Advice on my Itinerary (SE Asia + Oz).

Doc

I have set out the route I hope to take and would like to get any tips / advise from you guys. I am looking at going at the end of January travelling on my own and am trying to do this trip on as little money as possible.

Dublin – London (By Air)

I might not do this if I can get a cheap flight from Dublin to Bangkok but at the moment its looking like the best option.

London – Bangkok (By Air)

In and around Bangkok I would like to see the Tiger Temple, floating market, bars / night life, Grand Palace, Temples, do some shopping for clothes for the trip, and see a live Thai boxing fight.

Bangkok – Chiang Mai (By overnight train)

I would like to see the Elephant farm / Nature park near here, temples, visit a spa and get a Thai massage (not the happy ending sort) and visit the night bizarre.

Chang Mai – Chiang Khong / Huar Xai [the Thai Laos border crossing] (By Bus)

Don’t know if there is much to do here besides crossing the border…

Huar Xai – Pakbeng (Slow Boat on the Mekong)

Halfway stop off point for slow boat to Lung Prabang don’t know if there is much to do here but the trip will be an adventure in itself…

Pakbeng – Luang Prabang (2nd half of slow boat trip)

Explore City, visit waterfalls, see temples…

Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng (By Bus)

See Caves, Go Tubing…

Vang Vieng – Vientiane (By Bus)

Explore city, museums, temples, night life…(not to sure what to do here but will find something)

Vientiane – Hanoi [Vietnam] (By Air)

Flying to Hanoi as I hear to bus it is a hell of a trip. Im meeting a friend here will leave the Itinerary up to her but if anyone has any good Ideas please let me know.

Hanoi – Saigon (By Train / Bus)

We will stop off at citys / towns on the way down the country. The Vietnam part of the trip is being arranged with someone else so its not finalised yet but we will probably see Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Mha Trang, Mui Ne, and then onto Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City where I will leave my friend. Again any subjections on this greatly appreciated.

Saigon – Phnom Penh [Crossing the Vietnam / Cambodian border] (By Bus)

Here I would like to see the killing fields and genocide museum, the royal palace, the Russian market, temples, and the night life.

Phnom Penh – Siem Reap (By Bus)

See temples of Angkor Wat

Siem Reap – Poipet / Aranyaprathet [Cambodian / Thai border] (By Bus)

Back into Thailand don’t know if there is much to do here besides cross the border but open to suggestions…

Aranyaprathet – Bangkok (By Bus)

Anything I missed first time round…

Bangkok – Koh Tao (By Bus / Boat)

Beach and Scuba Diving

Koh Tao – Koh Phangan (By Boat)

Beach and Full Moon Party

Koh Phangan – Bangkok (By Boat and Bus)

Bangkok – Australia (By Air)

Don’t know my exact destination in Australia yet but hope to visit friends / relatives and find work on a one year working holiday visa.

After that who knows…

If anyone would like to give any advise or tips regarding any aspect of the trip it would be most appreciated. I would particularly like to know how long you would estimate it would take me to get to Hanoi if I followed this itinerary as the only thing I realy have to have a set time for is when I meet my friend so she can buy a ticket. Also if you feel I am realy missing out on something please let me know.

S.M.B.

Looks spot on to me.

You seem to have done plenty of research on your route already and there's not many obvious destinations left out.

Anywhere you've mentioned where you're unsure if there's anything to do while you're there (Pakbeng, border corssings) there really isn't and you'll be just passing through or staying overnight.

Placid_Casual

I did exactly the same route from Bangkok to Vientiane about 4 years ago and took about 4 weeks. You could easily do more if you wanted, especially if you wanted to diverge from the route at all.

Oh, yeah and there is nothing to see in Chiang Khong. I got sick there and had to spend an extra day before getting the boat. Border town's are dull the world over.
My advice: avoid eating any dodgy Pad Thai's there! :pac:

surfjunkie

thats pretty much the exact same route as myself and boyfriend took in july this year. eccept we went to ko samui instead of ko tao which we regret and also travelled to singapore to fly out to oz. took us 10 weeks but we had plenty of time to see everything and ended up syaing maybe nearly 2weeks in bangkok, and a week in nha trang. so could take about 3weeks to get to hanoi.

S.M.B.

New Thai Visa Exemption Rules

Arriving into an international airport without a visa will still result in a 30-day visa exemption stamp as usual.

Arriving into Thailand using a land border will now only give you a 15 day visa exemption stamp.

So in your case Doc you have 15 days from arriving back into Thailand from Cambodia to go down to the islands, and return to BKK to fly out.

Bit of a pisser really. Might mean more Backpackers are going to have to use flights from Phnom Penh/Vientianne back into Bangkok (which isn't that big a deal really).

Or sort out the correct tourist visa before you go which would be the better option imo.

Doc

Arse!

S.M.B. wrote: »

Or sort out the correct tourist visa before you go which would be the better option imo.

How do you mean? Get one while in Ireland for the time I'm coming in from Cambodia?

S.M.B.

Well the most hassle free way to do things now would be to get a double entry tourist visa from the thai consulate before you leave.

Thai Consulate

The ony reason not to do this is that it'll cost you e80 as you're paying e40 for a 60 day visa for your first stay and then another e40 for the second time you enter the country. Bit of a waste really. You won't be using anywhere near the 120 days you are paying for.

Another option is enter with no visa and get a single entry tourist visa while you're in Vientianne which you'll use later. This means staying there for a few days (not sure exactly how long the process takes) though. Should cost around e40.

Or finally, come back in with the new 15 day visa exempt stamp and try extend it a further 10 days at Bangkok Immigration (only takes 30 mins) before you head south. There might be immigration offices down where you're heading but I'm not 100%. This will cost you near enough to e40 too though.

Doc

S.M.B. wrote: »

Another option is enter with no visa and get a single entry tourist visa while you're in Vientianne which you'll use later. This means staying there for a few days (not sure exactly how long the process takes) though. Should cost around e40.

Thanks man you’ve realy been a big help.
I think I'll go with this option and try and get a 60 day Thai visa for when I get to Poipet / Aranyaprathet. I want to spend as much time as I can down in the islands.

S.M.B.

You should also consider backtracking from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and then just flying with Air Asia, replaces a nightmare bus journey, should entitle you to 30 days as your flying and shouldn't cost much when you consider you're saving on the Visa and the bus trip.

Also, these rules are just after coming in so I've no idea how/if they're being enforced. You should try chat to someone who's done the same trip before you leave just to make sure.

Doc

Ill look it up and see how much it is to fly but having the extra 30 days would be good.

fincollins

can i just resurrect this thread...

did you end up doing this doc??? how did you get on...

this is the exact plan i have too. leavin in jan 2011 makin way to oz, spending 2-3 months in SE Asia.

any info welcome!