Where to stay in Thailand for unique places, beaches and islands (family and couples)
SRC:https://mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-thailand/ Thailand Best Beaches
Kantiang Bay in Koh Lanta: more remote, more isolated, with a few accommodations options of which the Baan Puteri Lanta is absolutely a fantastic choice.
Koh Ngai: the remotest beach of all, the perfect place if you are looking for a beach to spend a romantic time with your partner. The CoCo cottage is a lovely place even with air-con (rare in this island). The restaurant is a must-try. Check availability at CoCo

Just a reminder that in Thailand, September and October tend to be rainy, does not matter which island, coast or beach you choose. That’s usually the wettest time of the monsoon season

Best islands in Thailand to stay

On this blog, I have a fair amount of content on Thailand, I love this country. You know what is the most common question I receive?

What is the best island to stay in Thailand?

Hard choice, also because there are 1430 islands in Thailand. My answer is that there is at least one for any type of holiday.

Phuket (because so well connected)

Phuket has the third biggest International Airport in Thailand, ranking just after the two main airports in Bangkok.

You will be very likely to have a direct flight from your country to Phuket. You can check on Wikipedia the list of the Airlines flying directly there.

If you do not want to have a stop-over in Bangkok then Phuket is the place to fly to.

Being easily accessible means that it’s a popular destination. Still, you can find remote coves and beautiful isolated hotels and villas, if you are after that.

You can find everything on this island. From shopping centres to a zoo and even an International Primary and Secondary School.

The best time to stay in Phuket is between late November and early April.

Patong is the seaside town to go for the nightlife, meanwhile, Kata Beach is more for a quieter stay with family or as a couple.

And why not booking your private villa with pool in Bang Tao Beach at the Pumeria Resort. Such great value for money.

Check the private pool deal at Pumeria

Koh Samui (for beaches and easy access)

We have already talked about Koh Samui in the best beaches of Thailand section.

It’s well connected with several flights to Bangkok and a few other cities outside Thailand of which Singapore is probably the most popular one.

The best time to visit it is between January and April, however, also between May and August the weather is good, sunny or cloudy with possibly a storm late in the afternoon.

Lamai is my favourite spot to stay, lovely beach (one of the best in Thailand), quiet but still a short taxi or scooter ride to Chaweng for a crazy night out. The Summer Inn is a great cheap clean place to base yourself, right in front of the beach.

Check availability at Summer Inn

Koh Chang (spectacular and still not that busy)

Koh Chang does not have an airport on the island. At least till now, and this probably helps this island to be not as touristy as other places in Thailand.

I am not saying there are no tourists in Koh Chang, far from that, but still, it’s not that super busy.

To arrive to this island you would need to fly or take a bus to Trat, get another bus to the pier, take the ferry to Koh Chang and then another small van to your destination. It requires some efforts, well worthy I may add.

I wrote more about this island on the best beaches of Koh Chang to visit and the top photography locations. I enjoyed my time so much.

There are many beaches to book your accommodation, however, my favourite is Lonely Beach, the last one on the south-west coast.

It may not be the best if you are after a crazy nightlife but it has still a good amount of restaurants, cool cafes, live music venues, just not till the early morning.

My favourite place to stay is the Elephant Bay Resort. This is a super cool spot where you can relax, have a fabulous coffee or brunch facing the sea, have a swim at the beach and so much more.

Check availability at Elephant Bay

Koh Tao (for diving and snorkelling)

If you are looking for a great scuba diving location or you just want to have a PADI course, from open water to more specialized ones, then Koh Tao is the place to be.

The diving sites are not only amazing but also close to the island, which means not many hours on the boat.

The whole island is involved in scuba diving, to a point that it almost gets empty once the boats are all out.

I had personally a great time there, with amazing days in the sea and lovely cosy nights at the beach restaurants.

It’s a tiny island but still, you have a few beach options around of which the little cove Chalok baan kao was my favourite.

Koh Ngai and Koh Mak (for a remote romantic getaway experience)

Both these islands are small and remote which means you will be very likely to share them with tiny number of people.

The perfect places to have some romantic time with your partner.

Do not expect many activities, sunbathing and swimming of course, and possibly some snorkelling, but that’s really it.

These are islands to get disconnected from the busy world.

Koh Mak is south of Koh Chang, from where you will need to take a boat trip (from the Bang Bao village).

Koh Ngai is instead in the Krabi Province, in the southern part and it’s more easily accessible, either from the mainland (Pakmeng), from Koh Lanta and even from Phuket.

The CoCo cottage is one of the most romantic places to stay in Koh Ngai.

Phi Phi Islands (for honeymoon)

These islands are covered in a more exhaustive way in the honeymoon section. Read more there.

Here, I just want to say that Phi Phi is the perfect place to stay because it has that mix of remoteness but still with western facilities.

The town is actually quite busy, but once out it’s such a peaceful place to be.

It’s also easily reachable either from Phuket or Krabi.

Best places to stay in Thailand with family

Thailand is an ideal place for families looking to have a relaxed time at the beach.

There are so many great places around.

If you have a stopover in Bangkok, try to book your place close to Sukhumvit Road. Here you will find elevated pedestrian areas that connect all the shopping centres to the Metro station as well.

It’s a safe area to walk around, even with small kids. You can read more extensively about where to stay in Bangkok with kids here.

The Mayfair – Marriott Executive Apartments is a great serviced accommodation to stay in a fantastic location, steps away from Sukhumvit and Lumphini Park. It has a great shaded pool on the rooftop and a perfect breakfast to start the holiday.

Check the Mayfair Bangkok availability

If you stay in Bangkok then I suggest exhausting here the visits to the historical places and then move to an island or a sea resort for some beach time.

Koh Samui or Phuket (with toddlers or small kids)

Koh Samui and Phuket are both easily reachable islands with plenty of beaches to enjoy some family time, either within a resort or with a simple Hotel accommodation.

Koh Samui has two great beaches, Lipa Noi Beach with shallow water, super quiet, and Lamai Beach, closer to the airport.

The Saree Lagoon Villa in Lipa Noi is one of the best value accommodations on the island for families, perfect location and plenty of space and privacy. They include also a free breakfast and you can take a complimentary bike too.

Check price at Saree Lagoon

In Phuket go to Karon Beach, it’s the second biggest town in Phuket but without a crazy nightlife. It’s quieter, but still with restaurants and shops to have a nice walk around.

The beach is, of course, fabulous and perfect for small kids.

The Novotel Phuket Karon Beach Resort is a great place to stay with families. They offer Family Fun Junior Suites with toys and other things to entertain the small kids. The pool is amazing and including also a water slide.

Check availability at the Novotel Karon Resort

Krabi (with grown-up kids)

Krabi Province has everything for everyone.

It has a great beach, awesome day excursions for all ages (with snorkelling included), access to waterfalls and lagoons and great cliffs for free-climbing (for the most demanding kids).

I have written a dedicated post to Krabi with a family section here.

In short, the Holiday Inn is a great resort in Nopparat Thara with a fantastic beach with shallow water. From there you can organise all sorts of activities or just enjoy the pool.

Check availability at the Holiday Inn

Where to stay in Thailand for couples

Besides Bangkok (read here the best place to stay in the city for couples) I would suggest

– Chiang Mai (first-time) or Chiang Rai in the north
– Krabi for beaches and variety

Chiang Rai (trekking and local experiences)

I have already talked previously about Chiang Mai in the North for trekking and jungle excursions.

If you are looking for a more local experience then I suggest a trip to Chiang Rai instead.

I love Chiang Mai, however, it’s also true that sometimes you find yourself with more Western people than Thai people around. Yes, it’s so popular, besides being one of the Digital Nomads capitals.

Take a bus to Chang Rai and you will be immersed in a more local experience, as Chiang Mai used to be many many years ago.

From there organise your excursions besides enjoying lovely and genuine meals and coffees. Go to the Cat Cafe for a different experience and the Crêpe Corner for local food as well as a French treat.

Krabi (beaches and variety of things to do)

I have already mentioned Krabi a few times in this guide, and it’s again back. You can imagine how beautiful is this Province of Thailand and how much I love it.

For a lovely time with your partner, I suggest two areas close to Krabi town and a remote island for some romantic time. You can read also more on my guide to Krabi here.

Klong Muang is a small village on a 2km long quiet beach. This is a great location if you are after some easy time but still with a few restaurants to enjoy the night. The Bliss is a lovely boutique resort at a bargain price. Difficult to resist.

Check the price at the Bliss Resort

Ao Nang is a more lively spot where you will find a good nightlife, cafes, restaurants and plenty of action.

It can be noisy at night. I highly suggest booking your stay not to close to the town centre. The Cliff Beach Resort has all you need for a quiet stay, still close to the action. They cater particularly for adults.

Check availability at the Aonang Cliff

And if you want more isolation then take a boat to Koh Ngai, a paradise far away from the busy world. Book at the CoCo cottage for the most memorable time of your life.

Check availability at CoCo

Where to stay in Thailand for honeymoon

There are so many spectacular places to spend the honeymoon in Thailand.

I would personally suggest spending 2/3 nights in Bangkok and then head down to the Phi Phi Islands and more precisely to Phi Phi Don.

Phi Phi Islands (one of the most scenic places on earth)

As I already mentioned before, Phi Phi Don is an amazing place to see and experience.

There is enough nightlife to have a great meal, including sophisticated restaurants with more of a fusion cuisine style. Also plenty of cocktail bars and late-night places with live music.

Book your stay at the fabulous and dreamy Zeavola Resort, a secluded accommodation far from the crowd and the noise, with your private pool and beach, including also a romantic dining experience. Perfect for a honeymoon.

Check availability at the Zeavola

Organise an early bird boat trip to Phi Phi Leh island to visit the world-famous Maya Bay (“The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio) before the crowd arrives.

You will remember your days in Phi Phi forever, as it should be.

Where to stay in Thailand on a budget

One thing that you will notice straight away is that Thailand is so budget-friendly.

And it’s not just the price of the accommodation, but also the price for food, for travelling, for moving around locally and for drinks.

With $100/night you can stay in amazing resorts, sometimes you can have even your own villa with a private pool.

As a rule of thumb, the more famous is the destination the more expensive will be everything, sleeping and eating.

What is the cheapest area to travel to Thailand?

If you are on a very tight budget I would travel on the Inner East and the Isaan region. This is where I personally found the most economical prices.

I could live with $20-30/day, including sleeping, eating and drinking.

There are not many tourists around and sometimes the menus are only in the Thai language. Back to hands signal.

Moreover, the Inner East is one of the most interesting areas of Thailand, full of history, temples, ancient towns, unusual places and best of all, so genuine.

I followed the ancient Khmer Highway connecting Thailand to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and I was absolutely blown away.

Most budget-friendly island?

Koh Chang is probably one of the most economical islands to stay, together with Koh Lanta.

Rent a scooter and book a room 3-5km from town. Usually, you save quite a bit of money in that way.

What is the best area of Bangkok for the budget-conscious?

The Khao San neighbourhood usually offers the best price options in the capital.

My suggestion here is to avoid the hotels/hostels close to the main street; it’s very noisy.

The Canal Hostel is a great place to base yourself, close enough to the action but still in a very quiet part of the neighbourhood, right in front of a canal. Read more here for a backpackers stay in Bangkok.

Latest deal at the Canal Hostel

Where to stay in Thailand for Full Moon Party

The Full Moon Part runs for three nights during the full moon in Haad Rin on Koh Pha Ngan. You can see the future schedule on this Wiki page.

I loved my time in Koh Pha Ngan however it has to be said that precautions need to be taken.

Unfortunately, once people drink too much they start doing stupid things like smashing bottles on the beach, so walk with your shoes, just to be safe.

Do not buy drugs, including magic mushrooms. It’s not allowed in Thailand, not even cannabis. There is plenty of undercover police and you can be in jail in no time.

If you are there for dancing, having fun and a few drinks then it will be a fantastic experience. Just pure fun.

Book well in advance your stay as Haad Rin is fully packed during the Full Moon Party as well as NYE.

If you want to have a quiet sleep then stay far from the main beach where the main party is.

The Neptune’s Resort is a great place to stay, walking distance to the Fool Moon Party but still far enough to have a quiet sleep. It’s located on the other side of the little peninsula, with a lovely pool and facing the beach, which is a great plus.