briainmc has indicated that this thread is about Asia
To me this is more of a 2 - 2.5 months kind trip. In 32 days I could be done. But, you would have about 12-14 pretty full days of bus/train travel to do this route, which only leaves you about 18 days of actually visiting. You might be able to shave a couple days off by taking night trains or flying a couple legs, but it's still pretty busy. I think you would be better off trimming up your route and focusing on 1 or two countries.
Maybe do a Northern Indochina route. Chaing Mai, Pai, Chaing Rai - Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientienne - Hanoi, Sapa and Halong Bay. Fly from Hanoi to wherever your last destination is. This would have a couple long day trips and some night trains, but you will be able to spend 2-3 days in each place and enjoy your time more.
We pretty much did this route five years ago over Christmas. It is doable but it will be a rush, as ours was.
We started in Bangkok and took an overnight train to Chiang Mai and had three nights there. Then a minivan to Chiang Khong and one overnight there before getting the slow-boat down the Mekong with a night in Pak Beng before getting to Luang Prabang. Three nights in LP and then a minivan up to Sam Neua (15 hours, 8am - 11pm!) One night in SN and then a minivan out down to Thanh Hoa and straight up to Hanoi (another 15 hour journey). Four nights in Hanoi and then a bus trip to Halong Bay and a night on a junk cruising followed by a bus back to Hanoi and then a night sleeper train down to Hoi An and three nights there. Then another sleeper train down to Ho Chi Minh City for four nights. Then a bus over to Phnom Penh for two nights and another bus to Siem Reap for four nights. Then we took a minivan across the border and a ferry over to Koh Chang for some beach. You might have to go to Bangkok to get transport to Krabi - no idea.
We missed out on Vientiane and Vang Vieng in Laos, Sapa and Hue in Vietnam and Sihanoukville in Cambodia to name just a few but we just couldn't visit everywhere in the time we had available. We had a great time, really enjoyed the trip and there are still places we could go to on a second visit - brilliant.
Enjoy your trip, however you do it.
0 Response to "Asia (starting in Chiang Mai)"
Post a Comment