Anyone been to Thailand?

[WorkingFromHomeRocks]

We’re thinking of Thailand for our next holiday. Maybe in November as I hear that’s a good time to go? Maybe someone could confirm. We’re total newbies and have some ideas of what we’d like to get out of it but would like to really make the most of it. Has anyone been and could give recommendations? Thai Air seems to come out the cheapest but are they any good?

We went to Thailand last May and it was amazing. Our favourite holiday and we cannot wait to go back.

We stayed in Bangkok for 3 nights, Chiang Mai for a week and Koh Samui for a week. I'd definitely recommend visiting both the north and the south for the different vibes/experiences. Koh Samui is literally paradise!

Thailand is best visited between November and early April, when temperatures range from 84°F to 97°F. However, because the climate varies across the country, you can visit at any time of year.

You might find this article helpful www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/thailand for travel restrictions. As for the Thai Air, it would be best to book ahead of time to save.

Bangkok, Thailand's capital city, is at the top of the list of places to visit with family or friends. Exploring Bangkok's unique markets will be a fun activity for both kids and adults. gowithguide.com/thailand/bangkok

If you want to spend quality time with your children, plan a trip to Chiang Mai. It is a city in northern Thailand that is all about relaxing and being one with nature.

Hope that helps. Have a blast holiday vacation!

We've been in November twice
Bangkok and Phuket
Weather was fab
We did some trips and sightseeing

It's my favourite place EVER

Thai airways are fine, better to do a longer first leg we find which you don't get with any of the Middle Eastern airline

We did a similar one, only that we did a tour from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and then flew to Koh Samui.

If we weren't restricted to the school holidays at the moment I would do the same again in a heartbeat.

I've been twice for extended periods and also have some friends who live out there. Are you more interested in beaches/islands or more cultural/city or countryside based stuff?

In the north there's Chiang Mai (which is a lovely city) and Pai is nearby where a friend of mine lives - this is more mountains and rural countryside (it's beautiful).

In terms of islands I would recommend Ko Lanta (I learnt to scuba dive there which was AMAZING) and Ko Phi Phi (it's a small island group and you can get boat trips to the more quiet ones if you want). My friend lives in Ko Pha Ngan which looks amazing although I haven't been myself.

Bangkok is really interesting to explore but I find it too hectic for more than a couple of days.

I didn't love Ko Si Chang (which is the closest island to Bangkok) because the sea was completely full of seaweed (plus I crashed a moped at great expense though that's not exactly relevant 😆)

Thank you, that’s all really helpful. I saw someone mention Elephant Hills, which looked fab, but quite pricey. Has anyone been? Also, some of the hotels look so cheap!! Any recommendations there?

We flew with Thai Airways. They're were really good. We stayed in Samui and actually went in July, yes it rains but it also stops fairly quickly. Samui was paradise, we stayed a little further out of the towns in Centarra Villas but got the truck taxis (can't think what they're actually called)a lot. There are some lovely restaurants, I loved trying the fish as it was always freshly caught that day. We had freshly caught squid cooked for us one night (actually saw it being caught).

Been 3 times, once backpacking for 4 months. my favourite Country, so sad I can’t go back any time soon since my son starts school this year. We went each time in December - February. Bangkok, Chiang mai, ayyutayah, kanchanaburi , koh samui, koh lanta, koh pangnan , koh Tao, surat Thani, Phuket , the best country in the world aswell as japan!

Been seven times. Love it. November is usually good but we went one year in November and the rain was biblical for the entire fortnight. We’ve done Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Sami, Krabi and Pattaya. Don’t go to Pattaya as a newbie whatever you do! Highly recommend going to Railay beach from Krabi, walk to the Tew lay bar at the very end and have a cocktail. Bangkoks a must do. Do the grand palace and as many wats as you can fit in, plus the overnight bridge on the river kwai trip. You stay on a raft, and in the evening they sale the bar down the river so you can shower in a waterfall. Sala Rim Nam at the oriental hotel and cabbages and condoms are good places to eat. James Bond island is a good one too. Did that from Phuket I think. Thai airways are really good.

We had a fab holiday to Thailand a few years ago. We based it on a brochure holiday but had a travel counsellor put it together. We had a few nights in Bangkok and then took a train to Chiang Mai. We then went to Elephant Hills as recommended by our travel counsellor. We had never heard of it but it was amazing. We had 2 nights there and it was a highlight for us and the kids. Then we finished off the holiday at Koh Samui which as a PP has said we paradise. It was one of the best holidays we've had. Such an amazing country.

I've been several times, I love Bangkok - you'll either love it or hate it! So much to see. Their subway system is pristine.
Echo PP - Koh Lanta is a lovely island although many years since I last visited.
Koh samui - stay away from the Chaweng area, absolutely ruined now. It was paradise but now it's all AC shopping malls and dirty sea.
Koh pha ngan - beautiful outside of the full moon parties.
Koh Tao - actual paradise as is Krabi province.
Koh Samet is small, just ok.
Koh Chang (big Koh Chang, closer to Cambodian border) is really nice, loved it there, really nice vibe on the island.
Koh satun and Koh kood again paradise but was pretty basic when I last went moons ago.

Happy planning!

Went in 2016 and did a mix of Bangkok and the Islands. Amazing place and will go back at some point but also want to do Vietnam

spent few weeks there in December, nice weather. Loved Bangkok and Chiangmai, and Ko Samui. We did all our travel in trains including overnight very easy. You can do it cheaply! I would not recommend James Bond island… so over crowded

has anyone stayed in dieppe france ? Im going alone and on foot (ferry ..no car)with my little dog for a month and am unsure what to expect. Any help/ recommendations or advice would be lovely 😊

@Geebe you need to start your own thread - this one is about Thailand!

opps just realised , sorry 🥰

We went in December and it was probably the best holiday we’ve had

November is the south east monsoon so I would avoid the south east coast as that’s rainy season there, then ( Koh Samui )

Been 3 times. Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Hua Hin and Ko Samui. Phuket and Krabi were my favorite- so beautiful. Ko Samui was my least favorite.

I've been to Elephant Hills and it was the highlight of the trip. We went to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and then Elephant Hills.
The first day you get to meet the elephants which you feed and wash. They are all rescued elephants and the money paid by tourists helps pay for their upkeep.

On the second day you travel to the lake where you'll sleep in tents on the lake. Each tent comes with its on kayak and my kids loved kayaking by themselves. We also trekked into the jungle and went to a bat cave.
If you can afford it, I would definitely do it.