Hi all,
I am going to Thailand next month for three weeks and I did indeed have a draft plan, but i would like some sugestion from any of you who has done this before.
My plan is Bangkok, go river kway, then north for trekking and back to bangkok and to one of the islands which is not full of full moon party lovers.
Have you got any better tips? And which island should i go to avoid ravers? I though of Ko Pha Ngan but is it ok?
Thanks for your answers

Koh Pha Ngna is pretty nice but that's the island where everybody meets up for Full Moon Parties. Anyway, the biggest party is usually at Hat Rin, so if you stay away from there you should be fine. Other places I quite like are the island of Koh Lanta and Hat Rei Leh (near Krabi).

Just returned from a five week stint in Thailand (five days in Cambodia) and I would highly recommend Koh Pan Nagn as a party place and a chill out zone! You have got to stay at the Blue Lotus Resort (Ban Kai; about a 40 minute beach walk to Hat Rin)! It's the cleanest 300 bhat a night joint I've ever seen. The bungalows are roomy and the staff are warm and friendly. They serve quality mexican and thai food and the place is guarded by five friendly dogs who bark at anybody they don't recognise as staying on the resort. Things are pretty busy around full moon as thousands head for the island to party. The party itself is great fun if you take it easy on the Samsong, make sure your belongings are safe and don't consume too many illegal substances. Word on the beach is that two farangs died last month but I don't know that for sure. I'm jealous you'll be heading out there! I'm a teacher and today was my first day back at school. Gutted! But I aim to return next year for more sun, samsong and satays!!

I really enjoyed traveling the east, Isan. It's the Thailand I had imagined before I ever saw. People are ultra friendly and everything is layed back. You'll see tourists far and few between. The specific areas I loved were Phimai and Phanom Rung, ancient Khmer temple sites from the same people/era as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Spectacular.

I also really enjoyed Ao Phang-Nga and cruising the Adaman Sea. Nothing like it. Krabi is beautiful, but now you're starting to be with lots of vacationers which isn't always a bad thing.

Anyways, I've got all the aforementioned areas on my travel photography website here:

Thailand Photo Gallery

The first image that comes up is Prasat Phanom Rung, but scroll through the thumbnails for others.

Thailand is great and you will have an excellent journey.

Regards, Bruce

www.brucegcollier.com

Hey all thanks a lot for your reply, of course i am still waiting for more answers, the more i get the more i know before i get there.
Bruce your photos are absolutely incredible, you must be a pro, why my photos never come so good?
cheers

Thanks, busgoxu, glad you liked the photos. It's hard to not take a good photo in Thailand.

As for more posts, don't forget to search existing posts for the info that you seek. Lots of good input out there and it's the luck of the draw as to who will see your post and respond to it.

Regards,
Bruce

www.brucegcollier.com

DON'T MISS CHATUCHAK (not sure about spelling, sorry) MARKET while you are in Bangkok! Great buys, good prices (haggle, but I found that the prices were quite honest), good food.

Start in Bangkok 2/3 day's is okay
daytrip to Ayutthaya with lunch at goodluck restaurant (opposite tony's Place) and Sukhotai
1 or 2 weeks in the north
and spend the rest of your availeble time on the island.

i'm off to thialand in january for 2 1/2 weeks with my mam...we're going to spend 1 night in bangkok & then we're heading up to chiang mai to do 5 day trip taking in the golden triangle, elephant treking, river rafting & light jungle traking & then back to bangkok for a day before heading to krabi & phuket for 5 days!

That 5 day trip sounds fab Twisterlady, and is just the sort of thing I would love to do when I go to Thailand in April. Can I ask where you booked this?

yeah, we booked it through sta travel but the company we're doing it through is intrepid travel...

there website is:

www.intrepidtravel.com

have a look on there...we're doing the golden triangle excursion

sorry this reply is a little late :D