Thailand holiday – package, DIY or mix of both?

I’ve got my flights booked to Bangkok for the end of July for 2 weeks. I know this isn’t the best time of year to visit Thailand but unfortionately our time isn’t entirely flexible. Anyway, in terms of weather are there any areas of Thailand that should be avoided and other areas that fair better during the monsoon season?

Thanks.

Linky

I did get your response, on holiday just now, but will answer soon, when I am sat down at my laptop properly, just now using phone to keep me away from work stuff as much as possible.

Staying in this place for 13 nights – http://www.sun-4u.com/property/br96/ – working out at 9000B plus leccy.

Just came back from a long weekend in Thailand, spending 5 days up in Chiang Mei mountain biking. If your up near Chiang Mei and would like to try some riding get in contact with X-Biking but be warned that rainy season is coming up.
Back again next week for a wedding down in Phuket, there are some advantages in being a couple of hours flight away!

on holiday just now, but will answer soon,

ah no worries mate, theres no rush. enjoy your holiday 🙂

Just came back from a long weekend in Thailand,

there are some advantages in being a couple of hours flight away!

haha, i was thinking thats a long way to go for a weekend 😀

thanks

Found this thread very useful, thanks all.

We’ve off to Thailand at the end of July, all DIY. Really enjoyed working out the itinerarys and booking the hotels etc. Plan so far:

Bangkok = 4 days
Chiang Mai = 5 days
Beach Location = 4 days.

For the beach location I’m considering either Hua Hin or Koh Samet. I’ve decided against Koh Samui as the flights are quite expensive and if we’re going to go we want to spend more than 4 days there. Any opinions on Hua Hin vs Koh Samet?

Thanks.

So I’m resurrecting this thread! I’m not back to planning my 3rd trip to Thailand in November. Has anyone been to Sukothai or Ayutthaya? I’m thinking of going to them both hopefully with Phitsanulok thrown in? Any recommendations or don’t bothers?

For those that have had their trip, how was it? What would you recommend or not? Love thinking about holidays 🙂

Munge-chick.

Both Ayutthaya and Sukothai are well worth a visit.

Last Easter, my wife, son and I drove from Phuket (where we live) up to Bangkok (and further) in a couple of weeks. We spent a couple of days in each of those places and really enjoyed them.

Ayutthaya in particular is a pretty easy-going place to visit. You’ll get day-trippers there from BKK but not too many.

Renting a bike in Sukothai was recommended to us by friends who had. We didn’t but it looked great. Not ‘mountain biking’ but a nice way to explore and see around the area.

As I said, both of these are 2 day (3 max) places. I’d highly recommend a road trip in the area! Most of the places we went to were beautiful but nowhere you’d really spend a whole holiday without wanting to move on.

I’ll; try to help if you have any more questions,

Mike

This thread has possibly resurfaced at just the right time. My SO and I both have big birthdays next year and she’s always wanted to go to Thailand.

Makecoldplayhistory…. if we were going around up in that area, where else would you recommend then? Would you hire a car as tourists…not into the backpacking slumming it so to speak! I was thinking of flying to Phisanulok for a few days to do there and Sukhothai then back to Bangkok and get a bus to Ayttaya? DOes this sound okay? It’s more logistics as well as to how long we have as we will have already spent maybe 8 days in Khao Lak then most of it off on the Burmese islands scuba diving.

Alphabet, if you have always thought about Thailand, then I can confirm is is more amazing than you think. We have been twice now 2011 and 2013 and each time we return we travel to different ares as SO much to see!

I would happily hire a car as a tourist. Just get an IDP and hire from an international eg. Hertz.

We’re beyond backpacking too. Plenty of beautiful little places to stay, far away from smelly, unwashed gap-yearers

I’ll get my wife to post here. Honestly, I carry bags, she does everything else.

might have asked this before mate, but if i did i cant remember the answer…… 🙂
just out of interest, where in phuket do you live? we know it quite well as my bro lived out there for 15 yrs or so, just moved back here now. he lived in thalang area, up the airport end.

haha Sadexpunk. Too many drugs in your punk days? 🙂

We sent a couple of emails back and forth last year. I live about 2km from the British International School; formerly Dulwich. Just on the other side of the road from Royal Phuket Marina.

It’s about 15km S. from Thalang. I know the area reasonably well though. Just starting our 3rd year here. The riding’s great, if a little sweaty / monsoony.

haha, yeah i can remember the drummers dogs name from the snotrags in 1977, but what i did yesterday? nah 😀

Munge – do you realise how far apart Ayttaya and Sukothai are? Did you make a mistake?

No I have looked I haven’t actually booked anything yet! I’ve seen Ayuttaya is about 1 hour out of Bangkok but Sukothai is flight trip to Phitsanulok. Unless you have any other recommendations which may be easier? I thought when we fly into Bangkok from phuket we could then go up to Sukothai for a few days then back to Bangkok then go to Ayutthaya? flights to phitsanulok were £14 each way so cheap!

Driving here isn’t as bad as it is made out. Even Bangkok is relatively easy to drive through, just a busy city with bad signage, and bizarre one way systems.

Sukothai and Ayuthia are nice, if you are into ruins and all that, take a look at Phimhai, a nice little sleepy town.

If you want to go off the beaten path, Loei province is really nice, up by the Maekhong, go to Chiang Khan town, head up the mountains.

Head west into Tak province and there is a huge waterfall there that is a days elephant trek away in the wet season

You shouldn’t need an IDP if you have a uk photo card license, haven’t needed them for a while now, although I know lots of tourists like to have them.

Get a car and go explore makes life so much easier on holiday here.