Indochina and China Advice Please - Who's Been ?

alison74

I am going to Beijing this summer and travelling through Tibet with a friend and ending up in Chengdu, China

She is then off to Shanghai to work for 2 weeks then meet me again on 24th July and have 3 weeks travel leaving Bangkok 15th August.

(It sounds like a nutter route, but she really wants to see Laos etc, I have already done Thailand and would prefer to do the loop that more of China this time)

We are both flying out of Bangkok, me to UK, her to NYC.

I have 2 weeks on my own (and 3 weeks with her to kill) from Chengdu, into the Indochina Loop. We both really want to do Laos, I want to do Vietnam and hopefully both Cambodia (Angkor Wat)

What are people's experience of all these places and has anyone done a flight from Chengdu (or surround) into Vietnam ? I don't think I am looking on the right websites as flights are ££££££ and going via Bangkok to Hanoi (when you would more or less fly over it to get to Bangkok to go back up) taking 18 hours !

I welcome all suggestions as at the moment, we are a little stuck with what's dooable and what's not.

Thanks in advance

cleopatra_2

Can certainly recommend Laos (go before it catches up with the rest of the world). Cambodia is absolutely wonderful and you'll need at least 3 days for Angkor Wat. Bear in mind that the time you are travelling will be the rainy season in S East Asia. You can find out more by checking the Lonely Planet Thorntree forum. Go to the SEA mainland branch then you can find out about getting from A-B cheaply and easily.

alison74

Thanks for that info. I know it will be the rainy season, but my friend is a teacher and can only go in the summer. It is also going to be blistering hot in Beijing, ho hum, my Scottish skin wont know what's hit it !

mystic_trev

Yes- agree what cleopatra said about Cambodia - get there quick before it gets totally flooded by tourists Angkor (and the other) wats in particular.

I may be wrong, but the best way of traveling to Indochina is from Bangkok. Bangkok Airways have several flights to Siem Reap i.e. Angkor. Their network is great and you can pick up some good deals online.

If you need a cheap Hotel in Bangkok use the Thai Krit Mansion. Good clean aircon rooms at around £13 a night for a twin, and right outside the Stadium skytrain station.