Trip reports forum

My friend and I are planning our first ever backpacking trip to SEA this coming spring (wooo!) and I'm trying to hammer out some rough possible itineraries. We are planning a mostly counter-clockwise route through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, and we should be in the general neighbourhood of Laos/ Chiang Mai for the new year in April and I'm wondering where to spend it. I've heard that Chiang Mai is THE place to spend Songkran, but I've also heard good things about the Laos new year as well... We're planning to take our time travelling from place to place, and don't want to rush. However, if it's really worth it to be in Chiang Mai, I'd make a point during that part of the trip to get there for when it starts or a bit before. I've heard that the trip from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai is quite the ordeal, so I'm thinking it would take a bit of planning ahead to get there on time, so I kind of want to decide what to do with enough time to get there if that's what we choose to do.

I'm interested in the place that has the best overall atmosphere during this festival, and of course, the giant water fight! If Chiang Mai is the better place to be, then I'm happy to cut out something else earlier on if need to be to get there on time, I doubt I'll ever be in Northern Thailand in early April ever again! However if Luang Prabang is just as good, I'll stay there and get to Chiang Mai when I can...

So, Thai or Laos for the New Year?