banker123

All:
After receiving a ton of input (which we're thankful for) and reading many posts in this discussion, we've come up with an almost-final itinerary (gotten our flights booked from NYC to Thailand and back and have reserved rooms at hotels). Here's where we stand:
Day 1-BKK (Night @ Peninsula)
Day 2-BKK (Night @ Peninsula)
Day 3-Flight to Chiang Mai (Night @ Four Seasons)
Day 4-Chiang Mai (Night @ Four Seasons)
Day 5-Chiang Mai (Night @ Four Seasons)
Day 6-Drive to Golden Triangle (Night @ Anantara)
Day 7-Golden Triangle (Night @ Anantara)
Day 8-Flight to Phuket (Night @ Amanpuri)
Day 9, 10, 11 - Phuket (Nights @ Amanpuri)
Day 12-Flight to Hong Kong (Night @ ?)
Day 13-Hong Kong (Night @ ?)
Day 14-Flight back to USA

Nothing above is finalized, all we've done is reserved hotel rooms as noted above. We haven't booked any inter-country flights at all. Just want to get some feedback from everybody on what they think/what they would change with the above. Thanks again for all your continued input/insight, we greatly appreciate it.

smartcookie

Are you flying back from Hong Kong? If not, I wouldn't go all the way there and instead add more time to Bangkok and the beaches so you can do Phi Phi.

Also, the way you have it right now is not very convenient for flights. Check out the routes on the Bangkok Airways website where you can get a Discovery Pass for many of these routes if you plan it accordingly. You're also skipping Siem Reap, which really should be incorporated unless you are set on not visiting this gem.

If you're flying to Hong Kong, Bangkok Airways flies there from BKK and from Siem Reap. Also, it's easiest to fly to Phuket from Bangkok as well, although I believe there is one flight directly from Chiang Mai.

If this were me and I wanted it to be at least somewhat relaxing (you're not allowing time for jetlag in the beginning etc), I would do the following:

Arrive in BKK and transfer straight to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Golden Triangle
Golden Triangle
BKK
BKK
BKK
Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Phuket
Phi Phi
Phi Phi

OR, if you absolutely have to do Hong Kong, then do the beaches first and then fly to HK from BKK.

glorialf

Everyone is different, but this itinerary would make me nuts because I would feel much too rushed. If I were you I would eliminate one place -- I would suggest either Hong Kong or Phuket and add the time to other places.

KimJapan

Yes, too busy, both versions. Changing location requires a half day unless you fly at the crack of dawn or late evening/night. Changing hotels and locations every 2 - 3 days would have my head spinning. Not enough time to get to know a place at all, never mind sightseeing. Spending 2 nights means you get only one full day in the location.

14 days, I'd limit it to 3 stops, 4 at the absolute maximum. Don't discount how jet lag will effect you upon arrival as well. You will be exhausted by late afternoon and wake very early in the morning unless you are one of very few people who apparently can change time zones painlessly.

LeighTravelClub

I like your itenary but as others have said, I wouldn't include Hong Kong....but maybe there is a particular reason for doing so.

Have a wonderful honeymoon and a long and happy marraige.

Cicerone

I would also cut out Hong Kong if you can, mostly becaause the weather here in March is so crappy (foggy and cool and damp), and also because you do seem to be rushing around a lot. Save Hong Kong for a better season and a return trip, and spend more time seeing Thailand and enjoying it.

Gpanda

Skip Hong Kong and add the time in BKK. Also, in Northern Thailand, I would reverse the Anantara and FS because you can fly from BKK to Chiang Rai stay at the A , drive to Chiang Mai, stay at the FS and then fly direct from CM to Phuket on the 11:00 a.m. Thai Air flight. This will save an extra leg going through BKK from Chiang Rai.

What time of year are you going? It makes a difference because of the likely weather at the beach.

banker123

Great, thanks for all the input. We plan on going during the second half of March, which hopefully should be good weather. The reason we scheduled the stop through HKK is because we are using miles through AA and can fly Cathay Pacific home and scheduled a stop over -- we figured once we were over there we should atleast see HKK, if only for a day. I like the idea of reversing the CR and CM portions of the trip, I just realized that all flights from CR go through BKK to get to Phuket.

Guenmai

Exhausted just reading the itinerary.This is Southeast Asia not Europe on a "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" schedule. I'd definitely put more time in Bangkok. I'd put the whole time in Thailand and save Hong Kong for another time. Happy Travels!

smartcookie

If you really want to stop in Hong Kong on the way back due to your flight, then you have to cut out either the Golden Triangle or Phuket or Chiang Mai to make this somewhat enjoyable. You really only have time for 3 nice relaxing stops, or 4 somewhat rushed stops.

Kathie

My advice: choose three places. Stop.

If you move as fast as your itinerary indicates, you will "see" all of those places and experience none of them.

Cicerone

There is virtually no difference in weather in Hong Kong between the first and second half of March. It's not like winter changes over to spring during that month like it would in the US on the East coast in March (we don't have winter). The only slight difference may be that rather than being foggy, damp and cool, it will be foggy, damp and a bit humid as the temps are starting to rise a bit. (The hot weather arrives in April.) We had about 33 straight days of solid fog this year from the end of Feb to the first week in April, which is not really at all unusual in the 8 years I have lived here. I live on the Peak and we were socked in for the whole time (with mold growing on just about every surface, but that would not be a problem for you.) For 2 days on such a rushed schedule I am not really sure including Hong Kong is worth it, as you literally may not "see" anything from the Peak or otherwise.

Hong Kong is a great place with lots to see and do, but I really think it deserves to be seen at a better time, and as noted above, the other places on your itinerary are so interesting and really deserve more time. I could easily spend a week in Bangkok, for example. It's one of my very favourite places. I would spend more time there, esp to recover from jet lag and the wedding.