Vietnam/Cambodia/Bali

[Bone3421 716]

@Chopper... I felt the same way about the bourdain/obama spot(not sure if i mentioned it earlier)
The bun cha i posted pics of twice was on some street corner and blew it away

My flight was dallas to lax to Guangzhou to saigon...return was same...very long flight lax to china(15hrs)
Return leg i lucked in to seat up front by door so had plenty of leg room
China southern airlines...not a bad flight really. Good food and tons of movie options

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

We flew Emirates - business on the way over and First on the way back from Bali. Made the trip much much easier. And while I drink a bit on the flights, I’ve cut my consumption down a lot over the years while flying. Much different than my Thailand flight a few years earlier where I think I got drunk twice on the way.


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[midtown 3353]

We need to change the title of this forum to include Laos or just SE Asia.   I was planning to do 12 days in Laos/Cambodia and a few nights in SGN since I only spent 1 night there last time.  I contacted Tonkin Travel who set up my Vietnam trip which I was very happy with.  They are a Ha Noi based company so I assume they know Vietnam really well.  Not so sure about Indochina.   I realize 12 days is not a lot but its what I have to work with from a kids standpoint.     

He has me going 5 nights in Luang Prabang and doing daily excursions, then 4 in Seim Reap and then 3 nights in Sai Gon.   

Yada yada.  Im not sold on his iten.   Does anyone have a tour company that specializes in Indochina?

Edited April 4, 2019 by midtown

[Chopper 17430]

I'm probably in the minority but I think Siem Reap could be a 2 day jaunt very easily. Lots of old temples, stunning but monotonous. The city was interesting but unremarkable. Angkor Wat was spectacular but we also enjoyed spending time at the Raffles pool and spa. I also used a Hanoi based agency, http://www.travelauthenticasia.com/

However, after I had already gone on my trip a friend told me he used this agency, which specializes in Cambodia and Laos, and he said they did a good job. http://www.hanumantravel.com/

I met a British couple and they were planning to spend a month traveling just within Cambodia. I wish I knew how they had put their trip together. 

I have these articles bookmarked, you may find them useful

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/travel/luang-prabang-cambodia-coast.html

https://traveltriangle.com/blog/places-to-visit-in-cambodia/

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Chopper

[Bone3421 716]

Screw travel agents...just google it and throw your 5$ around for a driver

[midtown 3353]

9 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Screw travel agents...just google it and throw your 5$ around for a driver

Normally I do and since the tour company wants 2k to set up all the tours, hotels, transfers, guides, flights etc I'm considering doing some myself.   In Vietnam I felt like having a guide made my visit so much more efficient and their choice of hotels seemed pretty spot on.   It was great in that I didnt really have to do anything.

 

[Ths71 472]

Agree with having a guide. We were lucky enough to stay with a Vietnamese friends family who still have a house there somewhere between Saigon and Me Tho. We basically ended up going with them on their family vacation. I'm still not sure where some of the places we ended up were but we were the only Honkies almost everywhere we ended up. 

We did a Mekong River tour out of Me Tho. Spent some time at Grandma's place somewhere around Go Cong close to the coast, and hung out in Can Tho. Took day trips to some beach that I still am not sure of the location, and Nui Ba Den (Black Lady Mountain) that is big with the locals.

On one of our day trips to Saigon we hit:

Bing Tay Market-Huge indoor/outdoor market est. 1826

Reunification Pace-Very cool. Beautiful grounds and you can stroll through the whole palace on your own. In the basement the even had a shooting range and still had combat engagement maps from the war.

General Post Office

Notre Dame Cathedral

Finish up as the sun sets having a Martini on the rooftop bar at The Rex Hotel, where they had the daily press briefings during the war. Lots of heavy hitters used to get drunk there.

 

[usmc0331horn 992]

Subscribed and can’t wait for our November trip.

[Chopper 17430]

One good thing about Saigon is it has a good airport that's easy to access with a ton of flights. I feel like you could see all you'd want to see of Saigon in a day. We were there longer and depending on where else in Asia you've traveled you may get bored there if you stay long. Or maybe it was just me. Not sure where else you'll want to go. Our last stop in Vietnam before departing SGN was Da Nang, about an hour flight. Da Nang was modern and the scenery beautiful. Marble Mountain was pretty cool, and Hoi An is a short drive from Da Nang -- while touristy, it's also really pretty and a good day trip. Other destinations in Vietnam closer to Saigon you may want to check out are Dalat in the mountains, Can Tho in the Mekong delta, or Nha Trang, a beach resort city. I haven't been to either but they were possibilities that came up during my planning.

In Saigon, as far as hotels, if you're going the luxury hotel route and have amex plat be sure to check the hotel deals in fhr for what they offer for the Reverie. 

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

Don’t want to offend but my take is don’t sell Saigon short on one day. You won’t do it justice (nor any place in the world with just one day). If you’re going thru Saigon, spend at least 3 days there. Otherwise just use it as a hub to fly in or out of.


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[Chopper 17430]

1 hour ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

Don’t want to offend but my take is don’t sell Saigon short on one day. You won’t do it justice (nor any place in the world with just one day). If you’re going thru Saigon, spend at least 3 days there. Otherwise just use it as a hub to fly in or out of.

No offense taken at all. I should've been more clear. For a short trip and if you are the type of person who hits the ground running and feels the need to see as much as you can during your stay, seeing Saigon for a day upon arrival and for a day before departure could be plenty. Reunifcation palace was interesting to tour. I didn't know about the Rex Hotel cocktail lounge mentioned above though that sounds interesting. The more touristy area closer to the Reverie was fun to walk around. The outdoor produce market was pretty amazing if you're into that. We saw Notre Dame Cathedral and the old post office and for me it probably wasn't worth the time. We did go to a restaurant for lunch that had the best banh xeo and I wouldn't have minded hitting that place up 2 or 3 more times. Other than all that,  I just remember the horrible smog and traffic.

[52-80 19377]

I've done HCMC as a few quick visits with friends, a luxury/leisure trip with the wife, and now an extended stay with no itinerary.

From a traditional tourism point of view, it sucks.

The so-called major tourist points are ass, my dudes.

 

Ben Thanh market: maybe the single most overrated place in all of SEA.  Just a copy and paste of stalls selling the same trashy trinkets by overaggressive hawkers.  (If you wanna see a market try Binh Tay which is mostly for wholesalers, so they'll actually likely reject your patronage)

Independence Palace and War Museum: meh

Post Office: there's a small reception hall that's literally turned into a tourist shop

Notre Dame: if you've seen enough Christian buildings, including the 900 year old one in Paris, this 100 year old one doesn't hold much appeal

 

So I think the thing to do is rent a motorscooter, and ride around at your own pace and see how massive and dense the metropolis is.  Compare the differences between the districts; and imagine how with District 7's ultra wide boulevards, countless luxury high rises (where all the expats live), that this city can be the next HK in 5-10 years, or Tokyo in 10-20.  You can even make a day trip to My Tho in the Mekong to see a bit of water life.

Back in the city a typical daily itinerary would be: -wake up and walk through any of the insane street markets sprinkled around the urban center. 

-stop by a random stall/restaurant for a random bowl of breakfast. 

-burn an hour in any of the numerous cafes - independent or chain (I like Cong) - for a coffee and/or smoothie.  

-escape the heat with a shopping run in the malls or at your hotel/spa/pool. 

-a cheap massage would be great.

-grab late lunch from a checklist of notable eateries (Pho Hoa on Pasteur).  

-pickup exotic fruits for a snack. 

-masturbate for a couple of hours until the sun+heat go down. 

-and now real life begins.  if you go away from District 1, it's easier and easier to find these massive icehouse-style joints.  imagine a large open garage with low set tables and stools, tons of young folks in large groups gathered to get drunk and dine on food - commonly seafood and snails.  the act is called Nhau, similar to the BBQ joints in Korea.  you could get trashed and stuffed with crabs, oysters, clams, for a total of <15$ per person.  it's looney.

 

You could repeat that itin for as long as you want.  If you go visit with the expectation of seeing an "attraction" in the morning, and another in the afternoon, you'll be very disappointed with the city.  And whatever you do, avoid the backpackers district.  It's disgusting.

 

[Bone3421 716]

@ 52-80 you could save yourself some more time by just combining that massage and masturbating...you wouldnt even need exert yourself

 

 

[midtown 3353]

Pasted from the SE Asia thread.

 

I'm putting this in the general SE Asia forum.  Starting to get antsy and want to go back to SE Asia.   This is what I am thinking.  Late this year. Oct/Nov/Dec

Fly from the US to Ha Noi.  Maybe spend 2 nights in the old quarter than hoping a flight to Luang Prabang.   3-4 nights in and around that area.  Then to Cambodia. 3-4 nights I assume in Siem Reap. Then fly back to Sai Gon and spend 1 maybe 2 nights there and back to the US.    I've already been to Vietnam but my time in both Sai Gon and Hanoi was very brief and transitory. 

Should I try to make it to Phnom Penh in Cambodia or Vietiene in Laos?  Any other off the beaten path areas I should try to work in?

[52-80 19377]

PP is super boring and food is terrible - has all the downsides of SEA but none of the upside -  but maybe its worth it just to say you've been there.  Though there's the Killing Fields ( Choeung Ek) which is sorta mandatory to visit. 

[Bone3421 716]

Pasted from the SE Asia thread.

 

I'm putting this in the general SE Asia forum.  Starting to get antsy and want to go back to SE Asia.   This is what I am thinking.  Late this year. Oct/Nov/Dec

Fly from the US to Ha Noi.  Maybe spend 2 nights in the old quarter than hoping a flight to Luang Prabang.   3-4 nights in and around that area.  Then to Cambodia. 3-4 nights I assume in Siem Reap. Then fly back to Sai Gon and spend 1 maybe 2 nights there and back to the US.    I've already been to Vietnam but my time in both Sai Gon and Hanoi was very brief and transitory. 

Should I try to make it to Phnom Penh in Cambodia or Vietiene in Laos?  Any other off the beaten path areas I should try to work in?

I like how you said your time in hanoi and saigon was brief but then you have only have 2 nights for each in rough itinerary

From early posts in thread i believe you like to get off the beaten path like i do...you could stretch the days in hanoi/saigon and hit the farther more local districts

I also cant wait to get back...still have a 2 month trip thru india to vietnam rattling in my head/google searches last few months...wont be for a year though since im in feasibility mode currently

[Chopper 17430]

I was just in Siem Reap. For some reason western tourists were staying away at that time (and we were there just before xmas -- high season). We pretty much had Raffles Hotel to ourselves except for one night when a bus tour of westerners came through. Lots of Chinese tourists in the town though, staying at some of the inexpensive hotels catering to them. One night there would have been just fine (or skip it if you don't really gaf about seeing Angkor Wat) -- I thought the city was pretty mediocre and the food too. In retrospect I should have tacked on a visit to Vientiane, or perhaps see more of Laos.

[midtown 3353]

12 hours ago, Chopper said:

or skip it if you don't really gaf about seeing Angkor Wat

I do want to see Angkor Wat but maybe Ill just do 1 or max 2 nights and add a visit to Vientiane

[Longhornmaniac8 255]

Luang Prabang is fucking amazing. The Kuang So waterfalls are just shocking in their beauty.

[Longhornmaniac8 255]

Luang Prabang is fucking amazing. The Kuang So waterfalls are just shocking in their beauty.

Kuang Si*

[midtown 3353]

That's a mandatory on my list

[Reynolds Woodcock 5066]

This seems to be the best SE Asia thread on this site, so hoping I can get some advice from @midtown, @52-80 and other SE Asia travelers. I am in the preliminary stages of planning 2020 trips, and trying to decide whether to pitch my wife on 12 days in Thailand or Vietnam (assuming a combo would be unwise?). Hanoi looks fucking awesome to me, and if I were solo I would just fly to Hanoi, buy a motorcycle, and drive all over the region, but that just isn't in the cards so I am looking for the best compromise. 

Prefer to visit cities vs. country side. Favorite visit by far has been Tokyo, although we typically vacation in cities in France, Spain and Italy. We both loved Havana, but our stay with a family in a random tiny beach town in Cuba was too remote for my wife's liking. Local food and drinks and wandering around neighborhoods are high on the list, visiting religious sites and historical museums are low on the list. We both love Thai and Vietnamese food. The beaches in Thailand and Vietnam look awesome, but not critical to the itinerary.  I'm primarily looking to take in a new culture and eat and drink everything in site, while having access to a relatively nice hotel to crash at night. Would like to limit it to 2-3 destinations within Thailand and/or Vietnam for 12 or so days.

Any advice on which would generally be the better choice?          

[Homesickhorn 2217]

Pitching your wife on Thailand and Vietnam? Kinda taking sand to the beach aren’t you?

[midtown 3353]

I'm similar to you.  I like mostly cities and food/drink and people watching.  I tend to move around but I think you'd be stretching it to do both countries.   Vietnam is my favorite vacation of all time.

If you just want big cities then fly into Ha Noi 3 nights.  Do a night on a boat in Ha Long Bay.  Even though I know you said natural beauty isn't big it's still a breath taking place.    I still would consider a night or two in Hue/Hoi An.   If you want a beach and nice hotel there are a ton of high end resorts between Da Nang and Hoi An.   I remember seeing a Mandarian and a Four Seasons.  As far as I could tell beaches in Vietnam just aren't to the level of Thai islands.   But you could stay there and just take a taxi into Hoi An for the day or stay at one of the resorts in Hoi An.   I really liked Hue but its small and so one night is fine. Then maybe fly to Sai Gon. 2-3 nights.  Food, food, food.    If you really want to throw in another city then fly from Sai Gon and to Bangkok and do two nights there and fly home. 

[52-80 19377]

2 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

This seems to be the best SE Asia thread on this site, so hoping I can get some advice from @midtown, @52-80 and other SE Asia travelers. I am in the preliminary stages of planning 2020 trips, and trying to decide whether to pitch my wife on 12 days in Thailand or Vietnam (assuming a combo would be unwise?). Hanoi looks fucking awesome to me, and if I were solo I would just fly to Hanoi, buy a motorcycle, and drive all over the region, but that just isn't in the cards so I am looking for the best compromise. 

Prefer to visit cities vs. country side. Favorite visit by far has been Tokyo, although we typically vacation in cities in France, Spain and Italy. We both loved Havana, but our stay with a family in a random tiny beach town in Cuba was too remote for my wife's liking. Local food and drinks and wandering around neighborhoods are high on the list, visiting religious sites and historical museums are low on the list. We both love Thai and Vietnamese food. The beaches in Thailand and Vietnam look awesome, but not critical to the itinerary.  I'm primarily looking to take in a new culture and eat and drink everything in site, while having access to a relatively nice hotel to crash at night. Would like to limit it to 2-3 destinations within Thailand and/or Vietnam for 12 or so days.

Any advice on which would generally be the better choice?          

Both countries have lots of similarities in prices, climate, density, development, etc.  Standout differences to me are that:

* Thailand offers far more in beach option and quality. 

* Thai people are generally more affable, and you'll risk fewer louts and scammers (though that's largely gone away from VN in recent years). 

* Bangkok has bad vehicular gridlock, but there are metro options.  Hanoi and Saigon you can get around in taxis or on your own motorbikes - no viable public transport for tourists. 

Accomodations are similar both countries in that you have the regional luxury resort chains, mid-priced international hotels, and then tons of independents at all price ranges.  Bangkok has the better selection at the top end.

 

BKK is the larger airport so high likelihood that's your entry point.  Regional flights are very competitive, so you can almost get anywhere point to point for $100/leg, buying 1 or 2 days before, even on the flagship carriers.  At this moment, you can get 2hour direct Bangkok-Hanoi on Saturday for <$100 operated by Thai or VN, or even less on the LCC (Vietjet, AirAsia, etc).

Given the above, why not sample both countries at once?  Get into BKK for a few days, fly to Hanoi for few days, then decompress on the beach Phuket (picked only cuz theres a direct from hanoi), then fly back to BKK to get home (50 direct flights per day!!!)

[midtown 3353]

Thailand is way more touristy than VN imp and Thailand is more developed.

But really can't argue with what 52-80 is recommending. The beaches in phuket/patong are amazing

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[52-80 19377]

1 hour ago, midtown said:

Thailand is way more touristy than VN imp and Thailand is more developed.

But really can't argue with what 52-80 is recommending. The beaches in phuket/patong are amazing

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6000 using Tapatalk
 

Thailand had a better headstart but Vietnam's had a 6% y/y GDP growth for the last decade, while Thailand's had 1%.  So in net VN's almost doubled while Thailand gained 10%.

I've done 3 N-S trips during that time and the transformation is dramatic.  Not so much the whole country, but in Saigon where the economic heart is. 

In the 22nd ward it is ultra-clean, ultra-high, dense, modern high rises above luxury shopping.  And in the 7th district (e.g. around Crescent Mall, where the expat families are), it is the same architecture but spread out along tree-lined, jet-straight boulevards.  It was seriously unrecognizable to me and at times I swear it might as well have been HK or Seoul.

 

Across the city it means more and more hip, modern, expat/tourist-centric restaurants and cafes.  As a whole though yeah I think Thailand is more tourist-friendly

[Reynolds Woodcock 5066]

Thanks guys, appreciate your thoughts. Always tough to balance being rushed vs. seeing as much as possible, but I would really like to get a taste of both if possible in under 2 weeks. Not sure when I'll be back. Think I can go Emirates in/out of JFK to either HCMC or Bangkok, so maybe I could fly to one and out the other with a hop up to Hanoi in between. Though I would really like to do some eating in Chiang Mai...

I'll do some digging on itineraries. 

[midtown 3353]

Thanks guys, appreciate your thoughts. Always tough to balance being rushed vs. seeing as much as possible, but I would really like to get a taste of both if possible in under 2 weeks. Not sure when I'll be back. Think I can go Emirates in/out of JFK to either HCMC or Bangkok, so maybe I could fly to one and out the other with a hop up to Hanoi in between. Though I would really like to do some eating in Chiang Mai... I'll do some digging on itineraries.  

 

When I say Thailand is more touristy that's not a good thing. And yeah VN has tons of tourists. Including more Americans than I would have expected but still felt off the beaten path to me. And 52. I think you were the one surprised at my picture showing a Starbucks in district 1.

 

Chiang Mai is great. Watched some Muay Thai there.

 

But really you can't go wrong with those two countries.

 

One more thing. Chinese everywhere

 

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[52-80 19377]

12 minutes ago, midtown said:

. And 52. I think you were the one surprised at my picture showing a Starbucks in district 1.

 

Im surprised that people go to that chain given there are local chains of : Cong, Trung, Highlands, and more.

 

Except for my wife.  And local business people for whom SBUX hilariously represents a status symbol.  (same holds true in other countries too)

[midtown 3353]

1 minute ago, 52-80 said:

Im surprised that people go to that chain given there are local chains of : Cong, Trung, Highlands, and more.

Especially when you consider Vietnam is one of the coffee meccas of the world and a coffee culture.   Lots of mom and pop shops that were just fantastic

[Chopper 17430]

Indeed I was skeptical about trying the egg coffee in Hanoi but it was pretty awesome.

I agree you can't go wrong either way but if you can do an itinerary that works with most of the time in Thailand and 3 days in VN, that would be sensational. You'll need a tourist visa for VN but easy to get online. I wouldn't necessarily think you'd have to arrive and depart from the same airport. If you go to Hanoi I don't think there's a hotel that's anywhere as awesome as the Sofitel Metropole - that was another thing I was skeptical about but happily proven incorrect. 

[midtown 3353]

Indeed I was skeptical about trying the egg coffee in Hanoi but it was pretty awesome.
I agree you can't go wrong either way but if you can do an itinerary that works with most of the time in Thailand and 3 days in VN, that would be sensational. You'll need a tourist visa for VN but easy to get online. I wouldn't necessarily think you'd have to arrive and depart from the same airport. If you go to Hanoi I don't think there's a hotel that's anywhere as awesome as the Sofitel Metropole - that was another thing I was skeptical about but happily proven incorrect. 

The egg coffee was fantastic.

I flew into sgn and out of Han. No issues. Even if you aoply for the visa online you'll still have to get your sticker at the window unless you visit a consulate or embassy before.

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[Doug E. Fresh 452]

I wouldn't try to squeeze in Thailand and Vietnam in the same trip.  Pick one and go with it.  You can always go back and see the one you miss another time.  I have done both, and slightly preferred Vietnam.  Maybe that's because it was the most recent (last year vs. Thailand in 2015).  

If you are looking for the city/food/drinking scene, you can't beat the Hanoi to Hue/Hoi An/Danang to Saigon route.  That's what we did and loved it.  You can see some of my comments and pics on previous pages of this thread.

[Bone3421 716]

Thanks guys, appreciate your thoughts. Always tough to balance being rushed vs. seeing as much as possible, but I would really like to get a taste of both if possible in under 2 weeks. Not sure when I'll be back. Think I can go Emirates in/out of JFK to either HCMC or Bangkok, so maybe I could fly to one and out the other with a hop up to Hanoi in between. Though I would really like to do some eating in Chiang Mai...

I'll do some digging on itineraries. 

I would vote for Saigon and Hanoi....but i havent been to Bangkok yet

 

Saigon is very walkable imo...only took one bike ride when i was drunk and lost lol

 

Hanoi is much bigger and old quarter is walkable but other sites are a bit farther.

 

You will be able to eat all you want very very cheap....not sure if ya'll have a fear of getting sick but i ate everything i saw and never had a problem. Just stick to places you see locals packed in. Said it many many times but your best tasting meals will be on the street from my experience.

 

3 or 4 days in saigon and hanoi will be a good starting point and i would squeeze in ha long bay as 1/2 day trip from hanoi....2 weeks is good but might be rushed with bangkok thrown in

 

[Chopper 17430]

We had a tour guide in Hanoi for the few days we were there and one night he took us on a food tour. It was awesome. He had knowledgeable and definite opinions on the best places, knew which stall was known for having "the best" whatever, and which places had a record of longevity. I'm sure you can find someone online or if you want to try to contact this particular dude (his english was pretty perfect) I could give you his whatsapp, if you dm me. I'd recommend going on a food tour the first day you're there so you know which places you might want to hit up again.

[midtown 3353]

Tour guides are cheap as shit and they will even do your hotels, flights and travel from city to city. I used Tonkin and it allowed me to effectively see most tourist attractions and still left me the other half of the day and night just to wander around

 

My hotels were excellent. I'll look them up if you'd like

 

 

[Reynolds Woodcock 5066]

Thanks guys. All helpful. Still not sure if this will be a 2020 trip or 2021, but will definitely use this advice. 

[TexanTraveling 42]

More than happy to help out. Have not read the entire thread but I spent a month in Vietnam, a month in Cambodia, and 2 weeks in Bali. The main thing I have to say about Cambodia is that it is rough around the edges, but I like that. Koh Rong (Island) is a must! 

Vietnam is somewhere in between Cambodia and Thailand. 

Thailand is fucking disney world as is Bali unless you get really remote. I had an Australian buddy explain it to me like this. "The farther away from Australia you meet an Aussie abroad, the better they are. Bali is cheaper to get to than domestic flights, therefore every bogan in Oz makes the trip up there to piss themselves. Bali is Aussie Cancun. I agreed with him until I got out to the remote areas and the Gili Islands. Canggu was the only area I enjoyed in typical Bali. 

Edited November 18, 2019 by TexanTraveling

[midtown 3353]

Bump.. Headed to SE Asia in the fall. Hopefully I can get the UT game there. 12 days. About to pull the cord on flights. Will use my amex points. Leave on Monday Oct 5th and land in HAN Tuesday at 7pm. Fly out of SGN on Saturday the 17th.
Luang Prabang. Vientiane and Siem Reap. How many days in each?

Am I missing something?

[Bone3421 716]

Bump.. Headed to SE Asia in the fall. Hopefully I can get the UT game there. 12 days. About to pull the cord on flights. Will use my amex points. Leave on Monday Oct 5th and land in HAN Tuesday at 7pm. Fly out of SGN on Saturday the 17th.
Luang Prabang. Vientiane and Siem Reap. How many days in each?

Am I missing something?

I believe you have done hanoi from previous post and as your only looking at like 10 days on the ground i would say 2 days in hanoi/ Saigon at bookends and spend rest of time on other 2 spots/travel.

3 days in siem reap with one day for angkor wat should suffice for a quick trip....but its all up to you of course

[midtown 3353]

I believe you have done hanoi from previous post and as your only looking at like 10 days on the ground i would say 2 days in hanoi/ Saigon at bookends and spend rest of time on other 2 spots/travel.

3 days in siem reap with one day for angkor wat should suffice for a quick trip....but its all up to you of course

Yes. I've spent 2 nights in both Ha Noi and Sai Gon but I wanted a few more nights to soak them in and they are larger cities that are easier to fly in and out of. My other thought was to cut one of them and do another night in Bkk.

[Chopper 17430]

I'm sure you'd have a much better time in BKK than Sai Gon especially but ymmv. If you've not hired a local foodie to give you a tour before in either location, I'd do it esp if you've seen most of the sights already. Either way, when in Sai Gon find this place if possible. They cook outside, serve and seats inside. Wish I would've eaten more than once there.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by Chopper

[TexanTraveling 42]

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/may/09/vang-vieng-laos-tubing-calm-activities

 

You need to do this, so many Aussies were dying that the Oz govt actually sent a please stop the aussies letter to the govt. 

[TexanTraveling 42]

On 1/28/2020 at 9:49 AM, midtown said:

Bump.. Headed to SE Asia in the fall. Hopefully I can get the UT game there. 12 days. About to pull the cord on flights. Will use my amex points. Leave on Monday Oct 5th and land in HAN Tuesday at 7pm. Fly out of SGN on Saturday the 17th.
Luang Prabang. Vientiane and Siem Reap. How many days in each?

Am I missing something?

 

Siem Reap doesnt really have a lot going on. Angkor Wat obviously. There is a nice little night market and a bar area to party. I was there for 5 days or so. I definitely got the 10 dollar massages every day. Probably my favorite part about Camboida and Laos. 

[midtown 3353]

I'm sure you'd have a much better time in BKK than Sai Gon especially but ymmv. If you've not hired a local foodie to give you a tour before in either location, I'd do it esp if you've seen most of the sights already. Either way, when in Sai Gon find this place if possible. They cook outside, serve and seats inside. Wish I would've eaten more than once there.
 
 

I did backofthebike in Sai Gon last time. I've done a food walking tour in Bkk as well. I would likely do a other one in each city.

[Bone3421 716]

Yes. I've spent 2 nights in both Ha Noi and Sai Gon but I wanted a few more nights to soak them in and they are larger cities that are easier to fly in and out of. My other thought was to cut one of them and do another night in Bkk.

If you want a few more nights in them then i would recommend cutting one of the 3 choices in between then....if you try to do all the places listed your looking at 2 days only in each.
You'll just have to think about what you really want to see/do the next few months.

If you've done angkor wat before then you could skip it, if not i would say it has to make the list this trip

[midtown 3353]

3 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

If you want a few more nights in them then i would recommend cutting one of the 3 choices in between then....if you try to do all the places listed your looking at 2 days only in each.
You'll just have to think about what you really want to see/do the next few months.

If you've done angkor wat before then you could skip it, if not i would say it has to make the list this trip

I hear you.   Angkor Wat is 100% on the list.   I follow a guy on instagram that is a US ex pat who is training in MMA in Cambodia,.  His gram is pretty good if anyone wants to follow him.  (claudetravelling).  he's given me even more to think about including some island off he coast of Cambodia I want to check out.  I might just have to cut Sai Gon on this trip and hook it into my next SE Asia trip which will be Indonesia/Bali.  I should be able to go to a full 14 days which will give me 12 days on the ground.  Ill just end up doing some work from time to time on the road. 

Edited February 10, 2020 by midtown

[bonnieblue 542]

1 hour ago, midtown said:

I hear you.   Angkor Wat is 100% on the list.   I follow a guy on instagram that is a US ex pat who is training in MMA in Cambodia,.  His gram is pretty good if anyone wants to follow him.  (claudetravelling).  he's given me even more to think about including some island off he coast of Cambodia I want to check out.  I might just have to cut Sai Gon on this trip and hook it into my next SE Asia trip which will be Indonesia/Bali.  I should be able to go to a full 14 days which will give me 12 days on the ground.  Ill just end up doing some work from time to time on the road. 

phu quoc?

[6th Street 6659]

2 hours ago, midtown said:

I hear you.   Angkor Wat is 100% on the list.   I follow a guy on instagram that is a US ex pat who is training in MMA in Cambodia,.  His gram is pretty good if anyone wants to follow him.  (claudetravelling).  he's given me even more to think about including some island off he coast of Cambodia I want to check out.  I might just have to cut Sai Gon on this trip and hook it into my next SE Asia trip which will be Indonesia/Bali.  I should be able to go to a full 14 days which will give me 12 days on the ground.  Ill just end up doing some work from time to time on the road. 

Angkor Wat is badass but you can pretty much knock it out in 1.5 days max. Get started at sunrise as the heat is a beating in the afternoon and you'll want to head back to the pool and cool off. Hire a tuk tuk at the hotel for like $25- $35 and he'll shuttle you around from temple to temple all day. They have little beer and ice cream carts outside of each temple - I'd recommend taking advantage.

Aside from that Siem Reap is mostly a backpacker town. Some decent 20-something Australian sluts at the bars. Magic pizza is also solid. Not a whole lot else going on there.