First time Asia trip -- destinatnion / itinerary suggestions?
 

Hi All,

A college friend and I are looking to go to Asia in April or May. My friend has been to Bejing (for work), and that's all that either of us have seen of Asia. We are both in our mid 20's, and don't mind being on the go (a day here, a few days there, etc.).

We have been talking about this for awhile, but don't really know where to start. Can anyone suggest an itinerary for a 2 week trip (or destinations that work well together)?

Being that we are two young guys, laying on the beach is not essential to us... although if there is some amazing beach that fits in to the itinerary, we are not opposed to it.

What's most worthwhile -- china / japan / vietnam? singapore, vietnam, malaysia, etc.. (only examples)...

Would love any help you guys can provide!

Thanks!

May and April, outside of Golden Week, are very good times to visit Japan.

And with a Japan Rail Pass, the country is an excellent choice for an "on the go" trip.

Wither a mere two weeks, you need to be thinking of destinations that are close together so you don't spend more time in the air than you do experiencing Asia.

I'd recommend Thailand/Cambodia for a first trip. You get an incredible world heritage site, the temples at Angkor, as well as an amazing exotic, modern city, Bangkok. There are lovely nearby beaches, also northern Thailand has opportunities to interact with elephants (Elephant Nature Park, Thai Elephant Conservation Center). Prices are also very good - as opposed to Japan and Singapore, which are both quite expensive.

There are plenty of options, your problem will be narrowing it down and then comin up with an itineray that makes sense given your limited time.

You might find photos helpful. Here is a link to our photo site: www.marlandc.com

As a first time visitor to Asia, with just two weeks of time, it really makes sense to travel to Thailand. It has perhaps the best traveller infrastructure and plenty of things to see. I would suggest to simply spend the entire two weeks in Thailand, because there is just no time to visit another country. In two weeks you can see the major highlights (temples, historical sites, Bangkok) and spend some days on the islands in south relaxing.

you need to tell us a bit more what you like??

beer?? ladies?? shopping?? sightseeing?? budget?? food?? etc.

thailand does make for a great first SEA trip although april is its hottest month.. it also is easy to fly to..

Thailand is easy to fly to: first fly to Japan and then to Thailand.

Ha, sorry for the lack of detail. And thank you for the suggestions so far!

We definitely like beer (and other liquor) and ladies... not so much into shopping, although I heard you can get some great custom formal wear (e.g., suits)... and would definitely like to pick up a few of those while in Asia. Does anyone know of any specific places?

We LOVE to explore the food scene (big foodies). We would like to experience the local street food, as well as some of the nicer "high-end" food places. More of the former though.

I would say our biggest interest (or 2nd to food) is the sight-seeing element. We love to check out the famous "touristy" places, as well as any hidden "must-see" gems...

As for budget, we are both 25-26, with good jobs... but definitely not wealthy. We can afford to splurge a bit in a more expensive city like Tokyo, but would also like to stretch our dollar where possible (and more often than splurging). Maybe a $1-2K for the 2 weeks, (not counting flight or hotels).

Does that help? Thanks again!

Bangkok is a paradise for foodies. It also has good (and reasonably priced) tailoring. And you will not lack for sightseeing!

For two weeks you want to pick 3 stops, maximum. Asia is big and diverse and, like Europe, you're not going to get to all of it on your first trip. But don't worry, you'll be back.

Best to choose a balance of city/countryside, different cultures, price range, then mix it up.

You just want to be careful to limit your transit time. It's the time spent in airports that can eat into a two week trip.

For cities I'd choose Hong Kong, Tokyo or Bangkok.
For culture Bali, Angkor Wat (Siem Reap), Laos
For nature Bali, parts of Vietnam and Thailand

I've left off China because that's a trip in itself.

My preference would be either one of the above cities plus Angkor Wat plus Bali.

Thank you so much! If I want to include Angkor Wat and Bali, are any one of the cities (HK, Tokyo, and Bangkok) feasible (distance wise)?

The closest city to Angkor is Bangkok. If you want to Include Bali, all of the cities you list have non-stop flights to Bali. Bali is farther away, a 4 hour flight from Bangkok, probably 6 hours from Hong Kong, and about 9 from Tokyo. If you want to include both Angkor and Bali, I'd suggest Bangkok, Angkor, Bali. That's a lot to pack in, but you wanted a busy trip.

Angkor and Bali - a bit too far away for two weeks. I would skip Bali and focus on Thailand, which also has a very interesting culture.

Singapore would be a good stopover during your holiday around Asia. The country is really modern, and depending on what you decide to do here, you can spend over $100 to $150 (not inclusive of hotel stay) in a day, or as little as $50.

If you decide to pay SG a visit, here's a few online resources that will be really useful to know.

Places to Eat

If you're on a budget, and you want to try the local fare without busting a hole in your wallet, you can check out the local food blogs and websites for recommendations

http://ieatishootipost.sg/
http://www.ladyironchef.com/tag/hawker-food-singapore/
http://www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore-hawker/

Public transport

The cheapest mode of transport is via buses and trains. You're going to need this train made if you want to get around on our MRT. http://www.smrt.com.sg/Trains/NetworkMap.aspx

If you want to travel by cab, you can check out the rates here - http://www.taxisingapore.com/taxi-fare/

Partying and Drinking

If you want to check out the clubbing scene here, and mingle with the local ladies, we've quite a lively nightlife scene. You can find some of the clubs and bars listed here -

http://www.yoursingapore.com/content...nce-clubs.html
http://www.timeoutsingapore.com/clubs

Massage and Spa

If you're feeling jet lagged or your want to try some Asian massage therapy, you'll find all sorts of massages here (p.s. clean ones, no happy endings). You can refer to the listings here - http://massage.sgguide.net/

hope this short list is helpful for you =)

Another vote for Thailand! It's a really fun and as mentioned above, has very good tourist infrastructure, plus a great backpacking vibe. Sounds like it would fit what you're looking for. You could do Bangkok, Chiang Mai, plus a beach. Look into the Thai Airways Pass: http://www.thaiairways.com/offers/sp...fares-2011.htm

You could also take marmot's suggestion. I might tweak it a bit and suggest Luang Prabang, Laos instead of Bali because of the distance.