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Itinerary · Asia

3 weeks in Southeast Asia

Bangkok to Hanoi through Chiang Mai, Angkor Wat and Hoi An

Ha Long Bay. Photo: Taewangkorea, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

21 days6 stops
3 countriesThailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
4hlongest hop
Feb–Mar, Novbest time to go

Three countries, three weeks, and short hops between them. Bangkok's temples and night markets, the cooler north around Chiang Mai, the temples of Angkor at sunrise, then the length of Vietnam from Saigon's motorbikes to the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay.

Cheap regional flights do the long distances, so you spend your time at the stops rather than on buses. Six stops in 21 days leaves room for a lazy day or two.

Good forBackpackingStreet foodTemplesCulture

The route at a glance

  1. UK
  2. 11h 30m
  3. 1Bangkok3 nights
  4. 1h 10m
  5. 2Chiang Mai4 nights
  6. 4h
  7. 3Siem Reap3 nights
  8. 1h
  9. 4Ho Chi Minh City2 nights
  10. 1h 20m
  11. 5Hoi An4 nights
  12. 1h 20m
  13. 6Hanoi and Ha Long Bay4 nights
  14. 14h
  15. UK

Day by day

1

Bangkok

Days 1–3 · 3 nights · Thailand

Wat Arun at dusk
Wat Arun at dusk. Photo: Mastertongapollo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Get over the jet lag with temples by day and street food by night.

  1. Day 1The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, then a boat across to Wat Arun
  2. Day 2A canal tour in the morning, Chinatown's food stalls after dark
  3. Day 3Chatuchak market at the weekend, or a day trip to Ayutthaya

Bangkok guide Hotels Tours

Book ahead in Bangkok

  1. The Grand Palace

    The royal palace and the Emerald Buddha. Strict dress code.

    Find tours and tickets

  2. Wat Pho

    The giant Reclining Buddha and a famous massage school.

    Find tours and tickets

  3. Wat Arun

    The Temple of Dawn, best at sunset from across the river.

    Find tours and tickets

Fly 1h 10m to Chiang Mai: Bangkok to Chiang Mai, or the overnight sleeper trainFlightsAirport transferTrain tickets

2

Chiang Mai

Days 4–7 · 4 nights · Thailand

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Photo: JJ Harrison, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Slower and cooler, with temples in the hills and a cookery class.

  1. Day 4Fly north and wander the old city's temples
  2. Day 5Doi Suthep temple, then the Sunday Walking Street
  3. Day 6An ethical elephant sanctuary day
  4. Day 7A Thai cookery class on a farm outside town

Chiang Mai guide Hotels Tours

Book ahead in Chiang Mai

  1. Doi Suthep

    A golden hilltop temple with city views.

    Find tours and tickets

  2. The old city temples

    Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.

    Find tours and tickets

  3. An elephant sanctuary

    Choose a no-riding, ethical sanctuary.

    Find tours and tickets

Fly 4h to Siem Reap: Chiang Mai to Siem Reap, changing in BangkokFlightsAirport transfer

3

Siem Reap

Days 8–10 · 3 nights · Cambodia

Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat. Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The base for Angkor, the largest religious site on earth.

  1. Day 8Fly via Bangkok; Pub Street and the night market
  2. Day 9Sunrise at Angkor Wat, then the faces of the Bayon
  3. Day 10Ta Prohm in the morning, a floating village on Tonlé Sap after

Cambodia guide Hotels Tours

  • Angkor Wat

    Get there by 5am for the sunrise reflection in the pond.

  • Ta Prohm

    The temple the jungle is still reclaiming, roots and all.

  • Tonlé Sap

    Stilt villages on Southeast Asia's biggest lake.

Fly 1h to Ho Chi Minh City: Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh CityFlightsAirport transfer

4

Ho Chi Minh City

Days 11–12 · 2 nights · Vietnam

Saigon
Saigon. Photo: Steffen Schmitz (more photos), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saigon's energy, French colonial streets and the Mekong Delta.

  1. Day 11The War Remnants Museum and a street food tour by scooter
  2. Day 12A day trip to the Mekong Delta or the Cu Chi tunnels

Vietnam guide Hotels Tours

  • Street food

    Bánh mì and broken rice from pavement stalls.

  • Cu Chi tunnels

    The wartime tunnel network, 90 minutes out of town.

  • Mekong Delta

    Floating markets and coconut-candy workshops.

Fly 1h 20m to Hoi An: Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, then a taxi to Hoi AnFlightsAirport transfer

5

Hoi An

Days 13–16 · 4 nights · Vietnam

Hoi An's old town
Hoi An's old town. Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A lantern-lit old town, tailors and a beach down the road.

  1. Day 13Fly to Da Nang, 45 minutes by road to Hoi An
  2. Day 14The old town by bike, lanterns on the river at night
  3. Day 15An Bang beach, and a fitting at a tailor
  4. Day 16The Marble Mountains, or the Golden Bridge in the Ba Na Hills

Vietnam guide Hotels Tours

  • The old town

    Merchant houses and the Japanese Covered Bridge.

  • Tailors

    A suit or a dress made in two days.

  • An Bang beach

    Fifteen minutes by bike from the old town.

Fly 1h 20m to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: Da Nang to Hanoi, or the scenic overnight trainFlightsAirport transferTrain tickets

6

Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

Days 17–21 · 4 nights · Vietnam

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi. Photo: Cyril Doussin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

End with the capital's old quarter and a night on Ha Long Bay.

  1. Day 17The Old Quarter on foot, egg coffee and bún chả
  2. Day 18A shuttle to Ha Long Bay and a night on a junk boat
  3. Day 19Kayak among the karsts, back in Hanoi for a water puppet show
  4. Day 20The Temple of Literature and a last bowl of pho before the flight

Vietnam guide Hotels Tours

  • The Old Quarter

    Thirty-six streets, each once a single trade.

  • Bún chả and egg coffee

    Two Hanoi classics to try on day one.

  • Ha Long Bay

    Limestone islands best seen on an overnight cruise.

Best time to go

Best: Feb–Mar, Nov. November to March is dry across the whole route. February and March are the sweet spot: past the Christmas crowds and before April's heat.

JFMAMJJASOND
Bangkok262930313028282827272625
Chiang Mai192225272625242424232119
Ho Chi Minh City262830312927272726262626
Hoi An212224262828282827262422
Hanoi and Ha Long Bay151821252828282827242016

Average temperature (°C) by month, 2001–2025, NASA POWER. Underlined months are the best time for this route.

Getting around

UK → BangkokFly direct from London Heathrow to BangkokFlightsAirport transfer11h 30m
Bangkok → Chiang MaiBangkok to Chiang Mai, or the overnight sleeper trainFlightsAirport transferTrain tickets1h 10m
Chiang Mai → Siem ReapChiang Mai to Siem Reap, changing in BangkokFlightsAirport transfer4h
Siem Reap → Ho Chi Minh CitySiem Reap to Ho Chi Minh CityFlightsAirport transfer1h
Ho Chi Minh City → Hoi AnHo Chi Minh City to Da Nang, then a taxi to Hoi AnFlightsAirport transfer1h 20m
Hoi An → Hanoi and Ha Long BayDa Nang to Hanoi, or the scenic overnight trainFlightsAirport transferTrain tickets1h 20m
Hanoi and Ha Long Bay → UKFly home from Hanoi, direct on some days or with one changeFlights14h

Times are typical door-to-platform or driving times without stops. Flight times are for a direct flight.

Flights to Bangkok

Good to know

  • Thailand and Vietnam let UK passport holders in without a visa for a holiday. Cambodia needs an e-visa: apply online a week or two before you go.
  • Book the long-haul as an open-jaw ticket, into Bangkok and home from Hanoi, so you don't have to backtrack.
  • Regional flights on AirAsia, VietJet and Vietnam Airlines are cheap but charge for checked bags. Pack light or add a bag when you book.
  • Grab works like Uber in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and saves haggling over every taxi fare.
  • Central Vietnam has its rainy season from October to December, so Hoi An is best from February onwards.
Before you goThailand visa rulesVietnam visa rulesThailand guideVietnam guide

FAQ

Is three weeks enough for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam?

Yes, for the highlights, using short flights between stops. With less time, drop Cambodia; with more, add a Thai island like Koh Lanta at the start.

Do I need visas for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam?

On a UK passport, Thailand and Vietnam don't need a visa for a holiday, but Cambodia does. It's a simple e-visa online. Rules change, so check the FCDO before you book.

What's the best month for a Southeast Asia trip?

February or March. It's dry across all three countries, the Christmas crowds have gone, and the April heat hasn't arrived.

How do you get from Thailand to Cambodia?

Flying is easiest: Bangkok to Siem Reap is just over an hour. The land border at Poipet works too, but it's slow and known for scams.

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