Ia m afraid you have a strange vision of the northern mountains ! Sapa is in the middle of what the French used to call "the Vietnamese Alps), high mountains (3100 m at the Fan Si Pan) ; advantages : easy access (night train or BETTER and twice faster, day express bus on the new superhighway)many very colorful minorities and excellent trekking. Mai Chau is in a beautiful valley, but it is very close to Hanoi, so the Thai minority is dressed in jeans and T-shirts except for the evening folkloric dances organized by agencies for their groups ; no trekking except in the beautiful Pu Luong National Park, but you do not have enough time and you would need a car with driver and guide . Ha Giang is only the gate to the fabulous region of Dong Van, but you need a minimum of 4 days to go up there. SO, for you, it is obviously Sapa (NOT on week-ends, a zoo of Chinese and Viet tourists, with hotels doubling or tripling their rates)

Self drive, explore Kanchanaburi and the parks on the way up to Chiang Mai.

Thank you for your advice!! I’m definitely looking into going to Chiang Mai for 4 days. Any tips on what to do while there?

Yes I’m planning on flying into Bangkok! I’m planning to be in Thailand for two weeks (wish it could be longer!) thinking of going to Chiang Mai and then to the islands.

thats great to hear, i guess more or less, the itinerary is done up.

Feel free to comment if any.

khao kho,
• Phu Tub Berk
o is the tallest mountain

• Wat Prathat Phasornkaew (Temple on the Glass Cliff)
o Address: 95 หมู่ 7 บ้านทางแดง, ต.แคมป์สน อ.เขาค้อ, Amphoe Khao Kho, Chang Wat Phetchabun 67280, Thailand Opening hours: Daily 8am to 5pm
o 95, Moo 7, Khaem Son, Khaem Son 67280

• Pino Latte
o Highway Number 12, Khao Kho District

• Sakura Thailand @ Phu Lom Lo (Wild Himalayan Cherry Blooming 25 DEC-10 JAN)
o Located in phu hin rong kla national park
o No self drive, only catered bus, first bus start at 5am, ends at 4pm
o Phu Hin Rong Kla national park office, 1500 baht
o Mai Rong Kla Village, 1000baht
o Kok Saton, Dan sai district, Loei’s tourist center, 1500 baht
o
Middle
• Khao Kho Wind Farm
o Petchdum Village, Khao Kho, Thailand
o Thung Samo, Khao Kho District, Phetchabun 67270, Thailand

South

• Tanruk Talaymok (Café and restaurant)
o Tanruk Talaymok 43 Moo 12, Khao Kho district, Phetchabun
Tel: 081-633-2434
Opening hours: 7.00 - 20.00 hrs.

• Khao Takhian Ngo View Point
o moo 6 | Nong Mae Na Subdistrict, Khao Kho, Thailand

• Khao Kho post office
o Khao Kho post office is another famous view point at Khao Kho, where you can see the panoramic view of sea of cloud in the morning.

• Kanchanapisek Pagoda (temple), very near to Khao kho post office
o Highway 2196, Khao Kho 67270, Thailand

• Sridit Waterfall (optional, another small waterfall)
o Address: Mu 10 Ban Rom Pho-Rom Sai, Nong Mae Na Subdirstrict, Khao Kho District, Phetchabun.
Opening hours: 7.00-17.00 hrs.

• Bua Tong Roast Chicken Restaurant 餐廳資訊:
o 地址: Saraburi - Lomsak Road, Sa Pradu, Wichian Buri District, Phetchabun, 67130
電話：＋6656928042
營業時間： 7 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Ok. A couple more questions.... We land at 0600 then will be going to Doi Suteph temple and park , then to explore a bit of the old city before returning to airport. Our layover is 9 hours, so about 5-6 hours to explore Chiang Mai.
About how long does it take to get to Doi Suthep from the airport? Do we need to have the taxi wait while we explore or will we be able to find one when done? Cost?
Any recommended areas of Old City? Again, how long/cost to return to airport?
Thanks!

You could also do it be taking buses from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to Chumpon and taking ferry to Ko Tao there. Otherwise from Surathani airport take bus to town and not far from the Tappee river area there are travel agents that will sell you tickets to the islands - the bus can drop you off at the travel agents for the boats . Just get the next boat to Ko Tao . Or if its running take the 11 pm night boat from the night market area to Ko Tao . I know the night boats to Ko Phangan and Ko Samui still run so I am assuming there are still night boats to Ko Tao.
If you arrive late in Surathani its no hardship staying overnight in that Tapee River Night market area (Ban Don). From Surathani take bus to Hat Yai and stay overnite there if its late. From Hat Yai its only 50 kms to Padang Besar, you can take public bus or mini buses from Hat Yai to get there. Don't know anything about the train but by road take share public taxi from the Malaysian side of the border to Kangar or Alor Setar and take bus to KL from bus station there.
But Surathani to KL is really really long way . Good to break the journey.

Take the overnight train to Sapa - spend 3 days
NO; the train ride si a 10 hours nightmare including 1 hour bus Lao Cai-Sapa at 5h30. Take the very comfy express bus SapaExpress (5 hors on new supoerhighawya, departure around 7h30), lunch in Sapa, visit of taown and Cat Cat Waterfall without guide, then 2 days trekking, return Hanoi with the same bus (departure around 15h30, perfect because the trekkings end around 13-14

Taxi/Private Driver to Da Nang - spend 1 night
I DO NOT see the purpose to spend one night in Danag, a beautiful scenery but a large ton in full economic development. I ould go staight to Hoi An
Taxi/Private Driver to Hoi An - spend 4 days
PRIVATE CAR for a very beautiful ride Hue-Lang Co Lagoon-Pass of teh Clouds (insist with the driver NOT through the tunnel)-Danang Cham Museum-Marble Mountain-Hoi An. For the car, contact
alain@huetouristvietnam.com

Back to DANANG and fly to Saigon, 2-day visit, then Mekong Delta Saigon-Can Tho-RACH GIA + speed boat RG-PHU QUOC, infinitely better than Nha Trang, a large European,,-style beach resort full of gross Russian and Chinese tourists ; return Saigon by plane