[sunniefaith]

I've been to Phuket like 3 times, love it each time. It's really nice out there. Nothing has changed much since the tsunami though. Still really nice

[dong]

Personally I prefer Koh Samui as it is not so commercialize compared to Phuket.

Try Le Royal Meridien Baan Taling Ngam, I assure you that you will like it and not want to leave the resort to go anywhere else!

[pilgrim]

Originally Posted by cosmokat

I think I've narrowed it down to at least Thailand! But, where would you choose? Phuket or Koh-Samui?!

i'd go for samui. That's for sure!

[cosmokat]

Does it make a difference if I'm planning my trip for around mid-August?? Is it monsoon season in Phuket or Koh Samui then too?

[JonnyC]

I've not been to phuket but I have been to samui and personally I wouldn't recommend it, it's like benidorm with the amount of drunk brits (and aussies too). And that isn't just on chaweng either, lamai is as bad and a lot of the other areas are getting taken over too.

One place no-one has mentioned is hua hin which is also in thailand, about 2 hours drive south from bangkok. It's where the thai royal family go on holiday and hasn't been over-commercialised yet as it's an area where lots of thais holiday as opposed to foreigners. There still gets a few foreigners though and there is plenty to do both at night and in the day, it's just a bit more relaxed than the better known thai resorts.

Yes, it is monsoon season in Thailand from about end of may to october, september it rains the most but you can probably expect some in august too, but only like an hour a day or so then it's clear again

[cosmokat]

Appreciate all the replies! Let's make it easy...where do all the cute guys hang out...lolz!

[pilgrim]

there is another place ( two islands - Ko Lipe and Ko Adang) both near the malaysian border, very south of Thailand.
These are really authentic ones, no "Big Chunky Charlie, that is eating up the whole world" ( if you remember that quote in "The Beach" w/ Di Caprio).
Both islands' virginity is astonishing, Adang is an uninhabited one... getting to Samui afterwards makes you feel like Leo had felt in the movie when he went to R&R and rice shopping ( remember that episode, when he yells at some dudes he'd met earlier, trying to bullshit them about the map...)
But the best season to go is oct-may.
So, from the free-of-crowd point of view it's worth to start your trip with somenting like Ko-Lipe for 3-4 days and then move to samiu to party your brains out with bunch of aussies and drunk brits
Are they cute, though?

[travelem]

Try Cebu.

http://www.travel.com.hk

A 4 day Cebu air+hotel package is around HK$4000.

[cbear]

Hi! It would depend on what time of year you would be going. Both are fabulous places with plenty of hotel options. I have been to phuket three times and Samui once and Samui is my favourite. The monsoon season effects weather in the two places and they have opposite seasons. October - March/April is the best time for the west coast (Phuket) but miserable, raining and "monsooned" on the east. April/May - October is the best time for Samui. Of course the prices change accordingly with these seasons so I have always found it better to go on the shoulder of the season and you would only pay semi-peak rates. Weather is not guaranteed to be brilliant though...I absolutely love Thailand and it remains my favourite Asian destination!

[sylvesterjay]

I used to live on Samui, so if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.