suggestions/comments on SEA 4-week trip itinerary
 

Hello! First off, my thanks to all of you Fodorites that have helped me put this together. You've contributed so much, that I'm really looking forward to my first trip to SEA, my "epic" holiday! Now I'm just looking for comments and suggestions on what I have planned, and what I have left out. Most everything is already booked (i.e. hostels/hotels, flights, sidetrips, and guides); all I have left is the looking forward to and hoping I don't forget anything! I've listed what's booked and what I must see, so please share your gems that I've missed. With all that said...

M, 25 Dec, 2006 - leave MSP
W, 27 Dec, 2006 - arrive HAN (early morning)
27 - 30 Dec, 2006 - Hanoi
Hanoi: silk shopping in Old Quarter, Hoa Lo prison, 19-12 Market, Viet Xo Cultural Palace, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum/Museum/Residence, Temple of Literature
Food: Cha Ca La Vong, Brother's Cafe, Indochine, Seasons of Hanoi

31 Dec, 2006 - 2 Jan, 2007 - 3-day/2-night trip to Halong Bay through Handspan tours (junk boat stay, sea kayaking)

Tu, 2 Jan: overnight stay in Hanoi
W, 3 Jan: HAN - BKK, BKK - CNX (Chiang Mai)

3 - 8 Jan, 2007 - Chiang Mai
Th, 4 Jan: Chiang Mai Thai Cookery cooking class
F, 5 Jan: Doi Suthep and hilltribe with one of Sergeant Kai's guides
Sa, 6 Jan: elephant camp and ??? with one of Sergeant Kai's guides
Su, 7 Jan: Sunday Walking Market
Chiang Mai: Thai massage, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Sing
Food: Just Khao Soy, Chiang Mai Ban Yuan, khantoke dinner at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre

M, 8 Jan: CNX - LPQ (Luang Prabang)
8 - 13 Jan, 2007 - Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang: cooking class at Tumtum Cheng, shopping, Mount Phousi, Pak Ou caves, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Sene, Tat Kuang Si waterfalls
Food: Tamarind, 3 Nagas, L'Elephant, L'Estranger Books and Tea

Sa, 13 Jan, 2007: LPQ - REP (Siem Reap)
13 - 16 Jan, 2007 - Siem Reap
Su, 14 Jan: Angkor Wat with Ponheary
M, 15 Jan: Angkor Thom with Ponheary
Tu, 16 Jan: Banteay Srei and visit to schoolchildren with Ponheary
Siem Reap: Old Market shopping, National Silk Center
Food: Apsara dinner theater

W, 17 Jan, 2007: REP - BKK (early morning flight)
17 - 22 Jan, 2007 - Bangkok
Sa, 20 Jan, 2007: Chatuchak weekend market
Su, 21 Jan, 2007: Damnoen Floating Market, Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi with guide and driver from Tong's team
M, 22 Jan, 2007: Ayutthaya with guide and driver from Tong's team
Bangkok: JT House and outlets, Wat Arun, Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Ratchapradit, Wat Benchamabophit, Vimanmek Mansion, Monk Village, klong tour
Food: Hard Rock Cafe, Seafood Town, Cabbages and Condoms, Tongue Thai, Harmonique, Supatra River House

Tu, 23 Jan, 2007 - BKK back to home (MSP)

you got it and it looks quite perfect to me, except that you have not allowed for any down time or just sitting around time.....but if this is how you want it fine....it looks very comprehensive....not sure i agree with all your food choices, but you have done the research....

you did good kid!! as they say

I don't idle well, but I figure there should be plenty of time for that in LP, casually strolling through markets, sitting on boats in Bangkok and Halong Bay, etc.

Curiosity here: what food choices do you disagree with, and what would you suggest?

Thanks!

yes, very very very comprehensive, a busy four weeks.

I am sorry you could not get at least a day in Phnom Penh. :(

Some suggestions: In Hanoi, do make sure you visit the Craftlink store across the street from the Temple of Literature. The best place for silk is not the Old Quarter (lots of fake silk here) but the "Silk Village" on the outskirts of Hanoi. The ethnographic museum and the Museum of History were also worthwhile. (Personally, I had no interest in the HCM Mausoleum). Food: we had a very mediocre meal at Seasons. I highly recommend Club L'Opera.

In LP, do make sure you visit some of the Wats off the toursist track. You will likely be the only visitors, and the monks will appreciate talking with you.

In Siem Reap, note that you sill be visiting more than Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Buy a copy of Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor, to prepare.

In Bangkok, I'd cut the trip to Ayutthaya. It will be a disappointment after Angkor.

Food in Bangkok: Cabbages and Condoms is mediocre at best. And while I can't imagine why anyone would eat at Hard Rock Cafe, I'll just assume you've agreed to buy a T-shirt for someone - lol. Add in the Thai restaurant at Face (Lana Thai) and if you like Peking Duck, go to CHina House at the Oriental. We also had a wonderful meal at Mahanaga (Thai and Thai fusion).

Have a wonderful trip!

Thanks for those suggestions Kathie...I did not know about there being "fake silk" in the Old Market. Can someone tell the difference? How would I get to the "Silk Village"? I'm looking to get some dresses made (both in Hanoi and later in Bangkok); would I get real silk if I went to a particular tailor?

Angkor Wat/Thom: I am aware that those are only two temples out of a vast complex. Ponheary will be taking me through many temples, but I will look for that book you mentioned.

Bangkok: I know what you mean about the HRC, but it's just become a tradition for me. I collect the t-shirts from my travels and have at least a dozen, most outside of the U.S. Where is Mahanaga?

pebbles, sorry, I don't know any tailors in Hanoi to recommend. In general, you will get better quality in Bangkok on tailoring and dressmaking. I looked at the clothing samples at a number of tailors in Hanoi and was unimpressed. Perhaps someone here on Fodors has a tailor to recommend. If you can't tell real silk by feel, you can buy burning a small piece - synthetics melt, silk burns.

You'll need a taxi to take you to the "Silk Village." It's actually the area where many western designers reps visit to order silk. I don't remember the name of it, but I'm sure I can find it in my journal.

Mahanaga is right on Sukhumvit. Again, I don't have the address with me here at my office. I try to remember to look for it tonight. It's on the Nancy Chandler map, if you have that (if you don't, buy one as soon as you get to Bangkok).

manahaga is at soi 29 and sukhumvit...

kathie has identified some restaurants...

the first three bkk rest. are mediocre at best....hard rock???????????????? so 1980's....

cabbages,,,,,ugh...pretty setting however...bland food...

the only CM rest. i have heard of is the cultural center....many others often mentioned here, but you have choosen none of them...??

Your itinerary sounds wonderful. Wish we had four weeks like you! I agree with Kathie & Bob about Cabbages & Condoms -- pretty setting but food is mediocre at best. I haven't heard of Seafood Town. Do you mean Seafood Market? Recently Somboon Seafood has received great reviews on this forum, so you might want to check it out, especially if you like crab curry. Mahanaga in BKK is good, but terrible in Chiang Mai. For CM I would add The Grand Lana, now part of Mandarin Oriental hotel in a lovely setting with very good food, and the Whole Earth, which has a nice outdoor setting and delicious Indian and Thai food.

CFW - Yes, I meant Seafood Market/Town, whatever the name of it is...the one where you build your own dinner and pay by weight. It sounds like a fun atmosphere. I checked out Mahanaga's website and that is definitely on my list! Unless the menu changes before I go, I've already got my dinner picked out!

rhkkmk - I knew I would be called out for adding the Hard Rock, but as I posted, that's my "quirk". The CM restaurants I listed are mainly what I found in guidebooks that sounded good. Ban Yuan is a Vietnamese place in the old town city center that I thought would be easy to stop at in the middle of my sight-seeing. Just Kao Soy is a Thai place between the river and the Anusarn Night Market. After reading the thread on CM Restaurants, nothing seems to consistently get good reviews except Whole Earth, so I'm a little unsure of where else to go in CM.

quite honestly it seems rest. are good one day and bad the next...

Kathie - is the "Silk Village" you are referring to the Van Phuc village in Ha Dong?

Also, someone on this board suggested going to Cu Thanh Silk at 60 Hang Gai for tailoring. Has anybody else used them? How long would they take to make a few ao dai dresses and about how much does it cost? Thanks!

Pebbles, I had to pull out my journal for that one. Yes, it was the Van Phuc "silk village" we visited. Lots of good buys. Even there, there were some synthetics, but the sales people were quick to point out to a woman looking at a synthetic that it was "not silk" (unlike the Old Quarter).