We're thinking about an August trip to Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), with a few days in Siem Reap. We're also interested in seeing some of Vietnam and are thinking about extending the trip for a short visit to Hanoi. Does this make sense? What are the logistics for this type of itinerary? Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

You'd need about 4 weeks to cover all of that and do it at a manageable pace. Plan on 10 -14 days for Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Siem Reap and the same for Viet Nam (its not really clear how much of Viet Nam you want to cover besides Hanoi). Keep in mind that you will eat up a lot of time in airports for this type of itinerary. It is most efficient to fly early in the morning or in the evening - since many of your flights will be short that leaves most of the day to tour.

the trip sounds perfect really...

i always suggest visits to bkk at the beginning and at the end of one's trip.....this allows for adjustment to the heat and humidity of SEA and for full appreciation of the fabulous city bangkok....

first i would secure r.t. flights to bkk from your home after you decide on the maximum # of days that you can be gone....remember that if you leave the usa one day you usually do not arrive in SEA until late the next day, depending on your departure time....

most flights fly westward over the pacific with a stop in asia (toyko, seoul, taipai, hong kong)...thai air has direct flights from both LA and JFK, which are fantastic....

you can also fly through europe...

you might also want to consider a split flt, arriving into bkk and flying out of VN.....this might be more expensive however as you will need to book a flight from bkk to VN seperately....there are some discount flights...

personally i would fly r.t. to bkk...

next you might need to decide on the breakout of the time in each place...

you did not say how many days you can be gone?

i'll assume its 2 weeks, but hope it is more...

lets look at it in parts....for SR you would want to be there a min. of 3 full days and one day for travel, making 4 days...5 would be nicer....you will want a guide and driver there for temple visiting: about $20 each per day...

CM can easily be done in 3 days unless you want extended out of city adventrues: hill tribes, treks, etc....personally i would bag CM and add the time to VN....

hanoi is a very interesting city and VN is so much different than thailand....most want to spend a min. of one day at halong bay, which really amounts to 2-3 days including travel by car...downtown hanoi is good for 3 days itself...

bkk requires at least 5 days, just inside the city itself...

so this is a start....get yourself a good general guidebook and start the planning....we will love assisting you along the way with any questions you might have and you will have them...

hotels: here are two good pre-pay web-sites

www.asiarooms.com
www.huahin.20m.com

most fodorites prefer to stay on the river in bkk....the hotels are generally a tad more expensive, but it is worth it....there are no cheap ones!!

i love the peninsula for true lux
i love the marriott resort and spa for a true relaxing oasis in a very busy city....

royal orchid sheraton is a favorite here..

shangri-la and oriental are also favorites...and there is a new hilton...

there is a unique category of hotel in asia....the serviced apartment...centre point and ascott groups are two of the leaders in bkk...

in each location you visit air conditioning is a must!!!

so i hope this helps as a starter...

Now that this topic has been raised, I would like to know about the serviced apartments. Apart from the kitchens and perhaps the larger space, what else would distinguish these from traditional hotels? (I did spend a few weeks at one when visiting a relative who was living at Somerset Saigon and remember that there was a front desk staff to assist...)

What I am asking here is: What is the downside of a stay in a serviced apartment? When would this be not recommended (short stay, etc) ? How do the prices generally compare at the upscale places (hotel vs apartment)?

This kind of itinerary is possible only if you have enough time and are willing to make the hard choices about where not to visit. Everything sounds fascinating and not only can you not do it all, you can actually do very little. Asia lends itself best to slow travel. Also, if you opt for three countries, there are three different cultures to learn about and absorb. If you chose two places in Thailand, one in Cambodia and one in VN, you would need a minimum of 3 weeks, IMO.

As others have said you'll lose most of a day each time to switch locations.

i can't think of a downside except the services available are slightly less than in a traditional hotel...

many are just as lux as a lux hotel...

the rooms are bigger...many have washers/dryers....many have pools and breakfast rooms...

We stayed at Centre Point Silom in '06 and loved it. I didn't see a single downside. We had a huge bedroom, full living room / dining room combination with a small galley kitchen, plus a large all marble bathroom and a dressing room with lots of closet space between the bathroom and bedroom. It was wonderful. I loved being able to get up in the morning, leave my daughter sleeping, and have a separate living room area to go to so I didn't have to worry about waking her. The price (at that time - believe the place has since been renovated and prices may have risen) was quite reasonable - less than most of the riverside hotels. It's location is very convenient, not quite on the river, but an easy walk (about a block) to the skytrain and pier. We spent 4-5 nights as I recall - and one final night at the end of the trip. So, short stay or long, I'd highly recommend it. We enjoyed the breakfast (included, and a full spread just like in a nice hotel) and also enjoyed dinner there - although I've seen mixed reviews. They have a pool and a gym. Definitely worth checking out.
Karen

Thanks for all your helpful replies. I'm off to the bookstore for some new guidebooks and I'm sure I'll be back to all the Fodors experts for more advice.

I echo the thanks for the clarification about the apartments.

Bob:When you say that services are slightly less than in a hotel what exactly would be missing? Would the front desk make restaurant reservations, for example? What are considered the best of these places in BKK (with great pool for swimming?)

the front desk might make res, but i doubt it...

room service, if any, would be limited in most...

restaurants are limited usually...

pools are generally not all that big

they are more like an apartment building

lobbys are nice but small

usually no bar

its that type of thing...

the best one I have seen is the marriott mayfair....nice rooftop pool, well located


the ascott properties are very nice and quite new

centre point may have the most locations....the most popular are: silom (the oldest i think), wireless, and several others...

the conrad hotel has a section of serviced apartments...one fodorite stayed there last year and loved it...

Thanks, Bob. Do you know anything about the various Somerset properties in Bangkok? Somerset is the one I stayed at in Saigon and it had a huge pool...I took a look at their Bkk apartments on the website and wondered...

Here is one of the Somersets:

http://www.bangkok.com/somersetsuwanpark/index.htm


I am sorry about derailing the OPs query...

somersets are the ascott properties...

simpsonc510 uses them often and likes them very much, so does one other fodorite...

some are brand new...1-2 years old...

Thanks!! If I have time next week maybe I will take a look..