Is this insane?!?
 

We will be spending app 5 weeks in asia. Our thoughs are

10 days in china Visiting, Beijing, Xian, Yangshuo and Shanghair

10 days in Vietnam visiting, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, hoi an, Saigon and the mekong delta and chi tunnels.

10 days in India (NO IDEA Where to visit besides tajMahal sp?

2 days in Bangkok (we can fly cheapest home from here) (this is after taking 3 days off for travel time in between china, vietnam, india and bangkok

Does this sound reasonable?

No.

Do you actually want to see/experience any of these places or are you just checking them off a list?

Yes we want to see and experience them! Thats the point of going!

Ok then, slow down. You could spend 10 days in two cities in China. In VN with a mere 10 days you can't cover the whole country north to south - figure three weeks for that. Then you'll have a few days to spend in Bangkok. That's your 5 weeks.

so cut out india completely. I guess i can see why]

Rather than starting with your list, start by considering what are the most important things you want to do/see/experience in your 5 weeks. Tell us what those are and we can help you figure out what you can accomplish in 5 weeks.

it would be rushed to say the least....so i would cut india and limit some of china...

I'd say, yes, loose India first since you "have no idea where to visit". You can save it for another time and 5 weeks just there will not scratch the surface.

China is also vast. Since you have Thailand and Vietnam on your list I suggest you visit Yunnan Province in China, if you go to China at all. Adjacent to Vietnam and close to Thailand.

If I had 5 weeks to spend in those 3 places I believe I'd start in the south of Vietnam, move north to Hanoi then continue into Yunnan by bus and train. From Yunnan it's possible to find passenger boats from Jinghong down the Mekong River to Thailand. Or less adventuresome, fly from Kunming to Bangkok.

Or you could just spend 5 weeks in Vietnam and Thailand. A huge variety of landscapes and activities, great food both places, easy to get around, terrific shopping, interesting accommodation options. It doesn't get any better. I'm planning a trip now, having been all the places you mention several times except Vietnam, I plan to start in Hong Kong, train to Hanoi, fly to Bangkok, all for probably about 2 months. Spending more time in fewer places has it's rewards.

Sorry, spelling correction, make that "lose India". (This website could sure use an "edit" function.)

wow 2 months in 3 cities! and thanks for the suggestion we will cut out india and divide the time between China and Vietnam

Not 2 months in 3 cities, those cities and places around and between them. Those cities are just the first stops although there can certainly be possibilities for longer term stays. But I usually like the smaller towns for that.

The beauty of travel in Asia is that one need not plan every move. Train tickets, airline reservations, hotels can usually be had at short notice so it's possible to just go to a region and if you don't like one place move on or someone will tell you about a great spot and you can just decide to go there. Another reason to give yourself as much time as possible. It's the unexpected that makes travel such an adventure. But with 5 weeks and 2 countries you should have a nice time. Do try to leave time in your schedule for some spontaneity.

i disagree about the availability of some transportation... at peak periods, over holidays and other times it can be very hard to get last minute suitable transportation...

That 10 days in Vietnam sounds really rush to me. To do all that places you may need 14 days minimum.

Rhkkmk, you're right, especially in China during the national holiday weeks and anywhere during holidays like Tet in Vietnam. Hence my use of the "usually". But you're right, I should have been more specific. But one should always check on these things anywhere one plans to travel, before making decisions and booking.

Good to know .. However What if we do tours with tour companies then it could easily be done

Tours with tour companies... what are you thinking? Mostly once you are on the ground, you might book a day trip with a tour company that would include transport (like to and from the Great Wall from Beijing). Are you thinking once you go to China you'd book a tour - flights included - to another city? I don't recommend that approach, mostly because I find group tours deadly, but also I don't see it as helping you much.

Once you know your dates, you can check to see if they are circumstances that would make buying tickets for particular dates difficult. You should know that for buying plane tickets, the sooner you buy them the cheaper they will be. This is especially true of Air Asia, a budget carrier.

I tend to take short trip myself (not buying into the idea that its only worth going somewhere if you can spend weeks there) but your original plan seems very rushed even by my standards.

I would probably break up 5 weeks by making a couple of stops in China, a week in Vietnam and a week in Thailand. Of course you could easily spend the 5 weeks just in one spot but assuming you want to cover more ground, I think you'll have plenty to see in that time without missing out on the enjoyment of experiencing the location.

My two cents worth is that each of the countries Vietnam, China, and Thailand is at least 3 weeks if you want to cover the whole of the country - could easily spend more time in each country. For five weeks I would say that 2 countries would be max - there is so much to see. I took a 3 week tour in China and am glad I had a tour there, but have travelled independently in Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. Decide what you really want to see and do and design your trip around that. Look to see if there are particular holidays around the time that you want to travel - not only for any issues there may be around travel, but more particularly to be able to take part in festivals or celebrations. You may want to work your "timetable" to be in a particular place at a certain time.

I am in agreement with most above. I used to try to do it all in a few weeks and came back exhausted and not feeling like I really got to know the place I was going. Now I spend at least three weeks in one country and try to spend at least three or four nights in each city. Otherwise your entire journey is seen from a plane bus or train. Get out and meet the people and take time to just 'be there' is my advice.