Southeast Asia forum

I agree with Rasheeed. You practically lose a day each time you go to and from a destination.

Me and a friend are planning on doing a similar route for 7 weeks at similar time and having read this are now thinking to skip vietnam too so we get longer at other places.

Do you have a route yet?

If it were me - and I know it's not - I would cut it to one country if you are doing the "cultural thing" (which is what it sounds like here). The reasons are:

1. To absorb a place you need at least several days. Going to one place and then going somewhere else the next day doesn't allow you to appreciate the culture, just some things.

2. As Tyler points out, each time you go from place to place, you often lose a day in practical terms. Getting to the bus station, waiting for the bus, transit time, finding a new hotel. That all eats time. In general, movement should be regarded as a negative. It's seldom any fun, and it's eating time.

3. Language. Language is culture. As soon as you get off the beaten path, English doesn't cut it anymore. And these are not easy languages to pick up. You need time. So if you are spending one month in Laos, then a month in Cambodia, yhou have enough time to learn and retain next to nothing.

4. People. How can you make any kind of friendships and begin to understand what makes the people tick and how these places function if you don't spend enough time getting to know anyone? The more time you spend in a place, the better your chances for forming meaningful relationships which will help you understand the culture of the environment.

Just my two cents, for what they're worth.