We tend to DIY our holidays to Thailand about a month before we go due to not knowing when I can get time off till a few weeks before we go. We usually book the long haul flights then decide where we want to go within Thailand and the Far East. Have a look around the various flight websites for whose doing best deals. Direct flights usually work out more expensive then indirect flights via hubs such as the middle east. There's a good choice or airlines you could use - Thai, Eva, Etihad, Qatar, Emirates, BA Qantas etc. You could have a look at the websites of netflights, travelmood, southhall travel among many others.

Once in Thailand travel round about is easy and cheap. There are the low cost carriers such as Air Asia and NokAir should you wish to fly as well as scheduled airlines such as BangkokAir and Thai, long distance buses and trains.

There are plenty of accommodation websites such as asiatravel.com latestays.com agoda.com which will give you a rough idea of cost of properties in the various area you might choose. Can't really help with the backpacker side of things as we tend to stay in the 3 to 5star range of properties.

Chinese New Year falls the middle of Feb so this may limit availibility for the period you are looking at. February is a good time to consider the Andaman coast of Thailand, areas such as Phuket, Krabi, Ko Lanta and Khao Lak may be of interest.

Thanks Sunbear. That is very helpful. After crying up and down the aisles in Tescos today. I have made my mind up - enough is enough. Time to take charge of my life and we are doing this thing!

Would like to leave around 12th Feb (some flexibility) for 2 weeks. Have been looking at flights and there dont seem to be many and they are hugely expensive. Will check out the sites you mention, thanks.

Well done you

My one bit of advice for you is get a hotel booked for your first couple of nights in Bangkok along with a one way transfer.

Yes, you may pay a couple of £ more, but you will appreciate it when you get there!

It's the perfect time to be in Thailand, you can have complete flexibility when you get there, and if you have time (which it sounds like it does) try and get trains whereever possible. Yes, planes are incredibly cheap, but you miss so, so much.

Thanks Sam. That is wise advice.

Cheapest flights i am coming up with are around £700 each return. Is this about right?
Thanks.

£700 each? Too much!

Yes, it's peak, and yes flights are busy, but you should be able to get for less than £500, especially if you are a bit flexible.

Try speaking to someone at a reputable company as part of your research (Travelbag, Trailfinders etc) as they might be able to offer you an IT fare - which means a flight that includes some aspects of your trip - such as the first couple of nights accommodation and transfers for about the same price as flights only (EVA and Thai Airways have them).

Also online has some limitations, so it's always good to compare online vs offline.

Oh dear. I wish i had waited to see your response before i went off half-cock booking tickets this morning Sam. There were some great ideas there and i would never have thought of asking for a few things in like transfers & initial accommodation.

But i did manage to find some flights for less than £700 in the end - paid £560 each - so still sounds a bit steep from what you are saying. But i will know better for future travelling.

We go on the 14th Feb which i think is perfect. Because instead of sitting around moping because my husband of 16yrs is with another woman i will be on a jet plane. How marvellous! I am growing excited now.

Now i just have to read this forum to get ideas of what we will do when we get there.

Giff - it's not horrendous. Many flights are packed - and many people on the flight will be paying a lot more than you! Who are flying with?

Have a read through Trip Advisor, pick yourself a hotel within budget (even something in the £20-£30 budget will be good!) and ask them how much to pick you up. Don't be too cocksure about being able to deal with Bangkok taxis and sorting out a hotel on arrival after a long flight especially if it's a new destination for the two of you. Touts pry on newbies!

And I speak after having done the same thing as a 17 year old arriving into Bangkok by myself, getting a bus to Khao San Road, and ending up in a rubbish hotel with noise and bedbugs. At 4am havn't not slept for about 30 hours I hated Bangkok so much, I got a bus to the train station and caught the first train south just to get away from it all. 6 months later went back to Bangkok having adapted to the pace of life and realised how amazing a place it!

You'll have an amazing time - very audacious decision that you'll never regret!

I will do exactly as you suggest about pre-booking the hotel in Bangkok. Until you said i hadnt considered just how tired i will be on arrival. The furthest i have been before is Turkey and i get shattered just doing that small trip! My son is also insisting on it. He made it a condition on travelling with me that i pre-book at least the first nights accommodation. Guess he is a wise young chap.

I will take a peek at Trip Advisor, thank-you.
Flying with Jet Airways and booked through ebookers.

Your wise words are very much appreciated and reading them i can see that with just the tiniest bit of planning the whole Bangkok experience could be totally different. Definitely want to get those trains too!

Have a great time Giff (you deserve it)

Thanks Glynis.

Giff,

How was Thailand did you get sunburnt LOL

just read this post as am looking at going to thailand for the first time and considering doing diy for the first time. would love to know how you got on giff and where you stayed etc.

Me too giff, if you are still around. I have got brochures but I am getting nowhere!

Hope you had a fab adventure and things are looking brighter for you

If you are thinking of Phuket I can recommend the Patong Bay Garden its right on the beach we booked it with latestays.com
It's an older hotel but you cannot fault the location you walk out of the pool and ten paces you are on the sand!