Where to holiday in Thailand for the first time

Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Holidaying in the country is relatively inexpensive, there is a lot to see and go to, many interesting locations, beautiful beaches and a wide variety of hotels, villas and apartments. Thanks to this Thailand receives about 25-35 million tourists every year.

If you are thinking about going on holiday to Thailand, but do not know where to spend your holiday – this article is for you. In it we will tell you about the most popular resorts, where most tourists come and their features.

Phuket

Phuket Island is probably the most famous holiday destination in Thailand. It is perfect for getting acquainted with the destination – you can safely go here if you are flying to Thailand for the first time or going on holiday with children.

Resort areas of Phuket are called by the main beach – Patong, Kata, Karon, Kamala, Bang Tao, Naiton, Surin and others. They are located on the west coast of the island – it is this part of Phuket is better suited for most tourists. The east coast attracts those who want to plunge into the culture of the locals: here it is difficult to find an equipped beach or chain hotel, there are few tourists.

Essentially, Phuket beaches are small towns on the Phuket coast, each with its own atmosphere:

Patong and Surin is suitable for those who love partying and nightlife;

Kata, Karon, Kamala, Bang Tao are areas for tourists with children and those looking for a holiday destination in Thailand with good hotels, restaurants and developed infrastructure;

Kata Noi, Mai Khao and Naiton – a place where you can relax in peace and have a peaceful holiday;

Liberty Beach – a place to go in Thailand for those who love diving and snorkelling, as well as active holidays.

Pros:

• good choice of hotels, restaurants and excursions;

• easy to get to – the international airport is located on the island;

• beautiful and clean beaches;

• suitable for different categories of tourists;

• many natural attractions and interesting locations.

Minuses:

• popular place – there are a lot of tourists, especially in high season;

• prices are higher than in the northern part of Thailand.

Phatthaya

Pattaya is a resort on the Gulf of Thailand, not far from Bangkok, where you can go for a busy and active holiday. This is a resort where there is a huge choice of entertainment for tourists. Often mistakenly believe that Pattaya is worth flying to only those who like discos, nightlife and bars. In fact, this is not quite true. The choice of clubs is really great, and parties are held daily, but in addition to this in Pattaya you can find a lot of interesting things to do:

• water parks and amusement parks;

• elephant village and zoos;

• temples, museums and attractions;

• places for active rest – schools of kiting, surfing, golf.

The beaches of Pattaya are not as beautiful as in the southern part of the country. On city beaches the water is murkier, there is more rubbish, less palm trees and other greenery. If you get away from residential and tourist areas, you can find a beautiful shore. Although, many people also swim on the beaches within the city.

Pattaya is a city where you should go for an active and inexpensive holiday. Here you can find a sea of entertainment, touch the Asian flavour and visit many unusual places. But it is not a suitable place for holidays with small children, or if you are looking for a quiet resort.

Pros:

• Lower prices than in the south of Thailand;

• great choice of attractions and entertainment;

• you can go to Bangkok and see the neighbourhood;

• lots of local Thai flavour;

• no pronounced rainy season – you can relax in the low season.

Minuses:

• Not as beautiful and clean beaches as in the south;

• in some areas there may be a smell of sewage;

• there are a lot of drunken tourists on the streets in the afternoon.

Samui

Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand, is one of the favourite resorts of tourists who go on holiday to Thailand. There are many parks, viewpoints and attractions, the island is also home to the most famous statue of Tai – Big Buddha and the popular temple of Plai Laem. Samui can be called the island of temples – there are more than 20 of them. The beaches on the island are clean, sandy and picturesque.

Samui has a developed infrastructure, many restaurants and cafes, a good choice of hotels. This is the optimal resort where to go on holiday in Thailand, if you are important beautiful nature, the presence of attractions and good service. Here there are rarely noisy discos and shows, but there are Spa-centres and places for relaxation.

Pros:

• Beautiful nature and clean beaches;

• many temples and other interesting locations;

• good choice of hotels, there are resort hotels;

• calm atmosphere.

Minuses:

• can only be reached with connections;

• high prices by Thai standards;

• modest choice of entertainment.

Phangan

Pangan or Phangan is an island next to Samui. They are both similar and completely different. Phangan is famous for electronic music lovers – the most famous rave Full Moon takes place every full moon on Haad Rin Beach, and the party goes on until the morning on other beaches.

There are plenty of unspoilt nature spots on Pangan, and you can rent a beachfront bungalow for a secluded sunrise on a wild beach. The island has a good selection of spas, massage centres and yoga studios.

In short, Pangan is a holiday destination for both fun-loving and active holidaymakers and those who want peace and quiet.

Pros:

• Unspoilt wild beaches and gorgeous nature;

• active nightlife;

• plenty of places for relaxation – massage, yoga and wellness.

Minuses:

• long journey;

• no public transport – you need to either hire a bike/car or take a taxi.

Samet

Samet is a resort that is rarely seen in guidebooks, where is the best place to go on holiday in Thailand. It is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, located south of Pattaya. It is connected to the mainland by regular ferry service.

Samet Island – a place where you can find beautiful beaches, and if you are a fan of snorkelling, you can swim near the picturesque coral reefs. It’s quite quiet here, the resort is suitable for a relaxing holiday – you could choose it as a destination to fly with a young child. But seclusion has a downside – the infrastructure here is modest, although everything you need is there: hotels, including 5 stars, cafes and restaurants, you can take a yacht and go on excursions. Often locals who come to the island from Bangkok spend their weekends here.

Pros:

• Seclusion and few tourists;

• beautiful white sandy beaches;

• clean sea;

• reasonable prices;

• interesting nature, many places for walking.

Minuses:

• it gets busy at weekends;

• lack of entertainment;

• poor infrastructure.

Koh Chang

Chang Island, also known as Elephant Island, is located in the eastern part of Thailand, next to Cambodia. It is quite large – the 3rd largest in terms of area in Thailand, after Phuket and Samui.

Koh Chang Island holidays are a versatile choice if you’re looking for tropical nature and beaches, but want this combined with a developed infrastructure. There are hotels to suit all tastes – from inexpensive mini-hotels to five-star hotels, restaurants, cafes and street food outlets.

Ko Chang is an island where you can holiday with children, as a couple, in a company or alone. There are secluded beaches and quiet parks, bustling markets and interesting sights, opportunities for scuba diving and active holidays.

The island falls within the boundaries of a marine reserve, so you won’t find water scooters or skis, motorboats and other transport – only the ferry in the north of the island.

Pros:

• clean beautiful beaches and lots of greenery;

• moderate prices and choice of hotels/cafes for different budgets;

• average number of tourists;

• good infrastructure.

Minuses:

• beaches without buoys and lifeguards;

• expensive bike hire and high price of taxis;

• long gentle entrance to the sea, which for some may be a plus.

Hua Hin

The resort with a huge snow-white beach has a reputation as a fashionable and expensive holiday destination. The royal family has been holidaying here for more than 100 years – back in the last century the King of Thailand built a residence here.

In Hua Hin there are no noisy nightlife, but there are wide beaches, parks and plantations. However, for beautiful beaches with palm trees you need to go to the outskirts of the resort. It is easy to find a good restaurant or hotel with a spa programme, a wide range of interesting excursions, and Hua Hin is also famous for its golf courses and kitesurfing schools.

Pros:

• high level of service;

• developed infrastructure;

• measured atmosphere.

Minuses:

• high prices;

• large jellyfish in May-June, but can be noticed later.

Krabi

Krabi is a large province in Thailand and an archipelago of the same name in the west of the country, off the Andaman Sea. The region is home to one of the oldest cities in Thailand – Krabi Town, there are many temples and interesting sights.

Special attention can be paid to caves, waterfalls and rocks – rock climbing and grotto exploration are popular here. At the same time, on the islands you can find quiet hotels for a measured beach holiday without too much fuss. Krabi has many parks and nature reserves, some with equipped trails for hikers. There are also hot springs and emerald lakes. Krabi – a place where to go on holiday in Thailand for lovers of walks, nature, active holidays.

Pros:

• unusual nature;

• beaches are gentle and suitable for holidays with children;

• many attractions;

• reasonable prices.

Minuses:

• small choice of entertainment;

• long travelling time.

This is, of course, not all resorts in Thailand and not even a complete TOP of the best places for a holiday in the country. But if you are going to go to Thailand for the first time, we recommend you to consider these islands and provinces for your holiday.

Where to go in Thailand for the first time

To make it easier to compare places to go in Thailand for the first time, we’ve put together a table:

	Best time for a holiday	Prices, $-$$$	Suitable for children	Beaches, ✓-✓✓✓	Infrastructure, ✓-✓✓✓
Phuket	December-March	$$	✓	✓✓	✓✓✓
Pattaya	November-February	$	✕	✓	✓✓✓
Samui	January-March, July-August	$$	✓	✓✓✓	✓✓
Pangan	January-March, July-August	$$	✕	✓✓✓	✓✓
Samet	November-March	$$	✓	✓✓✓	✓
Koh Chang	November-March	$$	✓	✓✓✓	✓✓
Hua Hin	November-February	$$$	✓	✓✓	✓✓✓
Krabi	November-April	$	✓	✓✓	✓✓

We hope we have helped you decide where to holiday in Thailand for the first time! Check out Thai.Pro – there is a lot of useful information for a comfortable stay in Thailand.