PLANNING ADVICE
Which Thailand destinations suit you? Compare your options
Phuket, Krabi or Samui? North and beaches on one trip? Start with season, available days and your preferred pace.
Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui?
Compare season, atmosphere and connections first. Phuket has very different areas: choose a neighbourhood before judging the whole island. Krabi and Ao Nang can serve as a base for coastal outings, while staying at Railay changes the logistics. Consider Samui for a Gulf base and onward island connections. None is automatically best: a beach that fits your holiday matters more than a ranking.
Choose the month before the photo
Andaman and Gulf rainfall patterns differ. Before choosing Phuket, Krabi or Samui, compare your month in the seasonal guide and check forecasts and advisories close to departure. A seasonal average is not a sunshine guarantee. If the sea is essential, keep flexibility around outings.
With seven, ten or fifteen days
As an editorial guideline, consider Bangkok and one other base for a week, or focus on one region. With ten days, add a stop only if transfers leave time for visits. With fifteen days, Bangkok, one northern base and one seaside base become a reasonable comparison rather than an obligation. Count usable days: an evening arrival is not a full day.
Villages, children or time to rest
For villages, compare a dedicated outing with an overnight stay: they are different experiences. With children or a focus on rest, prioritise manageable transfers and nearby services over the number of places. If you love the sea, do not add the North out of obligation. Good choices remove stops that do not justify packing and moving.
Turn the comparison into a route
Select areas on the map, choose interests and compare a few bases at a time. Allocate nights before visits. Save just the bases and add activities later: you do not need to decide everything in one session. Finally, check the return to your departure airport.