First trip to Asia
 

I am trying to plan my first trip to Asia in November and I can't seem to make up my mind on where to go. I will be travelling solo. I basically have 18 nights to spend and I will fly into Bangkok and fly out from Hong Kong (cheapest flight I could find). I will be using Air Asia between cities as it's pretty cheap and convenient. I would prefer not to move around too much. I want to spend at least 3-4 nights in each city I visit. Right now, I'm leaning towards doing:

4 nights in Bangkok
7 or 8 nights in Phuket for some R&R but I'll also take a day trip to Ko Phi Phi, though I'm scared to death of the boat ride there (I get seasick very easily)
3 nights in Kuala Lumpur (not sure about this one)
4 nights in Hong Kong

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Sounds like you're limiting yourself to Thailand + HK? All I can say is that I enjoyed Hanoi much more than either Bangkok or Chiang Mai. You're going to 2 rather developed nations there - you might enjoy the simplicity of someplace like Laos as well.

I've done HK, Saigon and Bangkok in one trip(2 weeks). Loved that combination but we had actually been to Bkk before so we used that to relax. I have to say that I found KL to be disappointing(although we did have a great hotel there).If you don't fancy KL or an alternative, I would add a day to each of the three remaining. While in BKK have a look at doing a river Kwai trip. You can always stay overnight.

A week in Phuket would be good - but I get bored after about 4 days of relaxing. I would skip KL and instead get a flight up to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, then across to Phnom Penh, then a flight back from there to Bangkok. Much more interesting. Hanoi was a good suggestion, I thought, also.

For the first time in Asia, skip KL. Maybe just take in Chiang Mai for three days instead.

As suggested, you might consider including Angkor, although Air Asia only flies to Phnom Penh.

A week is a long time in Phuket unless you are a diver, IMO.

How about four days in Bangkok, four days in Phuket, three days in Chiang Mai, four days in Cambodia and three days in Hong Kong?

Air Asia also fly to Siem Reap from KUL ,which is their hub.

While I agree KUL isnt quite a tourist city, I believe its easier to get around than somewhere like Phnom Penh or even Hanoi where even crossing the road requires quite a bit of practice.

I think I'm gonna drop Kuala Lumpur and focus on the other 3 areas. Here's what I'm planning to do:

5 nights in Bangkok (Centre Point Silom)
4 nights in Phuket (possibly the Andaman White Beach Resort or the Royal Phuket Yatch Club)
4 nights in Ko Phi Phi (Holiday Inn, beachfront bungalow)
5 nights in Hong Kong (hotel undecided, would like something with a view of the harbour)

Should I change my itinerary to spend more or less time in one city?

I still think you are spending too much time in Thailand, but obviously you are very keen on the beach (not a bad thing!).

Maybe drop a night in Bangkok and maybe even a night from Hong Kong and spend two nights in Macau. Only 60mins in a ferry from Hong Kong and you can get some great hotels at reasonable prices during the week. Have a look on the web at what Macau has to offer and see if it might suit.

I think it really comes down to your interests. I hate beaches so I would not spend time there. But if that's what you like to do this is not a bad plan that you have outlined. Sounds like you enjoy big cities and the beach.

But I think if you enjoy culture or history at all you should plan on some place like Angkor or maybe Luang Prabang to get a different flavor of SE Asia.

If you want to see "the real Thailand" I would spend less time in BKK and the beaches and head up to Chiang Mai for a couple of days. The contrast to Bangkok is great and very interesting.

If you expect to return to SEA though what you have planned is not bad. You can also take day trips out of Bangkok to Ayutthaya or Lopburi to see some of the old monumental history. The big sites of Bangkok you can see in a couple of days. I love the city though so 5 days doesn't sound like too much for me, especially since it will take you a day or two to adjust to the time change and climate change (depending on where you are traveling from).

Just to mix things up a bit...

I would add more time in BKK. There is tons to do. If you had a solid week there, you still wouldn't run out of things to do. It's not just a big city, it's the cultural capital of the country.

I would spend a bit less time in Phuket. Although I haven't been to Ko Phi Phi, I presume that it's more of a beachy place and more isolated feeling than the major areas of Phuket. Most of the developed areas of Phuket I found unappealing because they were so tourist oriented that they weren't very Thai-- more beer gardens, Korean barbecues, borscht restaurants, and cantinas than actual Thai places.

As much as I love Thailand and things Thai, I didn't enjoy Chiang Mai all that much. I would give it a pass. If you had to choose between three days in Chiang Mai and three days in Siem Reap, that's a no-brainer: Siem Reap to see Angkor and environs.

You could always visit Macau in a day trip from Hong Kong. There's not much to see there culturally, and what's there is easily covered in a few hours. The massive new hotel-casino-resorts, though, would take some time just to absorb, and that's without any time for gaming. Still, if you got an early start from HK and took a late ferry back, you could do it in a day.

Good advice from megatoplover. I would choose krabi over Phuket if you want something special in terms of landscape and a daytrip from Krabi to Phi Phi would be great.

My initial thoughts are "Eek! This is best OP could come up with for 18 days on a first-time trip to SE Asia?!" Then I decided more info is needed, in order to make appropriate suggestions:

1) OP, where are you from?
2) Are you the crazy-for-beaches type? Previous beaches and expectations?
3) Do you have other interests, or any prefer-to-avoids?

I can't imagine planning a first SE trip like this for myself, nor would I advocate your itinerary to anybody. Just seems like a waste of good opportunity.

If you get sea-sick easily, the boat ride Phuket-Phi-Phi will likely upset you. November water is usually reasonably smooth but the boats they use have a lot of yaw and bump. Phi-Phi stopped being a great place to go about 15-20 years ago. Skip it. Skip KL too (like the city but it shouldn't be a priority on a first trip of only 18 days).

Well, what would you suggest for my itinerary? To answer your questions, I am from Ottawa, Canada (well technically Gatineau, Quebec). I am not typically a beach person, but I've always thought Phuket/Phi Phi seemed to have views to die for and I would be contempt spending a few days there just relaxing, snorkelling and reading books. I just came back from a really hectic trip to South Africa where I spent three weeks running around like crazy to see as many places as possible. I really want this next trip to be relaxing and to stay in only 2-3 places where I can take day trips from if I want to.

I think Megatoplover is on to the right idea for 18 days, which is too short to cover much territory. I think I would also limit to 4 places (2 which are your arrival/departure cities) and structure the following way. If you are not a Certified Beach Bum, then I think you will overdose with much more than 5-6 days/nights.

Fly into BKK but try to connect to flight to Phuket. (5 nights) Phuket: a big island with a series of beaches along the Andaman coast. Pick your beach carefully according to your desires for activity vs peace, as some beaches are more frenetic and busy (esp Patong) then others. I particularly like Bangtao Beach which is a lovely long stretch of good sand with nice views. However, most of the places to stay there are upscale, the lower and mid-range places get booked out in advance for Nov-Feb season. Some of the best views are up on the headlands looking out, not from down on the beach--you'll need some wheels or sometimes public transport will get you there.

I do not think the Phi Phi trip is that great anymore. Phi Phi was once a beautiful island that was ruined by more development than the island could stand, with a lot of resulting environmental problems and overcrowding on the main area. So, manage your expectations. When you tire of the beach, I would rank as a better daytrip with better views, is a sea kayaking trip in Phang Nga Bay. Some of them you don't have to do much (or any) work, just relax. Google for Sea Canoe and their "Hongs" tour. A day well spent. These pick you up at your Phuket hotel so no need for moving house.

Fly back to BKK. (5 nights, 4 full days)
Now is a good time to do all the BKK sightseeing, shopping, nightlife, etc. After a good rest at the beach.

Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia (4 nights, 3 full days). Or overland if you are in a thrifty mood, but it will take about 7 hours. Visa on arrival if flying in, coming in by border you can get there, but is less hassle to pick up in advance (can get in BKK).
Angkor is one of the great sites of the world, even for confirmed temple haters. Siem Reap is a small town which, though full of activity, has a pretty relaxed atmosphere and a nice vibe in the evening when everyone is back in town. Three full days here are good for most people, and the 3-day Angkor temples pass option allows you to go in and out, and mix up with other non-historical things to do, like trip to Tonle Sap Lake, etc. Due to the heat (even in winter), most people break up their day into 3 parts: 1) early morning start to the temples, back to SR for lunch/rest/swim in pool, 2) mid afternoon start for temples or other activity; 3) back to town for freshen up, dinner, and evening socializing in town. Cambodia (country and people) moves slower than the Thais, which in turn moves WAY slower than the Chinese.

Fly to Hong Kong, get a morning flight. (You may need to connect in another city, test different options for pricing). (4 nights, 3 full days)
Big contrast to Bangkok, lots of interesting things to do. If you aren't a big gambler, I'd tend to skip Macau in favor of exploring HKG.

That's a good balance of beach, 2 very different cities, and a small town with a whopper of a cultural/historical sight nearby. If you want more beach time, I'd tend to cut a day out of Bangkok and slide it south.

Air Asia (Thailand) is cheap but there are some downsides--the most relevant for you is likely to be that there can be significant delays, sometimes cancellations of flights. This is not great for somebody on a short visit time frame. They also can't interline or through-connect luggage to either their own flights or to other airlines. Look into all your options before deciding.

Thanks! What about Chiang Mai? I was thinking of staying there for 3-4 nights to get a taste of Northern Thailand.