Help me with my 10-year anniversary trip!
Feb 23, 2017, 6:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 17
Help me with my 10-year anniversary trip!
Planning a 10Y anniversary trip for this November...we will only have 8 full days in Thailand and this will be both of our first times. So much to do and see...getting a little overwhelmed!
Here is my current plan:
Fly into Chiang Mai directly
Day 1, 2: Chiang Mai (one of the days will be at the Elephant Sanctuary, which is the top reason I want to visit CM)
Day 3, 4, 5, 6: Phuket (which resort?!?!)
Day 7, 8: Bangkok
Fly out of BKK
Right now, my biggest question is which resort(s) to stay on in Phuket. Current plan is to split my stay between Le Meridien (most reviews say it has the best beach in Phuket, plus not far from Patong) and then going to stay at the Naka Island resort the last two days (with a private pool villa!) so we get a mix of the tranquil and the bustle. But I'm not sure if the hassle will be worth it and if I should just pick one resort for the whole time. The Naka is a little isolated/expensive to spend all 4 nights there and I'd want somewhere a little nicer (more private) than the Le Meridien if that's the only place we stay at. Other suggestions very much welcome!
Also, getting a little overwhelmed by all the day tours from Phuket...Phi Phi, James Bond island, Phang Nga, cave kayaking, snorkelling, etc. Realistically, we don't have enough time to do multiple all-day tours. If I have to pick one, which one should we do? Is there one that combines beautiful beaches, kayaking, and snorkelling all into one trip?
Any other general tips/suggestions for our first trip to Thailand? I know we might be a little ambitious trying to do Bangkok, PHuket, and Chiang Mai in one trip but not sure when we'd be back to Thailand so want to fit as much as possible.
Thanks in advance!
Here is my current plan:
Fly into Chiang Mai directly
Day 1, 2: Chiang Mai (one of the days will be at the Elephant Sanctuary, which is the top reason I want to visit CM)
Day 3, 4, 5, 6: Phuket (which resort?!?!)
Day 7, 8: Bangkok
Fly out of BKK
Right now, my biggest question is which resort(s) to stay on in Phuket. Current plan is to split my stay between Le Meridien (most reviews say it has the best beach in Phuket, plus not far from Patong) and then going to stay at the Naka Island resort the last two days (with a private pool villa!) so we get a mix of the tranquil and the bustle. But I'm not sure if the hassle will be worth it and if I should just pick one resort for the whole time. The Naka is a little isolated/expensive to spend all 4 nights there and I'd want somewhere a little nicer (more private) than the Le Meridien if that's the only place we stay at. Other suggestions very much welcome!
Also, getting a little overwhelmed by all the day tours from Phuket...Phi Phi, James Bond island, Phang Nga, cave kayaking, snorkelling, etc. Realistically, we don't have enough time to do multiple all-day tours. If I have to pick one, which one should we do? Is there one that combines beautiful beaches, kayaking, and snorkelling all into one trip?
Any other general tips/suggestions for our first trip to Thailand? I know we might be a little ambitious trying to do Bangkok, PHuket, and Chiang Mai in one trip but not sure when we'd be back to Thailand so want to fit as much as possible.
Thanks in advance!
Feb 23, 2017, 11:55 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: Free agent!
Posts: 1,426
I'm also planning a trip of a similar length during November. I've been to Phuket when I was a child but this will be my first visit as an adult (I did go to Samui about two years ago FWIW).
For us, we'll be spending the first four days in Phuket and then the remaining three (we leave in the morning of day three) in Bangkok. Essentially, you have one more day but you're cramming in an additional location, which does seem a bit ambitious. This will depend on what type of travellers you and your partner are. Will you need to adjust for jetlag? Do you prefer a vacation where you're running around a lot or do you prefer to take it easy? Do you prefer seeing multiple places for a short amount of time or seeing fewer places but spending longer amounts of time?
The only thing I'd say for sure is that I would not split my stay in Phuket into two hotels. You'll deal with two check-ins, two times packing the luggage and also a dead period on the day that you switch hotels in which you don't have a room. If you are staying somewhere secluded, you can always take a car into the more bustling areas and vice versa.
For us, we'll be spending the first four days in Phuket and then the remaining three (we leave in the morning of day three) in Bangkok. Essentially, you have one more day but you're cramming in an additional location, which does seem a bit ambitious. This will depend on what type of travellers you and your partner are. Will you need to adjust for jetlag? Do you prefer a vacation where you're running around a lot or do you prefer to take it easy? Do you prefer seeing multiple places for a short amount of time or seeing fewer places but spending longer amounts of time?
The only thing I'd say for sure is that I would not split my stay in Phuket into two hotels. You'll deal with two check-ins, two times packing the luggage and also a dead period on the day that you switch hotels in which you don't have a room. If you are staying somewhere secluded, you can always take a car into the more bustling areas and vice versa.
Feb 23, 2017, 7:41 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,138
It's kinda mean to do this, but: Below is a picture of what Maya Bay (a favorite daytour destination from Phuket) looked like on an ordinary February day 2 years ago. *Maybe* November won't be as bad, but Phuket has really gotten crowded and arguably ruined compared to when I had been there in 1995 and 2004.
I actually made a really good pick in Patong Resort that almost single-handedly saved the trip...the resort is one of the few originals with both some undeveloped land and a prime location (block from beach, block from Bangla Rd.) OTOH it's more like 3-4 star rather than the 5-star places on cove beaches.
In general I'd say Phuket is ruined...WAY too many people (more on the way), traffic backups in many places around the island, a ripoff transportation system worse even than Pattaya's, and did I mention just way too many people. But I guess if you're not burdened by reference points you can see it through a different lens.
Do allow for jet lag on the first days if coming from afar...usually that means a much more diurnal schedule and crashes before being able to do nightlife.
Chiang Mai is also good for seeing Wat Doi Suthep. The night bazaar is overhyped but at least nowhere near as crowded as the weekend market in Bangkok.
I used to do the beach chase in Thailand in the 90s but gave it up after seeing the rapidity with which places get overdeveloped. Maybe the military government has sanded off some of the roughest edges.
No matter what you do, DON'T rent a jet ski, BTW. That scam has been going on for years.
Do check out Loi Krathong if you're there in that part of November.
I actually made a really good pick in Patong Resort that almost single-handedly saved the trip...the resort is one of the few originals with both some undeveloped land and a prime location (block from beach, block from Bangla Rd.) OTOH it's more like 3-4 star rather than the 5-star places on cove beaches.
In general I'd say Phuket is ruined...WAY too many people (more on the way), traffic backups in many places around the island, a ripoff transportation system worse even than Pattaya's, and did I mention just way too many people. But I guess if you're not burdened by reference points you can see it through a different lens.
Do allow for jet lag on the first days if coming from afar...usually that means a much more diurnal schedule and crashes before being able to do nightlife.
Chiang Mai is also good for seeing Wat Doi Suthep. The night bazaar is overhyped but at least nowhere near as crowded as the weekend market in Bangkok.
I used to do the beach chase in Thailand in the 90s but gave it up after seeing the rapidity with which places get overdeveloped. Maybe the military government has sanded off some of the roughest edges.
No matter what you do, DON'T rent a jet ski, BTW. That scam has been going on for years.
Do check out Loi Krathong if you're there in that part of November.
