is this se asia itinerary looking a bit better?
 

Hi all
Working from your advice to my last itinerary posted i have tweaked things a little - adding more time to Siem Reap, Chiang Mai and Hanoi (hope not too much). I did not add more to Bangkok as i am concerned about too much "city time" - I know my children well! I have also reduced the beach in Thailand a lot and hope to save some money by cutting out Pimalai ($1150/nt!!!) and the flight to Krabi x 5 people!
Kathie I think it was you who said cut HCMC - why? Would we not be missing out by not seeing the Mekong Delta?
I cannot change my Cape Town flights, but everything else I can.
Please let me know what you think:

days 1-3 Hong Kong
day 4 fly to hanoi
Days 5-6 Hanoi
Day 7 Hoa Lu & caves
Day 8 Halong bay and nt on boat
Day 9 Fly to Hue
Day 10 Hue
Day 11 drive to Hoi An
Day 12-15 Hoi An
Day 16 fly to HCMC
Day 17 HCMC sights and tunnels
Day 18 Mekong Delta
Day 19 Fly to Siem reap
day 20-22 siem reap
day 23 Fly to Chiang mai
Day24-26 Ching mai/rai
Day 27 Fly to Bangkok
Day 28 Bangkok
Day 29 Drive to beach resort?
Day 30-32 Beach resort
Day 33 Bkk to Hk
Day 34 HK
Day 35 Back to Cape Town

If you're concerned about city time I would reduce your time in Hong Kong and add some time to Bangkok. HCMC is probably the least interesting place in Vietnam UNLESS you have a real interest in the Vietnam War (or the American War as they call it) and want to see the places that playes such a big part of america's involvement. If you don't have that interest -- and need to "atone" for your country's sins-- I'd say you should skip it and spend more time in northern thailand where there are a lot of activities for children and lots to see and do. The elephant nature park and elephant conservation center are especially great.

i too am concerned about your lack of time in bkk....there are many things there that the kids would love...its the most fun city in the world in many ways...
if you hire someone like tong for a day or two she would take the kids to places they would really love like the "secret place"--wild monkeys....tiger temple, etc...well worth your time and money...

HK is fabulous but less interesting than is bangkok....both are well worth spending time in...

i think based on what you perceive as your likes and the kids tollerances that this is a good layout, but a very very busy one with no down time for the kids just to hang out...

For Hong kong, I was thinking of lantau Island, Ocean Park, the midlevel escaltors and maybe Macau for a day?
Tell me more about Bkk for children - i like the tiger and monkey idea - my children are half fish - any water ideas?
The Northern Thailand area sounds great - remember we are from Africa and have elphants, but we will check out the Thai ones too.
Maybe we skip HCMC and Mekong delta and add a day each to Bkk and to the beach resort?
Your thoughts on a beach resort - have posted a seperate question as well.
So grateful - thank you - any time you need in put on Cape Town, though i do post advice to questions on that forum - got to pay back somehow

I think your itinerary is still too crowded. You'll have to cut some place in order to make it humane.

Also, you don't really have time for both CM/CR. Choose one, otherwise you'll spend all of your time there in a car.

Like Gloria, I think HCMC is the least interesting place in VN. It's a huge, modern city with very little of its heritage left.

I'd just cut HCMC, add those days to Bangkok. You'll find plenty to do there. Stay at a hotel with a lovely pool, and the kids can swim every afternoon.

Kathie you are right - have now cut HCMC and it actually saves 3 days - with the travelling day saved.CR was a day trip, which I can decide when I get to Cm - can be cancelled - not staying in a hotel there
Put the extra day in HK as I would like to see macau
Itinerary now looks like this:

days 1-3 Hong Kong
day 4 fly to hanoi
Days 5-6 Hanoi
Day 7 Hoa Lu & caves
Day 8 Halong bay and nt on boat
Day 9 Fly to Hue
Day 10 Hue
Day 11 drive to Hoi An
Day 12-15 Hoi An
Day 16 fly to SR
Day 17-19 siem reap
Day 20 fly to Chng Mai
day 21-23 Chiang Mai
Day 24 Fly to Bangkok
Day 25/6 Bangkok
Day 27 drive to Hua Hin
Day 28-31 Hua Hin
Day 32 fly to HK
Day 33 Macau day trip
Day 34 HK
Day 35 Back to Cape Town

this new layout looks better...

why 3 days in hoa an?? could you cut by one and add to bkk...i really think you will like bkk and HH also..

the monkeys involves a boat trip on the ocean bay area....it will have the kids talking for ever....

if you send me your e address i will send you my pics of the monkeys with [email protected]

easy answer to that question:
Hoi An for 3 days because a. we think its amazing that we are there for the lunar festival when the whole town bans anything motorised/electrical, no cars and just lantern lights - its on 23 Dec. b.we want to be inmore of a family environment and certainly not travelling on Christmas eve or day - Santa will never find us and the children would never forive me. c. if I get a silk dress or 2 made, 3 days should cover fittings etc, but that really is a minor factor

Hoi An is great. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. It almost hurts me when so many on this site say to "skip it". I also notice many who say that have never been there?? Sure, there are tourists near the stores that make clothes. Locals are not having custom clothes made. But if you just walk across the bridge - I am talking less than two blocks - there are little to NO tourists. We had so many friendly Vietnamese come out and chat with us on the street. You can hire a boat for a few $$ and go out to fishing villages. Not a tourist in sight. I would think I would be so wonderful to be there during the lunar festival! Actually when we were there, motorized traffic was banned every night for 3 hours or so. Many lanterns as well. It is so peaceful and beautiful. I think it cost $1.00 US to rent a bike if I remember correctly. The food - oh the food! Never paid more than $10-12 for 4-5 items and 2-4 beers. Many who do like Hoi An go there just to eat. I am not a beach person, but even the beach it quite nice. I guess I am not the same as many posters, but I love Hoi An. If Hoi An was "made for tourists" as someone stated, they made it for them in the 16th and 17th Centuries. The architecture is so beautiful.

I don't believe you can fly from Hoi An to Siem Reap. You would have to return to either HCMC or Hanoi and then fly to Siem Reap.

good reasons for h.a.....i should have looked more carefully...

Monday morning here now - 7.30am
You know when you plan a big trip like this for so many varied tastes, you start to get a vibe and an eagerness to go to certain areas, and Vietnam is somewhere I have always wanted to go. And in Vietnam, it is Hoi An that I am the most excited about - thank you Connette for your wonderful words. Re making clothes i am thinking specifically for matric/ prom dress for my daughter - should be much cheaper and less stressful to sort out there than in Cape Town, and it will be a special treat for her to have something made especially for her, anyway we shall see.
We definately want to hire bicycles as the area seems quite safe to cycle round - especially the car free days - I am a very wobbly cyclist - on coming cras seem to draw me towards them, like some sort of magnetic force!
The twin bed room witha roll a way will be great for the family.
I was hoping to fly from Danang to SR if possible will follow up
Closer to the time, I thought I might post a serious of questions entitled: "Let's tlak about Hoi An/ Siem Reap/ Macau " etc etc, to get all the different vibes, because as Cornette said, many people say "oh miss that" and they haven't even been there!