So thinking forward to our trip in the winter and, thus far, our proposed itinerary looks like this:

BKK: 2 nights (Tour w/Tong one day; then fly to Phnom Penh)
Phnom Penh: 3 nights (then fly to Chiang Mai)
Chiang Mai: 1 night (layover, then drive to Pai)
Pai: 3 nights (drive back to CM; then fly to Phuket)
Ko Racha: 3 nights (fly back to BKK)
Bangkok: 2 nights (1 more day with Tong; then fly home)

Just wanted some suggestions re: Pai and possibly staying longer in Cambodia. I went back and looked at MichaelBKK's trip report about Kep and Bokor...which was fascinating. So then started thinking of MAYBE switching Pai out with a visit to Kampot.

How do you think that stacks up against Pai? Don't know much about either place, but both seem really interesting and different. REALLY don't know much about Kampot, but Rikitikitavi looks like a great hotel and figured it could make for an interesting experience.

Look forward to your thoughts...

3 nites in PP seems like way too much...why don't you drop it and spread the days out in the other places??

remember you will be beat upon arrival in thailand

thanks for advice--i was wondering about PP.

2 years running we've found the adjustment to BKK time pretty easy. The first day is a wash always--but the 2nd day we've pretty much always been mostly adjusted, hence a great day to tour with Tong.

If we pull a day from PP, then I might change the island from Ko Racha to somewhere harder to get to...like Ko Lipe.

yea!!! i would be happier if you would do all of tong at the end???

I'm puzzled that you would go to Cambodia but only visit PP? Have you already been to Siem Reap? I rather like PP, but there are other places in Cambodia just as interesting - aside from SR, Battambang, Sihanoukville, and, as you say, Kampot.

thursday, already been to SR...2 years ago.

That's why PP definitely this time--and, as I mentioned, I'm wrestling with the idea of another stop in Cambodia over a stop in Pai.

FW-Bob's happiness should be your primary concern. If you don't suffer jet lag (we generally do not as well), go ahead and book Tong when convenient. If you're going out of BKK with her, there will be time to fall asleep in the car anyway.

PROBLEM - I've just read that Bokor mountain is now closed, while they rebuild the road up to the old hill station (and redevelop it, apparently). It will not reopen for 30 months.

I haven't seen this reported anywhere else yet, but it comes from a reputable tour operator.

I heard this as well...forget where...a couple of weeks ago.

Unfortunately, because of logistics, your itinerary is really chopped up. You'll spend a lot of your well-earned vacation in transit.

You might want to take a look at how you could simplify. Cutting Pai and doing another Cambodia location is one option (and I agree, 3 days in PP is too much).

Thanks for the info on Bokor. That "road" (it was hardly that!) certainly needed fixing, but I'm a little worried about what "redevelop" might mean.

Agree that it barely qualified as a road. Rumors abound about what Sokimex will do, and what they'll get away with in a national park. It seems that, at the very least, they will probably build a new hotel in the vicinity of the old casino.

I also agree that you're going to spend way too much time traveling. I don't necessarily agree that 3 nights in PP is too much. There are sights, like the old capital at Oudong, you can take in from the city.

I wouldn't rule out Kep/Kampot just because Bokor is closed. Kep is nice, Kampot is a sleepy little town, and Rabbit Island has yet to be developed. You could drop most or all the Thai parts of your trip and spend 3 nights in PP, 2 - 3 nights in Kep, and if you don't mind roughing it, 1 - 2 nights on Rabbit island. You might even throw in a couple nights in Kratie looking for dolphins.