gt_croz

I've got an award ticket reserved (First class on Singapore Air!) for March 20th to May 30th flying ATL-BKK

My plan is to travel Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia mostly overland. Think backpacker hostels, and public transportation. Vagabonding, not Mattress runs

That being said: I'm starting to get concerned after reading about the weather in SE Asia during these months. Has anyone traveled this region at this time of the year? Is it unbearable? I live in Atlanta and enjoy our 90 degree days, but 96 degrees with 90% humidity and a 25lb backpack sounds like a dangerous combination.

aisleorwindow

Just spent 3 weeks in SE Asia this May.
It was hot alright, I'm not gonna lie to you, but certainly not worth canceling your trip.
I would consider looking into traveling by air - there are so many cheap flights on Asian LCCs right now, it is very doable. Try AirAsia or Bangkok Airways for starters.
Since it sounds like you are probably going on a budget, just make sure you have a fan in your room at wherever you stay - AC will be extra. Without at least a fan, you will be pretty miserable. We stayed at one place for a week with only a fan and it was fine.

Also, if you go to the beaches in the South, you will probably want to stay on the East coast, as May is rainy season for the West side (Phuket, etc.)

MegatopLover

No, it's not unbearably hot. It's the same temperature more or less year-round. The slight variations would be more or less unnoticeable. I also live in Atlanta and don't particularly enjoy our 90-degree days. But I do vacation in SE Asia with some frequency (about twice a year, recently), and I don't generally let the climate get in the way. I was in Bangkok, Singapore, and Bali in May. Bangkok was same same as always. Singapore was indeed hotter than Hades, certainly seemed hotter than when I was there the previous December. Bali, cooled by tradewinds, was PERFECT. The only thing I'd watch climate-wise is monsoon season affecting beach resorts. May starts the rainy season on the Andaman Coast, which contributed to us taking Bali over Phuket three months ago. Your destinations would seem to be unaffected by that.

SQ First will be quite an experience juxtaposed with SE Asian backpacking. None of what I just said has any direct bearing on backpacking, as that's not my thing, so perhaps you should take it with a grain of salt. But I do fancy SQ First and Raffles. I'm hoping to do that again myself next May. As soon as I have the miles, before even, I'll be calling the lovely folks at the DL Partners Awards Desk to book my holiday. Just haven't decided where to go yet. I'd do Bali again, perhaps, but Mr. Megatop wants to try someplace different. Any word on Bandar Seri Begawan???

gt_croz

Thanks guys, and thanks Megatop for appreciating the irony of my trip. I'm travelling over on a $10,000+ fare, a land of fully-flat in flight suites, champagne, and caviar and then staying in a $3 youth-hostel with oscilating fans I figure SQ First is a once in a lifetime experience for a person like myself (especially with the fate of Delta being uncertain)

Anyway...I'm more confused than ever. My flyertalk brethren tell me not to worry, but the backpackers I talk to are encouraging postponing it until the cooler but wetter rainy season, or even later in th eyear. Chances are that LCCs aren't an option for me and I'll be spending quite a bit of time on sardine-can busses, and the infamous 2 day slow-boat down the Mekong.

I'm going to let this thought marinate as my award reservation is good for two weeks. Any other insight would be greatly appreciated.

GibSpmuh

I'd agree with the others about not worrying too much about the heat for that time of year. Whilst there's no doubt it's warmer than in December, as others have said, the difference isn't that great (at most, 5C or thereabouts in most places, less on the coast, a bit more inland). Also if you're set upon going the land options over LCC's, keep in mind the cost difference between the worst rickety buses and something with legroom and air con for instance would end up being maybe US$1-2, a bit more if you're on longer distance journeys. The money you save on buying extra bottles of water will more than make up the difference no doubt!

aisleorwindow

Don't be so sure - I got a BKK-SIN one way ticket for US $22! BKK-CNX return was <$50.
For me the extra money wasn't worth it just for comfort but also the time I saved, as we only had 3 weeks. However, there is something to be said for traveling on the slow boat (literally ) and stopping to smell the roses.
Sounds like a great trip, enjoy!

go go girl

We've been in Hong Kong in May--it was HOT!

Singapore in March--it was HOT!

However, the heat didn't affect our activities. During our 3 days in Singapore we walked all over the city--stayed at the Ritz Carlton. The only place we took a cab was to Orchard Road. Singapore is located quite near the Equator, so I think the temperature and humidity is quite high year round. Singapore was the embarkation port for a cruise through Malaysia and Thailand. Singapore seemed to be hotter that the other places we travelled.

We know someone that lives in Hong Kong and she mentioned that beginning at the end of April, the temperatures are uncomfortable.

I do think an individual's tolerance depends upon what they are used to. Someone from the hot humid south, might not mind the heat as much as someone from Alaska.

seanthepilot

HOT YES, but still worth going. Apr is the hotest month. But I can't see it being humid like the USA.

With clothes for the climate and a less active day, you should be fine.

At Angor Wat, I brought a 2nd heavy cotton shirt and kept drenching it with cheap bottled water, wore it over my tshirt... instant air conditioning.

PhuketRichard

Hi gt_croz

Maybe I should not be the one responding to this post since I have lived and worked here in Phuket for the last 9 years now. I'm not really used to the ice, snow and sub freezing temperatures of Calgary, Alberta anymore and think that I prefer a nice day on the water smearing on the sun block to a parka and mucklucks that I left back home.

Try visiting Phuket Island around the middle of your trip and plan to be here around the 13th. of April. Thats the date of "Songkran" the Thai Lunar New Year or we foreign residents call it the " National Waterfight" We still have the fresh breases off the sea and when the rains begin around the first of May you could go out to the East Coast or up to the cooler Chiang mai & Chiang Rai areas in the North.

The air conditioned VIP buses are cheap here and the discount airlines Nok Air & Air Asia offer bretty good deals. You can get a great double bed room with private hot water bath and a swimming pool for only 450 Thai Baht per day here in Phuket and I eat breakfast accross the street from our dive center for only 25 Baht per day. Millions of backpackers who have come before you have not had a problem, just go for it and enjoy your holiday in Thailand. feel free to send me a mail at [email protected] if you have any questions about Phuket in general or if there is any way that I can help with your advance travel plans.

Regards From Phuket

Richard & Megumi

macintosh

Greetings,

You should have a wonderful time. Don't worry about the heat. Just spend time with loved ones, eat well, hydrate, and take plenty of Ambien.

Your itinerary sounds very exciting, but it also conjures up images of a mystery novel that ends on a bad note. Do your parents know what you are up to?

After it is, "all over," consider staying at least one night at the Four Seasons Bangkok, and arranging for a, "tandem, in-room massage." I consider this be one of my best quarterly moves in Thailand, but then again, I dwell in a fairly shallow pool.

Safe, travels,

transpac

Are you traveling on a U.S. passport? If so you might want to check into the visa requirements for the countries you plan to visit before you leave the U.S. Your first sentence raises one possible concern. Without a valid visa for more than the duration of your itinerary (slightly more than 60 days into/out of BKK) you might encounter issues when departing the U.S and/or entering Thailand. Most people do not have a problem, usually only those with a one-way ticket, but you may be required to show firm plans for leaving Thailand within 30 days (the length of time one can visit the Kingdom on a waived tourist visa on entry). Thus having an onward ticket on an LCC within 30 days might be useful.

Maybe check out the Thai Embassy's (in Washington, DC) website , and/or www.thaivisa.com ? Maybe apply for a 60 day tourist visa in America prior to your departure, and if challenged show that this visa can be extended while in Thailand?

You can get a tourist visa for Vietnam in Bangkok (Embassy/Consulate is on Wireless/Wittayu Rd. nearly opposite the U.S. Embassy). It usually takes one day to get the visa there but I did notice some Americans getting a visa while they waited (paying more, waiting 6 hours).

MegatopLover

transpac raises some serious points. IIRC, Thailand will permit a one-time 30-day visa extension upon request, but beyond that you'll need to do a "visa run" to the border or plan your time outside the Kingdom accordingly. Also, many countries in that part of the world, Thailand included, have specific immigration regulations about denying entry to Hippies or Hippie-looking types. The denizens of Kaoh Sahn Road are testament to the rigid enforcement of that rule against backpackers , but it might be useful and fun to flash a little irony to the immigration officers at Don Muang, namely in the form of your SQ F boarding pass and onward ticket. In all seriousness, you need not worry, but do be aware of the situation.

PhuketRichard can confirm this, but I understand that the weather on the Andaman Coast will be better during the first part of your stay than towards the end when the rainy season blows in, so if you're considering a stop in Phuket or Krabi, think about doing it early. Alternatively, consider the Gulf islands, perhaps scheduling a stop on Koh Phrah Nang during a Full Moon Party if an outdoor rave under a full moon is your sort of thing. (They're actually held a day or so before the full moon, out of respect to Buddhist sensibilities.)

April is indeed the hottest time of the year in Bangkok, and Mr. Megatop does complain about it. But as I indicated above, it's a matter of degree, like the difference between July and August in Atlanta. BFD. The water festival of Songkran during the Thai New Year in mid-April is unique, but be careful, it's the deadliest time of the year on Thailand's roads. Last year, Mr. Megatop enjoyed escaping the heat in favor of a little wine tasting in the Napa Valley, and that put my mind to rest about drunks on the roads (sort of).

Like macintosh, I'd endorse the idea of a night at one of Bangkok's many reasonably priced (by world standards) 5-star hotels. My own favorite, where I always stay when in Bangkok, is the Peninsula. You can get rates in May for about $150++.

gt_croz

My gosh, I love this community...you guys are fantastic!

I'm thinking that my best course of action may be to delay the trip by 4-6 weeks leaving late april, maybe early may instead of march 20th. My current path is going to be Thailand for a couple weeks, working my way north: Chang Mai, Pai, and then head east towards the Lao border. I'm going to take the slow boat to Luang Prabang, meander down to Vientiane, and then find a way, either overland or via plane to Hanoi. I'll do the north to south Vietnam thing, come back through Cambodia, and work my way towards Bangkok again and spend the rest of my time in Southern Thailand.

As far as the visa thing goes, I'm not too concerned. While I'm a hippy at heart, I'm working undercover writing software by day so you'd never guess by looking at me I should have no problem obtaining my visas in BKK as it's cheaper than doing it here.

The VIP busses that PhuketRichard talks about sound like an ideal escape for the long journeys. I wonder if Laos and Cambodia have an equivalent...somehow I doubt it. No worries though.

Maybe I will treat myself to a nice hotel/massage towards the end. $150 is literally a month worth of lodging at the prices I'll be paying for hostels though I'll need to prepare myself for the luxury of SQ F for the return portion I guess

So assuming DL has award availability, do you guys think that moving the dates from (March 20-May 30) to (April 23-July 10) would make an appreciable difference? I know that puts me in rainy season, but I've heard that the rain comes in 30-60 minute downpours, and only a couple times a day.

Thanks again!

and yes, my parents know what I'm up to, even if they think I'm a bit loony

PhuketRichard

[QUOTE=gt_croz]My gosh, I love this community...you guys are fantastic!

. I'll do the north to south Vietnam thing, come back through Cambodia, and work my way towards Bangkok again and spend the rest of my time in Southern Thailand.


The Monsoon Season does not just meen the rainy season. Beginning around the first of May the wind changes direction and comes into the West Coast of Thailand directly off the sea creating large surf, poor water conditions and a dangerous undertow on many beaches. Not very good planning to delay your trip to enjoy the West Coast at a time that the beaches are unusable.

As sone as the winds change they put red flags up on the beaches warning people not to go swimming. In the Monsoon Season we loose about an average of 2 persons a month to drowning accidents just on Phuket beaches. You may want to consider reversing your plans with the beaches and enjoying the South first and then head up north when the weather on the west coast changes.

NWA_5479

Richard! Welcome to Flyertalk, and what a great entrance. Thanks for all the good info. Not just the OP, but everyone who reads these threads benefits from all the good info!