We are considering a trip to Asia inlate July/early August 2008. Travelling will be me, my husband and 2 daughters,9 and 19.

Are currently looking at Thailand and Vietnam. Following are some of our requirements:
economical..looking for a lot of "bang" for a buck
adventure..hiking,rafting,etc
snorkelling/diving
good food
cultural sites

We are independent travellers...plan to rent a vehicle and tour on our own, but are not averse to using public trans.

Will language be a major barrier?

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated...including other countries that fit our bill

Thanks!

I would recommend a serviced apartment when you're in Bangkok. You can go on moveandstay.com for a list of ideas of apartments although you don't have to book through them. You can book directly through the apartment building/company or sawadee.com. You will save money this way and have much more space plus a kitchen. You can rent by the day in many buildings. In Bangkok, I recommend the Somerset Suawan Park View serviced apartment building on Soi Tonson which is very centrally located (near the skytrain). They have a pool and a token-operated laundry room.
For other parts of Thailand, you'll probably end up in a hotel or guest house. You absolutely should not rent a vehicle in Bangkok. Just use taxis and the skytrain.
How many total days vacation will you have once you have arrived? As for Vietnam I don't know as I haven't vacationed there. I vacation in Thailand, mostly Bangkok, twice a year. Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!

How long are you planning to be on the ground? Is this your first trip to Asia? What is your budget for hotels - $100/night? $300/night? - you can get a lot of "bang" for your bucks in all price ranges. You could experience everything on your "to do" list in about 10-12 days on Bali whereas in Thailand things are a bit more spread out (plane flights required) and in Viet Nam there is less of a tourist infrastructure (may not be the best first Asia destination for a newbie). No matter where you go in Asia, you will probably want to hire a driver rather than self-drive - driving in Asia is tricky and a car with a driver is relatively inexpensive.

A typical two week trip to Thailand encompasses three locations, Bangkok, Northern Thailand and a beach. The internal flights are easy. If you want to skip the beach, you could easily spend two weeks in BKK and NT. If you want the beach in July, Ko Samui is the best weather.

Economical will not be a problem. Thailand has good hotels in all price ranges. Food and activity are cheap.

Thanks for the info everyone!

To clarify, we will have at least 14 days in our destination.

As far as hotels go, a pool is a must and we do like more than "basic" amenities, especially since we're travelling with the kids.

A combination of Bangkok and Bali would be best for you and kids. In Bali, you can do all of the things on your list. A driver like Putu oft mentioned on this forum can take you and the kids around in his SUV. There is fun white-water rafting outside of Ubud, snorkelling/diving around Menjangan island in the north, great restaurants everywhere and lots of cultural stuff that your driver can take you to - you most likely will even be invited to peoples homes and religious festivals by your driver.

By the way, language is not a major barrier in most parts.

You still have not shared info on your budget - that would be helpful - pools are everywhere in Asia. Basic to some means hot water and a/c. What are you looking for?

I assume this is your first trip to Asia.

Craig... thanks for the input. Yes, 1st time to Asia. Budget isn't really a major concern. Considering the cost of past trips to Europe, Hawaii and the Caribbean, I would imagine that land costs in SE Asia will be considerably lower.

Our main financial outlay will be the airfare from the East coast(NJ). Any feedback here is also useful!
Thanks!

If money is not too much an issue do the Thai direct flight from JFK to Bangkok then do the 4 hour Thai flight to Bali the next morning.

Lodging choices are many - in Bangkok, staying by the river is a must for first-timers. For a family, the Marriott Resort might be the way to go but be sure to check out the Peninsula as that is the best in Bangkok.

In Bali, you will want to stay in 2 or 3 places. You can access the snorkeling at Menjangan Island from Ubud or the southern coast, the two most common tourist destinations but Lovina or one of the other northern areas might make the day a little shorter for the kids. Excursions can be arranged locally or through your hotel. Check out balidiscovery.com for an overview of all the available hotels by area. The rafting is located outside of Ubud - there are a couple of tour companies that balidiscovery.com deals with so you can get an idea of what its all about. Balidiscovery.com used to be very competitive but you might consider shopping around as things are always changing.

Do contact Putu - he has a large SUV - the kids like to call it the "Putumobile" - [email protected] - he has a website as well - www.balifriend.net with lots of info on Bali. He's not the cheapest but he will provide you and your family with a great experience.

I grew up in Westfield, NJ by the way.

Craig...the info is great.I'll check things out.

By the way, I LIVE in Westfield, NJ.
Small world!

in 14 days, you can only do one of those countries justice. it's about enough time to do 3-4 places in Thailand (Bangkok, side trips from Bangkok, the north, beach). Vietnam needs about 3 weeks on its own. I would just stick to Thailand this time if I were you. Plus, you won't need a visa for it (you would for Vietnam and $65 X 4 adds up).

I would do only one country with only 14 days and I'd select Thailand. It's easy to do it in 14 days. Happy Travels!