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suugestions for my first time in SEA.

scormick

longtail driver
Posts: 8

Hi,

First of all I would like to congratule you for this magnific site. It's amazing!!

I'm from argentina and my boyfriend and I will be arriving at Bangkok on Jan 22nd. We will return on Feb 20th and we are planning to see Bangkok, Angkor Wat, Ho Chi Minh, Hue , Hanoi (plus Halong), Vientine or Luang Prabang and Phuket /Phi Phi.

We are having some problems to fix our itinerary. Could you please take a look at it and share your recomendations??

Itinerary:
24/01: Bangkok - Angkor Wat (train + tuktuk + taxi).
27/01: Angkor Wat - Bangkok (same way of travelling).
28/01 - Bangkok - Ho Chi Minh (flght)
31/01 Ho Chi Minh - Hue (train)
4/02 Hue - Hanoi
9/02 Hanoi - Vientine or Luang Prabang
12/02 Vietnam - Phuket
17/02 Phuket - Bangkok.

We know Sapa(Vietnam) and Chiang Mai are great but I think we won't have time to see as much as we would have like.

What do you think about our itinerary?? Our budget is about usd 70 per day.

Thanks in advance!!
Best regards!!
Scormick.

#1 Posted: 6/1/2010 - 09:37
scormick

longtail driver
Posts: 8

Sorry, this is the complete itinerary

Itinerary:
24/01: Bangkok - Angkor Wat (train + tuktuk + taxi).
27/01: Angkor Wat - Bangkok (same way of travelling).
28/01 - Bangkok - Ho Chi Minh (flight)
31/01 Ho Chi Minh - Hue (train)
4/02 Hue - Hanoi (flight)
9/02 Hanoi - Vientine or Luang Prabang (flight)
12/02 Vietnam - Phuket (flight)
17/02 Phuket - Bangkok. (flight)

#2 Posted: 6/1/2010 - 09:40
shadek

flashpacker
Posts: 37

Hi scormick

Just a suggestion. Instead of going back to Bangkok overland from Angkor, why don't you take the bus to PP and from there either fly or go overland to HCM? You avoid backtracking and might save a bit of time and money, along with seeing a new place :-)

#3 Posted: 6/1/2010 - 18:07

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Seba

tourist
Posts: 54

other suggestions: don't stay in Phuket but go to Phi Phi. I did 5 days Phi Phi and 2 days Similan islands, that's as good as it gets...

next, there's nothing to do in Vientiane, go to Luang Prabang

all in all i think you're a covering way too many miles, this trip seems really odd to me...

#4 Posted: 6/1/2010 - 18:44
scormick

longtail driver
Posts: 8

Thanks a lot for your suggestions!

Have any of you done the route Siem Reap/PP? Is it safe? How many hours does this trip take?

Yes Seba, it is true, too many miles. The problem is that once you have the possibility to cross half the world to be there you fell like doing as much as you can. And, of course, not beeing familiar with the area can make as taking good or bad options. So, all the ideas and suggestions are wellcome!!

Regards!
scormick

#5 Posted: 7/1/2010 - 06:38
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5884
Located in:

Private message

Hi Scormick,

I agree with Shadek, if you haven't already got that Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City flight, I change your route and instead go overland from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (4-5 hours by bus) overnight there (or two nights) then onwards from there to HCM. One way to do this is by speedboat down the Mekong to Chau Doc and then get a bus from there, or you can go by direct bus (6-8 hours).

Secondly, I don't know why you would go from Vietnam to Laos (for Vientiane or Luang Prabang ) and then back to Vietnam again. So I'd suggest flying from Hanoi to Luang Prabang and then from there to Bangkok.

As for Phuket -- it wouldn't be the first island I'd recommend -- take a look at this story http://www.travelfish.org/feature/135 for the islands off Trang -- very beautiful part of Thailand...

As per seba -- you're covering a lot of miles in a short period of time... maybe ask the boss for an extra week off!

Glad you like the site!

#6 Posted: 7/1/2010 - 13:04

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scormick

longtail driver
Posts: 8

Thank you!!

We will take your suggestion so we will do Bangkok/Angkor Wat/PP/Ho Chi Minh. All by land or boat. And we think we won't stay (or even go) to Phuket and Phi Phi...

I've just realized that I made a mistake when I posted the itinerary. I was thinking about Vientiane/Bangkok (flight)and not Vietnam/Bangkok. Sorry.

2 more questions (if you can):
-what do you think about being in Vietnam or Laos for the TET (Feb 14th)?? Any suggestion?
-Does anyone know if you can use Travel Checks in Vietnam & Laos??

Thanks a lot again!
Regards
Silvina

#7 Posted: 7/1/2010 - 21:39
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5884
Located in:

Private message

Yes, no problems cashing travellers cheques.

Tet is a non-issue in Laos, but in Vietnam transportation can be tricky as it is all booked up. By the looks of your schedult though you should be in Laos for Tet, so shouldn't be a problem.

#8 Posted: 8/1/2010 - 07:52

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iPhone Apps for Southeast Asia
scormick

longtail driver
Posts: 8

Thanks a lot for your suggestions and information!!!
Great people and great site.

Best regards!!
scormick.

#9 Posted: 12/1/2010 - 21:43