Originally Posted by
stevento
I have a trip in Feb, NYC-HKG-REP, CNX-ICN-NYC, with 8 or 9 nights on the ground, and I am considering at least 3 places.
Again, to the point of this thread - is that too much? Maybe.
But what is the alternative?
A 2 week trip to SE Asia will NEVER happen for us, or at least with kids.
The only times they are out for than 1 week is summer and the Christmas break. Summer is not the time to go to SE Asia, and holidays are difficult to get away (plus nearly a zero chance of 4 tickets in C). So it's either go or no.
The happy medium is unique to each person at any given time. There was a time we traveled moving every day. My wife laid down a 2-night rule - stay in one place for 2 nights, with few exceptions. Maybe because I'm the one that plans and books it, but she's the one who packs and unpacks
It's silly trying to impose one's own preferences on someone else.
I've gone to SE Asia every summer since 1996 and it's generally quite nice, especially in June and July. Maybe you get the big downpour in the late afternoon but it tends to be brief. It's humid like Florida sometimes but more overcast than Florida (holding temperatures down) and places have air-conditioning and beach destinations have the sea breezes. It's better for the east coast vs. the west in Thailand and Malaysia, and it's the best time of the year weather wise for Java and Bali. Singapore is amazingly consistent year-round.
Usually the heaviest rains and biggest flood threat come in September and October.
I assume REP and CNX are two of your targets. I went to Angkor twice (1997 by myself and 2000 with friends) at 3 days each...it's much more crowded now but will only get more so (especially in that Christmas-New Year bloc). Maybe you can avoid the worst of the worst by taking the major sites out-of-sequence (i.e. don't go to the Bayon in the morning, Ta Phrom at midday, the main temple in the afternoon and the overlook hill in the late afternoon...zig when others zag). Chiang Mai is much easier to see in 2-3 days than Bangkok.