If you want to be in the livliest area than Patong...although its a place I avoid.

Karon and Kata beaches are not quite as lively ... but still loads of restaurants and bars. All three have great beaches.

Bang Tao which includes the Laguna complex of hotels is also well served with beach, bar and restaurants.

To be honest sunbear i am at a loss where to go.

From a holiday us as a couple like good hotels, nice beaches but like to get out and about to eat, with shops nearby and the hustle and bustle. We were thinking of the Bel Aire Princess bangkok for 2-3 days, and Cape panwa for 7 days and maybe several days somewhere else, eg, Borneo, or Malaysia.
As this is our first time, the thing we dont want is 'nothing' to do for miles. I am a bit scared using transport to take us into pheuket, what happens if i cant get back, i know this sounds stupid, but everyone on this forum been loads of times
Of course i dont want to stay anywhere where its rough or tacky, but getting souvenirs etc.

Any hotel recommendations?

Thank you

Michelle.

If you like to be near the hustle and bustle than I would guess Panwa might not be the best resort for you as there is only about twenty or so bars and restaurants and then its a drive to get anywhere else.

Patong is the livliest and most built up, and the tackiest (though there is a certain something about Thai tackiness). Its possible to get hotels just outside Patong that allows you to use patongs facilities yet escape to a quieter refuge...for example the Amari Coral Reef Hotel and the Merlin Beach Resort.

Or have a look at Karon or Kata...we've stayed at the Kata Beach Resort which is a pleasant 4 star directly on Kata beach. Both these beaches have a lot of facilities in terms of restaurants and bars.

With regard to getting about say for an evening its fairly easy...when you book a taxi what they tend to do is take you there and wait for you while you shop or eat or whatever and then drive back at a prearranged time.

Have a look at http://www.phuket-photos.com/. This sites has loads of photos and descriptions of beaches and hotels.

now i am doing some research i have found some amazing reviews on the Tongsai Bay Cottages and hotel in KOH Samui going against everything i said earlier in my post. This is very quiet, but looks fabulous, seen the reviews on here and trip advisor and they were all excellent. Do you know this hotel/or Koh Samui? Can i do trips from here?

This seems tranquil and i figured if i am doing bangkok as well, then thats going to be hectic anyway, so i will need some peace and quiet

Thank you.

To be honest theres an awful lot of fabulous hotels in Thailand...Phuket, Koh Samui and other resorts. Koh Samui is in the Gulf of Siam off the east coast of Thailand while Phuket is on the west coast in the Andaman Sea. Have seen the Tong Sai in the distance from Cheong Mon beach in Koh Samui, but not visited. Price wise it will a fair bit more than Cape Panwa.

You can do trips from Samui to some outlying islands or around the island of Samui itself. If your choosing one island over another time of year when your holidaying might be a consideration...Nov to April the better time for Phuket, our summer months for Samui although people do visit both destinations all year round....both places are always going to be hot, its just the amount of sunshine your going to get.

Sunbear if you were a first time visitor, where would you go, and which hotel?

Don't really want to answer that one as it all depends on budget available and the type of holiday you want. I'll happily tell you the first hotel I stayed at which was the Kata Beach Resort which we were perfectly happy with...but its rare to find it in UK brochures these days. When I first visited Kata was fairly undeveloped and this was about the only large hotel apart from Club Med in the area...its very different now and Kata is in itself a lively resort.

Hotel standards in Thailand are good...I would expect a hotel there to be better than a similarly rated one in the Med.

Thank you for your answer sunbear.

The hitch i have not knowing Thailand at all is knowing which area to go to. I really need to go in january/February, some areas are seedy, some out in the sticks so to speak.

I am looking for a 4* hotel near to shopping but not in your face, people have told me to keep away from pattaya because of the er nightlife. koi Samuri i was looking at, but was told January isnt a good time. So Pheuket or Krabi, which in your opinion is best for beaches and shopping and walking around without the seedy stuff. Is there any recommendations?