Post GCSE Thailand trip

[Susue999]

I am planning an 8 night trip to Thailand just me and my DD when she finishes her last GCSE. I have been to Thailand 20 years ago but looking for more recent advice. I know 8 nights isn’t long but it’s that or nothing! DD has wanted to go for years. Just deciding where to go;
Bangkok once only or at start AND end of trip!
Safety - feeling a little responsible being just me and my young beautiful daughter!
Any other tips?!

Thank you in advance.

Love Thailand! I'd just do Bangkok once. Do you want to do north and south of Thailand, or just one? 8 days is tight to see everything. Can you stretch to 10 days?

No really can’t do more than 8 days due to other children’s birthdays etc. annoying but I still think it’s worth going as will mean everything to her. So yes I guess perhaps fly into BK and back home from somewhere else. I think I thought an island or 2 would work.

My family recommend koh Phegen (not sure if that’s spelled correctly). Island just up from Koh Samui. Think you need to fly to Samui or to mainland airport then get a ferry. It’s a little less built up than some of the other islands.

What kind of trio do you want? Relaxing beach life? Or more stuff to do??

I love krabi and you can fly directly there and then just easily island hop!

I would get a nice hotel in Bangkok, and base yourself there. Trying to bounce around different resorts isn't really possible when you're only there for 8 days. And there is so much to do there (well, there is in most capital cities, to be fair). Book day trips and come back for a pleasant dip your hotel pool, before heading out for the chaos of Bangkok markets.

My DC loved all of Bangkok - but a particular favourite was a biking tour around Ayutthaya.

And yes have to agree with the other posters 8!days is nothing so I’d think you ca only don1 or 2 places

if you went to krabi you could easily do a day trip to railey beach and you could maybe do a day trip to somewhere like phi phi or do the 4 island tour day trip

i wouldn’t bother moving loads of places cus you’ll have to keep packing and taking all your stuff

I’d probably just leave Bangkok tbh or do it on the way home for like a day or 2

Just to put a potential spanner in the works, there is a GCSE exam contingency day for any potential disruption to the exams, this year that is 25th June at the latest from a quick google.

There was a potential maths paper additional sitting due to the rumour it had been leaked I believe last year or the year before and this would mean anyone missing the exam contingency would miss out on 1 paper out of the 3 for maths which would tank a grade. Or 1 out of 2 for others.

There are also sometimes sixth form taster days and my children had to attend theirs for admission. It was compulsory but ours was around 7th July.

Thank you for all of this. I really want to do an island and Bangkok but maybe I’ll stick with 2 places rather than 3. I wanted a mix of chill and sightseeing but I really think I’m going to have to plan my time well!

Thank you for the note about GCSE’s @RoGlendaleMcDu wouldn’t it be awful if there was an additional sitting and I had booked a holiday. Dilemmas!

@Susue999 it comes up every year on the Secondary Education board. People risk it most don't but for you it has birthday implications if you book later. I suppose it depends on the age of the other children and whether they would understand and a promise of future holidays with them.