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Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia · 22-28 days

Southeast Asia Backpacker Loop: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia

13.8°N · 100.5°E
At a glanceThe classic long-haul backpacker route across four countries by bus, boat and cheap flights. Remains one of the best value month-long trips anywhere.
~11.5h flight estimate22 to 28 days£25 to £155+ per dayStraightforward
Before bookingEntry rules, health advice and local conditions change. Always check current official advice.Check current FCDO advice

The itinerary

  1. Bangkok4 nights
  2. Chiang Mai3 nights
  3. Luang Prabang2 nights
  4. Vang Vieng2 nights
  5. Hanoi & Halong Bay3 nights
  6. Hoi An2 nights
  7. Ho Chi Minh City2 nights
  8. Siem Reap3 nights

Why this trip works

This itinerary combines adventure, history and culture, food and drink, and nightlife across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Hanoi & Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and Siem Reap. Bringing the stops together gives the holiday a clearer progression and makes better use of the outward journey than booking each place separately.

How flexible is it? This itinerary can credibly be planned with a balanced to very active daytime pace, lively to buzzing evenings and popular to hotspot crowd settings within its fixed route. The typical version has active days, lively evenings and a hotspot setting. The quiz selects the closest credible version rather than treating it as one fixed product.

Best time to go

The strongest travel period is November to February. March and October are good quieter alternatives. Getting around is mainly by internal flights and buses.

Jan28°CBest
Feb30°CBest
Mar32°CShoulder
Apr34°COther
May34°COther
Jun33°COther
Jul32°COther
Aug32°COther
Sep32°COther
Oct31°CShoulder
Nov29°CBest
Dec28°CBest

Cost

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £25 a day at the budget end, around £45 a day mid-range, and £155+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £1530 to £2130 per person. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes. Available accommodation spans cheap & cheerful, simple, comfortable, premium and luxury. The quiz prices the highest available tier that fits your selected minimum and total budget.

Places on this trip

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need for Southeast Asia Backpacker Loop: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia?

This itinerary works best over 22 to 28 days across 8 stops: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Hanoi & Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and Siem Reap.

When is the best time for this trip?

The strongest travel period is November to February. March and October are useful quieter alternatives.

How much does it cost?

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £25 a day at the budget end, around £45 a day mid-range, and £155+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £1530 to £2130 per person. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes.

Other multi-stop trips

Vietnam & Cambodia: Hanoi to Angkor Vietnam, Cambodia · 12-24 days ~12.5h flight estimate£25+/day5 stops Indochina: Angkor-Phnom Penh-HCMC Cambodia, Vietnam · 8-12 days ~12.5h flight estimate£25+/day3 stops Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai & the Islands Thailand · 10-16 days ~11.5h flight estimate£25+/day3 stops Bangkok & Phuket Thailand · 8-10 days ~11.5h flight estimate£25+/day2 stops Vietnam North: Hanoi, Halong Bay & Hoi An Vietnam · 6-8 days ~12.5h flight estimate£25+/day3 stops Thailand: Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Krabi Thailand · 9-14 days ~11.5h flight estimate£25+/day3 stops
Torn between ten tabs?Two minutes of questions, up to seven strong matches, realistic cost ranges and every trade-off spelled out.
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