Hi everyone, I’m starting to plan my next trip to Southeast Asia this winter (2.5 months, leaving in early December), and here’s a rough outline of my route—I’d love to share it with you and hear your thoughts and tips.

- I’ll start in Bangkok and already have three spots I’ve marked: Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, and Uthai Thani (I haven’t been to any of these places yet). - Next, I’d like to cross the country from west to east to reach the Laos border. I’d love suggestions for any interesting stops along this route—I don’t know this part of Thailand at all... - Then I’ll head into Laos, probably at Savannakhet (you can usually get a visa at the border). - > I’m tempted to spend a week in Hoi An, Vietnam, since I loved that city and the area when I visited two years ago. No visa needed for Vietnam now, so it could be a nice little detour. On the map, it doesn’t look too far, but I know you’ve got to be careful with these things, and I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Any opinions on this? - Back to Laos (maybe via Dakta), and I’ll head south along the Mekong, probably doing the Bolaven Plateau loop that I missed last time. Then Paksé, the 4,000 Islands... I’ve been before, but I’d happily go back. - Crossing into Cambodia, I’ll follow the Mekong down to Phnom Penh (I know this area and love how untouristy it is). From there, I’ll probably spend a few days in Kep (quieter than Kampot). Still undecided, though. - Then back to Thailand (BKK), likely by plane from Phnom Penh since the borders between the two countries are currently closed (plus, let’s be honest, Cambodian roads... ;-). We’ll see how things look when the time comes. - After that, I’d like to explore southern Thailand, taking it slow with short hops. I’ve got my eye on Khao Sok National Park, and I’ve heard good things about Krabi... Again, I don’t know this region well, so any info or tips would be great.

So, I think this should be doable in 2.5 months, especially since I prefer short hops of 300 km max to avoid getting too tired, and I like staying 2-3 days in each place to explore. Plus, I’ll take a week off to relax if I find a spot I love—maybe by the sea for some real downtime.

Thanks for your feedback and for sharing your favorite spots! Pascal

I'm heading to Ko Mook, Ko Sukorn, and Ko Ngai in early February. Does anyone know if there are sand flies on these islands? And what product to use? Happy holidays to everyone

Hi everyone, Could you share your thoughts on my 3-week itinerary? We’re a small group (family + friends) of 12 people, planning to leave around January 21, 2027. Here’s my itinerary: 3 nights in Bangkok 4 nights in Chiang Mai 3 nights on Koh Samui 3 nights on Koh Phangan 4 nights in Krabi 4 nights in Phuket I’m also open to any great tips you might have... Thanks, everyone! Alain.

Hi there, After a stay in Hua Hin and before another in Chiang Mai, I’d like to break up the trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai into several stops. I’ve found bus and train routes on Maps, but I’m stuck on the connection between Ban Rai / Uthai Thani and then Nakhon Sawan (bus for the latter). Does anyone have any idea where I could find info, maybe via Route 333? I know my question isn’t super general or exciting, but if you can help, thanks!

Hello, I’m planning to leave on April 27th for Bangkok via AF (Air France), direct flight. We’re quite familiar with this destination (we’ve been there about a dozen times). My question is: what’s the current situation and atmosphere like there? Is it easy to get around—taxis, buses, flights, etc.? I know there’s always a gap between what the articles and French TV news say and the reality on the ground. Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone!

I’ve got a question about buses, which we love using in Bangkok, but it’s always a bit of a challenge to figure out how to get around. We always (eventually) reach our destination because there’s always someone willing to help us find our way, but this year, I’d like us to be a bit more independent. We’re a bit old-school—we like traveling without phones for a real digital detox (no judgment, everyone travels how they like! :) ), so ideally, we’d find an up-to-date map of Bangkok’s bus network, but we don’t know where to buy one... We managed to get one back in 2015, but I think it’s outdated now, and during our last trips, we couldn’t find any...

And if traveling like this is really outdated, could you recommend a reliable app for buses? That way, we could plan our routes using the hotel’s Wi-Fi before heading out.

Thanks in advance for your help, and have a great day!

just one question for February—should I pick Phuket or Krabi?

Hi there, I’ve been visiting Thailand for about twenty years now. We’ve been there around 5-6 times, always spending 2-3 days in BKK and then heading to Koh Samui. This year, we wanted to explore the southeast coast of Thailand for a change—from Hua Hin down to Surat Thani. We were strongly advised against going any further south.

However, we noticed that the beaches in Hua Hin aren’t exactly stunning, and the further south you go, the more beautiful they get—white, fine sand like in Samui. Do you have any recommendations for gorgeous beaches along this coast? Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m about to head to Thailand with my kids and I’ve been put in touch with a French-speaking driver who’ll be with us for 3–4 days (for a little "tour" around the provinces near Bangkok).

I’d love to know what the "going rates" are for this kind of service so I can make sure I’m not overpaying.

So if any of you have used this kind of service recently and could let me know what you paid, I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance and have a great week! 😉

Amy