Hello you all,
13th of November, my friend and I will go on a 4 week backpacking trip to Laos. For now I’ve planned the trip scedule below, on which I would love to get your advice. We LOVE to stray from the beaten touristic path and meet with the behind-the-scenes world of Laos, something we would love to get help with in advance.
Beside that we still doubt whether to stay at one of the Thai Islands during the last few days of our trip or on Don Det.

My previous trip-scedule:

1. Amsterdam → Chiang Mai
2. Chang Mai aarival at night
3. Chang Mai
4. Express bus to Luang Namtha
5. From Luang Namtha to Muang Sing (early morning)
6. Muang Sing
7. Muang Sing
8. Muang Sing to Muang Khua (early morning)
9. Muang Khua
10. By boat Muang Khua to Muang Ngoi Neua (early morning)
11. Muang Ngoi Neua
12. Muang Ngoi to Nong Khiaw (early morning)
13. Nong Khiaw
14. Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang
15. Luang Ptabang
16. Luang Prabang
17. Luang Prabang
18. Luang Prabang to Vientiane
19. Vientiane
    2 Vientane to Bolaven
20. Bolaven
21. Bolaven
22. Bolavent o Champasak
23. Champasak
24. Pakse – Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok-Island
25. Island (Thai Island or Don Det)
26. Island (or Don Det)
    10.Island (or Don Det)
    11.Island to Bangkok (early morning)
27. Bangkok
28. Bangkok-Amsterdam

Hope any one can give us advice. Thank you in advance.
Sylvia

Hi!

I am leaving this week to Thailand - and I am not finding recent information on transport between some places I wanted to see... here is the itinerary, and where I am uncertain, points 4 to 7)
1. Landing in Bangkok, 2 nights
2. Overnight train to Chiang Mai, 2 nights
3. Bus to Chiang Rai, 1 night
4. I want to get to Muang Sing - how? Can I go directly from Chiang Rai? The 3 places I really want to see in Laos are: Luang Prabang, Muang Sing, and Muang Ngoi - but I am uncertain of transportation between them I have 10-12 days for these destination if necessary.
5. Then I need to get to Trat (Koh Chang) - from Laos I would fly - or is there an interesting route I can take through Cambodia? I have about 5-6 days for the route (could be bus + flight...)
6. I will be spending 5 days in Koh Chang, I have a wedding there - is Ko Kut a must? Or any beach on Cambodia side?
7. I am not planning to go south of Thailand - is that a mistake? I am a fan of beautiful beaches, fishermen villages, but not of touristy places - any places that is a must and I should take a detour there? How is it around Trang?

Thank you in advance for your help !
Elisabeth

Hey everyone, first-time poster on the Thorntree. I'm likely headed to Chiang Mai, Thailand this July to do a study abroad program until December, and then I will have around one month (more than 4 weeks but less than 5) to travel throughout Southeast Asia afterwards. I plan on heading into Laos from Chiang Mai around December 14th, and then taking a route that will eventually lead me through Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia all the way to Bangkok to catch a trans-pacific flight back to the United States during the third week of January. Due to the low costs of SE Asia, I'm not too concerned about my budget. Some of my interests include hiking, exploring cities, chilling at beaches every once in a while, and anything that can make for a good story. Thanks!

Hi,

Has anybody updated schedules to do the following 2 trips? We will go in mid-August

Are they feasible like this? Please help me to fill the gaps :)

1 - Luang Prabang to Phongsaly
Day 1: Luang Prabang - 4h minivan - Nong Khiaw - 1h30min boat (@2:00pm) - Muang Ngoy
Day 2: Muang Ngoy - 5-6h boat to.... Muang Khua? And then ...5-6h bus/minivan to Phongsaly?

2- Phongsaly to Luang Prabang
Day 1 Phongsaly - ................ - Muang Ngoy
Day 2 Muang Ngoy - boat - Luang Prabang

Thanks!

Regards,

Javi

In September-October 2019 we will be coming to Vietnam for four weeks for our third time. Friends who have never been there will join us for at least the first part of the trip. After a couple days in Hanoi we'll spend the next 14 days with our driver/guide (from previous trips) up North in HaGiang province (seeing the rice fields and ethnic villages) and slowly go all the way to the Ban Gioc waterfall before heading down to the Ninh Binh area for around 4-5 days. We also will go on an overnight Halong Bay boat trip with our friends (we've done it, but will do it again). We would have liked to take our friends to see the Hai Van Pass, Hoi An and An Bang Beach (we've been there) but have read here on the TT that the weather is horrible there in October. We have already been to HCMC and the Mekong Delta and we’re not plannning on returning to those spots although it might be an idea for our friends. We've also been to Mai Chau and Pu Luong and don't think we'll head back there. We're looking for ideas of where to go for our remaining week(s). We haven't been to the highlands, nor the southeast coast or any of the islands. We are not too fond of beaches; a couple days would be more than enough. We're "flashpackers" and travel mid-range (no overnight bus rides or train rides! Domestic flights are fine). Any ideas or recommendations?
Thanks, in advance.