first time traveler, looking for itineraries and advice

For the first time in my life I have the time and money to take a real trip. I can travel between early August and early November, and I have about $5-7k that I can comfortably burn.

The current plan is to fly to Bangkok to meet some friends and acclimate for 2-3 weeks, then go see as much as possible. Hoping to hit Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Bali, but will happily go anywhere.

Any experienced travelers who'd be willing to share itineraries or dispense advice? I'd appreciate anything you can tell me.

Sounds like a good amount of time, reasonable budget... very realistic.

My only suggestion right now would be to drop Bali and add Burma instead. Or drop Bali and add the Philippines. Or just drop Bali and spend more time exploring Laos outside of the major tourist destinations.

Bideshi wrote:Sounds like a good amount of time, reasonable budget... very realistic.

My only suggestion right now would be to drop Bali and add Burma instead. Or drop Bali and add the Philippines. Or just drop Bali and spend more time exploring Laos outside of the major tourist destinations.

I'll go the other way and recommend Bali, and Indonesia in general. It's the most spectacular and best value destination in southeast Asia.

Felix the Hat wrote: best value destination in southeast Asia.

I can't disagree more. In Bali, aside from being hit with a visa on arrival AND a hefty departure tax, I found the costs of daily life more expensive than any other place I traveled in SE Asia... including the Thai islands. I was there last year.

In addition to the absurd costs of being there, I found the island as a whole to be overrated, the reefs, environment, and ecology to be decimated, the people to be some of the least pleasant and welcoming in the world, the fraud and cheating to be institutionalized, and the beaches were littered with rubbish. It was one of my least favorite places in the entire world. I can't speak first-hand about the rest of Indonesia, but in my opinion Bali is a destination that could most definitely be passed over for one of many other destinations in SE Asia that people might actually LIKE to be.

Agree with Bideshi on this one, spent a few days chilling in the Lovena beaches area of Bali which was fine but when passing through the main tourist areas on the way to the airport, was very thankful I passed up staying there.

I found Myanmar (Burma) & Laos to be by far the best value for the money, as well as friendliest, in the region.

Also think 2-3 weeks in Bangkok (although I love the city) to be a bit much, not to mention expensive in the tourist areas, just head over to the Myanmar embassy, get a visa & spend the extra time in a country where the people appreciate visitors.

busman7 wrote:Agree with Bideshi on this one, spent a few days chilling in the Lovena beaches area of Bali which was fine but when passing through the main tourist areas on the way to the airport, was very thankful I passed up staying there.

I found Myanmar (Burma) & Laos to be by far the best value for the money, as well as friendliest, in the region.

Also think 2-3 weeks in Bangkok (although I love the city) to be a bit much, not to mention expensive in the tourist areas, just head over to the Myanmar embassy, get a visa & spend the extra time in a country where the people appreciate visitors.

Burma is a pretty special place. My favorite people I've encountered anywhere in the world are there. It's also incredibly cheap.

Thanks for the advice! I'll think a little more about Bali, and I'll definitely look into Burma.

Here are a couple of noob questions that I'd love some feedback on:
1. How important is it to plan out a serious itinerary in advance? I've heard that Vietnam is the only place for which you have to get a visa in advance - is that true? And how about traveling between countries? Will it be significantly cheaper to fly or bus between countries if I plan an itinerary now?
2. Packing. I'm pretty comfortable carrying a big backpack, but I've heard it's unnecessary in SE Asia and can be more cumbersome because of the urban environment. How much should I plan to travel with?
3. Weather. Does monsoon season make any country worth avoiding at any particular time?

msuch83 wrote:. How important is it to plan out a serious itinerary in advance? I've heard that Vietnam is the only place for which you have to get a visa in advance - is that true? And how about traveling between countries? Will it be significantly cheaper to fly or bus between countries if I plan an itinerary now?

Not that important for SE Asia. You could just fly into Bangkok, head to the Khao San Road area, and you will be surrounded by all sorts of ideas and offers about places to go and how to get there. Yes, you need a Vietnam visa in advance, but you CAN get in in SE Asia in various places, so you don't HAVE to know when you're going before you arrive in BKK. It's cheaper to bus. Book them when you get there. It'll probably be much cheaper that way.

msuch83 wrote:2. Packing. I'm pretty comfortable carrying a big backpack, but I've heard it's unnecessary in SE Asia and can be more cumbersome because of the urban environment. How much should I plan to travel with?

The short answer is to bring as little as you can without giving up things that are important to you. I pack heavier than most because I like snorkeling and photography, and I carry all my gear with me. Others travel with just a carry-on. Others bring everything but the kitchen sink. Some seem to try to bring THAT too....

One hint is to leave cotton things at home. Some people may disagree, but synthetics are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster, and aren't organic so they don't rot. NO JEANS!

msuch83 wrote:3. Weather. Does monsoon season make any country worth avoiding at any particular time?

Not really. Sometimes it can be less than ideal, but shouldn't ruin your trip. In addition, the rainy seasons are different in different parts of SE Asia, so you should be able to find nice weather somewhere. Even in the monsoons, though, it doesn't really rain 24/7. Usually regular, mid-afternoon downpours.

Trains are another good way to travel around much of SE Asia check www.seat61.com for info.

Thanks to all for the advice! I was getting worried that I'd have to plan everything in advance, and that's not really a strong suit of mine.

about to buy tickets! any opinions on which airport in bangkok it's best to fly into? the prices are the same.