Bangkok/Koh Samui Thailand

harpstilidie

Hey guys,

Looking for a bit of advice. I'm getting married in October and for our honeymoon we are thinking about going to Koh Samui for about 8/9 nights and then finish off in Bangkok for a few nights. I've read that Koh Samui has gotten very touristy and this has spoilt it to an extent. We aren't really into partying and going out. Just want to go somewhere quiet where we can relax and sight see for a few days. Would people recommend Koh Samui or are any other islands nicer? We have set a budget of about €1500 each for the honeymoon. Do you think this is reasonable? I would really appreciate peoples opinions.

Thanks,

Dan.

Tefral

harpstilidie wrote: »

Hey guys,

Looking for a bit of advice. I'm getting married in October and for our honeymoon we are thinking about going to Koh Samui for about 8/9 nights and then finish off in Bangkok for a few nights. I've read that Koh Samui has gotten very touristy and this has spoilt it to an extent. We aren't really into partying and going out. Just want to go somewhere quiet where we can relax and sight see for a few days. Would people recommend Koh Samui or are any other islands nicer? We have set a budget of about €1500 each for the honeymoon. Do you think this is reasonable? I would really appreciate peoples opinions.

Thanks,

Dan.

Look up Railay or Koh phi phi instead. I thought Koh Samui was a dump being honest

Tipperary animal lover

I'd go to koh lak fly into Phuket airport, it's about 1 1/2 hrs from patong which is the main tourist area of Phuket, it's quiet plenty of restaurants and bars and a good beach, koh Samui is over run with tourists as is the phi phi's, have a look at koh lak trip advisor there's some good guest houses and hotels to suit every bodies taste....... Bangkok is some siht hole, why not look into flying into Kuala Lumpur from Europe and onto Phuket with air asia( very cheap) from there and spend some days on the way back in KL and stay in the patronas towers( fantastic place).

bamboozle

fly to koh samui and get the ferry to either of the 2 islands off it, Koh Phanang & Koh Tao are stunning islands easily reachable from samui.

harpstilidie

Thanks guys. Is it true that Koh Samui has gotten over touristy? Any other quieter islands? From what I've gathered Koh Samui may be very wet around late October early November. Do you think Kuala Lumpur is worth visiting more than Bangkok?

was just in thailand in jan/feb.
koh samui is in parts commercialised but if you want a good selection of restuarants and bars then it is a good option.
i found some of the beaches dirty though.

koh phi phi was a bit dirty and overrun i thought with tourists. there are nice islands around there but im not sure if you can stay on any of them though.

railay was fab, really gorgeous beach, very chilled relaxed area. less choice of nightlife though.

my favourite was koh phangan, very quiet ( as long as you dont stay near where the full moon party is! ) we stayed in beach bungalows, right on the beach. very chilled, hanging around in hammocks etc. quiet at night but lots of cheap shack type restuarants.

heard very good things about koh tao also, both are only a ferry ride from koh samui.

i liked bangkok, huge but not half as dirty as i expected and really cool city, in my opinion!!

dearg lady

I found KL very dull, I prefer Bangkok, have been back a few times. It can be dirty and smelly at times, but has a nice buzz. KL feels very sterile.

Koh Samui and Phi Phi are very touristy, and tbh there isn't a huge amount of 'sightseeing' to do at most of the islands, the quieter islands are nice for relaxing though.

Hurley6969

Koh Samui is quite touristy, I noticed lots of familys there not just backpackers. But as a result you get a larger selection of resturants etc, even has an Irish bar, Mc D's and Burger King. Kind of, a very small amount, could almost remind you sun hol in Spain.

Koh Phangan has the full moon party and is a lot less build up but still has a good selection of places to go.

Koh Tao would be the "quietest" but has the best diving of all 3 and I say quietest in terms of being built up. Still beach bars and places to eat out.

I was over at all 3 in Sept last year and loved all of them. Id try make it to the full moon party if your there around that time, also diving if you go to Tao and the pub crawl on Tao too is good craic. Not too much sight seeing really. Id say fly into Samui and do a few days there then go for Tao or Phangan. Prob not enough time to get all 3 in 8/9days, the boats are about €10-15 euro between islands as far as i remember so wont break the bank. Enjoy

oconnoao

I was in Thailand in September with my boyfriend and stayed in Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Phangan.

We found Koh Tao lovely for diving but it was too quiet for us. The town was deserted by 10.30-11 each night. We stayed in Sensi resort which was beautiful but there were more insects and lizards there than anywhere else in Thailand.

We stayed in two areas in Samui and they were both very different. Bophut was very chilled out whereas Chaweng seemed tacky and touristy. In saying that we stayed in Baan Haad Ngam Boutique in Chaweng with a private pool which was amazing and the beach there was probably the best we found.

We stayed out of the party area in Koh Phangan and found it fine but not as nice as the other two - the main attraction of the island is definitely the parties, which was of course great fun

Enjoy the honeymoon!

Tipperary animal lover

As you can see by all the answers we've all been to Samui multiply that by every Irish person who heads to Thailand plus the English Europeans Aussies and Asian tourists you can see how it gets busy!!! Oct wil be rainy season, I've been to Thailand in oct and it rains hard for 1 to 2 hrs maybe more but most days it's good and hot at least when it rains it clears the air.
Look ye might have the time of your lives but people have this image of deserted islands and lovely beaches( which they do), when I first travelled through Thailand back in 1992 it was mind blowing the people food empty beaches accommodation etc, but now all your seen as is a cash cow by the locals.
Railay and ko lak would be my preferred places but each to there own, as its your first time to Thailand just dive in and enjoy, bangkok is still a dirty over priced siht hole but as your travelling that far why not see it!!! Each to there own

antodeco

I'm only back from my honeymoon in Koh Samui. Stayed in the Mae Nam part. Wasn't too touristy at all. At €1500 each you can get there, but of course it depends on what luxury you want. It cost me €3000 for two for 10 days, then another €800 spending money. I could've spent €800 less on accommodation if I wanted, but it was a honeymoon!

harpstilidie

Thanks for all the replies, appreciate them. Late October/early November seems to be the wettest time in Koh Samui so think we are going to rule it out. Have now looked at Khao Lak and Koh Chang but Khao Lak is coming in cheaper by a good bit and it's easier to get too. Seems the weather might be slightly better there as well. Would there be more to do around Khao Lak compared to Koh Samui or Koh Chang for example? And what about eating out in Khao Lak, prices reasonable? I've heard it is much more expensive than other parts of Thailand.

1stimpressions

I think you have got some very good responses here. I was going to mention Goh Tao to you as it might be what you are looking for. The weather is likely to be very rainy (it stops in November so you could be lucky) but as was mentioned it generally doesn't last more than a few hours and it cools down the sweltering heat afterwards. It will be sunny and hot most of the rest of the time.

One other good option would be to go to Goh Lanta on the other coast. It is far less developed than the other islands mentioned and you would get to see Phuket and/or Phi Phi(worth a day I reckon) on the way there as you would fly to Phuket.

As for people's opinion of Bangkok as a ****hole, I would beg to disagree having lived here over three years. However a lot of people only see less than 1% of the city and that is generally the 1% that is most populated by hawkers and congestion. But the city can be stressful for a visitor and it's certainly not perfect. It does have some of the most diverse range of amazing restaurants, rooftop bars and nightlife spots that are a fraction of what they would cost in another country and 4 star hotels for 40 euro's a night. The touristy stuff depends on yourself but I would definitely stop in Bangkok for one day at least to go to the Grand Palace which is mesmerizing.

If you want any specific Thai/Bangkok recommendations nearer the dates send me a PM as I live in central Bangkok.

Tipperary animal lover

Koh lak is pricier, it's up market but lovely beach and less touristy, why not split between koh lak for the start of your honeymoon and then head to karon about two hrs away great beach again but a lot more to do and the madness of patong is just over the hill. As for ko Chang it's a fantastic island it's starting to become like Samui and Phuket but at the moment it's still peaceful.... You have a right dilemma harps!!! Enjoy.

harpstilidie

Went ahead and booked it last night with Trailfinders. 3 nights in Kuala Lumpur and 9 in Khao Lak. Seemed to be the best value and the best option weather wise. Ko Chang was working out much more expensive and we were put off Koh Samui. The dilemma is over! Happy any suggestions on what to see and do in Khao Lak and Kuala Lumpur?

Tipperary animal lover

Ye'll have a great time, are ye adventurous with your food? In KL eat at the hawker food halls/streets cheaper than main restaurants head to jalna alor or petaling food and night market streets, food halls everywhere.
To see and do.... Little India(like your in Mumbai) is a most, F1 circuit tour, Malaysia heritage walk tour, patronas twin towers and you can do Segway rides at the lake garden park!! Plus there's shopping shopping and more shopping to be had loads of malls Aldo Thailand is cheaper for the fake gear.....
In koh lak you'll find tour guides/booths everywhere, have a look around and see what takes your fancy and best value for your €€.
Definitely learn how to the dive, tsunami tour, phang nga bay sea canoe tour love this!! National park tours loads to see, similar island tour, and of course the beach is a big winner....I'd arrange a driver and head to patong for a day head down about 3pm walk along the over busy beach area, head to the markets bargain hard, have dinner and a few beers and walk down Bangla road and see the other side of Thailan and head back to koh lak happy out. Hope this helps.

harpstilidie

Tipperary animal lover wrote: »

Ye'll have a great time, are ye adventurous with your food? In KL eat at the hawker food halls/streets cheaper than main restaurants head to jalna alor or petaling food and night market streets, food halls everywhere.
To see and do.... Little India(like your in Mumbai) is a most, F1 circuit tour, Malaysia heritage walk tour, patronas twin towers and you can do Segway rides at the lake garden park!! Plus there's shopping shopping and more shopping to be had loads of malls Aldo Thailand is cheaper for the fake gear.....
In koh lak you'll find tour guides/booths everywhere, have a look around and see what takes your fancy and best value for your €€.
Definitely learn how to the dive, tsunami tour, phang nga bay sea canoe tour love this!! National park tours loads to see, similar island tour, and of course the beach is a big winner....I'd arrange a driver and head to patong for a day head down about 3pm walk along the over busy beach area, head to the markets bargain hard, have dinner and a few beers and walk down Bangla road and see the other side of Thailan and head back to koh lak happy out. Hope this helps.

That's great, thanks. Are Elephant treks worth going on or are the elephants mistreated? Suppose it depends on the place?

Tipperary animal lover

Do the elephant trek, most elephants treated very good there the only means for there mahout so there looked after, I found 10mins was enough on the giant, try everything ye can over even the local snacks a bag of fried grasshoppers with your beer mmmm;).
Don't get your pic taking with the iguanas monkeys or birds of prey poor things drugged to the hilt very sad to see.
When taking a tuk tuk or most things in Thailand establish the price before you get in and that it's for the two of you..... Plenty of scams to be had over there, it's a fantastic country but just have your wits about you..... If your happy just walk away .... Oh and bargain hard when shopping and do it with a smile all the time. Just change about €50 at the airport and wait till you get to koh lak to change rest...

Stinicker

harpstilidie wrote: »

Thanks guys. Is it true that Koh Samui has gotten over touristy? Any other quieter islands? From what I've gathered Koh Samui may be very wet around late October early November. Do you think Kuala Lumpur is worth visiting more than Bangkok?

I enjoyed Bangkok far better than Kuala Lumpur, but KL is still a very interesting city and tbh I felt slightly uncomfortable there due to the pervasive Islamic culture compared to Thai. I found KL to be cheaper for some things than Bangkok and it has some great shopping centres (Berjaya Times Square). I have been to Thailand twice and Malaysia once and am returning to Thailand for my third trip there this summer.

Kuala Lumpur is a very multicultural city and with ethnic Malay's, Indians (Tamils) and also loads of Chinese so really it can have a very different feel depending on what part of the city you are in. It is worth visiting a Mosque as Malaysians are more moderate Muslims, and for sure do not miss out on the Petronas Twin Towers and for me the towers were the highlight of last years trip, just get there early at least 1 hour before it opens. Also make sure to taste some vomit inducing Durian, a trip to Malaysia would not be complete without Durian (stinky fruit).

The KLIA express train is the best way to get from the airport and is a fast service taking around 30-35mins. Kuala Lumpur is a fantastic airport but the LCCT by comparison is a fair kip and if you are flying Air Asia you will encounter it.

rodge68

Bangkok is a great city (I must admit I didn't think much of it when I first went 15 years ago) but I have grown to love it. I was only there last Christmas and could not believe how modern it is now compared to years ago. Great and relatively cheap hotels, fantastic food and loads to visit and do !! As an English person said to me it is more like Thailand than Koh Samuii etc !!

harpstilidie

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Don't think I like the sound of fried grasshoppers though We're flying with Malaysian Airlines from London to KL and from KL to Phuket. They decent to fly with? Looking forward to spending time in KL now. We have 2 full days so we'll have lots of things to choose from. Definitely want to go to the Petronas Towers and the Lake Gardens.

Tipperary animal lover

Yeah Malaysian airlines is a good airline, what hotels are ye booked into? Make sure and come back here and let us know how the honeymoon goes!!!

Stinicker

Malaysian airlines are now 30kgs for bags in economy since last month so that is additional bonus also.

harpstilidie

Stinicker wrote: »

Malaysian airlines are now 30kgs for bags in economy since last month so that is additional bonus also.

We are flying Aer Lingus from Dublin to London though so we'll only have 20kg max anyway I'd say.

harpstilidie

Tipperary animal lover wrote: »

Yeah Malaysian airlines is a good airline, what hotels are ye booked into? Make sure and come back here and let us know how the honeymoon goes!!!

Parkroyal in KL and La Flora in Khao Lak. Will do!

Tipperary animal lover

harpstilidie wrote: »

Parkroyal in KL and La Flora in Khao Lak. Will do!

Don't forget to ask for the "honeymoon" up grade at the both places ..... Always cheeky to ask but don't ask don't get

Stinicker

harpstilidie wrote: »

We are flying Aer Lingus from Dublin to London though so we'll only have 20kg max anyway I'd say.

No, Aer Lingus have a baggage interline agreement with Malaysian and should honour the higher baggage allowance. However you should give them a call first to confirm but they usually do honor the higher allowance.

harpstilidie

Stinicker wrote: »

No, Aer Lingus have a baggage interline agreement with Malaysian and should honour the higher baggage allowance. However you should give them a call first to confirm but they usually do honor the higher allowance.

Didn't know that, thanks for letting me know, I'll check it out.

whatsyourquota

Jesus no way should you even have 20kg of stuff in Asia never mind 30!!! Hauling it around broken roads and onto boats will soon have you regretting packing so much. I try and stick between 10-12

shed head

Tipperary animal lover wrote: »

Do the elephant trek, most elephants treated very good there the only means for there mahout so there looked after, I found 10mins was enough on the giant, try everything ye can over even the local snacks a bag of fried grasshoppers with your beer mmmm;).
Don't get your pic taking with the iguanas monkeys or birds of prey poor things drugged to the hilt very sad to see.
When taking a tuk tuk or most things in Thailand establish the price before you get in and that it's for the two of you..... Plenty of scams to be had over there, it's a fantastic country but just have your wits about you..... If your happy just walk away .... Oh and bargain hard when shopping and do it with a smile all the time. Just change about €50 at the airport and wait till you get to koh lak to change rest...

don't do the elephants, no matter how hard this poster tries to justify doing it, they are wild animals and meant to be in the WILD. hypocrite!

shed head

harpstilidie wrote: »

Hey guys,

Looking for a bit of advice. I'm getting married in October and for our honeymoon we are thinking about going to Koh Samui for about 8/9 nights and then finish off in Bangkok for a few nights. I've read that Koh Samui has gotten very touristy and this has spoilt it to an extent. We aren't really into partying and going out. Just want to go somewhere quiet where we can relax and sight see for a few days. Would people recommend Koh Samui or are any other islands nicer? We have set a budget of about €1500 each for the honeymoon. Do you think this is reasonable? I would really appreciate peoples opinions.

Thanks,

Dan.

there is a luxury resort on one of the phi phi islands (not the main one, can't remember the name) or a neighbouring island, which caters for honeymoons etc
Koh Samui is a kip,

Stinicker

whatsyourquota wrote: »

Jesus no way should you even have 20kg of stuff in Asia never mind 30!!! Hauling it around broken roads and onto boats will soon have you regretting packing so much. I try and stick between 10-12

But think of all the stuff you'd invariably buy when over there, I came home from Thailand with 15 kgs more than I took out last year, despite the 30kgs I had with Emirates I still had to use my carryon to fit some things in. I got a bit carried away at the markets there!

whatsyourquota

Stinicker wrote: »

But think of all the stuff you'd invariably buy when over there, I came home from Thailand with 15 kgs more than I took out last year, despite the 30kgs I had with Emirates I still had to use my carryon to fit some things in. I got a bit carried away at the markets there!

Ya your right sorry, I was just thinking of the way over! But I would definately reccomend packing as light as you can on the way over and doing all your shopping the last few days in Bangkok, lugging things around over there is a nightmare.

Stinicker

whatsyourquota wrote: »

Ya your right sorry, I was just thinking of the way over! But I would definately reccomend packing as light as you can on the way over and doing all your shopping the last few days in Bangkok, lugging things around over there is a nightmare.

Yeah, and when going to Thailand it is always wise to pack light clothing as the weather is so warm just simple wash and wear t-shirts, shorts etc. are all that are really needed. Laundry is very cheap and is on almost every street in the touristy areas so you can always get your clothes laundered cheaply instead of taking enough clothes for each day. On my first trip to Thailand I took way too much clothes and took some warm clothes which were totally unsuitable for the climate.

ThunbergsAreGo

harpstilidie wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Don't think I like the sound of fried grasshoppers though We're flying with Malaysian Airlines from London to KL and from KL to Phuket. They decent to fly with? Looking forward to spending time in KL now. We have 2 full days so we'll have lots of things to choose from. Definitely want to go to the Petronas Towers and the Lake Gardens.

Hi,

How did you book the flights with the stopover? Did you need to book everything together?

Thanks

harpstilidie

naughtb4 wrote: »

Hi,

How did you book the flights with the stopover? Did you need to book everything together?

Thanks

Booked it all through Trailfinders. Really nice company to deal with. Priced the thing ourselves and it was working out more expensive so went with them in the end.

harpstilidie

So it's now 23 days until we jet off to Kuala Lumpur and Khao Lak. Really looking forward to it. Any last minute tips/info? I love boards

eagerv

harpstilidie wrote: »

So it's now 23 days until we jet off to Kuala Lumpur and Khao Lak. Really looking forward to it. Any last minute tips/info? I love boards

Your flight from London to KL should be on the new Airbus A380 which is as good as it gets, in economy. MAS have economy seating upstairs in the back.
Try and get up there, only 8 abreast rather than 10 downstairs. Also I dont think young children are allowed upstairs. Feels more spacious with storage box by the window.

I love KL. as mentioned previously best eateries are probably in Jalan Alor, beside the main shopping area of Bukit Bintang. Best nightlife area is Changkat Bukit Bintang. Normally I dont like Irish Bars when away but I make an exception with Healy Macs.

KLIA is a nice airport. Stress free and not over busy. I usually take the KLIA express train into city if on my own. Takes 28 mins(Computer controlled) but with driver! If with family, or one other, I find a taxi cheaper. Pre pay before leaving airport, usually I find the least expensive are pretty good. Dont forget you will still have to get a taxi if you arrive by train at Central Station.

Air Asia are also generally OK to travel with. Volunteer to take part in their "games" on board for a bit of fun!

Have a great trip...

chopper6

shed head wrote: »

Koh Samui is a kip,

Agreed.
I normally go to BKK then down to Koh samet but a freind persuaded me to visit Samui first.

Samui is an overdeveloped tourist trap..it's largely staffed by Burmese these days and you'll find yourself being hustled from morning to night.

I didnt like the beach at chawang either...instead of a "my ow khap" serving to get rid of hawkers they'd head over and try selling you everything from women to drugs...the restuarants were typically overpriced tourist fare and i couldnt wait to get back to BKK.

For what it's worth,if time is limited and you want to visit Samui,it's well worth the 120 euro airfare to get there(from Bangkok) and more importantly to get back...as the alternative is 21 hours on a train or 15 hours on the boat.

hedgehog2

I would`nt say Samui is a kip,if you know where to go its a grand little island.
While I agree it has changed big time in even a decade,if you avoid chaweng never stayed that side myself as its not my cup of tea.
Over near Lamai or Bophut,Choen Mong there are some lovely hotels with nice beaches and little quiet restaurants.

Stinicker

Chaweng is a little like Patong in Phuket in that it is over-commercialized and the hordes of tourists themselves are the problem. Lamai has its Girly Bars and that seedy element to it also.

Motivator

Beautiful part of the world, I spent a 6 weeks travelling with the missus last year. Without a doubt the highlight was Langkawi in Malaysia, for anyone who has never been I suggest you try it out. We spent 4 weeks backpacking & the last 2 weeks having a knees-up in fabulous restaurants & hotels. We went a bit overboard with Langkawi as it is expensive but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience "paradise".

stargazer 68

I have been to Thailand seven times over the last 20 years and Koh Samui has changed drastically. When we first went to Chaweng there was no pavements, a few hotels dotted along the main road and a beautiful beach. You could stop along the road at the little market stalls and then stop for a drink and do that all the way up the road

We stayed in Fishermans Village last Christmas and took a trip down to Chaweng for the day - didn't stay for the day!!! Its awful - lots of shops, starbucks, mcdonalds, beauty salons etc. Such a shame.

dealhunter1985

koh samui = kip

I heard good things about Chang Mai up north.
I havent been there but maybe worth looking into.

chopper6

If anybody is thinking about Ao Phrao in Samet be advised the beach was destroyed by an oil spill back in july.

Cant get more up to date info but it may have made it's way to other parts of the island.


An utter disgrace.

harpstilidie

Back just under a week and I couldn't recommend Khao Lak any more. Absolutely beautiful and so quiet. Spent half our time doing trips, Phang Nga Bay being the highlight and the other half just chilling out in Khao Lak. The beaches are incredible and the food was top notch.

We went to Patong in Phuket for a night and it was absolutely mental, like being in Spain only worse. Loads of folk pestering you to go into their bars/clubs/shows etc. Really glad we were only there for the evening.

Kuala Lumpur was grand for a few days, great for shopping and the Petronas Towers at night are stunning.