Retired couple 8 nights booked Phuket Where to go for another 4 nights?

Take a boat to Phi Phi Island for 2 nights, then take a boat to Krabi for two nights and fly back to Bangkok from Krabi. You are just traveling east with Phi Phi in the middle between Phuket and Krabi.

There is no train from Phuket, you have to travel to the other side of Thailand, Surat Thani to get the slowest thing next to a turtle.

Phuket is quite busy. If you are looking for some really nice lonely and secluded beach you could go to Laem Tong beach on Koh Phi Phi Island on the North. There are some nicely secluded beaches that are ideal for relaxing. You can arrange a ferry from Phuket to Laem Tong Beach. Don't stay in Ton Sai because there is only young people that party. The resorts on Laem Tong are a bit more expensive, so don't attract the younger crowd.

The ferry from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi takes 2 hours and then it is another 30 minutes to Laem Tong. If you are looking for a paradise beach you will find it there. I include the links of a good resort and also the ferry company that can provide the transport.

Last time I was in Phuket and got bored with it (I still can't understand why this expensive, cultural vacuum is so popular), I took a bus a mere 100 km north and stayed at the Khao Lak Paradise Resort (Khao Lak, Thailand). From the highway, you can't even see this place because you have to walk down some stairs into beautiful rain forest-type vegetation. But once down there, I was able to bargain with the management and get a detached room that is one of those dream-like Thai-style luxury cottages with a view of the ocean. I couldn't get the very end room because they wanted an arm and a leg for it, but I got the second one. It was one of the best experiences I have had in my 30+ years of going to Thailand. If they are not full, they will negotiate. The service was great, and I rented a motorcycle to be able to go to the town to get pizza and groceries. When it was time to leave, I was lazy, so I just took at taxi back to the Phuket airport. Do some searches, look at the photos and look for some promotions. Good Luck.

Jennifer: I have to stess that if you dont want to stay on land with an option like I suggested, definitely go for the ferry rides and see the beautiful sites like Laem Tong Beach. It just depeds what you feel like doing.

Go to Ao Nang , Krabi and you wished you had stayed there rather than overpriced and over crowded Phuket,

Check out sawadee.com and click on transportation - also has useful links on what to see and do all over Thailand.

When in Ao Nang do a 1 day 7 -island trip by speedboat which will include Phi Phi, Maya Island, James Bond Island and others

Visit Bangkok!! Bangkok is an incredible city and very different to Phuket!

Fly to Bangkok and visit that city!

Would you fly all the way to England or France and not visit London or Paris?

Don't they still have beaches in Australia?

Do a scenic train ride to Bangkok and back, with a stop over

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm