Asia - Have 1 Day Bangkok, 2.5 Days Angkor Wat. Extra day in BKK or REP?

The short version is that I have 2.5 days in REP for Angkor Wat for sure. I have one full day in BKK. I'm trying to decide whether I should book my return flight from REP-BKK early in the day so I get an extra day in BKK or late that day so I get an extra day in REP. (I'm continuing my award ticket the day after the REP-BKK flight at 3PM the next day BKK-KUL).

Background:
I'm in the process of finishing my plans for a trip to SE Asia. I booked an award ticket to BKK with a stopover in KUL on the way back to the US. This is in late August, early Sept. The tickets to BKK-HAN SGN-REP REP-BKK will be paid tickets separate from the award ticket.

Day 1: Arrive BKK 11PM
Day 2: rest & see Bangkok (grand palace & wat po ?)
Day 3: BKK-HAN
Day 4-18: Vietnam tour
Day 19 (Thurs): SGN-REP 08:20am depart arrive 09:40am
Day 20 & 21 (Fri & Sat): temple sightseeing

My question involves Day 22 (A Sunday) here.
I'll be flying REP-BKK.

My award flight to KUL will be leaving Day 23(Monday). My flight leaving BKK leaves on Day 23 at about 3PM.

On Day 22:
I can get a flight that leaves Rep at 9:45am and arrives in 10:50am in BKK. The other option is to take the last flight out. Leaves REP 8:30PM arrives BKK 21:35. The airlines is Bangkok Airways if that matters. Only reason I think it might is that I need to make the BKK-KUL ticket at 3PM the next day since it's part of the award ticket so maybe I should consider the early or an afternoon flight in case delays happen.

Basically, I can have an extra day in Siem Reap giving me a half day Thurs, full days Fri & Sat, and basically a full day Sunday. Or I can leave early that Sunday and have almost a full day in Bangkok instead.

I realize that I'm not spending that much time in Bangkok, but the focus of this trip is supposed to be Vietnam & Angkor Wat.

Any thoughts? Thank you.

2.5 days in REP is enough time for most people to see the temples of Angkor. I would probably take an early flight to BKK and head to Chatuchak (Weekend) Market where you could easily fill your suitcase with last minute souvenirs.

If you have never been to BKK, I think you will appreciate the extra day in BKK. I'm biased however...I love BKK, but there are many out there who don't like the city at all.

Unless you have already been to Bangkok several times before, I would vote for the extra day in Bangkok.

2.5 days in Angkor is just about right unless you are an Angkor fanatic.

I would take the extra day in Angkor.

It is a magical place and there are many sites to visit in addition to Angkor Wat. Two days would be rushing it.

Another vote for the extra day in Angkor Wat. I loved the little bit I saw whereas BKK was a big polluted city with lots of people trying to rip you off.

Bangkok- there is just so much to see and do.

No doubt, I would stay in Siem Reap an extra day. If you are templed out, visit Tonle Sap (http://www.canbypublications.com/siemreap/srtonlesap.htm) and then make a stop at Artisans d'Angkor (http://www.artisansdangkor.com/index.php) for some authentic folk craft items from real artisans.

I think the extra day is better spent extending time in Siem Reap rather than dropping back into Bangkok for a day. And I love Bangkok! It's just cutting short time in Siem Reap to drop back into Bangkok briefly that I don't find appealing.

Have fun! It sounds like a great trip.

Spend the extra day in Bangkok to EAT :)

In April I was for 2.5 days in REP and I think it was enough time. I did a tour to the tonle sap on the first (half) day and had two full days for the temples. I left with the last plane for BKK at the third day.
When I travel alone (which I did here), I get bored quickly if I stay to long at one place.

My wife and I also thought that 2.5 days in Angkor Wat/Siem Reap is enough time. I'd spend the extra day in BKK, which has so many different things to offer!
PS - I had a good guide in Angkor Wat, let me know if you'd like his name/contact info.

Another vote for BKK. If you're into historical sights, you could do a day trip to Ayutthaya. Or, as others have alluded, you could eat/drink/buy to your heart's content for cheap.

1.5-2 days in siem reap/angkor is enough, as long as you have your means of transportation. you should try to go early in BKK if you can.

Thank you all for the responses. I still haven't finalized my decision. We're probably going to book everything this week so I guess I have to decide soon.

After the first few responses, I was leaning towards getting back to Bangkok early. Now, I'm not sure. Someone mentioned the food idea. That appeals to me as I do love Thai food and I wonder how it compares to the Thai I've had in Chicago. As for the city itself, I'm not sure what else there is to see besides the Grand Palace, and the Wats with the Emerald and Gold Buddha. I guess there's the shopping. How does the clothes shopping compare to Hoi An in Vietnam? We are spending two days there.

As for Siam Reap, I think I'll love the temples. I'm not sure if I'll be templed out after 2.5 days or not. I'm looking at the sample itineraries and it seems like you can fill up 3 days with just the Angkor temples and you still have the Kulen mountain stuff & Tonle Sap villages.

I was interested in seeing the the nontouristy floating villages on Tonle Sap (so not Chong Khneas, but the stilted Kompong Phluk with the flooded forest, and maybe Kompong Khleang), but I read through my Vietnam itinerary and I realized that we pass by the Via Gia Floating Village in Halong Bay. Maybe it would be interesting to compare that to the Tonle Sap villages but I wonder if it'll seem redundant.

That bring me back to Bangkok. I remember reading somewhere that the floating market is an attraction there. I'm seeing the Cai Rang floating market on the Mekong in Vietnam. Are these similar as well?

My wife and I also thought that 2.5 days in Angkor Wat/Siem Reap is enough time. I'd spend the extra day in BKK, which has so many different things to offer!
PS - I had a good guide in Angkor Wat, let me know if you'd like his name/contact info.

I'd be interested in the info. I still haven't decided on a tour guide for Cambodia yet. I've researched here and Flyertalk people seem to like these two sites:


http://www.angkor-guides.com/siemreap/
http://www.travel-cambodia.com/marina-tours/index.htm

The later is a little more expensive that the former, but the later also has been recommended multiple times here. Does anyone reading this thread have an opinions on the two I just posted?

One last point is that I could factor in that I'm more likely to be in Bangkok again rather than Cambodia so I wonder if I should factor that into my decision. If I spend the extra day in Bangkok, I'll have a total of two days there. I do want to see the rest of the country at some point, but I probably won't be back to Cambodia any time in the next ten years considering I have so many other places on my list of places I want to visit.

I vote for Angkor; on our third day we rented bicycles and returned to the temples we had preferred at a slow pace(the area is flat ). It was a great day.

Someone mentioned the food idea. That appeals to me as I do love Thai food and I wonder how it compares to the Thai I've had in Chicago.

You're kidding me, right? ;)

One last point is that I could factor in that I'm more likely to be in Bangkok again rather than Cambodia so I wonder if I should factor that into my decision. If I spend the extra day in Bangkok, I'll have a total of two days there. I do want to see the rest of the country at some point, but I probably won't be back to Cambodia any time in the next ten years considering I have so many other places on my list of places I want to visit.

There's soooo much to do in BKK and its surroundings, you could take multiple trips and not get it all "done".

Lots of UNESCO sites, if that's your thing.

If you're into historical sights, you could do a day trip to Ayutthaya.

Not such a good idea to do Ayutthaya and Angkor on the same trip. You will be very disappointed with Ayutthaya after doing Angkor, though the Summer Palace and river cruise with lunch (part of standard tour from Bangkok) are interesting in their own way.

Do spend half a day at the food court in the basement of Siam Paragon if you enjoy eating .....

As for Siam Reap, I think I'll love the temples. I'm not sure if I'll be templed out after 2.5 days or not. I'm looking at the sample itineraries and it seems like you can fill up 3 days with just the Angkor temples and you still have the Kulen mountain stuff & Tonle Sap villages.

And Beng Melea and Bantay Srey.

I was interested in seeing the the nontouristy floating villages on Tonle Sap (so not Chong Khneas, but the stilted Kompong Phluk with the flooded forest, and maybe Kompong Khleang), but I read through my Vietnam itinerary and I realized that we pass by the Via Gia Floating Village in Halong Bay. Maybe it would be interesting to compare that to the Tonle Sap villages but I wonder if it'll seem redundant.

Via Gia is very different from the Tonle Sap villages. It looks like Bel Air in comparison to them.

I still haven't decided on a tour guide for Cambodia yet. I've researched here and Flyertalk people seem to like these two sites:


http://www.angkor-guides.com/siemreap/
http://www.travel-cambodia.com/marina-tours/index.htm

The later is a little more expensive that the former, but the later also has been recommended multiple times here. Does anyone reading this thread have an opinions on the two I just posted?

Ponheary (the second choice) is a great guide. She is also a genuinely good person. We will be spending time with her again on our next trip in July.

And Beng Melea and Bantay Srey.


I researched the temples some more last night. Beng Melea seems like a must see for me. I like that it's described as a wilder version of Ta Prohm. I also hear it's less crowded. How hard is it to navigate? It sounds like it might be difficult for my mother who's is in good health but a little slower considering she's in her 70's. I suppose if there are some difficult areas inside, I can take some time to explore them myself.

Have you or anyone else viewing this thread been to Koh Ker? That sounds appealing to me as the step pyramid thing looks cool and I like that it's described as having few tourists. It would be great to take one day away from all the crowds.

Koh Ker is described as being a few hours from Koh Ker. Does anyone know if that's doable on my first day in Siam Reap if my flight arrives at 10am. The reason I'd want to do it that day is that I'm about 75% sure that I want to book that late flight to Bangkok. I'd have Thursday-Sun to see stuff then. I'm guessing I wouldn't want to do Koh Ker on the last day when my flight to BKK would leave at 8:30PM. I figure that if I decide to do Koh Ker, I have to do it the first day or last day so that I can do the main temples using the 3 day pass in a 3 day consecutive block.

Thanks.

I researched the temples some more last night. Beng Melea seems like a must see for me. I like that it's described as a wilder version of Ta Prohm. I also hear it's less crowded. How hard is it to navigate? It sounds like it might be difficult for my mother who's is in good health but a little slower considering she's in her 70's. I suppose if there are some difficult areas inside, I can take some time to explore them myself.

Have you or anyone else viewing this thread been to Koh Ker? That sounds appealing to me as the step pyramid thing looks cool and I like that it's described as having few tourists. It would be great to take one day away from all the crowds.

Koh Ker is described as being a few hours from Koh Ker. Does anyone know if that's doable on my first day in Siam Reap if my flight arrives at 10am. The reason I'd want to do it that day is that I'm about 75% sure that I want to book that late flight to Bangkok. I'd have Thursday-Sun to see stuff then. I'm guessing I wouldn't want to do Koh Ker on the last day when my flight to BKK would leave at 8:30PM. I figure that if I decide to do Koh Ker, I have to do it the first day or last day so that I can do the main temples using the 3 day pass in a 3 day consecutive block.

Thanks.

Beng Melea is definitely a must-see if you have time. When my wife and I were there in 2006, besides us, there was a guided group of four and one other person, also with a guide. It's a little strenuous, but there are work-arounds for the more challenging areas. We had a local volunteer guide who pulled me up a few places.

Beng Melea is where we first met Ponheary. She was guiding another Flyertalker and took us under her wing. One of those serendipitous moments that happen all too rarely.

We are making our first trip to Koh Ker in July, with Ponheary. We expect it to be difficult as it will be rainy season. When is your trip? Much will depend on weather and road conditions as to how long the trip takes. We are assuming 10-12 hours, including a stop at Beng Melea.

We are making our first trip to Koh Ker in July, with Ponheary. We expect it to be difficult as it will be rainy season. When is your trip? Much will depend on weather and road conditions as to how long the trip takes. We are assuming 10-12 hours, including a stop at Beng Melea.

I will be there in about mid September so I believe that's still the rainy season. What the best way to contact Ponheary? I have heard e-mail and I also found that website I posted. On another forum, I read that her e-mail was hacked a few months ago so I don't know if she changed e-mails or got that problem fixed. Thanks again.

I will be there in about mid September so I believe that's still the rainy season. What the best way to contact Ponheary? I have heard e-mail and I also found that website I posted. On another forum, I read that her e-mail was hacked a few months ago so I don't know if she changed e-mails or got that problem fixed. Thanks again.
You have a PM.

I would like to recommend Kim San (http://www.angkor-guides.com)

I actually ended up booking with him. He came highly recommended in several threads here and on several other forums. He's almost as popular as Ponheary. I'll report back on my actual tour experience with Kim San when I return from my trip. So far, he seems like a great guide. He was quick with responding to my e-mails. I had a lot of questions as I kept trying to figure out how to tweak my itinerary. He patiently replied to multiple e-mails and I finally got what feels like the perfect plan for me. His prices, I thought, were fair as well.

I suppose I should report that I ultimately decided on taking the extra day in Cambodia by taking that 20:30 flight out REP to BKK. I'm glad I did this as I felt hard pressed to fit in everything I wanted to see in 3.75 days.

Since I started this thread, I did more research in Bangkok and of course I would have been happy with the extra time there as well. There are so many restaurants I'd like to try in BKK and I'd like to spend more time shopping. Also, I do worry about temple fatigue in REP. I'll only know if I made the right decision after actually going on the trip. I scheduled a break on the afternoon of the second day by taking a trip out to Kompong Khleang on Tonle Sap Lake. For the record, I'm skipping Chong Khneas, but I'm curious if it's really as bad as everyone says and if I had an extra day, I might check that out. I'm seeing the main temples around Siam Reap on Day 1 and Day 3. On Day 2, we hit Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei and then Kompong Khleang. Our guide actually suggested Kbal Spean as an add on there, but for some reason no one of the stuff I've read or seen about Kbal Spean hasn't excited me. Maybe it's because photography doesn't capture seeing the lingas in the water, but I feel happy about axing that in favor of the lake village trip. On Day 4, we see Beng Mealea and Koh Ker.