Finalizing bookings for Thailand/Cambodia..how does this look?

Overall, it looks good. If it were me (and it isn't) I'd cut a day from Chiang Mai and add it to Angkor. You really don't have enough time at Angkor to see even the main temples. You'll spend a good part of a day with Ponheary (wonderful!), but that leaves you perhaps 2 days at various temples. Also, you've listed the Killing Fields - that's in PP, not Siem Reap.

In Bangkok, you've listed three out of town places: Floating Market, Fishing Village and Tiger Temple. I don't know that it's logistically possible (or desirable) to do all three in one day. The Tiger Temple is a long way away.

I expect the beach experts will tell you not to bother with a day trip to PhiPhi, but I'll defer to them.

It looks very good. You can tinker with it as kathie suggests, but the outline is solid. When you have the free day in BKK, you could go to Chinatown, the flower market and Wat Prayoon in an easy morning adventure. They are all relatively close together. Otherwise, BKK is not conducive to walking.

I hope you've looked at projected weather for Phi Phi and Krabi in early October. It can be dicey.

Oct 4th: Walk around city


It would be a shame if you didn't get to see thing like the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha. If you have only one day to see Bangkok, I think it would really pay to get a guide.

travelhorizons, you must have missed the last part of the itinerary which includes more days in Bangkok, several with a guide, and includes the Grand Palace etc.

It looks good. If I were to reduce anything it would be your time at the beach but if you're beach people I'd leave it as is.

I too would add more time to Siem Reap. The Angkor Complex will stay in your memory for ever.

Having visited Phi Phi more times than I can remember, I would also advise against a day trip. You need at least three nights to see it at its best. When I read reports by people who have not enjoyed Phi Phi it's nearly always people who were day-trippers. So I would say, given your time restraints, one or the other....either Krabi or Phi Phi. Krabi will be easiest, unless you are prepared to pay extra for private transfer to Phi Phi.......which is what I would do, being a self-confessed, unashamed Phi Phi holic!!!!

I'd definitely allocate more time to Siem Reap. While the main tourist 'Killing Fields' are at Phnom Penh, I was offered a trip to, from memory, a cave along the same lines. I passed on the trip as I'd been to the one in PP and did not feel I needed more atrocities. Banteay Srei and Beng Melea are outer temples which are well worth a look but would take at least half a day.

Waterlily,
I just went to Thailand and Cambodia earlier this year and loved it.
Jim Thompson house is lovely - have lunch there, its beautiful. And if you have time try to fit in a massage at Wat Pho and a drink on the terrace of the Oriental Hotel!

One thing I noticed - youre going to Siem Reap. Unless there are other fields that I dont know about, the Killing Fields are actually just outside Phnom Penh, ie the capital city which is the other side of the country to Angkor Temples! If you were wanting to go to PP, and were short of time Id recommend visiting the Tual Sleng (S21 Museum) rather than the Killing Fields which are also interesting, but more of a memorial site. Tual Sleng is the school that was turned into a prison in the heart of the city. Very interesting and informative. But thats just my opinion - and from what I see you arent able to go to PP anyway. if you do have extra time you may want to see the floating villages on Tone Sap lake - depending on the water levels when youre there though.

Enjoy your time in Cambodia - and Hotel de La Paix is indeed lovely. I also went to an amazing cookery and hospitality school - I forget the name - but its just outside the main city of Siem Reap. Its run by a french chef and you can also donate money to help fund training schemes. The food was absolutely out of this world - well worth a trip!

Have a great time.
nadia

My mistake about the killing fields! I read someone's trip report and they mentioned about wondering around Siem Reap during lunchtime and finding out they were in part of the killing fields (can't remember who it was though!) Oh well maybe on our next trip!!

Thanks for all the help!

I would suggest three days at the temples in Siem Reap. There are some on the outskirts of Angkor that are worth going to. They have free guides in the country that are very informative.