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[brothbart]

Well, I'm finally making the plunge and taking some time to go out and travel to places I have always wanted to go. Please let me know what you think of my itineary. Also, what is a good budget with and without flights. Any advice on visas would also be helpful. I would like to get as many of the visas before hand (I live in washington, DC), but know that some may expire before I even set foot in the country. I am usually a big planner, but I want to kinda go with the flow as much as I can for this trip. Okay, so here is what I am thinking.

Leaving mid-Feb 2010
India 2 to 3 months
overland to
Nepal 2 weeks to a month (April)
fly to Bangkok
Thailand - couple days to unwind in Bangkok and get visa to Myanmar
fly to Myanmar
Myanmar 28 days (May)
fly back to Bangkok
Thailand - explore North 2 weeks
overland to Laos
Laos for 30 days (June)
overland to Cambodia
Cambodia for 30 days (July)
Overland to Vietnam
Vietnam for 30-60 days (Can I get a 3 month multi visa before I leave?) (Aug)
Fly to China
China 1 to 2 months (Sept/Oct)

I know I will be in some of these places during rainy season, but heard it isn't that bad.

There is the basic plan. Any advice/suggestions about planning,itineary, visas etc would be greatly appreciated.


trying to start mapping out my itineary - Any comments or suggestions

Itinerary

INDIA (6 months) - Mid Feb leave
DAY 1. Mumbai
DAY 2. Mumbai/Elephant Island
DAY 3. Mumbai/Chowpatty Beach
DAY 4. Mumbai – Aurangabad
DAY 5. Aurangabad/ElloraCaves/Aurangabad – 45 minute Bus
DAY 6. Aurangabad – Jalgon – 4 Hour Bus
DAY 7. Jalgon/Ajanta/Jalgon
DAY 8. Jalgon – Omkareshwar
DAY 9. Omkareshwar
DAY 10. Omkareshwar/Mandu
DAY 11. Mandu
DAY 12. Mandu/Bhopal
DAY 13. Bhopal/Sanchi
DAY 14. Sanchi
DAY 15. Sanchi/Bhimbetka
DAY 16. Bhimbetka
DAY 17. Bhimbetka/Orchna
DAY 18. Orchna
DAY 19. Khajuraho
DAY 20. Khajuraho
DAY 21. Khajuraho
DAY 22. Khajuraho
DAY 23. Khajuraho/Jhansi
DAY 24. Jhansi
DAY 25. Jhansi/Delhi
DAY 26. Delhi
DAY 27. Delhi
DAY 28. Delhi
DAY 29. Delhi/Jaisalmer
DAY 30. Jaisalmer
DAY 31. Jaisalmer/Jodhpur
DAY 32. Jodhpur
DAY 33. Jodhpur/Udaipur
DAY 34. Udaipur
DAY 35. Udaipur
DAY 36. Udaipur/Pushkar – 8 Hour Bus
DAY 37. Pushkar
DAY 38. Pushkar/Jaipur – Bus 4 Hours
DAY 39. Jaipur
DAY 40. Jaipur/Agra – Bus 5.5 Hours | Train 6.5 Hours
DAY 41. Agra
DAY 42. Agra/Varanasi
DAY 43. Varanasi
DAY 44. Varanasi
DAY 45. Varanasi
DAY 46. Varanasi/Kushingar
DAY 47. Kushingar
DAY 48. Kushingar/Gorakhpur
DAY 49. Gorakpur
DAY 50. Gorakpur/Nepal Sunauli/Lumbini

NEPAL (30)
DAY 51. Lumbini
DAY 52. Lumbini
DAY 53. Lumbini/Tansen
DAY 54. Tansen
DAY 55. Tansen/Pokhara
DAY 56. Pokhara
DAY 57. Pokhara
DAY 58. Pokhara/Bandipur
DAY 59. Bandipur
DAY 60. Bandipur
DAY 61. Bandipu/Manakamana
DAY 62. Manakamana/Katmandu
DAY 63. Katmandu
DAY 64. Katmandu/Swayambhunath
DAY 65. Katmandu/Patan
DAY 66. Katmandu/Bhaktapur
DAY 67. Katmandu
DAY 68. Katmandu/Nagarkot or Phulikhel
DAY 69. Katmandu/Pharpin or Bungamati
DAY 70. Katmandu/ Pashupatinath
DAY 71. Katmandu/Bodhnath
DAY 72. Katmandu/Royal Chitwan National Park
DAY 73. Royal Chitwan National Park
DAY 74. Park/Birganj
DAY 75. Birganj/Patna

INDIA
DAY 76. Patna
DAY 77. Patna/Vaishali/Kesariya/Patna – Hire driver?
DAY 78. Patna/Nalanda
DAY 79. Nalanda
DAY 80. Nalanda/Rajgir
DAY 81. Rajgir
DAY 82. Rajgir/Bodhgaya
DAY 83. Bodhgaya
DAY 84. Bodhgaya/Buddhist Retreat? If so add about 10 days
DAY 85. Bohgay/Kolkata – 8 Hour Train
DAY 86. Kolkata
DAY 87. Kolkata
DAY 88. Kolkata
DAY 89. Kolkata – Yangon,Myanmar - Fly to Myanmar

MYANMAR (28) – add Hsipaw? Inle Lake?
DAY 90. Yangon
DAY 91. Yangon
DAY 92. Yangon/Mawlamyine
DAY 93. Mawlamyine
DAY 94. Mawlamyine/Kyaikmaraw/Mawlamyine
DAY 95. Mawlamyine/Kyaiktiyo
DAY 96. Kyaiktiyo
DAY 97. Kyaiktiyo/Bago/Yangon
DAY 98. Yangon/Thanlyin and Kyauktan
DAY 99. Yangon/Myitkyina - Fly
DAY 100. Myitkvina/Bhamo
DAY 101. Bhamo
DAY 102. Bhamo/Katha
DAY 103. Katha
DAY 104. Katha/Shwebo
DAY 105. Shwebo
DAY 106. Shwebo/Monywa
DAY 107. Monywa
DAY 108. Monywa/Mandalay
DAY 109. Mandalay/Mingun
DAY 110. Mandalay/Amarapura
DAY 111. Mandalay Pakokku/Bagan
DAY 112. Bagan
DAY 113. Bagan
DAY 114. Bagan
DAY 115. BaganYangoon/Bangkok

THAILAND (30)
DAY 116. Bangkok, Thailand
DAY 117. Bangkok
DAY 118. Bangkok
DAY 119. Bangkok/Khao Yai National Park (Pak Choy)
DAY 120. Khao Yai National Park
DAY 121. Khao Yai National Park
DAY 122. Phrae
DAY 123. Phrae
DAY 124. Chiang Kham
DAY 125. Chian Kham
DAY 126. Chiang Khong
DAY 127. Chiang Khong/Huay Xai, Laos

LAOS (30-60)
DAY 128. Huay Xai
DAY 129. Huay Xai
DAY 130. Huay Xai/Luang Nam Tha Province
DAY 131. Luang Nam Tha Province
DAY 132. Luang Nam Tha Province
DAY 133. Luang Nam Tha Province
DAY 134. Luang Nam Tha Province/Muang Sing
DAY 135. Muang Sing
DAY 136. Muang Sing
DAY 137. Muang Sing/Huay Xai
DAY 138. Huay Xai boat to Luan Prabang – 2 days boat
DAY 139. Huay Xai boat to Luan Prabang
DAY 140. Luan Prabang
DAY 141. Luan Prabang
DAY 142. Luan Prabang
DAY 143. Luan Prabang
DAY 144. Luan Prabang
DAY 145. Luan Prabang/Xien Khuang Province – Phonsavan
DAY 146. Xien Khuang Province – Phonsavan
DAY 147. Xien Khuang Province – Phonsavan
DAY 148. Xien Khuang Province – Phonsavan
DAY 149. Xien Khuang Province – Phonsavan/Van Vieng
DAY 150. Van Vieng – Can Volunteer here – if so do it for around 2 weeks or so
DAY 151. Van Vieng
DAY 152. Vientianne – Extend Visa
DAY 153. Vientianne
DAY 154. Vientianne
DAY 155. Vientianne
DAY 156. Vientianne – Fly to Pakse
DAY 157. Pakse
DAY 158. Si Phaan Day
DAY 159. Si Phaan Day
DAY 160. Si Phaan Day
DAY 161. Si Phaan Day
DAY 162. Si Phaan Day
DAY 163. Pakse
DAY 164. Pakse/Vang Tao/Chong Mek, Thailand – Also can fly for Pakse to Siem Reap

THAILAND (15)
DAY 165. Chong Mek, Thailand
DAY 166. Chong Mek, Thailand/Surin
DAY 167. Surin/ChomgJom/O Smack, Cambodia

CAMBODIA (30)
DAY 168. Chomg Jom/O Smack, Cambodia/Siem Reap
DAY 169. Siem Reap
DAY 170. Siem Reap
DAY 171. Siem Reap
DAY 172. Siem Reap
DAY 173. Siem Reap
DAY 174. Siem Reap boat to Phnom Peng
DAY 175. Phnom Peng
DAY 176. Phnom Peng
DAY 177. Phnom Peng
DAY 178. Phnom Peng
DAY 179. Phnom Peng
DAY 180. Kratie?
DAY 181. Phnom Peng?
DAY 182. Kanpot & Bokar and Around?
DAY 183. Sihanoukville?
DAY 184. Phnom Penh to Moc Bai or Chau Doc or Vinh Xuong

VIETNAM (30-60) - Still working out exact days etc.
DAY 185. Chau Doc or Moc Bai or Vinh Xuong
DAY 186. Phu Quoc Island?
DAY 187. Ha Tien
DAY 188. Ho Chi Minh City
DAY 189. Phan Thiet
DAY 190. Nha Trang
DAY 191. Hoi An
DAY 192. Hue
DAY 193. Nin Binh
DAY 194. Hanoi
DAY 195. Halong Bay
DAY 196. Chua Muong
DAY 197. Cao Bang – Mt Yentu
DAY 198. Sapa? Bac Ha?
DAY 199. Ba Be National Park?
DAY 200. Dong Dang – Pingxiang, China

CHINA
1-2 months

[kathryn77]

Hi there,

Well, I think that's the most well planned itinerary I have ever seen, heh heh heh! If I were to give my advice (and based on what you said yourself - that you want to go with the flow) I'd suggest just ripping up the day by day plan, and deciding what places you definitely don't want to miss, and perhaps just have dates (if you have to have any that are) set in stone on a country by country basis. You might find there are places you want to spend less time in along the way and those you want more time in.

One thing to note is that I'm pretty sure you have to enter and exit Myanmar / Burma in the same way, i.e. if you fly in, you have to leave from same airport or if you go by land, you have to enter and exit by the same border point.

You had a question mark next to Sihanoukaville in Cambodia - that's a great little place

I was surprised not to see Chaing Mai on your north Thailand itinerary? There's also some treks etc you can do round the traditional hilltribe areas like Pai if you like that sort of thing.

I'm not sure about American passports and visas by country, but I got my Thailand and Laos ones at the border crossings I chose, and both are good for 30 days. You needed the Cambodia one in advance when I was there, unless you flew into the country, which I did as I was running out of time.

Hope that's of some help...

[travelbug15]

I agree, you should plan to be spontaneous. You will meet so many people along the way that will give you suggestions or you might want to travel with them.

If you insist on a plan, I think you are spending way to much time in Cambodia and not enough in Vietnam. Why are you sprinting through it? I had no choice but to do it in two weeks and I so wish that I had more time. Definitely do Sapa, another thing I didn't have time for but everyone I spoke to said that it was their favorite (or one of) places in Vietnam. Spend more time in Hoi An, it has a lovely beach and the town is just so beautiful. Really old world because it didn't get bombed in the American war. If you like sand dunes, go to Mui Ne but just for a day or two. Nha Trang is a just a tourist beach stop and try not to be there on a weekend as it is packed. Spend a few days in Saigon (Ho Chih Minh), it's a lovely city.

In Thailand, you must go to Chiang Mai. Lots of stuff to do. Also from there you can take a package that includes the slow boat to Luang Prabang. I don't know why you have days in the border town, there's NOTHING going on there.

If you want to volunteer, there's also lots of opportunities in Cambodia, specifically in the Siem Reap area. Depending on what you want to do. Vang Vieng is beautiful but really small and filled with drunken westerners doing the tubing thing. If you go there, make sure to hire a motorbike and see the surrounding areas.

I just did a similar trip, I got back a couple weeks ago. If you like, check out my blog.

Cheers and happy travels!

[travelbug15]

oh! and I got all my visas when I arrived Bangkok (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) it took 5 days and cost 4700 baht. You would pay less at the border but you have to get the Vietnam visa in advance and I was just happy to get it all done in one shot.

[lowalker147]

i would just o with the flow. since you're going for so long dont plan every single day or every simgle area. say which places you HAVE TO go to and put those on your list but keep some days open for other experiences. you'll find people to talk to which will tell you what are the best places to see.