If you search diligently (and have an overwhelming thirst for vast numbers of words), you'll see my reporting on Horizonsunlimited.com. That aside, I'll just point out that you're unlikely to ride much of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam--it's mostly in Lao. I assume you mean the Ho Chi Minh Highway, which is easily-accessed and far more fun than Route 1.

Poke around the Vietnam Coracle site for more information than you'll know what to do with, but make note of the fact that he tends to gush uniformly about almost any road.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

I think Maenam on Samui might be better for you, plus more options nearby than Samed, just in case.

I went back to Ban Phe on a warship once from Samed, there was a storm and finally the navy took over. But that was more than 12yrs ago. Good memories, everything close to the beach was shut, makeshift restaurant and sleeping further back, everybody together, like a big, new found family.

Iquique is a major beach resort, But it is not at all my cup of tea.
You won't find this kind of activities in Chi!loe.

Nice pic. And while some savvy few might have gone to Koh Pha Ngan prior to the FMP - I reckon it's probably multiplied five hundred-fold in the last decade or two.

Phuket is much better than Phi Phi imo. On a per capita basis PP has far more tourists and lots more to do in Phuket.

I want to start from North Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos and then to the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

So what you want is to go Vietnam to north Laos to Thailand to Cambodia, in that order, and then cross from Cambodia to Ho Chi Mihn City in south Vietnam, and get your flight to Manila from there. Because as you say, the flights from Laos or Cambodia to the Philippines would cost too much.

Get on a boat and go to Phi Phi. You will meet loads of backpackers there. I promise!

I don't know where you were looking, but rooms in Phuket Town can still be had for 250 baht!