Another Thai Itinerary Question, please...
 

Hello Kathie & others! Hope your trip to Hawaii was a good one !?

Okay how about this itinerary:
Bangkok/Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai/Luang Prabang/Bangkok ?

Bangkok: ROS & Chakrabongse Villas
Chaing Mai: Yaang Come Resort/Villas
Chiang Rai: Anantara
Luang Prabang: Le Residence Phou Vao

Ok, we'll start and end the trip in Bangkok.
Rountrip tickets on China Airlines SFO/TPE/BKK. 3 nights nights at beginning and end in BKK.

How many nights in the remaining locations do you recommend ? Which direction should I do CM/CR/LP ? What about transport ?
Should some be done overland ?

We'd like to cover this all in 15-16 days (not incl air days to and from BKK)

Thanks!
David

Ps. Kathie, please send me the link to your photos, again! Thanks!

so bkk to start....try something other than ROS (ugh!!)...marriott, hilton, shangri-la....

then routing....you will want to take advantage of bkk air's discovery pass so you want to fly them one other leg...i think they do not fly to CR, so in that case i think i would fly to CR using thai, nok air or one of the others....i would then go overland to CM and then use bkk air back to bkk (leg 1) and then fly to LP (legs 2 & 3), and then back to bkk....

# of days for each:

Bkk: 3 to begin
Cr: 3-4 incl travel day
CM: 2-3 inc travel day
LP: 4
BKK: 3

this is 17 so you may cut a day or two from the chiangs.....

get those res. in LP now however and your flights....

Here the link to our photos: www.marlandc.com

With 15 or 16 days, you really need to cut one location so you don't spend too much of your time in transit. basically you lose most/all of a day when you change locations.

As you know, I'm not that fond of CM, so if it were me (and it isn't), I'd cut CM. You'll have to fly back through Bangkok to get to LP.

So I'd plan 3 nights Bangkok (when you stay at the ROS, do opt for the Towers. Bob hsa never stayed in the Towers, which is why he doesn't like the ROS)
4 nights Anantara at the Golden Triangle
4 nights at Luang Prabang
3 nights Bangkok

That's only 14 nights, so you have an extra night to add somewhere. Perosnally, I'd add it to LP.

It'll be a wonderful trip!

Thanks Bob / Thanks Kathie.

We stayed in the Towers of the ROS on our last trip to BKK. Yes, it was very nice !! (we were there as part of a package deal on Asian Affair Holidays. The hotel offered a Towers upgrade for an additional $40 p/night). The views are spectacular, especially as the sun is setting and there's that "purple glow" along the River. It's a very civilized experience and the cocktails and canapes are great! and so is the complimentary daily 6 garments of laundry washed/pressed!!

Happy Weekend!

Yeah, I love the free laundry. I always go home with a suitcase full of clean, beautifually pressed clothes!