Travel In Which Direction?

[Arne13]

Hi!

I'm planning on going to South-East Asia in january, february and march 2012.

I was thinking about visiting Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia,...

My question is: in which order should i visit them? Going from south to north, or the other direction?

What would you do? I think the weather could be quite important while making this decission? Are there any other things is should know?

The reason why my question is so important: i want to know which flights i should book. Probably i'll return (in march) from another place than the place where i landed in january.

Other important stuff you would like to share with me is also very welcome!

If you're travelling the same region during that time and would like some company: let me know!

thnx!

Arne

[craigt3365]

Where are you coming from?

[edthesock]

If you fly into BKK you could do the same loop everyone else ends up doing and go to Cambodia then Vietnam Lao and back to The Kingdom then head straight south to Indo via Malaysia and SIN.

[Arne13]

If you fly into BKK you could do the same loop everyone else ends up doing and go to Cambodia then Vietnam Lao and back to The Kingdom then head straight south to Indo via Malaysia and SIN.

Hi guys

Sorry for the late reply..

I'm coming from Belgium...

I was indeed doubting between Bangkok and Jakarta...

2 options:

i fly to Bangkok and go south: good weather the first 2 months but possible rain the last month (Indonesia).

i fly to Jakarta and go north: centainly rain the first month but also certainly good weather the last 2 months (Cambo, Laos, Vietnam)

You say everybody's doing the north-south, or is that just everybody who's flying to BKK?

...

thx!

[PattayaParent]

Viet Nam is cold in January / February / March so the later you come the better but you might find it pleasant after arriving there from Europe.

[IMA_FARANG]

Well the general rule...as I understand it...is that the rainy season weather starts in the south...Indonesia and such.... and gradually moves Northward into S.E. Asia.

So if that is true I guess the best way to avoid the rainy seson would be to arrive in January and go south to Indonesia....then travel northward to keep north of the advancing rainy season.

Of course, no rule is perfect...so your likely to be rained on at least once in your journey. But that is the general path I would take.

Watch out however in Vietnam and China...coastal areas do get Tropical storms in the late Spring, Summer and early Fall. So watch the weather reports or follow them on the internet so you won't be surprised by them.

[trevorg]

Hi Arne

Whilst it is easily possible to visit all the countries you mention in 3 months, you will be taking either a few 'internal' SE Asian flights or spending much of your travels on buses and not have much time to soak up the atmosphere of a particular place or relax, another option (if you can sleep on buses) is to take overnight buses, where possible, which also saves you a bit on accommodation.

When I travelled back in 92 starting in January, (am I that old?), we spent 6 months as folows (all overland/boat except Singapore-Jakarta) - but we weren't in a hurry, 2 months in Thailand (BKK, CHM and several islands down south), 3 weeks on the Malaysian west coast (Penang, Cameron Highlands, KL, Melaka), 1 week Singapore, 1 month Sumatra (Palembang-Bengkulu -scariest bus ride of my life with mud-slides and all sorts-, Padang, Bukittinggi, Lake Toba, Bukit Lawang, Medan), 1 week Malaysia east coast (can't remember where), 2 days Singapore, 1 month Java (Jakarta, Bogor, Pangandaran, Yogyakarta, Prambanan, Surakarta, Borobodor, Dieng Plateau, Mount Bromo, 1month Bali, Lombok, Gili Isles.

Notice, we didn't see Cambodia. Laos or Vietnam in that trip (they were either very hard or impossible to get into at that time).

This is probably not what you wanted to hear, and it depends on how 'fast' you want to travel. From memory the only really wet time we had was the Sumatra bit, which would have been March/ April.

Anyway, let us know what you plan, and have a great trip!

Trevor

[craigt3365]

Viet Nam is cold in January / February / March so the later you come the better but you might find it pleasant after arriving there from Europe.

I was in N. Vietnam in January. I missed out on Sapa because of the SNOW! It was fricking cold even in Hanoi. I remember having to buy a jacket there...which I left when I headed back to Thailand.

[PattayaParent]

Viet Nam is cold in January / February / March so the later you come the better but you might find it pleasant after arriving there from Europe.

I was in N. Vietnam in January. I missed out on Sapa because of the SNOW! It was fricking cold even in Hanoi. I remember having to buy a jacket there...which I left when I headed back to Thailand.

Ha Noi weather is just like Manchester weather,and there's no central heating.

[Arne13]

Well the general rule...as I understand it...is that the rainy season weather starts in the south...Indonesia and such.... and gradually moves Northward into S.E. Asia.

So if that is true I guess the best way to avoid the rainy seson would be to arrive in January and go south to Indonesia....then travel northward to keep north of the advancing rainy season.

Of course, no rule is perfect...so your likely to be rained on at least once in your journey. But that is the general path I would take.

Watch out however in Vietnam and China...coastal areas do get Tropical storms in the late Spring, Summer and early Fall. So watch the weather reports or follow them on the internet so you won't be surprised by them.

Hi!

Thx for responding. From what i read it's very dry in jan-feb-mrch in Laos, Vietnam, Cambo? Ofcourse i only read the basic climat-tabels of the capitals...

Anyway it seems like there's no perfect answer to my question... I'll just have to make a decision...

cheers

[Arne13]

Hi Arne

Whilst it is easily possible to visit all the countries you mention in 3 months, you will be taking either a few 'internal' SE Asian flights or spending much of your travels on buses and not have much time to soak up the atmosphere of a particular place or relax, another option (if you can sleep on buses) is to take overnight buses, where possible, which also saves you a bit on accommodation.

When I travelled back in 92 starting in January, (am I that old?), we spent 6 months as folows (all overland/boat except Singapore-Jakarta) - but we weren't in a hurry, 2 months in Thailand (BKK, CHM and several islands down south), 3 weeks on the Malaysian west coast (Penang, Cameron Highlands, KL, Melaka), 1 week Singapore, 1 month Sumatra (Palembang-Bengkulu -scariest bus ride of my life with mud-slides and all sorts-, Padang, Bukittinggi, Lake Toba, Bukit Lawang, Medan), 1 week Malaysia east coast (can't remember where), 2 days Singapore, 1 month Java (Jakarta, Bogor, Pangandaran, Yogyakarta, Prambanan, Surakarta, Borobodor, Dieng Plateau, Mount Bromo, 1month Bali, Lombok, Gili Isles.

Notice, we didn't see Cambodia. Laos or Vietnam in that trip (they were either very hard or impossible to get into at that time).

This is probably not what you wanted to hear, and it depends on how 'fast' you want to travel. From memory the only really wet time we had was the Sumatra bit, which would have been March/ April.

Anyway, let us know what you plan, and have a great trip!

Trevor

Hi Trevor,

I think every year is different but thanks for the listing anyway! I could do the same route in 3 months, i guess... but there's ofcourse a big difference in climate between 3 months and 6 months...

cheers

[trevorg]

As I said, have a great trip!

Climate should not be an issue from January to March - but South to North may probably be better in your case!

You're welcome!