Laos forum

Hi everyone,

I just posted this on the Vietnam board too, so you might want to post there to make things a little neater (http://www.travelfish.org/board/post/vietnam/6543_).

My girlfriend and I have about 2 weeks to travel, and would like to see Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. I know there's not enough time to see all 3 places and we want to make the best use of our time. Due to time constraints, we have to arrive on July 12th and leave on the 25th.

Here are a few questions we have:

1. We're aware that July is the monsoon season in that area, but we've also heard that while it rains everyday, the rain is usually bracketed by periods of sunshine and dries quickly. We've also heard a fair bit of conflicting information. For example, most sites say Hanoi in July should be nasty and wet but one or two say it will be hot and dry. We're wiling to put up with rain, but don't want it to stop us seeing things. Is the weather going to be a problem?

2. Weatherwise, where would be the best places to visit for our time period?

3. Is 2 weeks enough to see more than one country? Would it be better to focus on say Laos or Vietnam than spread ourselves too thin?

4. As for transport between cities and places, I assume its easy to get tickets for trains and buses? Is there any need to book now, in advance?

5. And finally, any suggested routes or itineraries that would suit the time period and weather?

Thanks so much in advance, any tips are greatly appreciated!