15

If you are into adventure you need to stay longer in places to do tours and trekking. Your plan is a contiki boring unadventurous one sitting on buses/trains.

There's enough activities in Krabi to last 10 days.

kayaking, snorkelling, rock climbing, bush walks, elephant riding, hot springs

16

OP - I have to completely disagree w/ pretty much every other response. I think the amount of destinations you have is fine. Clearly, you like to see a bit of a lot of places rather than a lot of a few places...which is how I like to travel as well.

#2 - Wow...flying all the way to another country (not sure where OP is coming from) to laze around and be pampered...sounds like a BLAST... I guess if not seeing the country, experiencing the culture/people, varying landscape/activities is you're thing...IMO, borrrrriinnngg.

My only suggestion would be to chop a few days off Bangkok and actually add to Chiang Mai. Or to the interior (Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi have some great history). Again, in disagreeing w/ other posters, my husband and I went to Thailand FOR OUR HONEYMOON and loved Chiang Mai probably more than anywhere else we went. There is a ton to do, if you like to actually DO things on a honeymoon (though it seems that everyone else thinks honeymoons are strictly for laying around, doing nothing...don't married people do that enough at home?? What's the point of travelling?) then you'll love Chiang Mai: cooking classes, rafting, trekking, laid-back vibe, elephant rides...we loved it.

Also, maybe choose one or two beach stays rather than all three. You can get your relaxation done there and your adventure done elsewhere in the country.

Okay, now that I've probably annoyed all the other posters, I'm done :)

17

Thanks Skibee, It seems like you and I are on the same page. We are from Canada and want to absorb as much as possible while we are there. Would rather not be confined to a resort. If you were to stay on one side for the islands where would it be (for March). Phi Phi / Railay or Samui?

18

Sorry TBL but Haad rin is definitely a crap beach, Mae Nam is at best ordinary. There are lots of laid back beaches for the budget traveller on KPG. Bottle Beach, Than sadet or Thong nai Pan Yai to name a few. On PhiPhi once you get out of PhiPhi town and long beach there are some lovely beaches. As far as malaria goes I think they just wanted to sell you the vaccine. Did you go to one of those travel clinics? No prob.with malaria on KPG or KS which is a close neighbour.

19

OP - Maybe it's b/c I'm from Alaska...and us northerners have an adventurous spirit :)

As for the islands, I'm probably not the best to advise on that, as we just stayed at Ko Phi Phi for three nights/four days. We loved it, but we're not picky about much and we seem to be able to enjoy ourselves pretty much wherever we go. I only say the last part, b/c if you go on other posts re: just the islands, people seem negative about Ko Phi Phi. Tonsai Village definitely has the "Spring Break Cancun" kind of vibe...but if you stay away from that (as we did), it's really peaceful and there's no crazy party vibe and all that that people seem to complain about.

Also, we were there in July, so I'm not sure what the weather will be like in March in the various places. It was technically rainy season when we went, but I think we saw about one big downpour and that was it.

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July low season

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#18 Sorry TBL but Haad rin is definitely a crap beach
Really! If it's so crap why did it become popular before the FMP? Disregard the buildings and the beach is great.

Mae Nam is at best ordinary. There are lots of laid back beaches for the budget traveller on KPG. Bottle Beach, Than sadet or Thong nai Pan Yai to name a few
Mae Nam may be ordinary ( yes it is ) but it's easy to get to. All the beaches you recommend take a lot of time to get to, and they don't have a lot of time, plus you're pretty restricted to one beach when you finally get there- fine if you just want to hang about in a hammock, but the OP has been telling us they want to see LOTS.

22

I guess I should have included that we are backpacking it and staying in hostels
Outside of KSR and hell holes like Had Rin, you probably won't find any "hostels". Thailand is a civilised country that doesn't believe in forcing people to share a strangers farts.
Anyway, a nice room with ensuite is probably the same price if you look for it.

23

Well if Haad rin was popular before FMP it was tourists from land locked countries. The beaches on KPG are not hard to access at all. If you're not into walking there are always longtails to get around the island. Who wants an ordinary beach just because it'sw easy to access. There is a boat that leaves from Mae Nam about 12.30 or 1.30pm (not sure) to KPG and stops at some of the beaches and anchors at Thong Nai Pan Yai. Leaves from TNPY about 9.30am to go to Mae nam, so you don't even need to go to Thong Sala.How easy is that!

24

^^ Well, up to the OP if they want to spend half a day getting to an east coast beach, and being stuck there, or half an hour getting to a west coast beach with easy transport elsewhere.
End of the day, it makes no difference to me where they go.
I prefer beaches that are difficult to access because not many people go there, but I'm happy to stay in one place for a week.