Stuck choosing an island to visit

So I have spent the better part of the weekend trying to learn about the islands. UGH!

I originally though Koh Phangan, but, after reviewing the weather patterns realized it would be a mistake. I will be arriving on an island the first week of November.. lots of rain at Koh Phangan last year during that time period.

It looks like the Andaman sea has better weather patterns, but, it also looks like the resorts are much more upscale.

So, these are the parameters I am looking for.. if it doesn't exist oh well.. if someone knows the perfect spot but doesn't want to make it public.. please PM me.

Ok, so here goes.. bungalow type place to stay no more than 20 a night for 2 people.. and less is definitely better..

Can't be too "Robinson Caruso" as the wife wants electricity and some relatively tame nightlife..

Any suggestions?

Oh, I forgot to mention..

Waterfalls, views of other islands.. sunsets views.. does not break the bank to actually get there..

thanks!

20 what a night?

sorry.. US dollars..

There are some very affordable places on the islands south of Phuket and Lanta. It can be quite nice down there.

details please :) Ive already spent an entire weekend in front of the computer.. eyes are drooping LOL

Google up Koh Lipi, its on the malaysian border west coast.

Could be what your looking for.

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

Ok, so here goes.. bungalow type place to stay no more than 20 a night for 2 people.. and less is definitely better..

Can't be too "Robinson Caruso" as the wife wants electricity and some relatively tame nightlife..

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20 bucks a night or less might be reasonable in 1999...in 2009, not so much.

And the thing is, at that price range, it's going to very hard/impossible to book in advance. Places that charge 20 bucks or less a night typically aren't into online booking and/or customer service.

Bexar is exactly right. Plus you are not going to be on the beach with a pool at that price. Stop at a minimart get a bottle of booze and sit on the beach and watch the sunset.

I fell in love with Koh Phayam, off Ranong, about 2 hours North of Phuket.

No cars, just a few motorbikes. Scented Cashew plantations, Hornbills, even the odd crocodile. Minimum US$ 5, max 50, both on the beach.

Nightlife: chatting in restaurants, a fire- light beach party most evenings. Starlit nights. Decent food and nice people. No beserkers or lager louts. No girly bars obviously.

Lovely place. Stayed there for a month over Christmas and New year. Fun , interesting and relaxing all at the same time.

Shouldn't have told you about it really.

M

Sorry, how old are you roughly, mentally? (not a silly question) It's the sort of place for thoughtful young people to hip, laid back, open-minded oldies. Not beligerent, fussy tourists.

M

Koh Mook, off Trang, is a nice place to spend some time. The place I stayed there (Mookie's) was 200 baht a night last time I checked a couple of months ago. Tents with fans, lights, electric. Shared bath. In a rubber tree plantation about ten minutes' walk from the beach. The beach on Had Farang (forget the real name) is mostly taken up with Charlie's Beach Resort. Charlie's are a bunch of c*nts and you're better off not staying there. What kind of an asshole puts a swimming pool 50 meters from the beach???

There are other bungalow options available on Mook, too, ranging from cheap to uber-expensive. Not much nightlife to speak of, aside from relaxing with cold beers and watching sunsets and partaking in conversation. Easy to arrange trips to nearby islands (Kradan, etc.) for snorkling/diving trips. During high season, there are ferries that can take you south to Lao Liang, Lipe, and Tarutao, and on to Langkawi. You can also go north to Lanta, Phi Phi, or Phuket, if you're so inclined.

Now thats the kind of answers I was hoping for.. I will do some research later today and maybe ask some more questions.. also some replies to follow this post.. :)

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Originally Posted by Michael

Sorry, how old are you roughly, mentally? (not a silly question) It's the sort of place for thoughtful young people to hip, laid back, open-minded oldies. Not beligerent, fussy tourists.

M

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Koh Phayam sounds ideal to me.. need to talk it over with the lady and see what she thinks.

I am 45... old hipeye ;) Def not a fussy tourist.. this is my first time to Thailand, but, I have been travelling around the backwoods of Mexico and Central America for the last 25 years.. would be doing that again but the stupid Mex immigration folk apparently don't like Russians (wife) so I thought we would give Thailand a go and see what its all about.

I am really quite excited to do something new, but, I am also a little put off by the obviously moronic tourist factor. It reminds me a bit of what has happened to Guatemala. Guatemala used to be an amazing place to visit.. low cost, gorgeous, clean, safe and super low key.. nowadays.. unless you go really far off the beaten path there is always someone in your face trying to sell you some crap you don't need, some other moron trying to convince you to hire him as a guide, and some faux environmentalist too young to be a hippie backpacker trying to score some cocaine or mushrooms.

I hope to avoid those scenarios to the greatest extent possible though the deeper I dig the more I am seeing it isn't going to be easy for a first timer without the ability to speak Thai. But, thats why I am here asking questions and really appreciate the candid responses.

BTW.. I could afford to spend more.. but I don't want to be sitting in some whitewashed place. I want to go to Thailand.. not Disneyland. ;)

Don't worry about the language too much. If you want to learn Thai, you'll do it. There are a lot of resources available, some of them mentioned in places on this site. I think there's a sub-forum on the Thai language. There are always Rosetta Stone, podcasts, dictionaries, books, etc. I'm not sure where you're living now but you might be able to find a Thai course near you. I found one near me offered by county adult education.

FYI, Mookie's doesn't have a web presence, though I think Brian finally has internet capabilities. He's even got himself a Facebook account...

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

BTW.. I could afford to spend more.. but I don't want to be sitting in some whitewashed place. I want to go to Thailand.. not Disneyland.

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Spend it. Just 10 to 15 bucks a day more and you will have a comfortable place. Thailand is no where near as cheap now as it was in the day.

So, a friend of mine mentioned today that Railay might be a good choice also.. starting to do some preliminary research.. anyone have thoughts?

I love Raillay as do my wife and kids. You would stay on the east side of the island on your budget. Its nice but you dont have the sunset view. But you can walk to the sunset side in 10 minutes. A real nice laid back place. The east side is mostly rock climbers and rasta boys.:)

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

I want to go to Thailand.. not Disneyland.

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Thailand is Disneyland, they just haven't joined all the rides up yet.

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Originally Posted by aging one

I love Raillay as do my wife and kids. You would stay on the east side of the island on your budget. Its nice but you dont have the sunset view. But you can walk to the sunset side in 10 minutes. A real nice laid back place. The east side is mostly rock climbers and rasta boys.:)

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I have also noticed Tonsai which seems even more to my preference. The rock formations are really amazing!

Now.. is this a good place for a couple basically on a honeymoon?

As for Raillay yes very much so. you can easily tour around the rest of Krabi as well. 10 minutes or so by long tail to Ao Nang. I like raillay because its more like an island than an island. No cars at all.

^Yeah, AO, that aspect of Railay is really nice. You can walk pretty much anywhere.

well then for the moment it appears to be Railay as the top runner.. those rock formations are pretty amazing and it seems like its got the other aspects that work for me..

The only doubt I have is this..

Since it is a rock climbers haven.. I got the feeling that it might be a place with an imbalanced gender ratio.. any thoughts on that?

Whatever you do, do not come to Samui. It is full of weirdos and rapists.

Any one who comes here will be tricked, scammed, assaulted and disappointed by the beaches, the wildlife, the nightlife and the people, both Thai and expat.
Samui does not need any more people to come here. It is already full of unhappy disappointed humanity.
Please stay away.

All of you.

^Eh, what's all that about then?

^^I never noticed a gender imbalance there. Always seemed to be plenty more women than men. :) It is indeed a rock climber's haven but there are many more folks around who are just passing through and aren't into climbing, people just on the piss, honeymooning couples, etc.

Let me save you a lot of time and misery. The islands in Thailand are primarily scams and Thailand is no place to take the wife.

OK Jim, thats a bold statement.. how about backing it up with some reasons please?

Raillay is full of nice people there are as many women climbing as men. Hell this time of the year people come from all over the planet to escape the cold and keep climbing. Go for it.

I though Koh Lanta was lovely. I stayed at the south-west end of the island in a hut perched on the cliff-face. There was a relaxed bar and restaurant there and it was quiet and relaxing.

But, it was 9 years ago, so I've no idea what it's like now. I might even dig some old photos out and warm up the scanner...

* Edit - all my photos from Lanta are crap. :(

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

OK Jim, thats a bold statement.. how about backing it up with some reasons please?

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you can do your own homework or you can go to any place in thailand and find out for yourself

Yo Jim.. dude.. how about you drop the attitude?

I have traveled in well over 30 countries, speak 3 languages fluently and can pass in two others.. as well as having been behind the lines in several different Latin American civil wars. Thailand I am sure awesome and intense and whatever but it its just another country on my list and there are rip offs and scams everywhere. If you know something important that EVERYONE should know spill it. Otherwise you are just trolling.

If you happened to be going to Mexico or Central America and asked the same questions I am asking I would certainly not give you some dumbass vague and negative commentary.. on the contrary I would tell you specifically which coastal places and islands to avoid because they are rip offs and where to go to find an authentic and quality experience devoid of faux hippies and the corrupt local who prey on them.

Thanks.

Hello everyone!
I live about an hour's drive from the border and the furthest i've been is to Hatyai. Thailand really grows on you the more you visit and the more you get to know the people and the culture. Yeah including the scams and ripoffs too but you'll eventually learn how to detect these.
Been doing reading online and asking friends that have been to Krabi and Ao Nang as I was thinking of making a trip there soon. Actually was suppose to go Ao Nang last weekend but had to cancel last minute as the wife had some work commitments...
Long story short I'm gratefull for all the tips to be had in the forum and the guys contributions.
Great post Scupto and I'll be waiting to read about your visit.
Have fun!

Railleys a really nice beach as is Ton Sai (spelling?) Only problem with Ton Sai is that there are random rocks all over the beach that can give you a nasty shock when you stub your toe on them stumbling back to your hut in the dark.:)

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

OK Jim, thats a bold statement.. how about backing it up with some reasons please?

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well the first coming to mind is that you don't bring beer with you when you go to the Octoberfest...:)

Oh I understood the implications of the monger concept and Thailand not being a place to take the wife.. but.. thats just narrow minded thinking. Not everyone goes to Thailand to screw impoverished young ladies and take advantage of their buying power. There are plenty of places where that is not an issue and is one of the reasons I started the thread to make sure we don't end up in some mini Pattaya with a bunch of old farts and their skinny 18 year old hooker girlfriends.

I'm with Michael --
Koh Phayam is fantastic. You could do Railley and then go up to Phayam. I stayed at a Frenchies' resort, but there are a few to choose from. In the main "town" or port for Ranong, stop in and say hi to Walter and Noi -- they have a great seafood restaurant and a travel agency -- Nice Tour, I think. Really wonderful folks who used to live on Samui.
Have a great trip.

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Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

I'm with Michael --
Koh Phayam is fantastic. You could do Railley and then go up to Phayam. I stayed at a Frenchies' resort, but there are a few to choose from. In the main "town" or port for Ranong, stop in and say hi to Walter and Noi -- they have a great seafood restaurant and a travel agency -- Nice Tour, I think. Really wonderful folks who used to live on Samui.
Have a great trip.

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I checked out Koh Phayam also.. there are only two downsides I can see from the limited info on the web..

1. Scenery/ocean view is not as nice as Railay (from the few photos I was able to find)
2. Might be too quiet. If I was going alone it would be perfect, but, the woman was very specific about that issue.. she wants some kind of nightlife...

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Originally Posted by jim1176

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

OK Jim, thats a bold statement.. how about backing it up with some reasons please?

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you can do your own homework or you can go to any place in thailand and find out for yourself

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Ah, okay, so Jim's a troll. Now that that's established...

Koh Chang's a good destination, in my finding - and however impossible it may be for single-minded sex tourists to understand, Thailand has a lot to offer to women, as well as couples - you're just too dense to understand it.

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Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

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Originally Posted by jim1176

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sculpto

OK Jim, thats a bold statement.. how about backing it up with some reasons please?

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you can do your own homework or you can go to any place in thailand and find out for yourself

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Ah, okay, so Jim's a troll. Now that that's established...

Koh Chang's a good destination, in my finding - and however impossible it may be for single-minded sex tourists to understand, Thailand has a lot to offer to women, as well as couples - you're just too dense to understand it.

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Thats the sad thing Daffy.. some people can't see the ground cuz their fat gut is in the way... ;)