We've finally booked our flights for a Feb 2008 trip to SE Asia. We had an itinerary all worked out, but now that our flights are finalized, we have an extra day. I can't decide whether to add on a Bangkok portion to our trip or to visit Luang Prabang, as the travel agent suggests (I've been to Thailand and Vietnam before but don't know anything about LP. My husband has never been to Asia). I am so confused now and don't know what the best itinerary would be. Would welcome any advice!

Original itinerary.
Day 1- Dept JFk
2- Arrive BKK (night at airport hotel)
3-AM flight to Hanoi
4- Hanoi
5- Hanoi
6- Halong Bay boat cruise (overnight)
7- Halong Bay- return to Hanoi to catch flight to Siem Reap
8- Siem Reap
9- Siem Reap
10- Siem Reap
11-Siem Reap(PM flight to BKK)
12- Bkk- JFK

Now, with the extra day, our agent has suggested:
Day 1- Dept JFK
2-Arrive Bkk, overnight airport hotel.
3- Fly Bangkok/Luang Prabang.
4-Full day of planned sights (LP)
5-A.M. leisure. Late afternoon flight to Hanoi.
6-Hanoi
7-Hanoi
9-Halong Bay overnight cruise
10-Halong Bay to Hanoi to catch flight to Siem Reap
11- Full Day Angkor.
12 - 2/3 Day Tonle Sap
13 - Leisure Siem Reap until evening flight to Bkk
14- Midnight flight back to JFK

Does it make sense for us to visit LP or would we be better off spending a day in Bangkok since we're already flying in and out of BKK?

You had a reasonable but busy itinerary before, now your travel agent has suggested one that makes no sense at all. Asia lends itself best to slow travel. If you go with your agent's suggestion you'll never have the time to experience any of it. Save LP for next trip. You need at least 3 or 4 days to experince LP.

If you have an extra day, either add it to Hanoi or give yourselves a day in Bangkok (though it won't be enough to feel like you were really there, you can have a lovely dinner, shop and take your husband to the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha).

Thanks Kathie... those were my thoughts exactly. The travel agent seems outstanding and so I am surprised about the LP itinerary suggestion. One question though- do you think we're spending too much time in any one place? For example, I definitely want time in Siem Reap to relax at the pool or even relax at the temples and soak up the atmosphere. I don't, however, want to be sitting around wondering what to do next because we feel like we've done enough sightseeing in whatever the particular location may be.

No, you are not spending too much time in any one place. I expect you'll wish you had more time in each place you visit!

Add the extra day to hanoi.

travel agents usually want you to see everything. But i suggest you take the extra day in Bkk. It will be a waste to be there and just use it as a stopover point. YOu can do a day tour or go shopping.

kathie has some good ideas....i think personally i would cut LP out totally and add days first at bkk to regain strength and then move on to SR where you have not allowed enough time for the temples....2-3 days on the lake? one would be plenty....

(Bob, that looks to me like a fraction of a day on the lake, not 2-3, but 2/3)

could be...in any case i think things need some adjustment

Why spend the night at the airport hotel in BKK when you arrive? If your flight arrives at 5pm and doesn't depart until 7:30am the next day, why not head into town, stay at a nice hotel (airport hotel isn't cheap), enjoy a nice meal, and then head to the airport the next morning? It only takes 30 minutes to get into town.

Your first itinerary looks a lot better than the first one.

Thanks for the advice.... I am going to follow itinerary 1 but add the extra day to Bangkok and stay at a hotel in the city (so we'll have the first two nights in Bangkok). I know that one full day isn't nearly enough time to see all that Bangkok has to offer, but hopefully we can do a tour of the grand palace, maybe some shopping and have two great dinners! Plus, we're not going out of our way to only have two nights in Bangkok since we're flying into Bkk anyway!

That sounds like a good plan!

JMGJD,

What airline are you using to get from Hanoi to Siem Reap? I'm trying to find a cheaper one-way for that route right now. Is your travel agent booking it for you?