First-timer to Bangkok & Thailand HELP

[ladida76]

I really hope I'll get some advice as we're hoping to head out to Thailand mid July this year. We're flying into Bangkok, staying there for a few nights before hitting the beach in Koh Samui (we're aware that it's the monsoon season and that we might see downpours in Bangkok but understand Koh Samui should be fine).

We're fairly limited on time, unfortunately (11-12 nights), and we're not interested in a constantly on-the-go touring holiday but want to immerse ourselves and stay in one place for a good few days.

We're a family of 2 mid-teens boys and 2 adults.

Before we knew we were limited on time we were going to fit in Chiang Mai but think it will be too tight with only 11/12 nights. So, our current itinerary:

• Bangkok - 4 nights (one day with tour guide to see temples etc, half a day in a cookery class; aa full day trip to visit the temples in Ayuwatthya)
• Koh Samui - 6-7 nights at a beach resort

Bangkok - looking to do a 1/2-1-day with a tour guide, another half a day in a cookery course plus a full day travelling to see the temples in Auywatthaya).

Koh Samui - looking for advice on cookery classes or excursions potentially. But also happy to stay put and just chill!

QUESTIONS

• Would 4 nights be too long (given the above potential activities there) in Bangkok? Will we be overwhelmed?
• Any other comments on the itinerary and trips / activities worth doing?

Thanks in advance for any advice & tips!

I’d personally go a day or two more in Bangkok and less time at the beach. Bangkok is amazing! Very easy to walk around and enjoy.

I’d probably do the cooking class in Ko Sami instead

Chaing Mai is lovely , I'd try to fit that in. Only an hours flight from Bangkok

We did the River Kwai from Bangkok.

Just to give the opposite view, I didn't love Bangkok, it's very traffic heavy and full on. Personally I'd go straight to Chiang Mai for 3 nights - the temples there are lovely and you can see them via a cycling tour, it's a bit more laid back and the air is cleaner. Then straight to Koh Samui from there. I spent a week in Bangkok but on reflection a day or two would have been enough!

Following, we're starting to think about a similar plan for 2024

Our honeymoon was Chaing Mai & Koh Samui. I had been to Bangkok before and didn't need to do it again, it is very busy, dirty and full on. Chaing Mai in contrast is calmer, easy to walk and still has temples, food markets and everything, just on a smaller scale, we absolutely loved it.
Koh Samui, we did a fab cooking class and excursion to the Ang Thong marine park, both booked through Viator. If you're still looking for a resort, we stayed at Rocky's, beautiful.

I would recommend a bit less time in Bangkok. The palace was great, try and pop to China town and the big market was an experience but I would recommend using the extra time to try and see north Thailand such as Chaing Mai for a very different vibe to the south.

Thanks for the advice. I'd love to do Chiang Mai but we're just going to enjoy hopping around too much i.e. 1-2 nights in Bangkok, then 3 in Chiang Mai and then Koh Samui. The idea of a 3 centre hols in less than 12 days, with several flights, feels me with dread.

Not sure what to do! Maybe just shorten the Bangkok stay and have more time in Koh Samui and do the cooking and some excursions there instead.

Thanks for all the helpful advice - keep them coming!

Also, wasn't sure of the weather in Chiang Mai in mid July?

Oh and just to provide some context, we're not really 'hikers' but would love a bike tour and not too bothered about elephant sanctuaries and the like.

We do like history and monuments/temples so that is of interest as is the food and experiencing a different culture and people.

Reason for Bangkok was also partly because DC1 was keen on Tokyo (I know it's very different but also a big metropolis) so thought we'd fit in Bangkok on the way to the beach. But I'm wondering whether we need to change and incorporate Chiang Mai instead. Undecided!

Definitely don’t miss out on seeing Ayutthaya, keep that in the plan at all costs! The palace in Bangkok is worth seeing. I would recommend a riverboat tour in Bangkok to see the floating markets also. I agree with someone else who said maybe consider swapping Koh Samui for Chiang Mai, it’s more culturally interesting to me, more to do, more traditionally “Thai”. They have excellent cooking schools there as well as elephants and jungle excursions. But if you want more of a sun beach holiday type feel then fair enough to go for Koh Samui and yeah I would just chill there basically and enjoy the beach and relaxed vibe and gorgeous food. You’ll have a blast wherever you go!

Reading this thread with envy. I've always wanted to go to Thailand. Have a great time!

I throughly recommend the With Locals tours in Bangkok. We did two , a family sightseeing one and a foodie one.
It was hot and humid but breezing around with a guide on a tuktuks and river boats yet not having to think too much, was terrific.
Do not underestimate the fatigue on arrival especially after a long flight. The airport arrivals are often super busy and its quite a trek into the city in rush hours both by taxi or train.
If you arrive in late afternoon or night and cba, stay comfortably at the airport Novotel hotel ( its connected to the terminal by basement tunnel) and head into the city in the morning . It has a 24 hour check in and restaurant, reasonable pool , bar and in room massage.

I’ve just got back from Bangkok. The traffic is awful so can take a while to get around but it’s a fun city.

You might be very jet lagged and take a while to acclimatise to the heat so a few days in Bangkok isn’t a bad call.

Thank you all. We were going to stay in a hotel with pool in Bangkok to try to get some relaxing time there, especially initially when getting over the jet lag.

Kanchanaburi is interesting and quiet. History stuff is harrowing, research before u see if suitable for your kids.

I'd not have more than 2 nights in Bangkok personally!

It's beautiful on the islands and the food is lovely!

I've been twice in July, it does rain heavily but you'll still get plenty of sunshine 🌞

Thanks all , we might just cut the Bangkok stay down a bit. Would love to go north but just don't have the time (as we like to have at least 6-7 days on the beach and don't like travelling too much whilst we're there - only have 10-12 days including journey there/back).

If you are cutting out the north and sticking to the beaches then you can always try and hop over to Koh Tao - if I remember correctly it is just a ferry hop from Koh Samui (although please double check this) and is a much quieter and smaller island in comparison to Koh Samui.

Brilliant, thank you!

Ko Tao is a beautiful island.

We spent 3 days in BK...enough to see it all...lots of huge malls..MBK etc....fab for shopping , you can get around super fast on the sky train, no need for cabs etc. we also spent 2 weeks in the suburbs doing yoga which was very different to BK centre and used some lovely old overground trains...all wood panelling etc.

Cut a night off Bangkok and 2 off the beach and do 3 nights in Chang Mai. So 3 nights Bangkok, 3 Chiangmai and 5 ok Samui.

Thanks. Would love Chiang Mai but, as mentioned, we're not looking to do a 3-centre hols this time as we only have 11-12 days (including flight time to/from the UK). We're not really into hopping around either. And not into hiking/elephants although I do realise Chiang Mai has a slower pace than BK.
We're actually after the contrast of a very busy high rise city with slower island life. But sounds as if (even despite wanting to spend 1 day just decompressing to get over jet lag) we should only spend 3 days (2 nights) there....

We most definitely want 6-7 days on the beach!

I've been to both Bangkok and Ko Samui with my teenage children (then 18 and 15).

If I was you I would do Koh Samui first to relax and recharge after the flight over rather than the sensory overload of Bangkok.

In Koh Samui I would recommend

Ang Thong Marine park - one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. We went with the company 100 Degrees East, who collect and drop you back. It's owned by a British couple. We had a day combined with snorkelling.

We also did A Quad biking day in the mountains - which I'm sure your teens would love. My children coped very well. They just took us out and we saw a waterfall / temple / viewpoint etc. I can't remember the name of the company we went with - but again it was run by a Brit (just Google or use trip advisor).

I also booked a photographer to take some beach photos of us. He wasn't that expensive - about £100 (7 years ago) - just found him by Googling - and he took loads of photos with glorious backdrop which is he delivered on a memory stick the following day.

We also spent a few days on Koh Tao - again nice views. There's a funny vibe on the island - it's beautiful - but there's some dark history there.

Bangkok - a super exciting place. Taking a TukTuk ride around Bangkok was rather an extreme sport and I was glad to get out after 1 ride and used normal taxis after this - I suggest you flag them down away from tourist hotspots and you stand a chance of getting one which uses a meter correctly.

Please don't forget yourself - massages and other beauty treatments are cheap and food is drop dead gorgeous.

The Grand Palace is good for jaw dropping opulence. You can get there by taking a river boat for very little money.

We also went on a zip lining trip from Bangkok - about a 2 hour drive away through the rain forest. Again good activity for teens although the day outing also included a visit to a rather lame zoo.

In terms of timing i think your split sounds fine. I don't think you should cut any days out of Bangkok if you're happy with cities. We could easily spend another week there.

I can also advise on Kanchanaburi if you decide on that destination too.