Sorry for the confusion... Your itinerary looks consistent with our thinking.

We are planning to leave NYC on May 22nd, and arrive in Bangkok on the evening of the 23rd. We are then scheduled to leave from Tokyo on June 8th, and arrive back in NYC on the same day.

To answer the question about what we were thinking in terms of "days", I will lay out our schedule. Our thinking is:

Day 1 (May 22nd): Leave NYC
Day 2 (May 23rd): Arrive Bangkok late evening
Day 3 (May 24th): Bangkok
Day 4 (May 25th): Bangkok
Day 5 (May 26th): (Bangkok or other SE Asia destination)
Day 6 (May 27th): (Bangkok or other SE Asia destination)
Day 7 (May 28th): Fly to Hong Kong
Day 8 (May 29th): Hong Kong
Day 9 (May 30th): Hong Kong (and maybe evening in Maccau)
Day 10 (May 31st): Fly to Tokyo, train to other part of Japan (Kyoto, Osaka, etc.)
Day 11 (June 1st): Japan
Day 12 (June 2nd): Japan
Day 13 (June 3rd): Japan
Day 14 (June 4th): Japan
Day 15 (June 5th): Tokyo
Day 16 (June 6th): Tokyo
Day 17 (June 7th): Tokyo
Day 18 (June 8th): Tokyo Fly home in late afternoon


Something like that? Do you recommend any changes? Any key items we should include at these destinations?

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to help out! We sincerely appreciate it.

On Day 10, when you fly from Hong Kong, it seems to me to make much more sense to fly directly to Kansai Airport (KIX), which is near Kyoto and Osaka, rather than to Tokyo -- there are several non-stops every day, on the same airlines that fly from HKG to Tokyo.

I'd take a day from Bangkok and add it to Hong Kong. In my opinion, there is more to do and see in Hong Kong...some will disagree...but to each their own. If you want to go to Macau, you would definitely need to add a day. Going to Macau for an evening is not as quick as you think if the day falls on a weekend night. Remember you need to immigrate out of HK and in to Macau and the same on the way back.

I also agree fly directly to KIX if you decide to go to Kyoto. Direct flights on CX will be pricey but you can fly Peach, a budget airline from HK to KIX. The flight is a 'red eye' leaving HK around 1am or so, so while you'll be tired, it will maximize your sightseeing time.

Ok, thanks. Here are a couple of edits:

Delete the "or other SE Asia destination" on May 26-27 and maybe on May 26, consider "day trip from Bangkok".

scratch the evening in Macau. If you want to visit Macau then do it as a day trip, but that would mean removing a day from Thailand or Japan, which I don't recommend. The 3 nights in HK is just right (considering your busy itin), staying in HK. But that trip to Macau on a 3-night stay is something you can decide on later, even after you arrive in HK.

May 31 - you have multiple options of Japan destinations

I assume you are purchasing these tickets with money not miles. But, if you have FF miles to spend it could reduce the cost a lot.

I guess I'm the only one here who still thinks you are trying to cram in too much. Definitely forget "or other SE Asia destination" in your Bangkok time. And if you cut Hong Kong and you'll have a chance to explore a bit more of Japan. There are plenty of non-stop flights between Bangkok and Narita.

From Kathie: "I guess I'm the only one here who still thinks you are trying to cram in too much"

Kathie, you are not alone. But I've gotten the impression that the OP is committed to a "sampler" itinerary and am glad that experts are helping make it as do-able as possible.

Kathie, not alone, no. If I had that time, regardless of the energy of youth I had on my side, I'd rather see fewer places properly than rush around. But if that's what the OP is committed to do, I think everyone's made their preferences clear, at this point it's just trying to help as best possible, within those constraints.

I do know many people who go to Japan for business, and have just 2 or 3 days in a city to play with, but still enjoy it. So it's not a waste of time, just not how most of us would choose to do things where we had a choice to spend longer!

If I were booking for me, I'd book a single country (such as Japan) and visit multiple places within it. If I were booking for someone who wanted to see more, I'd agree to add in one other place, so either Bangkok or Hong Kong, not both and cetainly no other SE Asian destination alongside.

But it's horses for courses, so as long as OP is happy, it's all good.

Thanks, kja and kavey. Just checking. I agree that the OP will do what they want, and should. We are all different.

My rules for planning a great trip are:

1. Know yourself.
2. Know your destination.
3. Know the logistics.

I assume they know themselves, but they don't know the destinations or the logistics, that's why they posted here.

On our first foray into Asia we did something very similar to what the OP is intending on doing only with less days. It is worth doing although we now try to spend more time during our stays. I think I thought of the first trip as a sort of scouting mission,lol.

We had 7 nights in Bangkok followed by 4 nights in Hong Kong and only 3 nights in Tokyo. Well we have been back to Bangkok three times since and Hong Kong twice. We've been back to Tokyo......maybe once or twice

Here is a link to that original trip report......seems such a long ago now. Simpsonc510 had only been to BKK 7 times and still stayed in hotels

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/trip-report-73.cfm

Aloha!

What a treat to re-read your old report, HT!

Oops - I hit posts too soon. I think what made your trip work was that you chose three cities, and spent all of your time in those places. It became a good intro for some of your (now) favorite destinations!

I would caution you against comparing the way you've traveled previously in Europe with traveling internationally in Southeast Asia. They are not the same at all!

In Europe you can hop on a train from a station in the center of a city and hop off 4-6 hours later in the center of another city that's in a completely different country and environment.

On this trip you will be flying internationally, so keep in mind that:
1. airports are often located far outside the city centers (one hour travel time is not uncommon)
2. going through customs and immigration can sometimes take several hours - both entering and leaving a country - especially at BKK if your flight lands or departs at a busy time.

Add flying time to this and you're talking about possibly a full day wasted each time you are going to/from and waiting at airports.

I completely understand wanting to see as much as possible, I am like that too - But it's a shame to spend so much time and money to travel so far to spend that much time in transit... in my opinion anyway.