whitesand

Currently, we are using Cathay miles to get to Bangkok from Dallas. Please advise on what would be the best route either going to Bangkok first and then depart from Bali back to Dallas or, just use the miles round trip to Bangok and then buy a separate roundtrip ticket from Bangkok to Bali. And then fly back from Bangkok to Dallas. This will be my wife and I first trip to Asia and not sure what to do. Thank you

Cicerone

I am not sure I understood your question, but if there is any way you can use miles to go Dallas-Bangkok-Bali-Dallas that would be ideal, as you won't have to do any backtracking. Some FF tickets allow one extra stopover, so if you can get Bali as one of your stopovers, that would be the best.

The fight between Bangok and Bali takes 4.5 hours non-stop. There are few if any direct Cathay flights between the two, and if you have to use a connecting flight, the trip will take the better part of the day(like 10 hours). To do that both ways seems like a huge waste of time.

You don't say how long you have in Thailand or where else you are going. If you only have a short time (say 7 days or less), I would stay in Thailand as there is a lot to see there and it will be hard to really see both places in a short time. If you aren't going anywhere else in Thailand, you might consider skipping Bali and just concentrating on Thailand, or vice versa. I know it seems like a waste as you are going to be traeling so far, but the two places are not actually that convienent to travel between. Both places have a lot to offer on their own. If you want to skip Thailand, you could go to Hong Kong first (great city!) and then on to Bali. There is one daily non-stop Cahtay flight between Hong Kong and Bali and several connecting flights.

whitesand

Cicerpne,

Thank you for your help. I just spoke to the Cathay airline and we can get to Dallas from Bangkok and then fly back from Bali to Dallas. Now I will need a one way ticket to get from Bangkok to Bali and which airline do I need to call? We have approximately 3 weeks for the trip. That is the reson I'm thinking to visit Bangkok and then see Bali too. Please advise. Another option would be Bangkok and MYanmar and skip the Bali for now. Thank you again.

rhkkmk

you would love myanmar...it is so different...i would do it...very easy from bkk on thai air---one hour flight to yangon...very inexensive and worth the time...it is in a time wharp...i would suggest fly to bkk, spend at least 5 days, then fly to yangon, spend 5+ days or whatever you need (i only did yangon area, which we realized was a limited experience), then back to bkk for more time....you could also catch some beach time from bkk by going to koh samui or hua hin or phuket or krabi...remember you have to deal with extreme jet lag when you first arrive, plus the heat an humidity---we are from boston and find it takes us 2-3 days in bkk to feel normal at the beginning of a trip---we are on our 6th trip in 10 years to bkk...

JamesA

Thai has a daily flight from BKK to Bali, though Garuda operates some flights but the schedules change with the wind. There are daily direct connections with Singapore Airlines also though Changi.
I cannot guarentee a reply but if you email SEATours who are the local BKK American Express Travel agent they do good cheap flights and are very reliable. Their email address is on

http://www.seatoursthai.com

kang

If your choice is between Bali and Myanmar, I agree with the previous post, that Myanmar is the better one.

Bali is a interesting and beautiful place with very unique culture, but on the other hand, it has been so much developed towards tourism so in many aspects, you are experiencing another Thailand. The image of Bali might not reflect the true image of Indonesia at large. Since you are trying to visit two countries, you apparently want to see more of the very diversified SEA. Myanmar will peovide you with exactly that -- another twist of the SEA story and a very controversal one. Also, you will have a chance to see Bagan, one of the world-class archaeological treasures, which is something important that Bali cannot offer.

I paid US$180 for my round trip flight from BKK to Yangon last November, just give you some idea of the possible cost.

kang

By the way, I paid US$312 for my roung trip tickets from BKK to Denpasar, Bali last November, with Thai Airline; I don't know I got a good price or bad, but that was what I paid.

kang

I just saw your other post that you are travelling in June. That complicated the Myanmar picture. It is the second month of the 5 month wet season in Myanmar and also the second month of the dry season in Bali. So, something you need to consider.

Sameera_Anand

Sorry to do this but just a few more ideas. From Bkk u can consider laos or camb too. The latter if u are into architecture and temples, Laos for a chilled out hol with maybe some adventure sports. Both very well connected out of Bkk. Indeed far less travel time. Camb will be hot. Laos will be rainy but I was there in July 2003 and it is not heavy monsoons like Myanmar and India. I would do my beach/spa hol in Thailand itself and do something else for a week rather than Bali which is beaches and resorts.