Honeymoon in Thailand

Just like most American men, I had very little decision making authority when it came to planning my wedding.  However, one item that I had complete control of was the honeymoon.  And I put a lot of time and energy into choosing the destination (final verdict: Thailand) and itinerary (Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Koh Samui and Phuket).  The honeymoon turned out to be absolutely amazing. 

Using a Travel Agent

I had never used a travel agent before.  I had always relied on travel guidebooks, magazines and the internet to plan my vacations.  The internet now has nearly every piece of information you could ever hope to find, so why would I need to pay a professional to do what I could do for myself?  For short trips, basic trips (i.e., traveling to one city) or domestic U.S. trips, that's most likely true, with the exception of using American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts (or comparable service) to obtain freebies you wouldn't ordinarily receive.  But, since we were heading out for over 2 weeks and going to multiple cities half-way across the globe, I thought it would be helpful to enlist an expert.  After speaking with 3 different travel agents recommeded by Travel & Leisure, we chose Sandee Litwin of Litwin Travel.  Sandee was a great help, both in helping decide on our itinerary, as well as to book our hotels (she went the extra mile to inform each hotel that we were honeymooning, which paid off in upgrades, a cake at Four Seasons Koh Samui, a ring holder at Banyan Tree and other great gifts).  But, the best reason for using a travel agent is for protection when things go awry.  In our case, it was our disappointment in Amanpuri in Phuket.  Our nearly $1,000 room was unimpressive when compared to the FS Koh Samui, the majority of the main grounds was concrete and the food was average at best.  We emailed Sandee and by the next morning we had a new reservation for a pool villa at Banyan Treet and a car was waiting to take us there.  THAT is why you use a travel agent!

Quick Tips

Rather than provide you with extended descriptions of the resorts we stayed in (my short reviews are below), I thought I would give you a few quick highlights and tips:

1) In Bangkok, use the water -- the water taxis are by far the easiest, quickest and safest ways to get around (tuk tuks are easy and quick, but definitely not safe -- though it's a great thrill to be speeding through traffic!).

2) Avoid Phuket -- Phuket is way over-touristed.  We loved FS Koh Samui and Koh Samui in general.  In the last year or so, Koh Samui is now the new "it" island with new resorts such as the W, but it is far from the tourist haven of Phuket.

3) Take the tours -- Normally I avoid the paid guides in museums and historical sites.  You get lumped in with a huge crowd and the information is just not that interesting.  We took a private tour of Grand Palace grounds and it was absolutely worth the money (about $20).  The grounds are huge and we would not have gotten much out of it had we not had our tour guide to give us the stories, background and information.

The Reviews

Peninsula Bangkok

We stayed at the Peninsula as the first stop.  The Peninsula made sure that we had an unforgettable experience from the time of check-in to the minute we left Bangkok. When we arrived, we were taken up to our room (upgraded to an amazing suite) where champagne, fruit and chocolates were waiting for us. During our stay, the concierge and other staff made sure that no question went unanswered or need unmet. The location was perfect -- right on the river, with views of the Mandarin and other buildings. We waited no longer than a few minutes at any time for the complementary water taxi, which took us pretty much anywhere we wanted to go. The rooms are a techie's dream -- ipod hook-up, remote control that rotated the TV, touch-button lights, window shades, etc. This was absolutely the best city hotel I've ever stayed in.   We did stop by the Mandarin Oriental.  It was luxurious and very old-world.  We were very impressed, though we preferred the look and feel of the Peninsula.

Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai

The Tented Camp was a one-of-a-kind experience that definitely lives up to the hype, awards and reviews.  I am not sure how they do it, but your entire stay is planned full of events, yet you still feel relaxed and have plenty of time to relax, unwind and enjoy the fantastic scenery. Waking up in the morning and drinking coffee on the balcony overlooking the river and mountains made it feel like you were in a movie set. And, learning to ride an elephant bareback (sitting on its head) -- which is the highlight of the Tented Camp -- was slightly scary but great fun. The staff, including Yoni (the GM), ensured that every part of your stay was tailored to your specifications, down to your favorite drinks at the bar and your favorite foods at the restaurant. They even keep your room fully stocked with fruit and fresh cookies.  Although it is quite expensive, considering that everything was included, it was not exorbitantly more than the total amount we paid at other resorts in Thailand -- and the money spent is absolutely worth every penny.

Four Seasons Koh Samui

Four Seasons Koh Samui is an absolute gem.  We stayed in an upgraded villa (thanks to letting them know it was our honeymoon) that boasted a large plunge pool overlooking the water and mountains. Even though you knew there were others at the resort, while in the villa, it seemed like you were the only one on the mountain. We could have stayed in the villa the whole trip if not for wanting to take advantage of the beautiful spa (with each treatment, you have access to a personal sala, with shower, etc., each set up along a path up the mountain). The food, Thai and Italian, was quite good and the amazing staff was happy to make virtually anything you wanted for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The staff went well out of their way to make sure everything was to our satisfaction -- to reserving buggies ahead of time to get around the property (though, if not reserved, you never waited more than a couple minutes), constantly checking on us while on the beach (re-filling water, providing free fruits and other snacks). When we arrived in Phuket, we immediately realized how much more we loved Koh Samui -- it is much less touristy and much more scenic than Phuket and the Four Seasons far outshone both Banyan Tree and Amanpuri.

Amanpuri, Phuket

We were immediately disappointed with when we arrived at the Amanpuri. Although Amanpuri has received numerous awards, we read some reviews about Amanpuri being a bit old and in need of a makeover. Those negative reviews were spot on. You could tell that Amanpuri was built in a different time -- when large areas of concrete were okay and privacy was not at a premium. The villas seemed to be on top of each other and it seemed more of a family-oriented resort rather than a romantic honeymoon spot. The restaurants were average (with less-than-average furnishings).  The one positive was the beach.  It was a beautiful stretch of sand. The per-night rate far exceeded both Four Seasons Koh Samui and Banyan Tree and could not even come close to matching the others in terms of facilities or service.

Banyan Tree, Phuket

We had heard great things about Banyan Tree and were not disappointed.  Our villa was exactly what we had hoped for and more -- a pool villa, which came with a huge swimming pool (not just a plunge pool), a 2-person sun lounge, a sala for shade and a beautiful villa with glass shower that made you feel like you were showering outdoors. On top of all that, to celebrate our honeymoon, when we walked into the villa, there was champagne and gifts, including t-shirts and a small ceramic double-elephant to hold our rings.

The property is connected to several other resorts and you are able to take a shuttle to all of them. We didn't feel the need to, since the beach was a short walk away (it was across a side road), the main pool area was beautiful and they had several good restaurants. Also, they held a celebration for a Thai holiday, with numerous street vendors and lanterns and floats that you could send off in Thai tradition.  I thought this was a nice touch -- giving us tourists a taste of Thai culture.

The service was top-notch. There was no waiting for anything and every request was immediately taken care of. The excursions desk even called after my SCUBA excursion just to make sure everything had gone smoothly and that I had a good time.