Thailand/Malyasia November 2026

[BG2015]

DP (late 50's) and I are going to Thailand for 32 nights from November 2nd next year.

Our rough itinerary is :
Bangkok
Phuket
Krabi
Koh Lanta
Koh Mook
Koh Lipe
Langkawi
Kuala Lumpa

Bangkok, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe are must do's but open to suggestions. Looking at spending roughly 4 nights. 4 nights accommodation booked in Bangkok and 3 nights in Kuala Lumpur also.

Any tips, suggestions.
We plan to return and do the North, Chang Mai the following year.

Id ditch Phuket. It's an overpriced dive. Apart from Bangkok and KL are you planning on spending all the trip on beaches?

It's quite a lot of moving around also. Averages 4 nights a place. Are you flying back from KUL or returning to BKK

I go trips of that length regularly to Thailand. Next one is a couple of nights after landing in Bangkok, then to CM for about 10 days, making my way back down to Bangkok via bus and train taking in Lamphun , sukhotai and ayyuthia before flying to krabi for a week at the neach

Take out Kho Mook and Phuket, add in Khao Sok

We did the first four stops of your itinerary a few years ago and loved it. You’re going to have an amazing time!

Also if going to Phuket I’d drive north to Khao Lak rather than stay in Phuket (which is what we did). Echoing PPs comments Phuket is a dive. Stayed there for one night many, many years ago and never again.

Can you add a couple of days in Penang Malaysia? worth it for a change from beaches and capital city's.

it would help with what your flights are (or what your looking at now)

We’re flying into Bangkok and out of Kuala Lumpur as it’s cheaper.

So many other people have said ditch Phuket but then you’ve never been to Phuket so don’t know if you’d like it. It’s a hard one.

We’re looking at temples, elephant sanctuary, walks in national parks, boat trips, snorkeling and beaches.

Langkawi has a few things we’d like to do plus of course Kuala Lumpur will be amazing.

out this video from this search, bangla road phuket www.google.com/search?hl=en-GB&client=ms-android-transsion&sca_esv=7bf8a2f3baef1f90&q=bangla+road+phuket&docid=G5e-A82d3Re0HM&ibp=video&shndl=41&shmd=H4sIAAAAAAAA_41Sy27TQBQVSLCYT2B1qqoIEHXSBxKthJCbOmlCkgY7acgKTcZje9qxx50Zp3VW7PgIFmxBgg9gy4fwDXwCk0qFqkKCxWzm3nvuuecc8uM-GbQ0XdYYijSzUiQcEeMFhygwyqozbp9inFEhaRHj58f339z7ikcHtEglRahojBG1qkhxwCnLHj_IMmtLs99o8ILpurQ83rTzoumlxlIrmMdU3hA5Tbl5ef7CVfb9YbzXYeHenPmzvdly0Y6KyfOLaS-JxDx8mw5ZeZRON7cGrfnrOu-bXk-c5oH_0Dz5cO__masCNymvWm6w9giJ6IJj4xlUkqBWlcaRkrQta_CoO0BZaZZRw6E0rCpRlWYN5PrSubCerBu7NKSnWUlIJxhjq7mB43Ybkd8OxjNMu8MOxqF_EvTRHUaT0B-2grXbCDujznl_pgkZhceHk9Y4QheTKEBwEoQzRA6jH-DQn7ndx_RM8hpRtTrKGG72cQ1G82XhWdXYGR-8ejMS5LDXhc-scBrs_q0r7lm7Swb_ALucdpdHTULIplNVGMTcMC3KK1imCktFYUCTREhBLYcUxZlB4vQqtYorZl3R-WC4XgjGDWxGrbtuzqXgTnknOfIatIqFyw1HvvIUmjMuXHVBZcWRaJV7CJxff_ywmVZVmjnsW7uRukGDnIPC5FRKlFy7eFiXPGeyG-QwVHIPhKzb65isl1fBwe8fq10upOshvoPQK1bG0VqdwWN8_4zt5vYOxlddF8JmLNNOm36_dfnl7rs7n-78AuQCpnJhAwAA&shmds=v1_AdeF8KgFQrdCy0HSphNMOexb4l7jfn4s6y67I1G5ERrHrId8iA&shem=sdl1p&source=sh/x/vid/m1/2&kgs=e2b2e604d2212a8a&ucbcb=1 Patong

Langkawi outside of one of the nice hotels is a bit of a dive OP. The island is tatty, everywhere is an abandoned building site or closed down hotel. Very little "local" culture. This isn't a poor country ratty, but more like Blackpool past it's heyday tatty.

Having said that i like Langkawi, I'd recommend staying at the Datai. Get a vila and it is truly really wonderful, in the middle of ancient rainforest, monkeys on your balcony, insanely gorgeous cove, everything you will ever want in terms of food. Read reviews about the staff, they are wonderful.

KL is great, hectic but great. Stay away from the touristy "street food" places. I prefer it to Singapore in some regards (although for a quick flight Singapore is well worth a visit, botanical garden, hawker markets, cloud forest by marina bay sands) And BK is fab too.

I've not been to koh samui for many years but it was nice albeit touristy. Had a nice vibe.

Yes Phuket is touristy and I get what people say about being run down. I can recommend a great place to eat if you do end up going there though.

@BG2015 You could fly into Phuket, visit Phuket but then stay in Khao Lak. I think it’s about an hours drive.

When I visited Phuket I had planned to stay in Phuket for a week or more, but after one night I transferred to Khao Lak as I hated Phuket. I’ve now been back many times but always head straight to Khao Lak and don’t bother with Phuket at all, but if you’d like to experience Phuket, you can do both.