In 2012 I made a trip wich for me was memorable. I always wanted to go to Thailand but after searching travel agencies i was not very pleased with the limitations imposed by the same and the exorbitant prices. The rates were around 1200 to 1600 Euro per person including only 6 days at the paradise, a 20 hour flight and then 2 days in Bangkok and 4 in Phuket or Phi-Phi?? No thank you! That´s when I organized my first big trip.. I spent twenty days in Thailand, saw Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Phi-Phi, and made many tours and I had great fun and spent the same amount that the agency asked me for 6 days !!!
The experience went beautifully, and after these years, I decided to come back to visit neighboring countries in a long and wild ride (not as crazy as some staying there for months and months, but I have a job and do not live in my parents' house!). The idea was to visit Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia in 27 days without rushing it too much, and in the end I think it went well...
Itinerary:
01 - Lisbon / Madrid / Beijing / Bangkok
02 - Bangkok
03 - Bangkok
04 - Vientiane
05/06/07 - Vang Vieng
08/09/10 - Luang Prabang
11/12 - Hanoi / Halong Bay
13 - Hué
14/15 - Hoi An
16/17 - Ho Chi Minh City
18/19/20/21 - Phu Quoc
22 - Ho Chi Minh City
23 - Phnom Penh
24/25/26 - Siem Reap
27 - Bangkok
01 - Lisbon / Madrid / Beijing / Bangkok
02 - Bangkok
03 - Bangkok
04 - Vientiane
05/06/07 - Vang Vieng
08/09/10 - Luang Prabang
11/12 - Hanoi / Halong Bay
13 - Hué
14/15 - Hoi An
16/17 - Ho Chi Minh City
18/19/20/21 - Phu Quoc
22 - Ho Chi Minh City
23 - Phnom Penh
24/25/26 - Siem Reap
27 - Bangkok
Day 1 - Bangkok
Now, as I said at the beginning of this post, I have been here in 2012 and for that reason (and because I didn't have time) Thailand did not enter this script, only two days in the capital for some rest after the 30-hour journey !!! Who wants to include Thailand in this script must add at least 3 weeks. And don't think that, just because the travel agencies can allocate a lot of destinations and activities in only 7 or 15 days of travel, that can be possible or reasonable! So we must be realistic when making our roadmap as we must rely on some unexpected events, as well as with fatigue and budget, of course.
Now, going back to the 30-hour journey i referred before, wich leads me to the error number 1: What was I thinking when I booked a flight with 2 stopovers ??? If you can don´t doi it!
Now, as I said at the beginning of this post, I have been here in 2012 and for that reason (and because I didn't have time) Thailand did not enter this script, only two days in the capital for some rest after the 30-hour journey !!! Who wants to include Thailand in this script must add at least 3 weeks. And don't think that, just because the travel agencies can allocate a lot of destinations and activities in only 7 or 15 days of travel, that can be possible or reasonable! So we must be realistic when making our roadmap as we must rely on some unexpected events, as well as with fatigue and budget, of course.
Now, going back to the 30-hour journey i referred before, wich leads me to the error number 1: What was I thinking when I booked a flight with 2 stopovers ??? If you can don´t doi it!
From the airport to the city (Silom or Chinatown):
On the arrival at the international airport Suvarnabhumi, there are some options to take you to the city center. I do not recommend taking the taxi because there are too many schemes and hardly anyone uses the meter (even if they say they do) and I have no patience for haggling! So I went by sky train which was a great choice, fast and cheap. Just follow the signs for SA rail link (in the basement). Buy
tickets for City Line to Makkasan.In Makkasan, follow the signs to the
MRT Phetchaburi (underground) station where you purchase another ticket to
the train station Hualampong.All of this is around 3 euros !! China Town and Silom Square are very close areas to the Hualampong
station where you can get the night train to Nong Khai (for those going to Vientiane).Who
wants to stay in other city areas like Khao San Road ignore the Sky
train because the final stop is still far from the street and you have to take a taxi
anyway. So you will have to take the taxi and good luck with that! Do not forget to ask (or at least try) the driver to turn on the meter and do not negotiate because you will always loose. If he doesn't want to turn the meter on try another until you succeed. Will be about 400 THB to the center.You can also go on the bus (airport bus) which costs 150 THB and stops
at the end of Khao San road.
Arriving...
On the first day we arrived around 16h, and after leaving the bags? at the hotel ... Wait a minute! Where are the bags ?! Oh of course! I forgot that Air China lost our bags or delayed as they prefer to say! We only get the bags next morning ... However we went to China Town wearing shoes, jeans and blouse under 40 degrees in one of the most sweltering cities in the world! We had to buy some clothes later on in Silom Square.
On the first day we arrived around 16h, and after leaving the bags? at the hotel ... Wait a minute! Where are the bags ?! Oh of course! I forgot that Air China lost our bags or delayed as they prefer to say! We only get the bags next morning ... However we went to China Town wearing shoes, jeans and blouse under 40 degrees in one of the most sweltering cities in the world! We had to buy some clothes later on in Silom Square.
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