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Am I crazy to even consider doing all of this ?!

ta10

longtail driver
Posts: 8

I've only got 20 days in SE Asia and want to do Thailand and a bit of Laos. This is my itinerary. Is it doable, or am I completely mad?

Summary: I fly into Bangkok in the morning, go on a day trip, then board a train to the north (Sukhothai and Chiang Mai). I then enter Laos through Huay Thai and spend time in Luang Prabeng and Vang Vieng before boarding a sleeper bus to Bangkok. It's just a transit stop, and I then take the train to Chumphon, and ferry to Koh Tao. Beach and diving there for a few days, before returning to Bangkok via overnight train to spend my last two days in Thailand. What do you think?

Day 1: Arrive into Bangkok 8am, spend the morning and early afternoon checking out one or two sights. In the evening board an overnight bus to Sukhothai.

Day 2: Sukhothai.

Day 3: Depart early morning for Chiang Mai, arriving afternoon. Stay for two nights.

Day 5: Depart early morning for Chiang Khong, and cross over the Laos border into Huay Xai. Stay overnight.

Day 6: Depart on the two-day slow boat cruise along the River Mekong to Luang Prabang. Half-way overnight stop in Pakbeng between the two boat trips.

Day 8: Arrive in Luang Prabang. Stay for two nights.

Day 10: Depart early morning for Vang Vieng, arriving afternoon. Stay for one or two nights (will choose later for sake of planning).

Day 12: Take sleeper bus that leaves mid afternoon direct for Bangkok, arriving there 6am the next day.

Day 13: Take 1pm afternoon train from Bangkok to Chumphon, arriving around 9pm. Then overnight ferry to Ko Tao , arriving morning of Day 14.

Day 14: Diving

Day 15: Diving.

Day 16: Diving.

Day 17: Beach

Day 18: Depart Ko Tao in the evening via ferry to Chumphon, then overnight train to Bangkok, arriving early morning of Day 19.

Day 19: Bangkok.

Day 20 (27th): Bangkok

Day 21: 8am flight out of Thailand.

What do you think?

#1 Posted: 4/9/2010 - 22:26
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3627

"Day 12: Take sleeper bus that leaves mid afternoon direct for Bangkok, arriving there 6am the next day.

Day 13: Take 1pm afternoon train from Bangkok to Chumphon, arriving around 9pm. Then overnight ferry to Ko Tao , arriving morning of Day 14."

Unless you can actually sleep on the sleeper bus (and I never can) then this part of the trip is going to totally suck.

I also don't know why you are going to all these places. Why are you going to Sukothai or Chiang Mai or Laung Prabang? That's not clear and that would help to analyze how much you're biting off here. I myself go to one place at a time and hang there a long time. I would never go from place to place to place to place - spending just a day or two somewhere. Seems like a waste to me. Not enough time to get to know the place or any people.

#2 Posted: 4/9/2010 - 23:33

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neosho

adventurer
Posts: 265

I'm like Madmac. This also goes to your other post about Thailand being all that. I don't think you're going to get a real feel of either Thailand or Laos just jumping from place to place.

#3 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 08:55
exacto

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I think if you count up all the hours you'll be on the road, it will be more than half of your time there. Like the others have suggested, I think you'll be better off slimming down on the places you wish to see and spending more time being there and less time getting there.

One possibility is to replace the Sukhothai/Chiang Mai/Laos leg with Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi. Given the time you have, it isn't a bad trade off. You'll still get temples and history and culture in Ayutthaya and outdoor adventure and independent traveller flavor (with some good history as well) in Kanchanaburi. You'll have much more time on the ground rather than in a bus to enjoy where you are, and the logistics will be much easier and costs much lower as well. Good luck.

#4 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 09:53
ta10

longtail driver
Posts: 8

OK I came up with this itinerary because I didn't want to spend most of my time just lying on the beach, so that's why I added places like Chiang Mai . I'm REALLY interested in Tubing that's why I added Vang Vieng and thought I might as just do the Northern Laos circuit.

Realising that there is a whole lot of sitting on busses, so how about this?

[li]I SKIP Sukhoithat and Chiang Mai completely and fly up to Chiang Rai on Day 1. Stay overnight then immediately enter Laos on Day 2.[/li][/ul]
[li]Day 2. I go on the two day cruise along the Mekong and end up in Luang Prabang on Day 4. I spend 3 nights in Luang Prabang and explore the temples, the bear rescue centre, the waterfalls, the alms ceremony. [/li][/ul]
[li]Day 7: I leave for Vang Vieng (6hr bus) and reward myself for being so cultural up in LP by staying for 2 nights and go tubing.[/li][/ul]
[li]Day 9 (or even Day 10): Leave for Vietiane (3h) in the morning. Once there, board a bus for Udon Thani (2h), then catch evening flight to Bangkok from Udon Thani. Spend night in Bangkok.[/li][/ul]
*note there is one flight a day on Air Asia departing at 1740

[li]Day 10: Catch afternoon train to Chumphon, then overnight ferry to Ko Tao .[/li][/ul]
[li]Day 11: Beach.[/li][/ul]
[li]Day 12: Diving Course (three to four days.[/li][/ul]
[li]Day 16: A mix of Ko Tao and surrounding areas, and then Bangkok for final two nights.[/li][/ul]
How about this? I have cut Sukhothai and Chiang Mai completely. I will fly into Chiang Rai and enter Laos from there.

Also, for the Vang Vieng -> Bangkok transit, this transfer takes up a full day no matter what method of transportation.

If I take busses from Vang Vieng to Vietiane to Udon Thani and then a flight to Bangkok, I get into Bangkok on the evening of the same day.

If I take a direct sleeper bus from Vang Vieng to Bangkok, I get there morning of the next day. So not that much difference, I still lose a day.

Also, by cutting out Chiang Mai I am missing out on going to an elephant sanctuary..do any of my other stops have such a place to make up for it?

Anyway please post some feedback on this new itinerary! Thanks!

#5 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 15:14
tinoh

flashpacker
Posts: 34

Also, by cutting out Chiang Mai I am missing out on going to an elephant sanctuary..do any of my other stops have such a place to make up for it?

You can book a trip from Luang Prabang to a elephant sanctuary.
Take time in Chang Rai to visit the white temple. It's great imo.

#6 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 16:50
ta10

longtail driver
Posts: 8

Didn't know that, thanks. Otherwise, how do you feel about my itinerary? It's a whole lot more flexible now.. I get to spend time in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabeng and Ko Tao.

#7 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 22:22
tinoh

flashpacker
Posts: 34

If you don't mind the amount of travelling than it's a good inertia. It's good that you skip sukotai and make more time free for Luang Prabang.

#8 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 23:18
Nokka

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What is it that appeals about sitting on the slow boat for 2 days ? Waste of time, in my view.

It looks to me that you main aim when in Laos is to go tubing. Fine - fly from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, spend a few days, do some trips on the river etc - has to be far far better than sitting for 2 days on the boat. You can also learn to be a mahout just outside Luang Prabang, a fabulous day (though not cheap). Includes riding your elephant to the river and washing etc. Then. bus to VV, spend a few more days. Then do the rest of your trip.

If you're only in VV for 2 nights, you'll get just one day of tubing and then have to move on. VV did nothing for me, I have to say, but lots of people clearly love it, have lots of fun and enjoy all the different activities there. (It's not JUST tubing). For you, I'm sure the 2 days saved by skipping the slow boat can be much better utilised.

#9 Posted: 5/9/2010 - 23:59
Tilapia

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Instead of flying up to Chiangrai, why don't you just pop a Gravol and take an overnight bus straight to Chiang Khong from Morchit (the northern bus terminal), then cross into Laos when you arrive in the morning?

I thought the boat trip was amazing, though it was quite a while ago when I did it. It was the only time in my life when I've seen wild elephants (6 of them, 4 adults and 2 young ones) munching on grass along the Mekong. The scenery is fantastic! Sat on the roof of the boat until it became too unsafe, then sat up front with the driver. Maybe not everyone's idea of a good time, but it was definitely one of my many SEA high points. Certainly not the sort of thing one has the opportunity to do every day.

#10 Posted: 6/9/2010 - 00:22
ta10

longtail driver
Posts: 8

This is why forums are so useful. I didn't realise there was a direct sleeper bus to Chiang Khong!

People say this two day boat trip is really good that's why I want to do it (and that's why I am not taking the 6hour speedboat instead).

I feel by skipping Chiang Rai I could do all the cultural stuff in Luang Prabeng, and then reward myself for being so spiritual by floating on a tube in Vang Vieng! Plus I have heard LP beats CR hands on when it comes to temples, interesting monument, etc..!

#11 Posted: 6/9/2010 - 02:23
travellings-
arah

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Posted from within Vietnam.

I'd agree with your last statement - I stayed about a week in CR but still think LP is heaps more wonderful.

Note that in VV not many people spend a lot of time actually floating on a tube! Or was it just me that only got to the 3rd bar down?

#12 Posted: 6/9/2010 - 14:03

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