kristensf

I'm currently planning a trip to Vietnam and Thailand with 3 friends in August and would love some advice regarding the itinerary. We have 15 full days on the ground (after travel) and want to make sure we spend them effectively. We want to hit the cultural highlights (as in we want to see the main sights but don't need to see every single temple in Bangkok) as well as get some beach time in. The itinerary we've currently been considering looks something like this:

Hanoi: Days 1-2
Halong Bay: Days 3-4 (overnight cruise)
Travel from Hanoi to Hoi An: Day 5
Hoi An - Days 6-8
Travel from Hoi An to Bangkok: Day 9
Bangkok: Days 10-11
Thai Islands: Days 12-14
Return to Bangkok: Day 15

We're fairly flexible in terms of what order we visit places, and would love to get opinions on how much time we should spend in each place. Additionally, we haven't yet decided which of the Thai islands to go to - we're planning on the Koh Samui side since the Phuket side will be in monsoon season. Recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

sharich

Glad you are doing the overnight cruise in Halong Bay, are you doing the Junk, I can recommend it.
Hanoi is a beautiful colonial city just spend time wandering around, and go to the puppet show by the lake one evening.
If you have time when you are in Hoi An, hire some motor bikes and got to Marble Mountian.
Koh samui is better than Phuket, it is fare too commercial,
In Bangkok make sure you visit the Royal palace, make sure you wear long pants or you will have to wear theirs! I would also recommend the half day canal barge and Klongs tour, you go through the Kongs (Canals) in long boats and see life on the water, then return to BKK down the main river in an old rice barge, it is the best of the tours.
Have fun!

Kathie

Frankly, I think you are trying to go too many places. A mere two days in Hanoi or Bangkok won't be enough to give you much of the flavor of the place. I'd say three days is a minimum amount of time to spend in either city.

By the way, there is no chance you'll see all of the wats in Bangkok, even if you spent all 15 days there.

thursdaysd

I'd highly recommend taking the time from Hoi An and adding it to Hanoi. That simplifies the routing and cuts out one stop, which is mostly (with the exception of My Son) a shopping op. Hanoi has much, much more to see, and you are already doing a beach stop in Thailand. I'd also look at flying straight on to the beach after Hanoi, and do Bangkok at the end. One less hotel move.

Kathie

Good suggestion, Thursdays.

Smeagol

does it have to be a thai Island? for ease of transfers etc how about fly to BKK and then have a driver pick you up at BKK and drive to Hua Hin (we stayed in a regency club room at the Hyatt LOVED it) that way you cut out yet another airport stop and HH is about 2.5 hours away (i struggled to find many direct flights from Hanoi to a "beach" resort)

Nywoman

Thursdays suggestion is excellent.

Hoi An is cute but I don't think it is worth a detour when you have limited time. In Hanoi there is far too much to see and enjoy to only give it 2 days.

Can not speak for Thailand since I am on my way there in October.