I arrive in Bangkok on May 6 and I have 2 months to visit Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia before flying out of Singapore on July 6. Which would be the best route to take and where should I spend most of my time?

Any hints and tips would be very welcome as I am a first time visitor.

Barrie

depending on what you wish.how about northern thailand.Then return to bkk and take the night train to nong khai.cross the border with loas(us$31 for 15 day loas visa)spend 2-3 days in vienntiene then see van viang and laou prabang.then make your way to vietnam.return to thailand,head south to see the islands koh samui,koh phangang and koh toa.then carry on to malaysia.perhaps go down the east coast.then singapore for one or two days.

This area of the world is fantastic and full of old world charm and fantastic beaches but you will need to check whether you need visas.

If you are from the UK the visas are required for Lao, Vietnam and Cambodia but not Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore. You can get the visas in Bangkok but if you are definitely sure of the countries you want to visit, it'll be worth while getting them whilst still at home as it will save you valuable holiday time.

2 month is not very long but this is my suggested route without double backing on yourself too much;

Bangkok head to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) in Cambodia via the advertised trips you see in Bangkok or train it to the border at Poipet then the back of a pick up to Siem Reap.

Siem Reap, Rambo express boat to Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh, bus to the Vietnamese border and to Ho Chi Minh City.

HCM buses to Nah Trang, Hoi An (fantastic place), Da nang, Hue and the De Militarised Zone trip including original Vietcong tunnels then back to Da nang and across to Savannakhet in Lao.

Savannakhet, bus to Vientienne. Bus/pickup to Van Vieng, to the caves and floating on tubes. Bus to Luangprabang. Further up and cross back to Thailand near Chiang Mai region for treks and the River Kwai bridge then back down to Bangkok.

Bangkok, bus down to either Phuket or Surat and boats to the islands you want to visit. From Phuket, boat to Phi Phi then to Railay and Krabbe on the mainland and down to Malaysia. Surat side for Koh Tao, Phang Ang and Samui then back to mainland.

Malaysia from border, Cameron Highlands as Penang will be pretty similar to the beaches in Thailand, Taman Negra rainforest, Melaka then Johor Bahru to cross to Singapore.

Singapore is expensive so do all shopping before you get here!

There are various scams like people may tell you you must have at least $200 worth of Malaysian currency to get in the country and scam you on the exchange rate, ignore them and tell them to get lost. Also, Malaysians still call their currency dollar but mean ringgit which of course is worth less so don't hand over your dollar equivalent!

Enjoy your trip

Thanks Rhubarb thats really helpful. I'll now go and trawl over my maps in preparation.

Hi,

Thanks for the post also,

iam getting in to se asia and was not sure whether
its better to land in hanoi and work my way down to singapore/ bali.. or go to bangkok.. and do it from there?

got 2-3 months.

oh and anyone know a good online map?

thanks

I'd take exception to one comment of Rhubarb's about the beaches of Penang. Yeah, they're losers, but the whole point of Penang, and it's main city, Georgetown, isn't beaches. This is an absolutely fascinating multi-racial, multi-cultural city with perhaps SE Asia's best collection of pre-war buildings. Don't miss it if you're coming to Malaysia.

I'd also put more emphasis on Luang Phabang, Laos. An absolutely delicious little boutique of delights for the discerning traveler. But it's cahnging/being discovered at the speed of light. See it now.

Finally, the best beach-type experiences I had in Thailand were: (1) the Similan Islands (although you may be coming too late in the season for this, and (2) Ko Muk, off the Trang Coast.

I have been to beaches all throughout the region, but I really likes Sihanoukville in Cambodia. What I liked was world class beaches, white sand, crystal clear water, but not many tourists. Also, unlike most other parts of Asia, most of the people on the beaches were actually locals, so you don't feel part of some same-as-anywhere-else beach resort.

With regards to your best route, some of this topic has been covered at Venture off the beaten track, especially in regard to the best route through Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Ventureoffthebeatentrack.com - travel information, advice, tips and photos, featuring emails from the trail. Laos travel guide::Vietnam travel guide::Cambodia travel guide

If you are going to Penang for its beaches, then forget it. Penang and Melaka (Malacca) have a very good historical side to it. The food and old buildings would be pretty interesting, and if you are into antiques can be a good place to shop too. But do bargain!!

For the beaches, try Pulau Perhentian or Pulau Redang. Nice dive spots.

For rainforest, the Taman Negara and many places in Sabah and Sarawak would be great.... well, hope you will have the time to check all these places out!

Hi everybody, I just want to share my travel experience in Melaka.
Melaka is worth going because of the historical sites and narrow streets. Food is great too.Consider going to this cafe for food.I had a great experience at this cafe. Their website is www.dutchharbourcafe.com

It is unbelievably different kind of dining breakaway. Relaxing while drinking a thirst-quenching Caribbean Perrier Mocktail in a gorgeous garden. I can smell the roasted coffee and my buddy Espresso Segafredo is on its way. One thing I really love this place is the place. Very nicely done. To add its uniqueness, it is located by the river. You can choose to sit by the river and also in the garden. I chose the garden because of the green plants around me. The smooth Jazz music is playing and we are surrounded by attentive and friendly staffs who never forget to smile.
The main dining area(historical building) is nice. Posters portraying Holland are on the wall. Tulips, The Hague,etc. One poster is very interesting as it shows the different coffee shops in Amsterdam. What captures me is 2 clocks that show both Malaysian and Holland local times. That is creative. Bathroom is absolutely clean.
In terms of the food, My favorite food is Pepperoni Pizza and Beef Croquette. The pizza is so good and I can finish it up by myself. Only available in 1 size(12"). RM22 only(No tax though). It is so tasty.Cheesy and nice pan dough.The croquette is beautifully served on a plate with a bread. Very hot in the middle but very tasty. It is like a nugget but long(about 6 inches).
My favorite drink is Caribbean Perrier mocktail. It is mixture of Grenadine at the bottom(red color), fresh orange juice and Perrier. Got a little cute umbrella with a hotel-standard garnish.Price wise,it is average. Mineral water RM2. Fresh fruit juice RM5.I forgot about the cheese cake that I had. I had Mississippi Mud cheese cake(RM8) and it is rewarding. Worth buying.
In terms of the food, My favorite food is Pepperoni Pizza and Beef Croquette. The pizza is so good and I can finish it up by myself. Only available in 1 size(12"). RM22 only(No tax though). It is so tasty.Just have to wait around 20 minutes but it is worth waiting.Cheesy and nice pan dough.The croquette is beautifully served on a plate with a bread. Very hot in the middle but very tasty. It is like a nugget but long(about 6 inches).I also had Cassava Fries as a starter and it different. Not oily and you should try this. Not many places offer this.
My favorite drink is Caribbean Perrier mocktail. It is mixture of Grenadine at the bottom(red color), fresh orange juice and Perrier. Got a
little cute umbrella with a hotel-standard garnish.Price wise,it is average. Mineral water RM2. Fresh fruit juice RM5.I forgot about the
cheese cake that I had. I had Mississippi Mud cheese cake(RM8) and it is rewarding. Worth buying.