How much time in Phnom Penh, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang?

Hello,

I'm really excited for your summer trip to Southeast Asia! It's a really wonderful place to travel, eat, and experience different cultures. It also is a financial bargain to travel there as prices for things are less expensive than most places in the world.

With your time frame, and since you are traveling with a family I recommend flying in between some of the locations. An overland route is definitely possible, but the buses and roads (while improving) are in pretty bad condition in some areas.

I don't have a lot of the information that I would need to make a great itinerary for you, but I will make a sample one based on what I would personally do if I were in your shoes. This at least will give you a starting point that you can modify to your tastes and budget.

Day 1: Arrive by plane to Chiang Mai

Day 2: Sight-see in Chiang Mai

Day 3: Sight-see in Chiang Mai. Try to include a day trip 45 minutes away to se Wat Doi Suthep, a mountain top Buddhist temple with a large gold pagoda.

Day 4: Take a bus to Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai is smaller than Chiang Rai, but has many interesting sights and is a little less touristy. It is also in the direction of Laos! It will take about 6 hours to get here by bus, but this highway is in pretty good condition.

Day 5: Sight-see in Chiang Rai

Day 6: Take a bus about two hours to Chiang Kong. Prepare to cross the border and board one of the long tail boats to cross the Mekong River, entering Laos. You will go through customs and immigration when you get out of the boat. On the Laos side of the river, the town is Hua Xia.

Day 7: In the morning board a boat taking you to Luang Prabang. It will be an easy two day ride. You will stop in the town of Pakbeng for the night. It will be easy to find a guesthouse on arrival. And it is a charming town to explore for a couple of hours.

Day 8: Continue the journey by boat to Luang Prabang. You will arrive toward the early evening.

Day 9: Sight-see in Luang Prabang

Day 10: Sight-see in Luang Prabang. This is the halfway point in your trip! It might be time to catch up on things like laundry, posting pictures, etc. Alternatively, you may want to procrastinate and take a day trip to take a day tour by elephant outside of the city instead.

Day 11: Fly to Siem Reap. If you want to maximize you Angkor Wat and beach time in Cambodia, flying is definitely the way to go. You will probably have a layover in Vientiane or Pakse but it will be a quick way to get there, considering the alternative.

Day 12: It's time to explore Angkor Wat!

Day 13: Give yourself a second day for Angkor Wat, especially if you enjoy hiking.

Day 14: Travel to Phnom Penh. There are many ways to do this- bus, taxi, plane, and possibly boat if the water is high enough. I think the best value for money is going by mini bus. The road is moderately bumpy, but overall not to bad for Southeast Asian standards. The mini buses cost only a little bit more than the regular bus, and they are more comfortable, and don't take quite as long. It will still take about 5.5-6 hours.

Day 15: Sight-see in Phnom Penh.

Day 16: Continue on to the beach. Since you are flying out of Phnom Penh you will be returning here anyway. My recommendation is to choose a beach on Koh Rong island. There a bunch of beautiful beaches here, and it's not too hard to get transportation to. You will travel 5-6 hours by bus or minibus to get to Sihanouk. From there you can get a boat to the island which could take anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on the boat and which beach you are going to.

Day 17: After a long day of travel you have earned a beach day!

Day 18: And another beach day. Do some snorkeling. Drink a coconut.

If you want to spend more time on Koh Rong, you will have to skip this next part and go straight back to Phnom Penh to catch your flight.

Day 19: Leave the island by boat back to Sihanouk. From there, take your favorite land transport to Kampot- a bus would take about three hours.

Day 20: Enjoy the morning in Kampot before transporting back to Phnom Penh, a 4-5 hour bus ride.

Day 21: Fly home!

Like I said, I don't expect you to follow this exact itinerary, but I hope it helps bring your vacation into focus!

Happy travels!

Hi,

I've been to all the places you have mentioned so here's my two cents:

Chiang Mai is easy; lots to see, do, eat and buy. You will spend three days there with no problem.

Luang Prabang is beautiful and worth going to but two days is enough to see this little town.

Some Reap is a must but two days is probably sufficient unless you are really interested in the temples.

Phnom Penh; one or two days max, not really a tourist town. Spend a day or two in Kampot & explore the islands for beaches.

Hope this helps.