1

Unless you're coming from somewhere really close, like Singapore, that's a long flight for just five days. From California, you'd spend 44 hours on the plane for 120 hours on the ground.

And how are you getting to SR? Are you flying through Bangkok, flying into Bangkok then busing the rest of the way? Or something else?

I would say, put additional day on in Cambodia and one less in Bangkok.

2

Im coming from the Philippines :) It is only around 2.5 hour flight as far as I know. And will land to SR first then travel by bus going to BKK.

3

Short, but if that's all you have, then fly fly between SR and Bangkok. Then you'll have time for the highlights of Angkor temples and a couple days to explore Bangkok. Both are very easy places to get around and you will be pretty safe traveling alone. Probably two of the easiest places to see without being on a tour. Easy as pie to arrange for a car or tuk tuk to get around in the angkor complex on your own, easy to find places to walk to for eating and shopping in SR and probably near your hotel which will be easy to book ypurself on line to save time.

Same for BKK. Big city, easy to get to and from airport/hotel by taxi, nice hotels for relatively inexpensive prices and easy to get to main sites via sky train/boat. Quick, easy nice short trip from the Philippines. Can do even with a small rolling suitcase. Have fun.

4

It's doable, though with obvious problems.

SR-BK is a full day of travel (including to/from airport) and accommodation stuff. Poipet is a challenge for many people. Nothing you can do to speed it up.

2 days SR and 2 days BK, okay. In BK let me recommend Siam Paragon on Sukhumvit downstairs food court for clean, inexpensive, and good food. Take metered taxis, forget about tuk-tuks.

See Travelfish and Tales of Asia via SEA link below. Research ESSENTIAL for anyone, but especially you.

Happy (mighty fast!) trails

5

not enough time. you'll be wasting your limited days just getting there,
especially if you try to go by land. as it stands, you really only have
three full days......first and fifth days include the flight to/from phil.

i would suggest fly to/from siem reap, then stay there. do not pass
poipet, do not collect $200. there's plenty to keep you busy in and
around siem reap.

if you gotta fit something else in, can't you stay in cambodia? what
about phnom penh or battambang, or do a homestay in a village.

6

Hmm... The problem why I will go to Bangkok is because the flights from Manila-SR and vice versa are limited. There's only 1 airline that fly from here directly to SR 3 times a week and during inconvenient hours. Needless to say it is freaking too expensive :) While flights between Manila-Bangkok are not a problem. If I will go to PP, I don't have a choice but to go to Saigon as well or go back to SR so I can go back to Manila as there's no airline in PP that fly to Manila. And that will take way muuuuuch longer hours in traveling. It was one of my options before but when I've learned that travel time between SR-HCMC is longer compare to SR-BKK, I have to choose the latter. Aside from the fact that HCMC-Manila flights are also limited.

I will have 4 full days actually. 2 days for each city. I will arrive late evening of the 13th, sleep and start my SR tour in the 14th until 15th. Then I allotted 1 whole day (16th) for SR-BKK trip, will arrive in the late afternoon or evening. Sleep and start my BKK adventure on the 17th and then I am saving the 18th for any special activity that I might think of later :D I will leave BKK late evening of the 18th. My plan sounds really easy that's why Im double checking from the people who have done the similar trip before - sort of reality checking since Im famous of pushing things through even though it is impossible :D

Thanks everyone for taking time to answer my question! :)

7

That certainly is a rushed trip but still better than nothing. You can actually see a fair bit in that amount of time. My only suggestion, if you're not already planning it, is to bite the bullet and keep your room in Bkk for the 18th even tho you won't actually be sleeping there. After running around the hot dirty city all day you'll want a place to clean up and relax before heading to the airport. Enjoy.

8

Thanks Jacko! That's one thing that I'll consider. I wouldn't mind spending extra money for that. Do you have any good and affordable accomodation that you can recommend in BKK? I got 2 hotels in my list right now but I had to cross them out coz they are closer in the airport compare to the city center. They are walking distance though in skytrain and offer free midnight transfer to the airport. I might just waste my precious time travelling back and forth from the hotel to the main sites.

Is there any good and decent place to stay in Khao San? Safety and cleanliness are my biggest concerns. I can cope without the rest. I hope, I guess. LOL. This is supposed to be backpacking trip but I couldn't help myself yesterday booking a suite in Cambodia :D I don't want to be tempted again and miss out the "fun" in BKK by getting myself another typical hotel room. I am trying to check out the condo for rents in Roomarama (as my second alternative after hostels in Khao San) but majority of them are in Ladrao Rd. I believe this is the business district. Any good? :)

Thanks!

9

There's only 1 airline that fly from here directly to SR 3 times a week and during inconvenient hours. Needless to say it is freaking too expensive

I have travelled Cebu Pacific from Manila to SR, HCMC to Manila and also Hanoi to Manila. There are periodic promos for bookings a few months ahead. I paid around $50 about P2000 for each of the flights
Cebu Pacific had an offer last weekend P7 plus taxes for selected international destinations for travel in June 2013. I got Manila to Jakarta on 2nd June for P2200 with 15k luggage allowance
Admittedly the timings are a bit inconvenient but you cant complain at the promo fares

Consider the option of flying into SR and out from HCMC. Its a 12 hour bus trip from SR to HCMC but can be done in two 6 hour trips with a night in PP. In own my experience it was less hassle than the SR to BKK route

10

@gwapo I can do that if I have one extra day to spare in staying in PP. If I will stay in PP for the night and travel to Saigon the next day, your 12-hour allocated time for SR-Saigon is not going to be enough. It would be more than 6 hours per destination I believe because of the hassles of waiting from one area to another (needless to say the packing, taking a bath, checking out from PP, buying for ticket again, going to the bus station and waiting for the bus etc etc). And If I will extend for another day in HCMC then I will have to wait for another day and half because flights in Saigon is as limited as SR - thrice a week, once every other day and during late evening. With no choice of flexibility that Bangkok can offer me :) 5J at least fly to Bangkok from 2-8 times everyday. Needless to say the flights from other local airlines. So if things wont work with my schedule, I can easily change it around without having to stay in the place for another 1-2 days. I also need to do a lot of shopping in Bangkok haha. Another one good reason why I have to choose BKK coz I dont think Saigon has the same variety and wider options as BKK's gigantic malls :P

I have friends who never had an issue crossing the border from SR-BKK. They preferred it compare to BKK-SR. Hence I chose to fly in on SR instead of Bangkok as what majority is doing. Just choose a reliable ticketing agent as per their advise.

I was able to book on 7 and 8 pesos promo recently. But I will be able to use them for Sept, Nov and Dec next year as I wasn't able to use them for this trip. And yes as what you have mentioned, the timing is a bit incovenient. Especially for me. I wont be able to use these promos if I wont be able to take a day off from my job :)

But thank you on the suggestion :)

11

I used to stay at the Suk 11 off Sukumvit Rd (Soi 11 near the Nana skytrain station) but haven't been for a while. I've heard plenty of complaints lately. Mostly rude employees and a skimpy breakfast. this is what can happen when a place gets too popular. I'm sure there are lots of people who've been to Bkk more recently that can give you plenty of recommendations for hotels.