Itinerary help for first time to Cambodia and Thailand
 

This trip will place next January and as we are retired we don't have any time restrictions.
We would arrive in Phnom Penh from Vancouver via Hong Kong and stay for 3 nights, then fly to Siem Reap for 5 or 6 nights. Besides Angkor Wat we would like to see some of the countryside. We then plan to meet our friends in Thailand. They will be coming from Burma so we were thinking of meeting them in Bangkok, staying for 2 or 3 nights and then flying to Chiang Mai for 4 nights. We would then fly to Phuket or Krabi for 6 nights. Don't know if we should overnight again in Bangkok before our international flight or just use Bangkok as a stop over, as this is possible. I want to do some shopping on this trip so am considering staying in Hong Kong for a few nights on the way home. We have never been to HK, but as hotels seem very expensive I am hoping I will find great shopping in Cambodia or Thailand. Forgot to mention we want to fit in a trip to see River Kwai.

<<<Besides Angkor Wat we would like to see some of the countryside.>>>

So why fly everywhere?

The bus (http://www.giantibis.com/book.php) between PP and SR is comfortable, and you'll see far more out of the windows than you will at 30,000 feet. The journey takes 6 hours including a lunch stop and two toilet breaks. Sounds a long time, but when you take into account travelling to and from airports, checking in, hanging around, possible delays, and the time in the air, then travelling by road doesn't take much longer.

It's easy enough to get to Bangkok from Siem Reap overland too. Firstly I'd travel by bus (http://www.capitoltourscambodia.com/index.php?page_id=4) from Siem Reap to Battambang. Takes about 3.5 hours. Battambang is in the middle of beautiful country, has a few good hotels, and well worth a couple of nights.

From Battambang, get an early taxi to the border at Poipet. Takes just over an hour. Aim to be there by mid morning and you'll be out of Cambodia and into Thailand in less than an hour.

Then get a taxi or tuk tuk to Aranyapraphet train station. Takes about 10 minutes.

Finally catch the afternoon train from Aranyapraphet to Bangkok (Hualamphong). Leaves at 1355 and due in Bangkok at 1955. A ticket costs 48 baht (forty eight). Google for videos.

You'll have had a great time, seen a lot of the countryside and mixed with real local people experiencing how they travel, have had a truly memorable experience, and come away with a great sense of achievement.

I'd agree with LancasterLad about travelling by road. I flew from SR to PP last time as the road was pretty bad but I've done the road trip several times.. Check on this first, however the last time I went to Battangbang the road was good.

At Battangbang you can hire a tuk tuk/moto and possibly car and do a tour of the countryside culminating in a ride on the bamboo train if its still operating. This is a great fun way to see the Cambodian countryside.

Some of the outer temples involve a fair bit of the Cambodian countryside also. Beng Melea and Koh Ker make a good one day trip and you don't need your Angkor pass. Kbaal Spean is also well out of town and can be combined with Banteay Srei. The former is a about 1500 metres each way but its not too taxing. A friend of mine did it with me and she's in her mid seventies.

I'd also recommend a flight with Aero Cambodia in a microlight. Its a memorable experience best done in the early morning. If you do this you need your camera on a neck strap for safety. I use an SLR and by keeping the shutter speed at 1/1000 second got some fantastic photos.

Have a look at Artisans d'Angkor in Siem Reap for silk clothing.

If you have time, a trip up to Preah Vihear is well worth the effort. Its a fantastic temple complex near the top of an escarpment up on the Thai border. There is a military presence but they are very friendly. This would be something to decide when you arrived in SR as the situation could change. Pol Pot's house should be avoided!

<<<At Battangbang you can hire a tuk tuk/moto and possibly car and do a tour of the countryside culminating in a ride on the bamboo train if its still operating. This is a great fun way to see the Cambodian countryside.>>>

Absolutely.

I think we paid US$20 for a tuk tuk for the day, and started off with the Bamboo Train (still running)...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract..._Province.html

Our driver, who was also very knowledgeable about everything Cambodian, took the bench seat out of the tuk tuk so we could have a bit of comfort on the bamboo train.

After that we were off along dusty country roads, through small villages, past farms and even stopped at a v.small winery, along river banks, waving at dozens of happy smiling local children. Absolutely priceless.

On the way back to Battambang there were several roadside food stalls preparing fresh rat kebabs! They're put through a mangle to get rid of all the bad stuff before being grilled. Wasn't tempted though!

I used a tuk tuk man from outside the Royal Hotel. He picked me up at the bus station and arranged everything. He also called in at a farm for a few minutes (mushroom farming and rice wine) and we were lucky enough to go past a wedding. Where did they put the marque up? In the middle of the road and everyone drove around it. Didn't get offered rat kebabs though, that was in the Mekong delta. I have been offered spiders, crickets and locusts though. The latter are not bad incidentally.

We did the trip in reverse to Lancasterlad, ending with the train.

Hong Kong has not been a great place to shop for several decades. Things are very expensive. You'll find excellent shopping in Bangkok and some in Cambodia.

Some great ideas. Thank you.

Do your shopping in Bangkok. Hong Kong is much more expensive! Hong Kong is nice for a few days of sight seeing, but shopping? No.

I am having second thoughts about visiting Hong Kong, but am thinking of adding Luang Prabang, Laos after Siem Reap, then Chiang Mai, Bangkok and finishing our trip in either Krabi area or Khao Lak for some beach time. Any thoughts on Luang Prabang for a few days and which beach area, would be appreciated.

Luang Prabang is lovely. But lay out your whole itinerary and see if you have enough time to add it in. It takes most of a day each time you change locations, so don't figure travel days as days when you'll get any sightseeing done. Certainly, taking out Hong Kong will be kind to your budget.

I have lots of time Katie as we are retired.

Oh, congrats! I recently retired and love having all this time that is mine!

If you have the time, I'd certainly recommend adding Luang Prabang.

And I think Khao Lak is a good beach option.