Our trip to Cambodia started in a totally different way than how it ended. Initially, Pedro and I we going by ourselves, and somehow the group grew… our children, my sisters, their families, my mother and finally some friends joined. So a second honeymoon trip ended up as a journey for 35 people.

This changed the perspective of the trip in a thousand ways. The logistics to be successful in such a large group is not easy, but with the support of our friends at Exotic Voyages, and especially Mai Phoung, we achieved a flawless trip.

To bring you closer to the idea of ​​a trip to Southeast Asia, I am writing this initial article that outlines the trip and then in separate notes I will go into each of the visited sites.

CHOICE OF ITINERARY

First of all you have to sit down, open Google Maps or why not, a paper map, and see the possible destinations.

Southeast Asia is made up of eleven countries:

Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Vietnam, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India.

To be able to cover it all, you would need at least two months, which I would have been great, but we only had 14 days, which is really very little, but we decided to adapt.

What to do with 14 days to get to know Southeast Asia?

Choose only the countries that interest you the most. Think that you can always come back.

Although it may seem to you that everything is close, it is not like that. Going from country to country requires time, not only the plane trip, but the waiting at the airports, the security lines and then immigration, among other things. All of this will easily rob you of half a day.

These are places rich in culture, with countless of historical sites to visit, restaurants to eat in, and shops to buy souvenirs.

You should give each city the minimum time it deserves. I suggest a maximum of 4-5 cities.

When you're in the process of choosing, prepare to suffer the disappointment of having to leave out important places, but I promise it's for the best.

This was our itinerary:

1-City of arrival from Europe: Bangkok, Thailand

2-From there on a short direct flight we went to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

3-Then, making a stopover in Bangkok that serves as a ‘hub’ for neighboring countries, we flew to Yangon in Myanmar.

4- Two days later, on a domestic flight, to Bagan.

5-After returning to Thailand, we went on a plane chartered from a Burmese airline (Air Yanadarpon) direct to Chiang Mai in the north of the country.

6-Finally, we returned to Bangkok for a day before taking our flight home.

What did we leave out?

A lot…

Without a doubt, Vietnam.

Also Laos, which they say is beautiful.

We did not go to the coast of Thailand, specifically the popular Phuket, because the topic of beach resorts is not really my main interest.

Indonesia, I want to see the Borobudur temple…next time.

But, as I mentioned above, what you have to do is optimize the time you have and simply enjoy the places you have chosen.

Which airlines to choose for your trip to Southeast Asia?

Qatar has super good prices and a very easy route with only one stopover in Doha (the capital), which is worth it because the airport is fascinating. Brand stores, department stores, 'top end' eating places. And if you have the chance to travel in business class, the Qatar VIP lounge is something that I have yet to see in another airport. You arrive in Bangkok.

But also, it allows you (likewise in other airlines) to return from another city. So you don't have to travel back to the arriving city in order to catch your return flight.

Singapore Airlines, which has been rated the best airline in the world several times, flies via Singapore and to Changi Airport that I consider No.1 in the world.

There is also Thai the Thai flag line.

For me the decision on the airline I’ll fly with depends, first, on the airline ratings, I wouldn’t make such a long flight on a low-cost, but then the price deal you can get is also truly important. So choose wisely or contact a travel agent that will surely know more about what best suits your needs.

Undercover Tip: Buy internal flights separately. Air Asia, for example, is a low-cost airline that has connections everywhere at prices that will surprise you.

It works with the concept of selling you a kind of ‘naked’ ticket to which you later add the cost for your luggage, food on board, seat, preferential check-in, etc. Still, it comes up cheap.

Another reason why I recommend buying internal flights separately is to tie the price of the long haul flight from the beginning, and then you can dedicate yourself to organizing your trip more calmly since the options for these short flights are broader.  Tour operators often take care of booking these flights for you. In our case, Exotic Voyages guarantees you to get availability.

VISAS AND VACCINES

Asian countries are very appreciative of travelers to their countries and will do their best to make everything easier for you, but many of them require tourist visas that take time to process and cost some money.

I recommend that you check the IATA page which is quite up-to-date regarding nationals of one country who require a visa to enter another.

In any case, if you arrive without a visa, you can process it at the airport, the problem is that there are long lines and it ends up being time lost.

The requirements for tourist visas are very simple. Apart from filling out the form, you have to be prepared to send copies of the air ticket, hotel reservation (or a letter from the operator that organizes your trip) and proof of funds to pay for the trip.

Countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar allow visa processing "online" through their websites.

Vaccinations / Immunizations

There are citizens of certain countries who need to be vaccinated against Yellow Fever to enter South Asian countries. Venezuela is one of them.

Some simply recommend getting vaccinated, as there is always the possibility of getting infected.

And for the Covid-19 vaccine…? Well I think that when it becomes widely available to the public they will require you to present a certificate of having been immunized ahead of the trip.

CONCLUSION

Traveling to new places with your friends is a different and very special experience. You get to know much better a travel companion on a trip, than a friend at home. You create a kind of brotherhood that lasts through time.

But it surely distracts you from your trip goals. You may  miss opportunities to meet local people, who would surely go further in tips and suggestions than your guide.

When 35 people move together in large buses, they inevitably give themselves away as tourists, which in my opinion has nothing wrong except that somebody could take advantage of it in some way.

Another drawback is that everything has to be previously organized. You cannot leave loose ends, airline reservations, hotels, tours and restaurants. Nor can you leave anything to chance because solving something for a couple is always possible, but for 35, is not.

In short, in a large group everything is done differently.

It was a great experience for us and it worked out great.

If given the chance,  would I repeat it? I think yes!