Mitch04

I'd opt for Vietnam and Cambodia. I've travelled to about 35 countries, and rated my Vietnam-Cambodia trip (which I did solo) as among the best experiences I have ever had.

Flibhts from Bangkok to Vietnam are not really expensive.

I did a fabulous 750 cruise along the Mekong from the delta to Siem Reap, and travelled with www.pandaw.com

I couldn't fault the cruise at all. It was simply the best. It sounds expensive, but when you consider that it includes accommodation, all meals (superb restaurant-style food) generally 2 onshore excursions per day, all tea, coffee, soft drink and local beer, it's actually pretty reasonable. The trip operates in both directions.

I have photos at http://www.jmprphotography.com/portfolio7393.html

I stayed at the Bopha-Angkor hotel in Siem Reap (excellent value, and a wonderful boutique hotel), wandered through the amazing Angkor temples and then flew to Hanoi and worked my back down to Saigon.

Email me at [email protected] if you want any more information.

You can also do a search in the Asia forum. Search for "Pandaw trip report" and the search will throw up "Cambodia/Vietnam trip report", which is it!

I'm doing the Pandaw's Burma Irrawaddy cruise next year (all going well) because it is one of the most professional operators I have ever run into.

Kathie

I checked the E&O website and it says it has an error, so they must be having technical problems.

Email them at [email protected] and you should get through. That's the address they used when they confirmed our reservations, and I wrote to them to make a change and it got through to them.

Kathie

Any luck with the E&O? The Pandaw cruise also sounds great. It's on our list for future travels.

Bonita

Hello WT..

Namaste! I know you have been to India, but did u ever get to South India? I remember chatting with u about it way-back-when...

So December is a great time for South India..Of course it is high season, and alot of places are booked, but there are always ins and outs..

So, *U can foray into Kerala, Tamil Nadu,Karnataka, (endless choices) and even a bit to Sri Lanka too if u want more diversity to your trip. Come to think of it, **u can even tag on a few nights in KTM<but that said, Nepal is a Country that too needs to be watched up to the NOvember upcomming elections.

Take care, Namaste and feel free to drop me a line if u need any last-minute India anyting..Happy to help [email protected]

Mitch04

I admit to being a river cruise addict.

If you have already done Vietnam and Cambodia.....

Another choice might be a cruise along India's Brahmaputra River with the Assam Bengal Navigation Company....Flts from BK to Kolkata are very reasonable.....

http://www.assambengalnavigation.com/

Good operators, but these trips may have more appeal to genuine travellers rather than 'tourists' as the area is remote.

I did the cruise earlier this year and also stayed at the ABN's jungle lodge near the border of India and Bhutan.

WinterTravel

Sorry for the delayed response - had some computer issues, but we are back on track now. Thanks for the additional suggestions. We did indeed consider southern India last year, but started planning even earlier than this and still could not get the hotels we wanted (all booked up due to high season). Would love to do a trip in Kerala, but think Christmastime is probably tough given that it is only two+ months away.

Kathie - we just sent off an email to the E&O, so fingers crossed that they have room. Do you know how the weather is in Penang in Dec? How many days would you spend there? You mentioned Borneo -- would weather be an issue there in Dec, or is it largely the same year round?

Any other suggestions for places in Malaysia if we decide to go that route (again keeping in mind that apparently the East Coast weather is bad in December)?

Anyone have any tips for ways to find lovely hotels in the region that might still have rooms for the holidays? While we are still keeping our Burma reservations for now, with each day that passes it seems less likely that going this year will make sense....

Kathie

As far as weather in Penang is concerned, check www.weatherbase.com We were there in November, which is still rainy season. We had storms every late afternoon, but they were short. It didn't interfere with our enjoyment. We spent 6 night, 5 days and it was a nice amount of time to explore Georgetown, sample lots of hawker food and relax at the E&O.
Likewise, Borneo, you'll likely have some rain, but not enough to make it unpleasant.

It is rainy on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia in December, but I've been there twice in December and enjoyed it. Again, teh storms were short-lived for the most part. I think in two trips we had one day that it rained most of the day.

If you are interested in Borneo, the "must do" experience was the Borneo Rainforest Lodge. I'd check now to see if they have space available.

Bonita

Hello!
Yes, i do remember chatting with you about Kerala! And yes, December is the high high season but it is high for so much of India and I would not rule it out!

There is definately stil a chance to sort out a South December trip, as a matter of fact i am working on quite a few December trips for both North and South India still..Not everyone plans so early! And hotels still confirming slowly but surely..

And yes,although u might not get your fist choice of hotels, u can perhaps get ur second choice of hotels! There are quite a few lovely options. Also, in India hotel postions really change, and waitlists do occasionaly cleaR especially as the season moves on and well, "Plans change"!

Plus, well connections.. WT, i have superb local connections in thru-out South and North, so would be happy to help u out last minute/crunch. Can certainly/surely come up with something, wld not give up that path of thinking.. If u want, u can send me some of your ideas and i can help u tweak a "back-up' Kerala itinerary, and then perhaps can check hotel availability for u at such and see. Feel free to drop me a line. Namaste. bonita.

WinterTravel

Kathie - Thanks again for the E & O email address. Good news is that they have a room! Malaysia seems a more do-able Plan B from Bangkok, so we're leaning in that direction. (Bonita - thanks for the offer on Southern India, but we'll save that for another time). Kathie - could Penang and Borneo be combined easily? Is the Borneo Rainforest Lodge very rustic and if so, were there other hotels in the area you'd recommend? Thanks again for the help!

Girlspytravel

Myself, I don't know why you wouldn't continue your trip to Myanmar-it is very improbable that you would encounter any trouble there, the last thing the junta wants is to target foreigners, in fact, the exact opposite is their objective-they encourage foreign touristm, and by traveling there you support the people, rather than those who like to call on silly boycotts and further sanctions that will serve only to make the plight of the Burmese that much worse. People need to go to Myanmar to report to the world what they have seen about conditions there, and who better to do that than the tourists? If I weren't planning a trip elsewhere in Asia, I would have no hesitations whatever about going to Yangon, etc.

glorialf

actually my guess is the junta won't issue visas if there is trouble there because they won't want foreigners to witness it. They made foreigners leave last week. So if you get your visa and they let you in I think you will be as safe as anywhere these days.

And, in fact, you might be able to help some individuals. Tourism is bound to go down which means that thousands of people are going to be even poorer than they are now. Going could help and you would join the rest of us who can tell people first hand why they need to push the world to put pressure on the junta to change.

The junta does not want the truth about burma to get out. By going you could be defying their wishes and making the innocent people there feel less isolated. At the demonstrations I've been to here in chicago (going to another one in 15 minutes)virtually all of the non-Burmese there are people who have visited it.

WinterTravel

We have kept all of our Burma reservations and will certainly still go if it makes sense. We had heard that getting visas might be tough given recent developments, however, so that will be a factor. Our need for a Plan B is in case we can't get visas (we'd have to do that within a few weeks lest we risk cancellation issues at hotels). We recall that someone on the Fodors boards was planning an October trip -- is that still on?

bacooking

Just wondering if your plans are still on. We would like to go there next summer as part of a Thailand vacation. Can you let me know how your plans are progressing. Tks.

WinterTravel

We had really hoped to go, but after weighing all of the pros and cons we decided to put off our trip until next year. We were sorry to cancel all of our reservations, but it seemed the best course at this time.

Kathie

Are you still going to Asia, or have you cancelled it all?

rhkkmk

sorry to hear this...we did the same last year with a short visit to kathmandu...it seemed the best thing to do at the time...

you can always go another time...

so where to now??

miami beach??

bob

WinterTravel

So sorry for the horribly delayed response -- somehow we missed this message and just found it now.

We are indeed still going to Asia, though not Burma. We are headed to Laos again (with stopovers at the Pen in Bangkok both ways) -- loved it last year and decided we'd take the opportunity to return and see more of the country (and just enjoy more time in Luang Prabang too). We figured that it might be our last chance since tourism in Laos is developing quite fast now -- we've heard a number of luxury properties are being developed and that will most likely change the laid-back dynamic that we so enjoyed. The NY Times Sunday travel section put Laos as the #1 in "places to go in 2008" on the front page, so we're feeling glad that we decided to go back sooner rather than later!

Kathie

Have a wonderful time!

thursdaysd

Hope you have a great trip, and please give my love to Laos!