Hotels & Suggestions for Thailand & Cambodia
 

We are planning on going to Thailand & Cambodia late October-November for ten days--we have tentatively planned the following--do you think it is doable--and what do you
think of hotels??

2 nights at the Mariott Bangkok--is it close enough to the things one would want to see in
your 1st time in Bangkok--I am a little confused about how far it is and the river??

drive to Chiang Mai- & spend 2 nights atRachamanka

drive to Chiang Rei-hotel??

fly to Siem Riep for two nights at Shinta Mani

then fly to Phuket for two nights b4 flying out of Bangkok--I keep trying to justify Amanpuri of Banyan Tree

do you feel this a doable schedule--we do travel pretty fast the first time we visit and then like to return at a more leisurely pace--any suggestions would be most appreciated--thank you in advance Jan

Can you do it? Probably. Will you enjoy it? Probably not. Every time you change location, you use up a good part of a day to a whole day. Out of ten days, you are changing locations FIVE times. And you seem to be driving some... Do you really think you'll drive from Bangkok to Chaing Mai? Even with flights this will be a lot. I'd say, chose CM or CR, don't try to do both in so little time. Some of your changes of location are a bit complicated - From CR to SR you'd need to fly to BKK and change airlines and go to the international terminal to fly to Siem Reap. Likewise, your trip from SR to Phuket involves a change of airlines and terminals at BKK.

In 10 days, I'd choose no more than three locations. Bangkok (no, two days isn't enough), Siem Reap, and either a location in the north or a beach.

I agree with Kathie. Very hectic. I would do 3 places. Choose between Phuket, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and keep 4 days in Bangkok and 3 days in Siem Reap and the balance in your 3rd choice. My partner and I did SR in 2 days i.e. 1 night and it was bizarrely hectic. We took the early AM flight Bkk-SR and the last flight back and I would not reco it.

I agree with Kathie...too much moving around, even for fast travel. It's doable, sure, but you won't see much at all.

2 nights in Bangkok isn't enough to see much. What time does your plane land? Likely you'll have only part of the first day, if any of it, to go anywhere. That leaves one day to sightsee.

Driving to Chang Mai isn't something I'd do...too far, too long. You'd spend an entire day in the car...it's 700 kms from Bangkok.

Like Kathie said, you can't fly from Chang Rai to Siem Riep..you've got to fly to Bangkok first, and this trip will take the whole day.

I might do 2 nights in Bangkok on arrival, fly to Siem Reap for 3 days, From Siem Reap, there is a 9:40 AM non-stop to Phuket that takes 3 hours on Bangkok Air. I don't know if it's daily or seasonal. Spend 3 nights in Phuket. Then fly back to Bangkok for 2 more nights.

WAY TOO MUCH....

first let me address the marriott....yes it is removed further than most bkk hotels from the center of the city, but we look at this as a plus...
the ride on their free boat to the skytrain is 12-15 minutes and it leaves the hotel every 15 minutes...this is a great way to start and to end a day with a ride on the river!!
from taskim pier--the pier where the hotel boat leaves you off---you can catch a chao payra express boat up the river to the grand palace area, which is also close to wat arun and to some other sites...
taxis are cheap and plentiful in bkk...use them often in combo with the skytrain to zip around the city...
i have stayed repeatedly at the marriott for 11 years and not regreted one minute of any stay...we find it totally convenient...

now to the trip as a whole...

depending on where you are coming from, we find that day one in bkk is a total loss....you usually are way too tired to do much...its a good day to readjust...if you don't you may regret it later in the trip...given this you are down to 9 days...assuming that the 10 days are days you have your feet on thai soil for the full day...
i would skip some of your ideas...

siem reap is an easy one to cut but it is not what i would cut...you do need 3 full days there however...

so i would do it this way....

3 nites bkk
3 nites siem reap or phuket
3 nites bangkok
home

i would leave northern thailand for a future trip and would tend to visit angkor instead of phuket...

I also think it's way too much. Depending on your interests I would do one of the following:

Bangkok
Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai (and you must fly there)
Angkor Wat

or

Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Chiang Ra

I'd skip Phuket

Thank you all for your suggestions--looks as if Phuket is probably the one to drop--rats-=-but then I guess I can look at as a tremendous savings financially--those resorts were tempting--thanks again

Since you're saving so much money by skipping Phuket (a wise decision ) you should splurge and stay at the Oriental in Bangkok. I promise you you won't be sorry.

or the peninsula for an even better hotel (sorry gloria)

Bob-- have you stayed at the Oriental?