SE Asia for 5/6 weeks in July/ August

so many qs

Hi,
Thanks for reading firstly. I've read through lots of the threads and gotten great ideas. I'm planning to head to SE Asia mid July for just under 6 weeks. I will be doing the first 2/ 2.5 weeks solo so was going to do a 15 day tour of Vietnam with Kumuka and then head over to Bangkok to meet a friend and travel together for the next 3 weeks.
So my questions are

• Has anyone experience of Kumuka? Good, bad or otherwise?

• Should I try to get a tour from north to south Vietnam or visa verse? Which is easiest and cheapest to get back to Bangkok?

• For the latter 3 weeks we were hoping of travelling up to Chiang Mai and doing some trekking from there? Any recommendations? Does this have to be pre booked?

• We would also like to go to Laos and take a slow boat on the Mekong River? How long does this take? Where do you catch it from? Does it have to be prebooked?

• What else should we do in Laos?

• And I would like to see more of Thailand, the islands, beaches etc. but how can we fit it all in or are we trying to do too much?

I realise this is jumping all over the place.
Could anyone recommend another (neater) way of doing it bearing in mind I want to go to Vietnam before my friend arrives and we are not going to take in Cambodia this time?
Thanks for reading!

magentas

wow your username is apt!

Can't answer all your questions but the slow boat from Laos to Thailand takes 2 days, it's a lovely relaxing journey and the scenery is gorgeous along the way.

there's loads of trekking on offer, just pop into any travel agency when your up north or the hotel/guesthouse where you're staying will surely have excursions like this. Take in mountain villages and hill tribes, it's an unbelievable experience. These kind of trips only need to be booked a day or two in advance so wait til you get there to arrange it all.

There's so much to do...you'll be spoilt for choice!

Use the train to travel along the coast of Vietnam, make sure to stop off at hue and hoi an. I would suggest doing south to north purely because Halong Bay is so amazing it'd be a great way to end your Vietnam experience!

Depending what route you take, I'd say get a flight back to Bangkok from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh. Bus is cheaper obviously but it's hell and would take a rediculous amount of time. Best to arrive back in Thailand on a happy buzz:)

dory

If you wanted to save a lot of money you could arrive in a place, and go to a hostel/guesthouse that does day or couple-of-day trips and see Vietnam that way. You could even go to a travel agency there and go on some of their most expensive trip and still be spending money. But if you want the company of a Kumuka tour, totally understandable then go for it - I hear they're good.

As for the others, most has been answered above. You should definitely have time to see some islands in Thailand as well.

so many qs

Thanks for the replies guys.

Megentas that's great info about the trips from Chiang Mai. That leaves me a lot more relaxed. I'll definitely take in Hanlong Bay when in Vietman, it sounds lovely. Do you know where the slow boat in Laos goes to take two days to get back to Thailand? Is it from Luang Prabang to Vientiane?

Dory, that's a good idea about doing small trips as I travel through Vietnam. I didn't really think that sort of thing would be offered on a local basis. I guess I'm on a schedule to get to Bangkok so might go with Kumuka as I know it'll take 15 days. Thanks