THAILAND and LAOS

A rich travel itinerary
This page is a summary of a three-week trip between Thailand and Laos, an adventure full of experiences and sensations.
About South Thailand, Laos and Bangkok and central Thailand there are specific pages full of photos, info, funny facts and a trip report. Enjoy!!!

THAILAND AND LAOS: TRAVEL INFO

Destinations: where to go in Thailand and Laos?
In the south of Thailand, we recommend the islands of Ko Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. They are between Phuket and Krabi, but they are visited obly by few tourists and they are still a natural paradise. From there, you can visit the stunning Phang Nga Bay by kayak in order to avoid the crowds. Also the Surin Islands are fantastic and tourism is quite limited by the lack of facilities. In Laos, the classic travel itinerary includes the capital Vientiane, the landscapes of Vang Vieng and the fascinating town of Luang Prabang. Then we recommend to go to the mountain village of Nong Khwai. Obviously, in case of a longer trip there's much more to see in Laos.
Finally, in central Thailand, Bangkok is one of the most exciting cities of the world; than you can visit (within a radius of about two hundred kilometers) the fantastic Erawan waterfalls, the ruins of Ayutthaya, the park of Khao Yai and the Khmer ruins of Phimai.

Climate: when to go to Thailand and Laos?
The best time for a travel itinerary similar to the one in the map is from December to February, more or less. In March temperatures start to get too hot, then the monsoon starts (on the east coast of Thailand, on the other hand, winter is the rainy season).
Warning: from Christmas day there are lots of tourists coming to these countries!

Public transport and rental cars: how to get around Thailand and Laos?
Public transportation, but often also private minibuses, are cheap. Along Thailand coasts, in the south, you can travel by bus, minibus and boat: the highlights are the islands, which can be explored by kayak and motorbike.
In Laos, I think that the best solution is to rent a car and explore the mountain roads north of Luang Prabang; of course this is also the most adventurous kind of trip. Alternatively, buses and tours offer a slower and more standard alternative.
In central Thailand, bus, minibus and organized tours generally are really cheap. For reasons of time and convenience, however, we rented a car, which of course allowed us to be more flexible, see much more and be less stressed by bus schedules and organization and bargaining of tours. Those with more time will definitely be fine using public transport.

Pricing: how much do Thailand and Laos cost?
Internal flights can be as cheap as 40-50 euros per person. Public transports are cheap as well, car hire is not expensive in Thailand (eg 30 euros per day), but it can cost twice as much in Laos. The economic guesthouses (generally of decent quality, except in Vientiane from our experience!!) cost from 8 to 20 euros per night for a double room with bathroom. Phuket is more expensive (25-30 a double room). In 21 days we spent 1400 Euros each, including hotels, food and beverages, tours by boat and kayak, souvenirs, internal flights, car hire, petrol ... everything. And on this trip we did not give up anything - well, we avoided luxury hotels and expensive restaurants, of course. To this figure you must add the international flight: from Italy, it starts from 500 € in the off season up to 700 at Christmas... or a lot more, if you do not book in advance.

THAILAND AND LAOS: PHOTOS AND TRIP REPORTS

The long travel itinerary in Thailand and Laos is divided into three parts: South Shore, Central Thailand and Laos.
The islands of Thailand
Phuket and Krabi are beautiful but chaotic; the paradisiacal Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai in Phang Nga bay, and the Surin Islands off the Thai coast offer magnificent deserted beaches.

Laos
Luang Prabang is just beautiful, the landscapes near Vang Vieng and Nong Khiaw are really impressive, and in the traditional villages life flows with a smile.

Bangkok and central Thailand
In less than 200kms from the capital there are Khmer ruins and national parks, including the idyllic Erawan waterfalls.

VIDEO

Never stop traveling!!! A wildly funny video, from the beaches of Thailand to the mountains of Laos, from kayaking inside sea caves to running like crazy in historic temples:


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