Thailand all-inclusive holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand for 3 weeks or Nepal and Bangladesh for 3 wee?

williewonder

This will be for my 40th birthday in Nov 2025. The Thailand holiday will be more expensive as it’s a package holiday with Virgin holidays, so nice hotel and lovely beaches. The backpacking holiday will be more budget friendly, spending 10 days in Katmandu and Pokhara and 7 days in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the old city. then flying back to Katmandu for another 4 days then flying back home to England. I’m thinking more towards Nepal and Bangladesh but I’ve been to Nepal twice before but never been to Thailand. Nepal is beautiful though and I like the more off beaten places. But I also love relaxing beach holidays. It's a hard choice. Which would you choose?

Pollycat

It's a while since I went to Koh Samui but I wouldn't have wanted to stay in a AI hotel.

Ayr_Rage

Agreed, if you go to Thailand get out and about to eat.

jimi_man

Yes AI works in places where the food is either expensive and/or average. In Thailand it’s neither and eating out is much better. 

DullGreyGuy

jimi_man said:

Yes AI works in places where the food is either expensive and/or average. In Thailand it’s neither and eating out is much better. 

AI works when you book a hotel in the middle of nowhere so there is no where else to go. Wouldn't touch it in any other circumstances

Voyager2002

As others have mentioned, you would have a far better time in Thailand if you did NOT go AI, and that would also bring the price down. And I think that three weeks on a Thai island would be too long: how about a couple of weeks back-packing around the country, followed by a relaxing week on the beach? Or you could spend some time doing a scuba-diving course rather than simply resting.

The trip to Nepal and Bangladesh also sounds wonderful. It would be more demanding physically than spending time in Thailand, so there is an argument for doing it now while you are physically fit and able to enjoy it: the effects of time could eventually mean that you would be unable to handle such a trip yet could still enjoy Thailand.

jimi_man

DullGreyGuy said:

jimi_man said:

Yes AI works in places where the food is either expensive and/or average. In Thailand it’s neither and eating out is much better. 

AI works when you book a hotel in the middle of nowhere so there is no where else to go. Wouldn't touch it in any other circumstances

Ha ha, that doesn’t mean that it works, just that there is no other option! 

I’ve only ever done it once - in St Lucia where the food is distinctly average. I wouldn’t do it again, partly because we don’t eat and drink a huge amount so it’s an expensive option. 

DullGreyGuy

jimi_man said:

DullGreyGuy said:

jimi_man said:

Yes AI works in places where the food is either expensive and/or average. In Thailand it’s neither and eating out is much better. 

AI works when you book a hotel in the middle of nowhere so there is no where else to go. Wouldn't touch it in any other circumstances

Ha ha, that doesn’t mean that it works, just that there is no other option! 

I’ve only ever done it once - in St Lucia where the food is distinctly average. I wouldn’t do it again, partly because we don’t eat and drink a huge amount so it’s an expensive option. 

Was more talking conceptually rather than practically. 

I've never booked it myself, other than cruises which is a floating hotel in the middle of no where, but have been on holidays with others that had booked it.  I dont get those that fly half way around the world to sit in the same hotel for 2 weeks and never venture out. If thats your idea of heaven then ok but go somewhere closer to home as you get absolutely no experience of the real country so you may as well avoid the 14 hour flight.

TMSG

I've been to all of these countries multiple times and I'd say it depends
If you're an active, outdoorsy type of person, Nepal is hard to beat, esp if you can include a week's trekking or so. Even so KTM valley and Pokhara and surroundings are really something to look forward to.
Bangladesh and its people are lovely, a bit like Northeast India, ie not as hurried as some Indian states. And it'll not be too hot at that time of the year. Thailand is not bad but I've never been a great fan of the islands. Isaan and the Northwest are great though.
HTH.

jimi_man

DullGreyGuy said:

jimi_man said:

DullGreyGuy said:

jimi_man said:

Yes AI works in places where the food is either expensive and/or average. In Thailand it’s neither and eating out is much better. 

AI works when you book a hotel in the middle of nowhere so there is no where else to go. Wouldn't touch it in any other circumstances

Ha ha, that doesn’t mean that it works, just that there is no other option! 

I’ve only ever done it once - in St Lucia where the food is distinctly average. I wouldn’t do it again, partly because we don’t eat and drink a huge amount so it’s an expensive option. 

Was more talking conceptually rather than practically. 

I've never booked it myself, other than cruises which is a floating hotel in the middle of no where, but have been on holidays with others that had booked it.  I dont get those that fly half way around the world to sit in the same hotel for 2 weeks and never venture out. If thats your idea of heaven then ok but go somewhere closer to home as you get absolutely no experience of the real country so you may as well avoid the 14 hour flight.

Everyone is different and for some people it suits their needs. If they have a great holiday because of it then that’s what it’s all about. I have no interest in a cruise but for some it’s the perfect trip. 

If we all liked the same holiday then it would get pretty dull. And crowded!

Ballard

It completely depends on what you want out of the trip, of course. I’ve been to Thailand a few times and it’s a great place to visit, but three weeks in one place might be too much. If you’re going as a single man you’ll find that you’ll get beckoned by the girls in the bars pretty much constantly and I find that very tiresome.

I’d prefer the Nepal & Bangladesh trip, although there’s political upheaval in Bangladesh at present so you’d need to monitor that closely if you choose this option.