Kathie

My take on this (and remember you'll have to figure in travel time - anywhere from half a day to a full day to change locations)
Bangkok 5 days (not enough for me, but enough for an introduction)
Chiang Mai 2 or 3 days (I get bored after a couple of days there, but not everyone does)
Golden Triangle 3 days
Mekong cruise, 2 days/1 night
Luang Prabang 4 days
Siem Reap 4 days
Hong Kong 5 days

With more time, I'd add a day to the Golden Triangle. With fewer days, I'd cut Chiang Mai. Personally, even with this number of days, I'd cut Chiang Mai. Less (stops) is more (enjoyable) in Asia.

When I count for my trips, I count nights in each location. Four nights is three full days and parts of two others. I consider anything I actually get to do on a travel day as a bonus.

This will be a fabulous trip.

oceanrockview

With all the possibilities to choose from, stopping the search and settling on the itinerary is a big deal. We are there. I am grateful.

Here is list of the hotels. Please let me know what you think.

Bangkok Mandarin Oriental 5 nights
Chiang Mai Four Seasons 5 nights
Chiang Rai Anantara 4 nights
Cruise Luangsay Lodge 1 night Luang Prabang Residence Phou Vao 4 nights
Siem Reap Raffles 4 nights
Hong Kong The Peninsula 4 nights
= 27 nights

Regarding Siem Reap, we are attracted to the "Indochine" atmosphere of Raffles. We have also considered the Amansara.
But, the Amansara and the Hotel de la Paix both seem more international than we might want. Are we moving in the right direction?

Finally, any thoughts about the long haul flight to Bangkok from Washington, DC and the return through Hong Kong? Business class might break this beautiful budget.

Thanks - Oceanrock

Mango7

Its a decent flight from DC to BKK. Layover isn't excessive in NRT. ANA keeps you well-fed!

Mango7

Thanks for deleting my previous post. This place is getting really getting sterile.

Kathie

I visited Raffles in Siem Reap and really disliked it. The atmosphere didn't say Indochine to me at all. It seemed to me to be the most "not in Cambodia" hotel I visited. I have not visited the Amansara, but everything I read about it and the few accounts I've read by travelers tell me the experience of Cambodia is so sanitized by the hotel (which wants to organize everything for you) that I wouldn't like it. If it were me (and it isn't) I'd opt for the Hotel de la Paix.

I like all of your other hotel choices.

A couple of thoughts about the long flight. Do you have miles on an airline you can use to upgrade to biz? Or what about one of the premium economy options? Thai Air's premium economy gets good reviews. Eva Air's is also highly rated. You don't get the business class service, but you do get larger seats and more leg room.

rhkkmk

i agree with kathie agout raffles....its not asian at all, its lux old world international....that is not bad and the hotel is nice...

de la paix get rave reviews...

phau vao fills up quickly...get res now

personally i much prefer the peninsula in bkk

easytraveler

Here's my belated take on your itinerary -

5 days is too much time in Hong Kong, unless you have a personal reason for doing this.

Hong Kong is for shopping. I'd put it at the end of your trip instead of at the beginning. (All that shopping, shopping, shopping and all that luggage, luggage, luggage!)

In Hong Kong, if it were my choice of luxe hotels, my personal preference would be the Regent, nowadays simply the "Intercontinental". The Peninsula is a bit too old and staid for me.

Going to SE Asia and missing Singapore? Wow! I'd suggest dividing your five HK days between HK and Singapore, and fly into Singapore and out of HK. Singapore is a great transition city for the "exoticism" of Asia. HK would be a good transition city for getting back to "Western" ways.

Lastly, Cathay Pacific vies with Singapore Airlines for best airline in the world. It's a wonderful airline to fly. It has an All Asia Pass every year, comes out around March - something over $1000 (economy) for travel Cathay Pacific Asian cities for about a month and with a set number of stops allowed. It's mostly for summer travel from the States, but you could look to see if it will apply to your travel dates.

Sounds like a fabulous trip and Happy Anniversary!

Kathie

Easytraveler, I've been to Hiong Kong several times (not for shopping - it's too expensive these days!) and could easily spend 5 more days there. I like Singapore too, but Hong Kong is a lot of fun... and I don't have relatives there. You might be too familiar with it to see it through a first-timer's eyes!

easytraveler

Kathie: You may be right. Hong Kong is shopping shopping, shopping and eating, eating, eating for me. Yes, I could spend 5 days or more just doing those things in HK.

Otherwise, there's not much else to be spending days in HK whereas Singapore has several museums, the wonderful zoo (especially the nigh time tour), botanical gardens, a much more diverse population and therefore a much more interesting culinary experience.

Two angelicized Asian cities, but two very different cities. For a "pan"-SE Asian trip, I'd not miss Singapore. Would even substitute Singapore for Hong Kong. Just me.

Kathie

Easy, I love the parks in Hong Kong, walking around the Peak, the Star ferry. There is a charming little Tea Museum in one of the parks. I can walk along the espalade several times a day and not tire of it. Ok, I do a little shopping, mostly for tea and Yixing tea pots, perhaps a little "jade" at the jade market. There is wonderful food (as you mentioned). I also enjoyed a day trip to Macau to see the old city during our last trip.

But you are quite right that there is so much to do (and eat) in Singapore!

easytraveler

Kathie: me too - I love what you love in HK - that little Tea Museum is a gem! Lots of genuine YiXing tea pots for sale. One of the salesgirls even gave me the name of a tea shop where I got a ten-pack wheels of puer tea (like buying rare French wine).

Nevertheless, HK is not really a walking city, its hills are worse than San Francisco's! And one can go on the Star Ferry only so many times before it becomes just another mode of transportation to get quickly from one place to another.

Three days HK.

Three days Singapore.

For gems and gold shopping, definitely Singapore - unless it's in Bangkok with your recommendation!

rhkkmk

for a first time visitor i can't think of anyplace more interesting and fun than hong kong....its easy to get around, a beautiful city, great food, and tons of sights....

as kathie points out you know it too well easy...

oceanrockview

OK,
I'm going to give the Hotel de la Paix a fresh look. On my first pass, I had dismissed both the Amansara and de la Paix as too international and cold. I will rethink Raffles.

We do have points on American Airlines. Enough to upgrade coming and going. The problem: On the outbound trip, American will only upgrade to Tokyo. The rest, through Hong Kong to BKK is economy. A tough slog from the US east coast.

The return from Hong Kong is better. Economy to Tokyo and then business class from there.

Also, most of the flights coming from North America land in BKK around midnight. This doesn't make the transition to local time any easier.

Any other thoughts on getting to Bangkok without adding insult to injury?

Oceanrock

Kathie

I actually find landing at midnight helps me adjust to the time zone in Bangkok. I may sleep a couple of hours between Narita and Bangkok, but I arrive in Bangkok tired. I take a warm shower or a short soak in the tub and I fall into bed. In the morning, I awake with the sun. I'm usually pretty tired by the end of the first day, ready to sleep by 7 or 8, but after that, I'm in the right time zone.

I may have misunderstood you, but if American will upgrade you from the east coast to Narita and from Narita back to the easy coast, you've covered the two longest segments.

Otherwise, I'd suggest checking the premium economy products from various airlines.

oceanrockview

Business Class out and back through Narita it will be. I had real doubts about arriving BKK so late. But you have reassured me. This is going to work.

Thank You.

SKOL

As a Phuket resident and very frequent traveller, advise a few end of your vacation days to relax here --suggest the Laguna Beach resort--you also get to use all the hotels on the Laguna complex inc the over priced Banyan Tree.
www.lagunaphuket.com

Siem Reap, after seeing Angor a further day is sufficient, also Luang Prabang--stayed in your chosen Hotel--a bit far out from the main street and the ONLY action-- 2/3 full days is enough.

HK stimulating with a great buzz but very hectic, overcrowded and expensive, 5 days seems just too much !

Also check out Air Asia for great fares

Whatever you decide--have a wonderful trip !

Sawasdee from The Land of Smiles