Bill & Dan's Amazing South East Asia Adventure
Wheels down in Bangkok on August 15, 2026. 179 days, five countries — Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China and Vietnam — night trains, islands, mountains and temples. Scroll to follow the route.
Bangkok — wheels down
Landing day. Drop the bags, walk into the heat, find the first bowl of street noodles. One night in the capital before the route starts moving — tomorrow, the coast.
Pattaya
Three days on the Gulf of Thailand. Beach time, the walking street after dark, and a boat out to Koh Larn when the mainland sand gets crowded.
Bangkok — round two
Four days back in the capital: the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, a long-tail on the Chao Phraya, Sukhumvit rooftops and the night markets. On the 22nd — the sleeper train north.
Chiang Mai
The night train pulls in at dawn. Exactly two weeks in the north: the moated old city, Doi Suthep above the haze, khao soi for lunch, café mornings, Sunday walking street — enough time to live there, not just pass through.
Pai
Up the famous 762-curve road into the mountains. Ten days of slow living: Pai Canyon at sunset, hot springs, waterfalls, a scooter and no particular plan. On the 16th — the long move south.
Night train south — to Surat Thani
The big move: down from the mountains and onto the rails for a full day — the whole length of Thailand sliding past the window, all the way south to Surat Thani. Gateway to the gulf islands: ferry in the morning.
Koh Samui
Seven days on the coconut island. Chaweng and Lamai beaches, the Big Buddha, beach bars at sunset and a ring-road scooter loop around the whole island.
Koh Phangan
The short hop north and ten days between hammocks and beach parties — Haad Rin, hidden coves on the north shore, and if the moon lines up, the Full Moon Party itself.
Phuket
Ferry back to the mainland and across to the Andaman side. Nine days on Thailand's biggest island — Patong, the Big Buddha viewpoint, old Phuket Town and boat days out to Phang Nga Bay. On the 12th: night bus to Bangkok.
Bangkok — one last day
The night bus rolls in at dawn. One farewell day in the capital — a round 60 days in Thailand on the clock. Last bowl of street noodles, last rooftop sunset. Tomorrow: Cambodia.
Sihanoukville — hello Cambodia
Across the border and down to the Cambodian coast. One night in Sihanoukville — just long enough for a sunset beer on Otres and the speedboat tickets for the islands.
Koh Rong
Seven days on Cambodia's party island — Long Beach's seven kilometres of white sand, bioluminescent plankton after dark, jungle paths and not much else. Exactly the point.
Koh Rong Samloem
The quiet sister island, twenty minutes across the water. Three days of Saracen Bay, snorkelling off Lazy Beach and hammocks — the volume turned all the way down.
Kampot
Back to the mainland and along the coast to sleepy Kampot. Three days of riverside sunsets, crumbling French shophouses, pepper farms and a trip up Bokor Mountain.
Phnom Penh
Four days in the capital on the Mekong: the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the riverside promenade, the Russian Market, and the heavy but necessary history at Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields.
Siem Reap
Twelve days for the temples of Angkor — sunrise at Angkor Wat, the faces of Bayon, tree-strangled Ta Prohm — plus Pub Street, the floating villages of Tonlé Sap, and time to do it all slowly. Then the road rolls on: Laos.
Don Det — 4000 Islands
Across the border into Laos and straight onto the Mekong: Si Phan Don, the 4000 Islands. Ten days on Don Det — hammocks over the river, bicycle loops to Don Khon, the Khone Phapheng falls and, with luck, the Irrawaddy dolphins.
Savannakhet
A one-night stop halfway up the country — crumbling French-colonial quarter, riverside noodle stalls and a Mekong sunset over to Thailand on the far bank.
Vientiane
Two days in the sleepiest capital in Asia: golden Pha That Luang, Patuxai arch, Buddha Park, and beer Lao at the night market on the river.
Vang Vieng
A week under the karst mountains: tubing on the Nam Song, blue lagoons, hot-air balloons at dawn, caves and viewpoint hikes — the backpacker classic, calmer than its reputation.
Luang Prabang
Five days in the old royal capital, a UNESCO town where the Mekong meets the Nam Khan. Alms at dawn, Kuang Si waterfalls, Mount Phousi at sunset and the night market every evening.
Nong Khiaw
North by minivan to the little town on the Nam Ou river, hemmed in by limestone cliffs. Three days: the Pha Daeng viewpoint climb, kayaking under the karsts, and evenings on a riverside deck.
Muang Ngoi
An hour upriver by boat to Muang Ngoi Neua — a village with one street, no ATM and total calm. Two days of walking to weaving villages, caves and doing gloriously little. On the 13th: downriver at dawn and straight onto the bullet train at Muang Xai — goodbye Laos, exactly 30 days.
Kunming — city of eternal spring
The Laos–China railway glides into Yunnan's capital, the City of Eternal Spring. Seven days: Green Lake park, the Stone Forest, Yuantong temple, endless mixian noodle bowls — and a breather from the backpacker trail.
Sapa
Train south to the Vietnamese border and up into the mountains of Sapa. Five days among the rice terraces — trekking village to village, Fansipan by cable car, and Christmas Eve in the mist.
Hanoi
Christmas Day arrival into the capital's beautiful chaos. Five days: the Old Quarter's 36 streets, egg coffee, Train Street, Hoan Kiem lake at dawn and bia hoi on tiny plastic stools.
Cat Ba — New Year on the island
Out to Cat Ba, the backpacker island on the edge of Ha Long Bay — and New Year's Eve on the water. Five days of boat trips through Lan Ha Bay, kayaking between the karsts, Cannon Fort sunsets and the national park trek.
Ninh Binh
Ha Long Bay on land. Three days in Tam Coc / Trang An — rowed through caves between the limestone towers, the Mua Cave viewpoint's 500 steps, and bicycles through the rice paddies.
Phong Nha
Night bus south to cave country. Three days in Phong Nha–Ke Bang: Paradise Cave, Dark Cave's zipline and mud bath, and boats into Phong Nha cave itself — some of the biggest caverns on Earth.
Hue
Three days in the old imperial capital: the Citadel and Forbidden Purple City, dragon boats on the Perfume River, royal tombs in the hills and bun bo Hue where it was born.
Da Nang
Over the Hai Van Pass to the beach city. Seven days: My Khe sands, the Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hills' Golden Bridge, the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge on weekends — and proper city comforts.
Hoi An
Half an hour down the coast, five days in the lantern town. The ancient quarter at night, tailor-made everything, An Bang beach, basket boats in the coconut palms and cao lau noodles.
Mui Ne — surf week
Sleeper bus south to the surf and kitesurf capital of Vietnam. Seven days of board time on the swell, the red and white sand dunes at sunrise, the Fairy Stream and fresh seafood every night.
Dalat
Up into the cool highlands. Three days in the city of pines and coffee farms: canyoning the waterfalls, the Crazy House, rolling flower gardens and the best cà phê sữa đá of the trip.
Ho Chi Minh City — the grand finale
The last ride south into Saigon's roar — nine million motorbikes. Six days: the War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi tunnels, Ben Thanh market, the Mekong Delta, Bui Vien by night and a rooftop toast to 179 days on the road. The route ends here, Feb 9, 2027.
🏁 Bangkok → Ho Chi Minh City
179 days, five countries. Thailand Aug 15 – Oct 13 (60 days) · Cambodia Oct 14 – Nov 12 (30 days) · Laos Nov 13 – Dec 12 (30 days) · China Dec 13–19 (7 days) · Vietnam Dec 20 – Feb 9 (52 days).