TL;DR (too long; didn't read):
Go to the islands! Be careful of seasonal nuances in areas (burning season, rainy season). It's far more “westernized” than eg. Bali but you can still find some really different experiences and gorgeous scenery.
Overview
Thailand is a land of extremes. Jaw-dropping mountain islands vs insane city traffic. Peaceful spas and nature preserves vs all-night drug-fueled raves. For our trip, we focused on the former: scenic escapes and beach lounging with just enough fire shows thrown in keep it fun. Our itinerary won't be for everyone, but at least it gives you a starting point.
Things to know about Thailand before going:
The culture shock is real but here are a few things to investigate before committing to travelling to Thailand:
- The average person won't speak any English but genuinely wants to help. They aren't looking for a tip or to take advantage (with the exception of human traffickers in party areas but that's a separate note). Unlike most of the rest of the world, if your gut tells you that you can trust a person, you probably actually can!
- Marijuana was legal while we were there and it was everywhere but that's since changed. Mushrooms were also on all of the smaller islands (be careful in Railay if you order mushrooms on your pizza or have a milkshake!). Mainland this is less true and I would urge caution as the penalties are terrifying.
- A few cultural details to keep in mind: do NOT bad mouth the royal family (illegal and also unacceptable); don't show the bottoms of your feet aside from on a beach (eg. sit criss-cross-applesauce on a chair at dinner) as this is considered rude; don't touch people's heads (also rude); don't stare at the ladyboys (they are everywhere, worth a NSFW search to make sure you're ok seeing this- eg. bringing children).
- There are some areas where human trafficking is right out in the open, do your research and be very careful in and around these areas.
- Look up burning season, monsoon season etc. We went south because it was burning season up north. Even where we were the smoke was quite severe at times. Thailand is large with lots of different climates, it's important to look up the weather in the actual places you'll be going. There's also a lot of festivals that should factor in to your planning.
- It's bigger than you think. I wouldn't change locations or hotels too frequently or you may end up spending most of your vacation in airports and ferry terminals.
- Do the tours! Thailand is basically Australia's Mexico so if you stay on resort you've spent a ton of money, effort and time to do something you could have more easily done closer to home. I'll dedicate a separate page to the tours we took because they really made the trip worth it. Also get some massages!
- Most of the elephant sanctuaries are pretty hard on the animals, even if they claim to be cruelty free. If you're really interested in seeing them, think about staying in an over-water bungalow in a national park where you might be able to see them in the wild (and maybe all sorts of other things too!).
Our Itinerary:
We had 14 days, however with flights and time change, that actually ends up only being about 12 days. I would strongly urge not going for less than 10 days because between travel time, the time change and jet-lag.
We elected to go straight to the islands because we both hate big cities. This meant that after almost 24 hours travelling, we still had a 5 hour wait in Bangkok airport. As huge a city as Bangkok is, the airport is surprisingly small and closes overnight which meant we were forced to try and get some rest in the entryway in front of security (sleeping holding your luggage to make sure someone isn't stealing it). However, unless you're staying in an actual airport hotel of which there are very few, the tourist areas of Bangkok are at least an hour away with the ever-present traffic so I'm hesitant to recommend wasting another day unless you have kids or a flexible schedule.
There are so many islands to choose from, it's very overwhelming. We went with three that are quite popular:
Krabi :
Gorgeous. Quintessential Thailand. Think mountains rising out of the ocean, night markets, clear water and perfect beaches. Could be kid-friendly, depending on the resort you choose. A must-see is the accessible by boat only Railay beach. There's a bit of a party scene there (mushroom milkshakes anyone?) . There are a few amazing hotels there that I was too intimidated to book because the boat-only entry made me nervous. Turns out it's super easy to get a longtail boat (some of the hotels will arrange it for you too) and if we ever return I would book there in a heartbeat. This would avoid having to come home by about 5pm when all the boats leave. You can fly directly into Krabi airport and then take any shuttle to your hotel.
Phi Phi Island (pronounced Pee Pee):
Only accessible by ferry. There's actually multiple islands but only one you can stay on. There are no cars and it's small enough you can walk most of it. It's a labyrinth of paths but by the 2nd day or so you'll feel like you can find everything. The beaches are full of insane fire shows at night. There are some great tours out to the site where they filmed “The Beach.”
Phuket (Patong):
This is one of the main islands and a real tourist hub. Lots of markets, muay Thai shows, and boat tours available. Patong beach is beautiful and kid-friendly with mango smoothies and Pad Thai street food everywhere. We did do a tour of Bangla Road which is the most kid-UNfriendly place I've ever been (this is where we saw human trafficking out in the open). It's interesting to see if you're pretty open and there was an amazing chinese new year parade while we were there but it was one and done for me. Avoid the ping pong show. Just trust me on that one.
- Back to Bangkok: We walked Khao San road (of the Hangover 2, and The Beach fame) and bought delicious drinks, some fun clothes and saw some crazy street foods (scorpions, spiders!). I also did an enormous mall and indoor market and walked a bit in some of the tourist areas. This is where we finally rode a Tuk Tuk! The traffic, pollution and just general chaos is a bit much and my statement that you can trust people isn't really true here (just like any large city). While I enjoyed my time in Bangkok, I would recommend spending as little time there as possible unless you're really into shopping.
Our Hotels:
Krabi Resort (Krabi):
This resort was dated but had an awesome location and great amenities. The fruit at the included breakfast was incredible. The night market directly down the street was also fantastic. I'm not sure if it was actually not busy but it felt like we had this resort to ourselves. We had our own little main floor cabin as part of only a few together and the room was large and beautiful. I would recommend this hotel with two caveats: if you can stay directly in Railay (especially Rayavadee) that would be better. The beach here is beautiful but it's pretty polluted, especially farther down where the river joins. Secondly, a huge black snake scared the snot out of me as it slithered into the garden right outside our resort room door.
PP Princess (Phi Phi)
This is probably the nicest hotel on the island. Great location, amenities are fantastic and we were able to truly relax. If you make it over to Phi Phi, I definitely recommend this hotel. Keep in mind with no cars and being accessible only by boat, some items are fairly expensive and nothing is super luxurious.
Phuket Graceland (Phuket)
Huge hotel, fantastic location, super family-friendly. If you're travelling with kids, this is the hotel to stay at. The pools are great but there's also lots of activities going on. While it's not an all-inclusive (none of them are), it feels very much like a large, moderate resort from anywhere in the Caribbean. Although, with that said, since it's far cheaper to just go to Mexico or the Dominican, I'd use it as a base to take tours and explore the area.
Himaphan Boutique Resort (Phuket)
We actually decided to bail on staying a few days in Bangkok at the very last minute and this was the only place we could find that was fairly close to the Phuket airport. It was a gorgeous room in a tiny little boutique hotel with a small pool. It's in a very “airport” area so not a lot around compared to the other places we stayed and the first impression was a bit intimidating since it looks like just a tiny room to check in. There were a few cute little bars in the area but very little else. We were looking for full relaxation though and that's exactly what we found. There's also a national park nearby and an airport runway beach (think St. Martin) so there's a few things to see and do here.
Pathumwan Princess
This hotel was gorgeous in the perfect area for tourist things with a fantastic rooftop pool. You can walk to amazing shopping and other touristy things. It seemed very safe and modern so we could leave the chaos of Bangkok behind. It actually felt just like any higher end hotel in Canada, except with a dizzying array of light switches and fancy technical options.
In Conclusion:
Thailand is a gorgeous country with lots of amazing things to see and do. I'll do a separate blog with details of all of our activities which was really what set this trip apart. In general, I'd say that the price point is quite a bit higher than somewhere like Bali, and the hotels are a fairly standard, so more time exploring is really what makes the trip special. Although, if you can figure out a stay in Rayavadee (Railay) for a reasonable price, that place is mind-blowing!