17 days Thailand

I have not been to Thailand yet, but hope to in the next couple years when the kids are a bit bigger. However, with 17 days why not go off the beaten path while over there. Air Asia are a great airline and very affordable, why not fly to Luang Prabang in Laos for 3 or 4 nights? Exceptionally beautiful country and LP is on the Mekong. Unbelievable waterfalls (even I was amazed) and an amazing experience. With 17 days, you could spend 10 in Thailand, 3 or 4 in LP and another 3 in Siem Reap etc.

Sorry I couldn't be more help to you, just thought I'd give a suggestion or two.

I did an almost identical trip 10 years ago and it was a great mix, you won't be disappointed ted with that. Chiang mai is a bit more chilled out than the islands (partying) and Bangkok (all round craziness). I wasn't a huge fan of Bangkok and a couple of days were fine.

I would also look into a place called Pai which is nothing and on the Burmese border that people go to from chiang mai. Never got to go myself but everyone we met raved about it. If I was doing it again I might cut the 6 days in the islands to squeeze that in, but you won't go wrong with the trip you have planned

Not sure when you are planning to go but there is a national holiday in April that is essentially a national water fight that might be good craic

Yeah, I was at a wedding in Malaysia a few years ago and a few of us went on to Siem Reap for 2 nights, Luang Prabang for 4, Hanoi for 3, Hoi an for 3 and Ho Chi Minh for 2. Well worth it. Luang Prabang was the class, Siem Reap was an eye opener (Angkor Wat is something else) and Hanoi was great. Hoi An was disappointing.

You have so many options, but as someone above said it depends on what you are looking for.

As another poster pointed out check entry requirements and also the weather.

I would minimize time in Bangkok and use them days elsewhere. Treat yourself to a nice hotel there for your entry and exit from the country. Spend more on getting a suite in a very good hotel than a standard room in a more expensive 5* hotel.

On the island's you need to pick the ones that suit what ye are into. I really enjoyed Ko Lipe small quiet and scenic. Have heard good thinks about Lanta as well but have not been there.

You'd be mad to go to Thailand for anything less than a month.

Seriously, cancel that plan / trip. Re-plan to go when you can go for a month.

We spend approx. 1 month in Thailand every year (pre covid) and we still see new stuff every time we land.

When are you thinking of going OP?

The latest iteration of the Thai "Test & Go" program will be formally published on Wednesday and requires mandatory PCR test and overnight hotel quarantine on both day 1 and day 5 of your trip.

So that is effectively 2 days/nights of your trip written off, and you also need to be in a position to check in to a quarantine hotel on day 5 so can't be too far off the beaten track. This testing regime also effectively rules out any side trips to Laos or Cambodia as you would need to repeat quarantine on your return

Hopefully they will relax things in the future, but having just spent 10 days in mandatory quarantine for failing my second PCR test, i would have second thoughts on travelling there until they relax the requirements