Trip Summary

Here is my projected itinerary for my 3-month South-East Asia trip. It has gone through many revisions over the 6 or so months I've been planning it but I'm happy with it for now. It looks pretty rigid but it's not. The only fixed events are the flights and the time spent with Brad in Cambodia. I know that without this guideline I would spend too much time in a few places and I'd be angry with myself for not seeing things I know I want to see.

I scoured online forums and tourism sites, I asked friends about their own trips, and I read through two publications of LP's SEA on a Shoestring (an old one and a new one...they have slightly different suggestions believe it or not). I spent a lot of time researching and working out a budget. I should be a travel agent. It's a lot of money and an uncertainty of ever getting to do this again so I want to do it well and not be a complete flake about it. But it's also in my character to research and attempt to be in control.

I get squirmy-excited everyday now in anticipation. So, eat your heart out:

SINGAPORE (4 days, Mar. 4-8)
-Singapore Zoo & night safari
-Asian Civilizations Museum
-Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
-East Coast Park
-Colonial District, CBD, Little India
-Raffles Hotel
:
March 8: bus to Melaka, Malaysia (4.5h)
:


MALAYSIA (17 days, Mar. 8-24)
Melaka(3 days, 3 nights)
-Dutch & Portugese areas
-Muzium Rakyat
-Villa Sentosa
-Chinatown
:
March 11: express bus to Kuala Lumpur (2h)
:
Kuala Lumpur (3 days, 2 nights)
-Colonial District
-Chinatown, Little India
-Golden Triangle (Petronas Towers)
:
March 13: Night bus to Kuala Besut (?h)
March 14: ferry to Pulau Perhentian Kecil (1.5h)
:
Perhentian Kecil (2 days, 2 nights)
-island, beaches, snorkel, jungle
:
March 16: ferry to Kuala Besut (1.5h)+ bus to Kota Bharu (2.5h)
:
Kota Bahru (2 days)
-night market, mosques
-cultural center demonstrations
:
March 18: night bus to Butterworth (7h)
March 19: ferry to Georgetown
:
Penang Pulau
-Georgetown (2 days)
-Teluk Bahang/Penang Nat’l Park (2 days)
:
March 23: ferry to Butterworth + night train to Kuala Lumpur
March 24: flight to Bangkok, dep 13:40/arr 14:40
:


THAILAND (19 days, Mar. 24 –Apr 11)
Bangkok (4/5 days)
-Ko Ratanakosin area (temples, palaces, etc)
-Chinatown, markets, whatever
-day trip to Kanchanaburi (Kwai River)
:
March 28: Night train to Phitsanulok (6h?)
:
Phitsanulok (1 day)
-base to check out Sukhothai, UNESCO ancient city
:
March 29: Night train to Chiang Mai (5h)
:
Chiang Mai (2 days?)
-I’m sure there’s tons to see. If not, move on
:
March 31: flight to Mae Hong Son, dep 16:10/arr 16:45
:
Mae Hong Son (1 day, 2 nights?)
- chill out, look around
-Thai/Burmese/Shan temples, architecture, food
:
April 2: bus to Soppong (~4h)
:
Soppong area (4 days) - chill out, trekking, caves
:
April 7: bus to Pai (~1h)
:
Pai (1 day, 1 night) - chill out
:
April 8: bus to Chiang Mai (~4h)
:
Chiang Mai (1 night) -stop over
:
April 9: bus to Chiang Rai (3h)
:
Chiang Rai (half day) -Hill Tribe Museum
:
April 9: bus to Chiang Saen (1.5h)
:
Chiang Saen (2 days, 2 nights)
-hang out
-bike to Sop Ruak (Golden Triangle & House of Opium Museum)
:
April 11: bus to Chiang Khong (2h) + ferry border crossing to Huay Xai, Laos
:


LAOS (17 days, Apr. 11-29)
Huay Xai (1 night) -stop over
:
April 12: bus to Luang Nam Tha (~5h)
:
Luang Nam Tha area (6 days)
-ecotours & treks, hang out
-Muang Sing
:
April 19: bus to Luang Prabang (9h)
:
Luang Prabang area (6 days)
-UNESCO town, temples etc.
-Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi
:
April 25: Night bus to Vientiane (10h)
:
Vientiane (3 days)
-temples, monuments
-French architecture?
:
April 29: flight to Siem Riep, Cambodia dep 06:30/arr 09:25
:


CAMBODIA (10 days, April 29 -May 9)
Siem Riep (4 days)
-Ankor temples
-Cambodia Landmine Museum
-Brad arrives May 1st
:
May 2: flight to Phnom Penh dep 19:50/arr 20:45
:
Phnom Penh (3 days)
-Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda
-Tuol Seng museum (Khmer Rouge stuff)
-Choeung Ek killing fields
-Wat Phnom
-Brad leaves May 4th
:
May 5: bus to Kampot (3h)
:
Kampot (2 days, 2 nights)
-French architecture
-caves, brick temple outside town (Phnom Chhnork)
-Bokor National Park, Bokor Hill Station?
:
May 8: bus to Phnom Penh (3h)
:
Phnom Penh (1 night) -stop over
:
May 9: bus/boat package w/ Capitol Tours to Chau Doc, Vietnam (?h)
:


VIETNAM (14 days*, May 9-24)
*vague plans; around Mekong Delta (not w/ tour), a few days in HCMC
Chau Doc
-various religious buildings
-nearby Sam Mt. w/ cave temples
-Ba Chuc, KR massacre site? Cham village?
:
bus probably to Can Tho (?h)
:
Can Tho area
-floating markets
-Ho Chi Minh tin statue
:
bus probably to Vinh Long (?h)
:
Vinh Long area
-floating markets?
-villages, ruralness
:
bus probably to My Tho (?h)
:
My Tho -look around briefly
:
ferry to Ben Tre (20 min)
:
Ben Tre
-markets
-Phoenix Island
:
May 20?: ferry to My Tho (20 min) + bus to HCMC (2h)
:
HCMC (3 nights?)
-Reunification Palace
-War Remnants Museum
-religious buildings, esp: Notre Dame Cathedral, Jade Emperor Pagoda
-markets
-day trip to Ta Ninh/CuChi tunnels?
:
May 24: flight to Fukuoka*, Japan dep 01:30/arr 08:00
*visa run, maybe Nagasaki, back to Daejeon via Busan on May 27, I hope