SE Asian Potpourri Itineraries
 

Although I have been fortunate enough to visit SE Asia on several occasions, my girlfriend has nver been there. I wish that our available time for vacation was infinite, but alas, we have but 16 nights on the ground in October. I had first thought of a completely Vietnamese holiday, but after further thought and discussion, we felt that an Asian sampler might be a better option for a first-timer. So here are the options we've crafted and would appreciate your review and comment:

1) Four nights each: Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Siem Riep, and Bangkok.
2) Three nights each HCMC, Hanoi, Siem Riep, Luang Prabang, and four nights in Bangkok.

I am mindful that the second itinerary appears a bit rushed as I am generally an advocate of more leisurely exploration. However, in an effort to provide a broad spectrum of SE highlights in a relatively short period of time, I felt that these two proposals merit consideration. Advice and counter-proposals will be gladly welcomed.

Many thanks for your time and attention to my inquiries.

I like option 2 but I would cut out HCMC. I would choose Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap and Bangkok and 4 nights in each city is pretty good IMO.

I like Hanuman's suggestion of Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap and Bangkok and 4 nights in each city.

I'd say no matter what you choose, opt for 4 nights each place, as that is just three full days. 3 nights is just not enough for places like Siem Reap and Luang Prabang. You will need to arrange a visa in advance for VN, and you'll have to decide if 4 nights in Hanoi is worth the approx. $65 visa. If you decide against four nights in Hanoi, go with plan 1, but maybe substitute the Golden Triangle for Chiang Mai.

I appreciate your having taken the time, Hanuman and Kathie, to review our proposed itineraries and making very thoughtful and helpful suggestions. We are likely to substitute Hanoi for Chiang Mai based on your input. The visa fee for Vietnam is a small cost considering the privilege of traveling to this exquisite part of the world. Many thanks.

Since you prefer more leisurely exploration, I think you will enjoy Option one more. My husband and I spent three weeks in Thailand and eight days in Siem Reap this year. We ended up cutting out some destinations so we could have quality time in the places we went to. As you know, moving around a lot and jet lag can impact the experience. We loved Siem Reap,http://latitudeb.com/cambodia/ and northern Thailand, http://latitudeb.com/chiang-mai-thailand/, http://latitudeb.com/golden-triangle-thailand/.