Koh samui/koh phangan/koh tao?

Question

Hi,

my boyfriend and I are planning a week on the above islands (sorry if my spelling of them is bad!) after visiting Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Jan next yr.

We don't mind a few drinks but want to be away from thumping music all night long, and after a week in the cities would really like to go somewhere romantic :)

We'l be flying to Samui so thought we'd spend a night there then head to the other islands.

The more unspoilt the better, a beach hut with a fan near the sea would be great.

Our budget is around £20 a night max.

I've read a lot of reviews on the net but a lot are at least 2 yrs old, and Im aware how quickly some resorts develop.

Will we be ok staying on Koh Tao if we don't want to dive?

And for mid Jan (11th onwards) should we book in advance?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Answer 1

the best beach in thailand is h*i hin about 2 hours outside of bangkok it is everything your looking for very cheap and quiet it is also the kings favourite place in the whole of thailand

Answer 2

Koh Tao is definitely quieter and has less developments than Samui. You can get a ferry across to other islands if you want to explore them.

We stayed in Koh Samui 2 years ago, and you will find North Chaweang beach has brilliant sunsets and is well away from all night discos. You can hire a car or motorbike and get around the island easily and you might find a better deal when you arrive, so perhaps pre-book one hotel for a night or 2 then decide if you want to move anywhere from that as a base. There are some lovely romantic hotels and they will offer you a good deal in January to stay with them for longer.