sexten

Hello.

Brand new on the forum, and I hope such "suggestion-threads" are allowed on this forum.

After going to Krabi/Ao Nang + Koh Lipe 4 months ago, me and my gf fell completely in love with the area. So, we want to go back

I've more or less nailed the dates and length of stay, and I think we know more or less where to stay.
What I would like from you (more experienced or inexperienced Thailand-travellers) is some input to my plans. Are there better ways to travel? Are there better/cheaper hotels/resorts nearby? Etc.

So, here we go:

Day 1: OSL -> BKK with Thai Airways.
Day 2: When through immigration at BKK, BKK -> KBV with Thai Smile.
Check-in at Aonang Phu Petra Resort in a Gloriyo Poolside Villa.
Last time we stayed at Ananta Burin, and we really loved the direct pool access. At Phu Petra the pool is just outside your door.
Day 10: We take the Tigerline Travel Pick-Up service from Ao Nang to Hat Yao Pier where the ferry will take us to Koh Lipe.
Check-in at Idyllic Concept Resort in an i-LUXURY cabin with direct pool access.
Day 15: We take the ferry to Langkawi where we after immigration will be headed to Berjaya Langkawi Resort in a Rainforest Chalet.
Day 18: LGK -> SZB with Firefly.
Check-in at Somerset Ampang in a 1-Bedroom Executive Romance. Choosen mainly due to its pool and view.
Day 20: KUL -> DMK with AirAsia.
Check-in at Marriott Sathorn Vista. Reasonable price, large room and nice pool. We're really tempted by the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, but not sure if its worth the nearly double cost(?)
Day 24: (If 00:55 can be called "day"), BKK -> OSL with Thai Airways.

We got a fairly good overview over the Krabi and Koh Lipe-airways, but Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are all uncharted territories for us. Especially Bangkok seems to be a jungle, there's just too MANY great hotels to pick from

I hope anyone is willing to have a quick read-through and give us any possible pointers or suggestions. They will all be appreciated greatly.

CrazyInteg

Personally, I would suggest more of Thailand and less of swimming pools

Your plan sounds fine though

sexten

Haha. Of course we will have day-excursions to different parts of Southern Thailand (as we had last time as well). The point with the swimming pools is that we're northern european and used to cool and fresh climate, so after a day (or even just a couple of hours) we either need to have a shower or swim afterwards to feel "fresh" again. That is why the hotel pools are a "big thing" for us

RustyC

Wow, sounds like something out of Conde Nast Traveler. Unfortunately hotels in the region wouldn't think twice about putting a pool under repair and not informing guests in advance. Has happened to me but hopefully that won't happen to u.

Beware the baggage policies on your LCCs if you haven't bought those already. Air Asia recoups lots of revenue from unwary people that way. Cabin conditions and seat pitch aren't the best.

Weather-wise your beach areas are best from November through March, so I assume you're aiming for that range. Can be deeply discounted in summer, but for a reason.

Bangkok and KL both have big traffic problems, and in order to get around you're much better off being near transit. Otherwise you could be stuck with taxis and streets that are like parking lots in places. In KL I try to get as close to the Bukit Bintang area as possible, with other areas like Jln. TAR, Sentral and Jln. Imbi as possible backups. In Bangkok the old plan was to stay by the river, as you could at least get to the palace and major wats by boat. The new plan is to be close to either a Skytrain or MRT station. In the Sathorn area you might walk to Lumpini station in 15 minutes, but IMO other areas like Sukhumvit are better-connected. Making a good pick on location and avoiding gridlocked, aggravating car trips as much as possible is especially important in BKK. Transit has been a real game-changer there, but you have to be near it to get the benefits.

sexten

Thank you for your reply!
We are travelling in late March - early April and the resorts usually upgrade/repair June - September, so it would surprise if such a thing happened. But you're right about not informing

Thank you for your AirAsia, had already checked Thai, Thai Smile and Firefly but it seems AirAsia DOES charge extra for luggage. The price was not a big deal though.

As I mentioned, we'll probably go late March - early April. In April the heat really starts making its mark but we ARE there for sun & swimming, so I guess we can't complain

I haven't tried Thailand in the rain/low-season but it might be interesting to try some time (not for a sun&swim vacation). Have you tried it? Is it recommendable?

The hotel in Kuala Lumpur is 400m away from a Monorail/Light Rail track, which I hope will take us to most places we want to go. Are there tuk-tuks in Malaysia/Kuala Lumpur as well?

In Bangkok I've changed my mind (again), this time for Chatrium Riverside Hotel. There's a boat departing every 15 minutes to one of the BTS-stations, which we plan on using for more or less all our excursions in Bangkok.

RustyC

It's one of the hotter months, but besides that it *should* be OK. Be aware of Songkhran, though, in Thailand if you're staying into mid-April. It's the 3-day national water fight, and while the tourism office actually tries to promote it as a feature, expats tend to hate it and say it's a bug. Many even leave the country while it's on. Expect to get soaked if out on the street.

I do a summer trip every year but don't go to some regions then because of weather. The monsoon hangs heavier over the Andaman coast and it's not a good time there, and the north and northeast are really hot and humid (and get more rain). Bangkok is still OK, As is Pattaya and Ko Samet and beaches on the east side of the isthmus like Ko Samui. Also the Perhentians in Malaysia (best islands/beaches in Malaysia are in that area).

The monorail has interchange points with the other rail, so you should be fine on that. It does require buying separate tickets when changing trains, but they're not expensive. Taxi situation in KL, OTOH, is borderline awful. Drivers sit around and don't drive, or don't want to use the meter and want to charge 2-3 times what that would be. Also spots where supply/demand is against you (long queues). Problems are self-inflicted but longstanding, and it's quite dysfunctional compared to Singapore. Would even rather deal with Manila or Jakarta, where at least most drivers want to work.

The river is a nice setting and an experience in itself. Hard not to recommend if a first trip.