My husband and I are looking to go to Thailand in June 2018. Our main goal is to relax by the beautiful beaches, however we just realized that this is monsoon season in Thailand. Should we be reconsidering this destination? Our tentative itinerary looks like this:
Arrive Bangkok - spend 2 nights
Tentative trip to Chiang Mai for 2 nights
Head down to Krabi/Phuket for 7 nights and explore small islands around the area, then fly back from Bangkok to lax
My main question is regarding the monsoon. Has anyone been there during this time? Was it terrible? Will I really be stuck inside the hotel with gloomy days?
My second question is regarding the beach area, is it really too touristy? Do you have any advice as to how to make it not so busy/touristy? Any hotels you recommend that might be more private/secluded?
Thank you in advance!
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
We were there a few years back from about June 15 - July 10. Four days in Bangkok and then the rest of the time on Phuket with overnights to the Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay, and Krabi. For the first couple of weeks it was typical, tropical rain that would come quickly and then clear back up just as quickly to blue skies. It changed abruptly a few days into July. We watched a wall of rain come towards us as we were kayaking up an estuary. It hit and it didn't stop raining the rest of the time we were there. But we just did as the Thai people do...put on a pair of flip-flops and kept going! I put my hair up in a braid and didn't worry about it! The rain is about the hardest, most sustained rain I have ever seen though. I can't predict if it will start raining in June - it's kind of a crap shoot.
On Phuket and out on the islands and Krabi, some of the beach areas are extremely crowded and others, less so. On Phuket the beaches are on the west side of the island. If you don't want crowds then avoid Patong Bay...it's one of the most overdeveloped, crowded beach areas I've ever seen. Lots of stupid people on jet skis making really bad decisions. We liked the area around Nai Harn and Karon beaches - fewer people and very nice beaches. Surin is also nice but can be crowded in the middle of the day. Out on the islands there are some stunning beaches that are virtually deserted. Find someone on Koh Phi Phi that can take you in a longtail boat out to some of the small islands in the area like Bamboo Island...when we went we were the ONLY ones there - one of the whitest, most beautiful stretches of beach I've ever seen. The main town on Koh Phi Phi is quite awful in my opinion...I prefer the smaller resorts in Long Beach, a short longtail ride down the east side of the island. There are quite a few smaller resorts here - touristy but not overrun. I didn't like the beaches in Krabi...they were a bit muddy and not as nice as some of the other areas we visited.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Anita, thank you so much for your feedback. We need to get into vacation mode and just enjoy it. I'm a bit overwhelmed when it comes to deciding where to book hotels .. your info definitely helps. Thank you much!