nikochoi

My boyfriend and I just booked our tickets to SE asia for August 25-Sept 29... and now the planning begins! We are going to be flying into Hanoi and then flying out of Bangkok. Our goal is to do Vietnam/ Angkor Wat/ Thailand. From what I've read, most say don't plan too much as life is more leisurely in this part of the world. However, a part of me wants to see as much as possible, seeing as though I don't know when we will have the chance to go back. We've already decided that we don't want to lose days traveling, so my first question is, are domestic flights reasonable? If so, is it recommended? Is it that much pricier than train/bus travel? Also, aside from travel costs, what is an appropriate budget for two for a month (accommodations, food, activities, etc.) ?

I've constructed a very, very rough itinerary that is completely open for criticism. Please let me know if it's too ambitious, and then we can plan accordingly...

8/25-8/30 Hanoi/Halong Bay
-> fly to Danang

8/31-9/6 Hoi An
-> fly to HCM city

9/6-9/10 HCM city
-> * not sure yet how to get to Siem Reap...fly?

9/11-13 Angkor Wat
-> fly to bangkok- connect to chiang-mai???

9/13 or 14-20- Chiang-Mai
-> fly to the beach, phuket?? not sure where yet...

9/20-27- BEACH (island hop?)
-> fly back to bangkok

9/28-29- Bangkok

Again, this is very tentative. Any advice is very helpful!


Thanks!
Nichole

michmich11

Hi Nichole,

When I was in SE Asia close to 5 years ago we found flying to be more cost/time effective than bus. We had 3 weeks and didn't want to lose any more time than necessary. Flights were pretty reasonably priced from what I remember.


It looks like you have from 9/13 to 9/20 between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, is that right?

Regarding beaches, we went to Koh Tao and Koh Samui. We loved the small, laid back feeling of Koh Tao and were a bit less impressed with the comparatively overdeveloped nature of Koh Samui. I have heard some people say similar things about Phuket, although others rave about it.

Kathie

Overall, your itinerary looks pretty good. I would suggest you spend a minimum of three full days in Siem Reap. Get a copy of Dawn Rooney's book to prepare, Angkor: A Guide to Cambodia's Wondrous Temples.

I note you are spending a long time in Hoi An. I'd suggest you spend some time in Hue as well.

Note that September is a difficult time for beaches in Thailand. It tends to be rainy on both the Gulf of Thailand side (Koh Samui, Koh Tao) and the Andaman Sea side (Phuket, Koh Lak, Koh Lanta, etc).

nikochoi

Thanks for your reply!

I think flying is the way to go, especially because we are crunched for time.

Yes, I want to allot 6-7 days for Chiang Mai. As for the beaches go, I will definitely look into Koh Tao!

momary

I was in Hoi An a few years ago, and planned it to coincide with the Full Moon festival. The Full Moon Festival is held on the 14th day of the lunar month. Hoi-An old town shuts down to motorized vehicles, business is still in full on mode, but the lanterns are beautiful and create a wonderful atmosphere.
Hoi An is famous for creating knock-offs of couture to recreating your favorite, but now frayed, blouse. Tell your tailor, 1-no white thread, the color of the thread to match material; 2- no funky colors from the carbon paper that tailors use to create darts- these do not wash out.Trust me. Also, if anything needs pockets, agree in advance on the depth of the pockets. if you are loving some pricey catalog item, bring the picture along. oh, and if you are a fabric hound, watch out that the material is real silk, not some poly blend.
Bargaining is half the fun, and the shop will appreciate your discerning eye. Take your time and you will be adding some classics to your wardrobe. Enjoy!!

yestravel

I agree that you should split the time you have allocated to Hoi An between Hoi An and Hue. A fun way to see Hue is by motorcycle. We had a great time seeing Hue that way. It's a nice drive from Hoi An to Hue or you can take a train.
We went to Aonang Beach instead of Phuket. Not sure what the weather is during your time there You should check on which beach is likely to have the best weather.
You might look into the Discovery Air Pass by BKK Air. It provides discounted fares if you fly 3 segments with it.
I believe you can easily plan this on your own. It's very easy to do. Airlines are online for booking and you can use Agoda or Asia rooms or others for hotel bookings. That said we used Tonkin Tours to help us with our three weeks in VN (this was part of a 9 week trip) mainly because I was tired of planning! They are great and easy to work with.
I have a very long TR that you can find by clicking on my name. It covers the places you mention.