Southeast Asia forum

Looks ok to me, thought he bit from Phnom Penh through to Hoi An is a bit clustered. My comments would be:

a) Shave a day off off Hue and give it to Hoi An
b) Not sure what is happenning on jan 9, but suggest not giving that to Hanoi (as you've already got a fair chunk of time there) and give it to somewhere else so you can slow down a little.
c) If you wanted to cut one place to give you more days for elsewhere, then I'd chop Battambang.

have fun!

Kaz

I'll comment along the way...

Saturday, 8:35 pm arrive SaiGon
Sunday, 13 December 2009 Saigon
Monday, 14 December 2009 Saigon (out of curiosity, why the US tunnels, why not those that were used to shoot at the Australians?)
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 Saigon
Wednesday, 16 December 2009 Mekong
Thursday, 17 December 2009 Mekong
Friday, 18 December 2009 Mekong

Are you on a pre-booked tour? If so what, where, how?

Saturday, 19 December 2009 Phnom Phen

How are you getting between Mekong & PP? ie. do you arrive PP on Friday eve, or Saturday? If Saturday, you may not have enough time for even the basics (ie: KR musuem / Royal Palace / National Museum, let alone ...)

Sunday, 20 December 2009 Travel to Siem Reap Siem Reap
Monday, 21 December 2009 Siem Reap Siem Reap
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 Siem Reap Siem Reap

I've written elsewhere that one needs 4 days for SR (3 for Angkor [minimum] and 1 for Tonle Sap) Suggest you rethink this one.

Wednesday, 23 December 2009 Bus to Batambang Battambang
Thursday, 24 December 2009 Look around Battambang Battambang
Friday, 25 December 2009 Travel Battambang/Phnom Phen Phnom Phen

This is not rhetorical, merely curiosity. What is special for YOU at/around Battambang?

Saturday, 26 December 2009 Travel to Krate Kratie
Sunday, 27 December 2009 Travel to Ban Lung Ban Lung
Monday, 28 December 2009 Look around Ban Lung Ban Lung
Tuesday, 29 December 2009 Cross over to Pleiku Pleiku

You asked via another Travelfish query about this area. May I suggest that if this is an important area for you, then why are you scheduling to FLY through the area: the reason for visiting the area appears overlooked. Put simply, slow down and spend time doing what you intend to 'come here for'.

Wednesday, 30 December 2009 Easy Rider on the way to Hoi An ????
Thursday, 31 December 2009 Easy Rider on the way to Hoi An Hoi An
Friday, 1 January 2010 Hoi An Hoi An

Honestly, I'm amazed. This trip is now getting so rushed. At this breakneck speed, you may get to places, but there wont be time for anything else but have dinner go to bed, and start the breakneck pace once again. I suggest you slow things down BIGTIME.

I'm not the greatest fan of Hoi An, but there's heaps in the area and by now, you'll need a few days in one location to 'wind down'.

Saturday, 2 January 2010 Travel to Hue Hue
Sunday, 3 January 2010 Look around Hue Hue

Forget it. Hue needs 2 or 3 days Minimum. The iconic sights are spread out, the 'offerings' sublime, so either by-pass for another trip, or stay longer.

Monday, 4 January 2010 Travel to Hanoi Hanoi
Tuesday, 5 January 2010 Hanoi Hanoi
Wednesday, 6 January 2010 Travel to Halong Bay Halong Bay
Thursday, 7 January 2010 Halong Bay Halong Bay

No, definitely not. Halong Bay needs 2 nights on the water. This agenda is a sort of minor 'around the world in 80 days', not a holiday!!!!

Friday, 8 January 2010 Travel back to Hanoi Hanoi
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Sunday, 10 January 2010 Travel Halong Bay Hanoi Hanoi

I think this one is a stuff up, so I don't know.

Monday, 11 January 2010 Fly to Sinapore Singapore
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 Fly Out of Singapore

I doubt anything else needs to be said other than slow it down, go less places, enjoy/experience more.

Cheers

Kaz

Hoi an - Hue is only a few hours (4 I think). Would you ride a motorbike from Dalat to Hoi An (a whole day or so) to take pax for 4 hours?

Maybe the 'coolest' thing to do is play open and not commit to anything other than have your 'rough' itinerary in your back pocket. When or if you have to get yourself to HaNoi, then choose a transport option from wherever you are. That way, you can go as fast/slow as your enjoyment takes you.

Cheers

Kaz--good luck finding inexpensive flights between Siem Reap and Danang International.
Anyways, I guess it's really subjective, but I think 3 days are enough for Hoi-An and would reassign another day for Phnom Penh.
Also, if you're going to Angkor and am planning to get a 3 day pass, then it's better to spend the 3 days in a row for Siem Reap instead of book-ending/splitting your Siem Reap days.

buecax--yes, if I remember correctly, in years past Bangkok Airways used to offer a SEA 'heritage pass' that included Danang for Hoi-An and/or Hue, the former royal capital. But now I think it's only Silk Air that offers this route but it's quite expensive.
If you're asking if there are any international flights between Danang and Luang Prabang or Vientiane , the answer is no, not presently. It's either Lao Airlines or Vietnam Airlines between Vientiane or Luang Prabang and Hanoi or only Vietnam Airlines between Vientiane and HCMC, and that too is an expensive flight.
If you're asking if there are any international flights between Luang Prabang and Siem Reap , then yes, Lao Airlines offers this route and Vietnam Airlines offers the Siem Reap only to LP (but not the reverse route).

Hi,

Thanks all for your replies. I haven't been able to find cheap flights Siem Reap to Danang at this point $308 is the best I can do at this point, but I have a while to keep trying. It is expensive but otherwise we are looking at a couple of days on buses/trains.

It is via Saigon, can't find any direct flights. It also has about 2 hours in Saigon. Another option would be by train from Saigon, but I don't know if the $100 I will save will be worth it. If the train trip itself is an experience then we might go for that.

Great thanks, the last one, although the more expensive is a lot better than the fare I currently have.

I don't intend booking for a while, will probably wait and book a couple of days before we intend to fly, things may have changed by then..

Thanks for that Bruce ... I used IE and got on to Vietnam Air $228US is the best price there but I will take your hint about booking from the office in Siem Reap.

I am have been pulling my hair out trying to get us flights from Siem Reap to Da Nang in late May 2010 - it was either going to involve lots of stops maybe through Malyasia, over night stays, fingers crossed we made connections and possibly over $USD 650 for 2 adults and 1 11 year old. I had previously tried Silk Air but come up with huge costs or via Singapore (where we had previously come from. Based on the last post I tried Silk Air and yes when I booked it - rather than looking at schedules I could go direct to DaNang and all for $381 USD for the 3 of us - yahoo. Thank you. The only downside is that we need to stay an extra night in Siem reap but I don;t think that is a downside!
Thanks Travelfish - your the best for travel information
Regards
Suzi

Thanks for the advice KazAussie - all booked and paid for. I agree it was too good to pass up - even if it is so far in advance! Good luck with finding your flights
Regards
Suzi