Welcome to the TravelPod forums

[sophianrachael]

Hi All!!

Me and My friend are off travelling in November arriving in Singapore travelling up through Malaysia will be in Thailand for Christmas and new years. I was just wondering were the best place to spend Christmas is I have been looking into Phuket or are there other place in this area you would advise same with hostels?

Also same as NYE What shall we do?? is the full moon party good??

Anything will be helpfull!!

Thank You Guys

[starlagurl]

Do you want a big giant party on New Year's Eve? Then yes, go to Phuket.

[salemk]

Bangkok, Phuket, Ko Phangan, Ko Samui.
I'd want to be in a touristy location like these for a good New Years party.
If your partying in an indoor place, the first thing you need to do is walk around and find all the emergency/exit doors and see which ones are unlocked. Check to see if they open, just to make sure you don't get caught if a fire starts.
No one cares about fire codes in Thailand and a lot of people died last year's NYE because of it.

[ScottWoz]

Good one Salem, I'd have never even considered or even thought of that. I can't see that I ever will either. Great to see different perspectives of course.

Soph and Rach,

As for the 'best' place to spend 'Christmas', what do you mean by 'best place' and what do you mean by 'Christmas?'

What does it mean to you so as we can advise?

[rbisset]

I was on Koh Pha Ngan for Christmas/New Year a few years back and it was good fun. New Years Eve will be massive this year as it falls on a full moon as well!

[nealinthailand]

i've spent a few xmas's over on ko tao and its a great time but not too completely crazy....just a lot of people having a great time on a beautiful beach with some cool bars providing alcohol.....on the other side i have been to pattaya for a few xmas's and that is just straight up debauchery which can be fun also...just depends on what you want

[Paul]

Khao Yai National Park is quite close to Bangkok but is a big national park. So that may be the best place to get away from other tourists and annoying Christmas jingles and advertising.

Many villages in the South of Thailand are Islamic and poor - so maybe they are another alternative for people wanting to escape Christmas. They aren't likely to be too badly affected by it.

[danstravelworld]

I'd avoid Phuket like the plague to be honest, but that's only an opinion - don't shoot me down! I think, based on my experience, Xmas is only really celebrated for travellers/tourists. The smaller the island, the more intimate, and potentially better it could be. Obviously the bigger the island/resort the larger the party will be! I've had a NYE on the Khao San (but it was straight after the Boxing Day Tsunami) that was calmed down substantially and the Xmas the few days before on Koh Lanta. The Xmas Day was fabulous. Good crowd of people (actually it was Xmas Eve we celebrated - Xmas Day was subdued) made a great party.

Had another NYE party on Lanta a few years later that was amazing fun. Woz is right, depends what you're after really...if it's in Thailand, it's going to be wicked either way

[sophianrachael]

Thankyou guys & girls for the advice only 23day till i depart! cant wait!!

[barsie]

If I was you i'd do full moon party for NYE- HOWEVER having looked at doing it myself- it's a real price hike. You may want to book a place to stay now rather than later.

As a rule Thais don't do christmas- something to bear in mind.