Asia - first time trip to Asia - where to go?

Hi - i'm planning my first trip to Asia around January probably. Want to go 12-14 days, and spend about a week or 5 days in Cambodia. Which other city(ies) would be combinable (not too much out of the way). Flying United I can stop in BKK, Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo - I think a fwe days in Two of those places is doable. Which would you recommend? I'm leaning towards BKK and Tokyo (because it breaks up the long fligths from SFO)

(I'll do PEK later in the winter so no focused on that)

Depends on budget and what you want to do. What are your plans for Cambodia? Angkor Wat, PP? What about a beach? BKK is a great idea - great city to spend four or five days in. Tokyo is awesome, but not so much in January - it will be very cold there. For that reason, if you wanted to add another city, chose SIN or HKG.

Keep to the south of Asia this time, then do Tokyo/Japan when you do China.

Vietnam and/or Thailand are both a hop, skip and jump away and it's the best weather at that time for visiting. That's a start, let us know when you decide for more feedback.

It would also help to know age, budget, interests :)

i - thanks, i wanted to visit an educational foundation in Cambodia so that was the center of the trip. I'm travelling on Miles on United so can stop in BKK or Sin (and will wait with HKK and tokyo till later, thanks!). Budget less of an issue. Both those cities are safe or?
i'm 30 and like to see historic/cultural places so is Singapore a place (more than BKK)?

With two weeks or less, and Cambodia a given, my advice is to split the time between Thailand and Cambodia. Your money will go farther and there is more to do and see than in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Given the time constraint, I would limit myself to Phnom Penh (2 days) and Siem Reap (4 days) in Cambodia, and Bangkok (4-5 days incl day trips) and Chiang Mai (3-4 days incl day trips) in Thailand.

If you like it, you will be back, so don't worry about seeing everything this trip.

Important thing to know: are you traveling solo or with a partner(s) or children?

I recommend Journeys Within (http://www.journeys-within.com/) for travel in SE Asia. It's run by an American couple who now live in Siem Reap. Andrea Ross has been listed as a CNT Top Travel Specialist for 3 years. My family went to Cambodia with them last summer on a private tour; we saw things most tourists do not do such as a visiting remote jungle villages and local schools. The trips are very affordable considering what they provide. I can provide more detailed info if necessary.

If this is your first trip to Asia, I would just pick one of the three major cities (Singapore, HK, Tokyo) and spend a few days there. Singapore can be done in 2 days, HK in 2 days, but one could spend months in Tokyo alone and never go further afield into Japan. A few days in Tokyo is not nearly enough to do justice to an amazing city and country.

Not much historical places in Singapore; reading the history of the country it becomes apparent - it's quite young. Still, the cultural melting pot in Singapore is quite unique. The best thing about Singapore is the amazing food.

This is easy. Skip Tokyo, HK and Singapore on this trip. With limited time you mentioned, use BKK as your primary stop, split time between Thailand + Cambodia according to your interests. You don't have time to do more than that. Except for whatever you are doing with the educational foundation, don't set up tours or anything else in advance--you'll just end up paying a pile of cash more than you need to for unnecessary handholding/security blanket. Both of these locations (and much of SE Asia) are well set up for making it up as you go, and making arrangements on the spot. However, you may feel more comfortable making some hotel arrangements in advance, especially if you will arriving into BKK late or are picky about accommodations. January is high season for foreign tourists in SE Asia, but at least you won't have to contend with the Chinese New Year crowds (CNY in Feb 2010, quite late).

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have now some days in BKK and possibly SIN (or Seul) due to connections of flights. I thought of taking the Orient Express BKK-SIN (or the other way) - can any recommend that (or NOT recommend?)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have now some days in BKK and possibly SIN (or Seul) due to connections of flights. I thought of taking the Orient Express BKK-SIN (or the other way) - can any recommend that (or NOT recommend?)

ICN is almost an hour from central Seoul. I would probably not stopover in Seoul this time, if it was me. It will be snowing there possibly - so very cold.

I thought the best suggestion was from hiyo:
Given the time constraint, I would limit myself to Phnom Penh (2 days) and Siem Reap (4 days) in Cambodia, and Bangkok (4-5 days incl day trips) and Chiang Mai (3-4 days incl day trips) in Thailand.

Look at www.amanresorts.com exclusive offers for Cambodia, Loas, and Thailand, while expensive,they offer great value!

Look at www.amanresorts.com exclusive offers for Cambodia, Loas, and Thailand, while expensive,they offer great value!

I love Amanresorts, but this being the OP's first trip to Asia I don't think being ensconced in a resort is the best use of time, especially when there's so much to see.

I love Amanresorts, but this being the OP's first trip to Asia I don't think being ensconced in a resort is the best use of time, especially when there's so much to see.

I'm sorry you feel that way, its about the last thing that happens when visting an Amanresort for me. I think the OP should look at the activities Aman offers as unique experiences, combining stays at the three resorts in Cambodia, Loas, and Thailand.

I'm sorry you feel that way, its about the last thing that happens when visting an Amanresort for me.

You pay a ton of money to not spend much time in the resort? :confused:

The BKK - PNH - REP - CNX itinerary would work so would HAN-SGN-PNH-REP. It's only a fraction of SE Asia and a tidbit of Asia.

I love these FT discussions that attempt to answer where a first timer should go in Asia. One camp says Aman and similar; the other says Mom's Guesthouse.

dtsm, hiyo, and jiejie have Asia wired, so whatever they say...

I love these FT discussions that attempt to answer where a first timer should go in Asia. One camp says Aman and similar; the other says Mom's Guesthouse.

dtsm, hiyo, and jiejie have Asia wired, so whatever they say...

I love the FT discussions where someone is declared to have a continent "wired"

You pay a ton of money to not spend much time in the resort? :confused:

The BKK - PNH - REP - CNX itinerary would work so would HAN-SGN-PNH-REP. It's only a fraction of SE Asia and a tidbit of Asia.

Amanresorts is not just about spending time in the resort. They tailor everything around you and will make sure you see what you want when you want. amanresorts are not typical 'gold tap' resorts, nothing as distasteful as that. They have amazing cultural trips with inhouse experts and personalised trips to the best sites, often privately to places such as Angkor Wat, Summer palace Beijing and Borobodur Java.

I love the FT discussions where someone is declared to have a continent "wired"

Well, I don't claim to have Asia "wired" but I've lived 1/3 of my (way-into-middle-aged) life in developing Asia and travelled up and down much of it and especially China and all of mainland SE Asia. My opinion above was not based on comparatively pushing one place over another, but strictly based on time frame the OP stated s/he had, and the fact that Cambodia was an absolute inclusion. Heck, if the OP said they had 4 months to travel, I'd say stop at every option on the list as they all have their different merits, but not the case on a 12-14 day trip.

As for Aman vs. Mom's Guesthouse style, it's horses for courses. I won't deny I like a little luxury once in a while. But after using a variety of styles in Asia, the most common I use is a locally-owned establishment rather than a nameplate, and local restaurants and transport. I don't normally the do the student backpacker thing anymore, nor travel like a Rockefeller. I shoot for what a middle to upper middle-class local would do and aim for that, which can be surprisingly comfortable and very good value. I prefer to pull money out of my wallet and give it directly to the local person providing the service, rather than funnel it through a large corporation and hope something meaningful trickles down. Fortunately, most of Asia, even the developing parts, is outstandingly set up for this, and it's easy to make arrangements as you go, on the fly. Which is a bit counter to the advance preplanning style of travel prevalent in much of the developed world, so it takes a little getting used to and for some a leap of faith.

In Asia, I've found somehow things always work out in the end. Not to worry, mostly the natives are friendly. :)

I love the FT discussions where someone is declared to have a continent "wired"

Ha ha, well I certainly didn't mean to embarrass dtsm, hiyo, or jiejie by my personal assessment of their knowledge and reliability. They certainly aren't making any such claims. I'll shutup now.