Vietnam / Cambodia / Thailand next year

claire16c

Just book it all yourself.

We booked internal Vietnamese flights with Vietnam airlines.

Hotels we booked through Expedia or direct and one on hostel bookers/hostel world.

We just decided where we wanted to stay each night/nights, booked the hotels and flights to match that, working our way down the country.
Watch out for typhoons in certain places in Vietnam in October you might need to plan around that as Hoi An can flood.

We paid around £15 for a nice 3 star hotel and they were just as nice or nicer than some £100 a night places I've stayed in here!

In one hotel that included dinner. At another we were invited to a staff members birthday party & given cake! All had free internet, the staff would book any torus or taxis for you. They would also go to the train station& buy tickets for us for no charge. Wish it was like that here!!

PompeyPete

Claire. What would be your ideal itinerary for a total of 3 weeks?

maggiesoop

Thanks to all once again. I kind of guessed that booking everything ourselves would be your recommendations. We've used Booking.com often and found them easy, reliable and best vfm.

We're still between a stone and a hard place as to which two countries to visit, need to do lots of research and then decide.

PompeyPete thanks for your extremely helpful itinery.

I'm now getting very excited!

totallybored

I agree with Pete that 3 weeks isn't enough for Cambodia and Vietnam. I did both last year in 3 weeks but needed longer in Cambodia. I was already in Asia and was then spending time in Thailand so I didn't have the flights and jet lag/ time differences to worry about.

This year I had 3 weeks and flew direct to Bangkok. I booked a cheap hotel for when I arrived for one night. The next day I flew Air Asia to Phnom Penh. Stayed 3 nights, taxi to Kep for 2 nights (my favourite place on the whole trip), tuk tuk to Kampot for 2 nights. Then a taxi back to PP for another 3 nights before a taxi to Siem Reap for 4 nights and then a taxi to Battambang for 2 nights. I then got a taxi to the border at Poipet, walked across into Thailand and got a taxi to Bangkok where I spent a further 3 nights before a direct flight home.

This seems like a lot of travelling and moving hotels but it was very easy. I travelled fairly light (at the start anyway until I bought stuff) with wheely suitcases and the only time I physically carried anything myself was the Cambodia / Thai border. I got all my hotels to arrange taxis for me so I had no waiting around anywhere.

I probably spent more on hotels than most people on here but I'm quite fussy as I've developed a taste for 5 star hotels and suites not just bog standard hotel rooms. The most I paid per night was in Bangkok at about £120 a night but Cambodia cost between $45 and $99 per night (apart from Kep which was more than BKK but definitely worth it for the view and amazing location). I think I spent 3.5k for 2 of us in the summer holidays with premium economy flights so I thought that wasn't bad considering how much a travel agent would charge for a similar trip.

richie799

Avoid Pattaya in Thailand because its over-run with male tourists...Ive heard Phuket is the same but has lots of nice sites

Doshwaster

richie799 wrote: »

Avoid Pattaya in Thailand because its over-run with male tourists...Ive heard Phuket is the same but has lots of nice sites

If by Phuket you mean the main resort of Patong then it is isn't as bad as Pattaya for the "ping pong" scene and everything associated with it. It's all there if you want it but can easily be avoided. The main reason to steer clear is that it is just about the most expensive and overdeveloped part and of Thailand.

On the other hand Phuket does make a good base for exploring the nearby region and islands but you can equally do that from Krabi which is much quieter and cheaper.

Leanne1812

totallybored wrote: »

I agree with Pete that 3 weeks isn't enough for Cambodia and Vietnam. I did both last year in 3 weeks but needed longer in Cambodia. I was already in Asia and was then spending time in Thailand so I didn't have the flights and jet lag/ time differences to worry about.

This year I had 3 weeks and flew direct to Bangkok. I booked a cheap hotel for when I arrived for one night. The next day I flew Air Asia to Phnom Penh. Stayed 3 nights, taxi to Kep for 2 nights (my favourite place on the whole trip), tuk tuk to Kampot for 2 nights. Then a taxi back to PP for another 3 nights before a taxi to Siem Reap for 4 nights and then a taxi to Battambang for 2 nights. I then got a taxi to the border at Poipet, walked across into Thailand and got a taxi to Bangkok where I spent a further 3 nights before a direct flight home.

This seems like a lot of travelling and moving hotels but it was very easy. I travelled fairly light (at the start anyway until I bought stuff) with wheely suitcases and the only time I physically carried anything myself was the Cambodia / Thai border. I got all my hotels to arrange taxis for me so I had no waiting around anywhere.

I probably spent more on hotels than most people on here but I'm quite fussy as I've developed a taste for 5 star hotels and suites not just bog standard hotel rooms. The most I paid per night was in Bangkok at about £120 a night but Cambodia cost between $45 and $99 per night (apart from Kep which was more than BKK but definitely worth it for the view and amazing location). I think I spent 3.5k for 2 of us in the summer holidays with premium economy flights so I thought that wasn't bad considering how much a travel agent would charge for a similar trip.

That is the bugbear with hubby and I when we travel, he always looks at the cheapest hotels with no regard to location or facilities. I proceed to tearing them to shreds, having a sulk and eventually getting the hotel I want as I actually research reviews, location and value for money.

Can I ask where you stayed in Kep? We're having 10 days in Cambodia and our itinery is open besides flying into Siem Reap and out of Phnom Penh. We've done them both already so will spend little time there but I'm really happy to go back to Phnom Penh for possibly 2 nights. It's probably my favourite (so far) city in SEA. PompeyPete has suggested Battambang is well worth a visit and I'm keen to go but know 10 days is not a lot of time either with plenty of travelling
.

Cheers for any advice.

Doshwaster

maggiesoop wrote: »

Thanks to all once again. I kind of guessed that booking everything ourselves would be your recommendations. We've used Booking.com often and found them easy, reliable and best vfm.

We're still between a stone and a hard place as to which two countries to visit, need to do lots of research and then decide.

Booking.com is a good place to start but some Asia specialist sites are http://www.asiarooms.com/ and http://www.asiawebdirect.com/. Also bear in mind that a lot of smaller places aren't listed on the big sites and can only be booked direct.

In Phnom Penh there is a group of locally owned and managed mid-range hotels. I've stopped in the Pavillion and Blue Lime: http://www.bluelime.asia/links.html

PompeyPete

totallybored wrote: »

Then a taxi back to PP for another 3 nights before a taxi to Siem Reap for 4 nights and then a taxi to Battambang for 2 nights. I then got a taxi to the border at Poipet, walked across into Thailand and got a taxi to Bangkok where I spent a further 3 nights before a direct flight home.

We left Battambang until last too, and got a taxi to Poipet ($30). That was the only taxi we got, and did all other internal travel in Cambodia by bus.

The border crossing at Poipet wasn't anywhere near as eventful as I expected it to be. Providing you've got your wits about you, I think Poipet is an interesting place to loiter for a couple of hours to watch the mad frenzy of the place.

Once through Immigration into Thailand we got a tuk tuk to Aranyapraphet, and stayed for a couple of nights at the Market Motel. Comfortable ensuite A/C room with balcony (550 bahts), swimming pool, and pleasant outdoor covered restaurant.

Then we got the early morning 3rd Class train to Bangkok. The train took nearly 6 hours and was one of highlights of our trip. 42 stops, something going on all the time, be it the changing scenery, or watching the busy vendors walking up and down the carriages. The vendors change every couple of stops, and the new ones always seemed to be selling something different to the ones that'd just got off. The cost of a ticket for that 6 hour trip was 48 (forty eight) bahts (£1.05)!

PompeyPete

Leanne1812 wrote: »

That is the bugbear with hubby and I when we travel, he always looks at the cheapest hotels with no regard to location or facilities. I proceed to tearing them to shreds, having a sulk and eventually getting the hotel I want as I actually research reviews, location and value for money.

I do all the planning, and my missus simply trusts my judgement, which tbh isn't always such a good idea! But we never argue about it, as she's happy with the magical mystery tour.

Leanne1812 wrote: »

Can I ask where you stayed in Kep?

If you decide on Kampot instead of Kep then this is the place...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g608455-d654648-Reviews-Rikitikitavi-Kampot_Kampot_Province.html

We hired a tuk tuk for the day to do Kep and the pepper farms.