restaurants, few bars with live music but not on the scale of patong, which I disliked as I found it overwhelming and really quite tacky.
we stayed in Bangkok for three days, which was enough for me I can’t think of the name of the hotel unfortunately but was on the river.

Koh Tao is just on from Koh Panang. It’s a quieter island. Can’t remember the name of the hotel we stayed at, but the Princess of Thailand was also staying, so it cant have been too shabby.

I also went to Koh Tao, it's beautiful with great snorkeling. Did a day trip from Koh Phangan