Thailand - Is Lopburi worth it? Krabi in August? Cambodia or Vietnam?
 

Hi - I am planning a green season trip to Thailand and it's my first trip. I'd love recommendations on my planned itinerary

3 days Bangkok (too much?)

3 days Cambodia -- travel overland with friend to Siem Reap. We were debating sidetrip to Vietnam or Cambodia and Cambodia is the one everyone is recommending.

1-2 days Back to Thailand, make way to Lompburi (Is it worth it?)

6-7 days Chiang Mai -- looking for suggestions of treks, adventures etc.

5 days in Krabi - Railay Beach (Is this a bad idea for August?)

Three days in Bangkok is not too much. If you like cities, it's not nearly enough.

The temples at Angkor are truly one of the wonders of the world. It takes a full day to get from Bangkok to Siem Reap overland, and a full day back. So two of your three days will be taken up with not very comfortable overland travel. It takes a full three days just to see the so-called major temples, and you would want more time if you have a real interest in the temples. Do your research first: get a copt of Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor: A guide to Cambodia's Wonderous Temples. This will help you decide how much time to spend there. You are also welcome to take a look at our photos: www.marlandc.com If you are serious about going overland to Cambodia, read this website carefully, as it warns you of all the scams and gives you the best advice on how to do the trip with the least discomfort: www.talesofasia.com

What are you thinking of doing/seeing/experiencing when you ask about Lopburi?

6-7 days in Chiang Mai... I responded to your other question about this. Frankly, I think that is way too long to spend there. It's a huge, sprawling, polluted city. If you want to see the countryside, you might spend a couple of days in CM, then go elsewhere. If you want to do a trek, do at least one overnight. A number of people have had great experiences with Sgt. Kai, who can arrange treks to infrequently visited hill tribe villages. Any of the tour agencies that promise you a hilltribe visit that doesn't include treking at least a day each way will be a grave disappointment.

Krabi in August is fine for people who don't mind rain and who don't need to swim in the ocean. Beaches are often red-flagged in August. You might get lucky with the weather, but on average, it rains a lot in August in the Phuket/Krabi/Koh Lant etc. area.

Lopburi is interesting because of the monkey temple. If you have extra time, I would say it is worthwhile, but I would not take time away from your stay in Bangkok or Cambodia to see this. Lopburi is in the central part of the country and not near much of anything except the monkey temple. If you go, hang on to your belongings. The monkeys are brazen thiefs.

Hi everyone - Thanks for these suggestions. It seems worth it to spend more time in Cambodia. Kathie - Thanks for sharing those photos and the websites.

Are there any accommodations in Siem Reap you recommend?

And do you have any contact info for Sgt. Kai in CM?

One of the reasons I considered stopping in Lopburi was if I took a train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

Also, are there any beaches in August that have a decent chance of sunshine?

Here is the website fro Sgt Kai: www.ChiangMaiTours.com

You'll need to give us per night prices to get accommodation recommendations.

If you love trains, you might want to take the train, but there are very cheap flights (Air Asia). Flight = 1 hour; train = 12 hours. It just depends on how you want to spend your time.

Beaches with good weather in August include Hua Hin and Koh Samui.

I was in Lopburi a few months ago to visit the sunflower fields. Not a bad town to do a short visit. Here are some information on Lopburi with regards to attractions, transportation etc: http://www.tourismthailand.org/where...ation/lopburi/

you might want to consider attending the boston GTG in october as many of us are seasoned thai travellers and you can get tons of info....oct 9....watch for our info here...

i would add more days for bkk..

6-7 days is a very long time in and around CM, imo...

If you intend to do the train trip, why not take an overnight and avoid spending day time hours on the train. Have you considered flying at least one way to Siem Reap? It would give you much more touring time.

I think I have been convinced to do at least one way flying. Thanks for all the help.