Added a new member to our family today - our family collection of Lonely Planet guidebooks, that is!
Thinking perhaps Thailand in Jan... Chiang Mai, Krabi/Ko Samui and Bangkok (never been to fhis country before). Not sure about timing, school holidays and all. A relative went in Jan this year & said the weather was awful (Ko Samui - shenas frequently gone around April) - quite rainy. Not sure if I can hang out til Easter 2013 to go with her & fam. That might add other close rellies & not sure about that. Last 3+ week trip with "built in" babysitters = one date night for us. :/
(Don't expect rellies on hols together should be babysitting for us every other night!!)
ALH and I went to Koh samui earlier this year.
Food aside I wouldn't bother again. Bangkok was a better destination for me. But I was looking for a break, but not keen on days out on boats ( seasick) etc. but that shouldn't put you off.
However If I were going back, I would ensure that I had a beach front hotel, and maybe a beach front room / suite.
I say maybe because depending on which beach you are on, it can be very late before the noise subsides, and small persons can sleep, ( and old persons for that matter)
The action is on the beach at night, slightly dangerous with indiscriminate fireworks going off . We had a near miss one night when we decided to sit a row further back from he water ( dining on he Beach is really neat) , long story , short. He table in front of us had a misdirected rocket explode at their feet......not the only one that week.
But loads of fun none the less.
Food was really quite good. We ate at the spirit house ( very similar in style to the yandina version) twice, almost a fine dining experience , but less pretentious, and the food as really good a little pricier than the beach front, lovely Thai temple gardens etc.very pretty at night.
Caught taxis every where as they weren't expensive. Not happy with the "take your life in your hands ride in the back of jeeps" the Drivers are crazy. The local hospital is full of tourists that have been in auto ( mostly motor scooter) accidents. Somber careful there .
For around $10.00 each l we had whole fish on the beach at night, cooked beautifully. really nice food, met some other Aussies that go every year, they love it and stay in the same place each time , do pretty much the same stuff and get right into the groove.
Really great snorkelling , especially in the national parks, fish are amazing and ( your) little miss can be right in the action on some of the beaches.
The hotel we stayed at was quite good, it was back from the beach And we had an over water villa , basically a large bungalow style room, built over our own swimming pool. Having a private pool was pretty good, an IMHO good compensation for not being beach front.
View of room from restaurant
View out to island from restaurant
A note about flying in to Koh samui, it was very hot and humid, we were one of 3 flights that arrived in quick succession. Here we're two only immigration officials and speed processing was not on the agenda, the arrivals hall is open to he elements and it's a bit of a crush , patience is the go here, although I did notice people with small children were given a WP style priority ;-) so good news there for them
We had a debacle from day one with our transfer, in hind sight I wouldn't bother, I worked out a taxi was cheaper and there were plenty on offer.
Roads are a bit ordinary in places, but remember they had a flood earlier and were getting reorganised.
We flew from BNE to SIN and planned an overnight stopover, due to our QF being 7 hours late departing, we managed 2 hours in the hotel before heading out again.
We had a similar stopover on the way back, stayed at the swisshotel near raffles.
Plenty to like about it, plenty I wasn't so keen on, but as a relaxation spot I can't really complain, the only thing I would be more careful with in he future is being absolutely sure about the hotel, the pictures are usually from when it was new . Prices can be quit cheap.
ALH regretted not doing another 3 days , she reckons 10 days as a minimum .
Hope that helps.
Need to chase them up. 
