Southeast Asia is a great choice for honeymoons, anniversaries, relaxing holidays, family gatherings, and trips with friends due to its stunning scenery, exotic cultures, amazing food, and affordable prices.
But, how long do you need for your trip to Southeast Asia? From this article, you will get a general idea of the length of the Southeast Asia trip you want and how to plan it.
How Long Should You Spend in Each Country?
Thailand requires about 8 days to 3 weeks for most first-time tours. It is popular to visit two cities and an island, which usually takes 8–10 days. If you want something different, like a forest park, you may need about 2 weeks. If you want to explore Thailand from north to central to south, you will need about 3 weeks.
Vietnam needs about 10 days to 2 weeks. It usually takes about 10 days to travel from Hanoi in the north to Hoi An in the middle and Ho Chi Minh in the south. If you want to enjoy more beach time, 2 weeks is needed.
Extending reading: Vietnam vs Thailand: Which to Visit (A Helpful Comparison for You)
Cambodia is not a big country. It usually takes about a week for the main attractions. Siem Reap is the main tourist destination. If you have more time, you can visit its capital Phnom Penh.
Laos is also a small country and needs about 1 week. Luang Prabang is the main tourist city.
For a trip to Myanmar, 1 to 2 weeks is suitable. 7 days is enough to visit three of its best destinations — Mandalay, Bagan, and Yangon. If you add beaches and cruises to that, a tour takes about 2 weeks.
In Indonesia, if you just go Bali only, you may need about 7 to 10 days. If you want to extend to Java or other places, you may need a few more days.
Three days is enough to visit the highlights of Singapore.
Malaysia is good for a one-week trip. You are recommended to spend 2–3 days in Kuala Lumpur and 3–4 days in Penang.
>>>How to Plan a Trip to Southeast Asia: A Beginner's Guide
>>>How to Plan a Multi-Generational Family Vacation to Southeast Asia
|
98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
|
I have never hear of this company…
I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions. More
orge alvarez,
May 2023
|
Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…
From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods More
Debbie Woods,
May 2023
|
Sharon from Asia highlights has been…
Sharon from Asia highlights has been amazing. She offered her amazing ideas to other tours I wanted. We have planned the perfect 9 day itinerary to Thailand. She worked in my budget and was very flexible when I had to change my flights. Thank you sharon. Can’t wait for the trip. More
Heather Stern Wilensky,
Apr 2023
|
Ms. Ning first review 4-2023
Ms. Albee Ning has been doing a great job accommodating my requests and itinerary changes. Remember the first itinerary is a rough draft and you may modify it to suit your tastes. Remember you can not do it all and see everything in 3 weeks. If the flight wasn't so long I would visit Southeast Asia more often. I will update my review in a few months. We don't leave for 9 more months. Asia Highlights is working well for me so far! More
Chiefray,
Apr 2023
|
Perfect Trip To Thailand…
We had so much fun in Bangkok with Tanni and Tom as they kept laughing at all of our silly jokes. Paul, our guide and Chiang Mai was really thoughtful, fun and full of great information about the temples and sights. Thanks so much! Brian and Michelle More
Scott Orchard,
Mar 2023
|
I highly recommend Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I worked with Alisa and she is fantastic! I was planning my honeymoon trip, and I changed the destination multiple times. Each time, Alisa provided me an updated itinerary with activities that matched my interests. Whether I had a small change to an activity, a question about one of the arrangements, or a change or destination, Alisa was helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable, providing me with updated options in an extremely timely manner. In the end, despite the fact that I changed my mind on location multiple times, I ended up booking a 17 day trip to Thailand for this upcoming November. I am extremely excited to experience everything that Alisa planned for us. I recommend Asia Highlights to everyone and look forward to using them again on any other trips to Asia in the future. Thank you Alisa and Asia Highlights! More
Britt Rosen,
Mar 2023
|
Three weeks encompassing Vietnam
A special shoutout to our last guide in Bangkok - Ms. Ka-Noon who spoiled us with her kindness and then got us through check in and security for our flight home in record time at that huge Bangkok airport. More
Deby,
Feb 2023
|
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia…
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia highlights twice. And both times we've had fantastic vacations. Would not want to do it any different when we travel to Asia from now on. Sharon was fantastic. She was a wonderful agent who helped us nail down our trip and make everything go as smooth as possible. More
Todd Atwell,
Feb 2023
|
Family Trip to Thailand
Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves. So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back. More
Roger Pyle,
Feb 2023
|
Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights!
I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia More
Nancy Parker,
Feb 2023
|
Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended
Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip More
AZ,
Feb 2023
|
5 STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE BY MONICA
Monica is a very sweet young lady who speaks excellent English via email/WhatsApp, and knows the importance of excellent customer service. More
Trent,
Jan 2023
|
We had an awesome experience with Asia Highlights
We started our trip in Bangkok, where Mr. Prassert our tour guide, met us. He was on time and the van was clean and well-maintained. Mr. Prassert was our guide for the 4 days we spent in Bangkok. He was helpful, kind, and willing to accommodate our pee and coffee breaks. The driver was safe and punctual. Next, we went to Chiang Mai.Gemma exceeded every expectation we had for our tour of Chiang Mai! She had a great attitude that made exploring the city fun and exciting, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience. She was always spot on with figuring out logistics and coming up with unique ideas that suited our interests and schedules. Gemma was incredibly generous with her time and even walked us to security at the airport to make sure we could carry all of our luggage. That’s just one example of how far out of her way she went to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. Gemma was sincerely interested in making every minute of our trip count. We’re very grateful to have met her and feel like we have found a friend in Gemma! Our driver in Chiang Mai was also great and very accommodating to our changes in schedules. More
Lois Paskow,
Dec 2022
|
Thailand & Cambodia 2022
Albee went above and beyond to make our trip perfect. She rearranged flights due to a mistake of mine. She made sure we were still picked up and escorted to the airport. I felt comfortable and safe with all our reps. She did an excellent job and I highly recommend her booking your next trip. Thank you, Albee. More
Karen Brooks,
Dec 2022
|
Perfect vacation thanks to Albee we…
I can’t say enough about how much we appreciate all the efforts, attention to details and immediate responses to all questions that Albee and her team provided. The Asia Highlights team deserves more stars than the maximum allowed because of continually going above and beyond all expectations. Thanks Albee for making our vacation through south east Asia absolutely perfect!!! More
Michael Sharp,
Dec 2022
|
2023 Chiang Mai CAD Yipeng Festival
We got early bird ticket and Bella was assisting us through whatsapp. Easy, competitive price, front row tickets. Thanks Bella, for being patient explaining everything to me. Highly recommended. More
lily hartati,
Dec 2022
|
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep. She was responsive and knowledgeable. Buying tickets from their website was super easy and the whole process was straightforward. Highly recommended. More
Khai,
Nov 2022
|
I was ever so grateful to have a point…
I was ever so grateful to have a point of contact while in a foreign country for the first time, alone, that helped me through the Ins and outs of getting to and from my destination. Albee was readily available which brought me much comfort and feeling of safety. If in this part of the world again, I will not hesitate to use your services.. More
Omega,
Nov 2022
|
Memorable Experience!!!
I booked tickets to the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Nov 2022. Bella was extremely responsive and helpful!! More
Bowen,
Nov 2022
|
Personalized
It is the attention to detail and what we specifically wanted to see that made the reservation experience so exciting. More
Peter Bongiovanni,
Nov 2022
|
Balancing Your Southeast Asia Itinerary
Southeast Asia is a large region made up of over 10 countries. So, when planning a Southeast Asia trip, you should usually aim for a balanced and varied itinerary, especially if your holiday time is limited: "Variety is the spice of life".
Balance the choice of destinations. The best choice is usually to combine countries with different features and vibes. Such a combination makes for a richer and more interesting experience.
Thailand, for example, is the top destination in Southeast Asia because of its diversity and outstanding travel facilities and service. After choosing Thailand, which country makes a good combo? It's best to choose a country with different features to Thailand, but also plenty of variety, like Vietnam. Vietnam features the karst seascape of Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta with its ethnic culture, which differ from Thailand's temples, beaches, and rainforest.
Balance the types of activities. Big iconic attractions, like the Grand Place in Thailand are a must, but small spots like local markets or a cooking class that reflect local life can also be mixed in.
The most popular travel combination in Southeast Asia is Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. If you have no clear idea about your trip now, here we will give you some inspiration to help you make a plan.
- If your vacation is short and you're looking for good value, our 12-Day Essential Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour is recommended for you.
- If you seek for a comfortable pace of travel, you can consider our 15-Day Best of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour (But this tour doesn't include an island sightseeing. If you want an island trip, you can check out the following itinerary or contact us to make adjustments.)
- If you prefer an in-depth trip in Southeast Aisa, the 19-Day Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam In-Depth Tour is best for you.
We promise you enjoy 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights prior to 3 weeks before departure (detail⇒).
Southeast Asia Itineraries: 2 Weeks
2 weeks in Southeast Asia offers many choices.
Some people choose to spend 2 weeks to fully explore one destination, like a 2-Week Thailand Getaway Tour for Couples or a 15-Day Vietnam Family Holiday Tour.
But most people want to explore more destinations. So, is 2 weeks enough for a two-country trip in Southeast Asia? Our answer is yes.
Visiting two countries in 2 weeks is suitable at a comfortable pace. There are three most popular combinations of a Southeast Asia trip covering 2 countries:
- Thailand + Vietnam: Islands, Mekong River cruise, temples & buildings
- Thailand + Cambodia: Islands, elephants, temples, and Angkor Wat
- Vietnam + Cambodia: Mekong River cruise, historical buildings, and Angkor Wat
Visiting three countries in 2 weeks is also possible. The most classic combo is Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. If you look for a time-smart and good value itinrary, you can check out our 12-Day Essential Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour. If you want to travel in a relaxing pace, a 15-day trip is suitable.
A Sample 2-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary:
- Days 1–7: Vietnam
Spend 2 days in Hanoi, the capital, then cruise overnight in Halong Bay. Plan 2 days in Hoi An to see Hoi An Ancient City with a basket-boat-ride experience. The last two days in Ho Chi Minh City are enough to see its historical attractions like the War Remnants Museum.
- Day 8–14: Thailand
Fly to Thailand's biggest city, Bangkok, from Vietnam's biggest — Ho Chi Minh City.
Spend 2 days exploring Bangkok's highlights like the Grand Place and have a long-tail boat ride. Then fly to Phuket or Koh Samui to enjoy some beach time. Phuket vs Koh Samui: Which is Better to Visit
You could also check options for 2 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia>>>
A Sample 15-Day SE Asia Itinerary Covering 3 Countries:
If you want to travel in a comfortable pace, you may need to add one or two days. The classic combo is Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia: spend 6 days in Thailand, 6 days in Vietnam, and 3 days in Cambodia.
- Days 1–5: Thailand
Spend two days in Bangkok. Explore the Highlights of Bangkok City like the Grand Palace and China Town.
Chiang Mai takes 3 days to explore its famous temples and mountains with an elephant experience.
- Days 6–11: Vietnam
Fly from Thailand's Chiang Mai to Vietnam's Hanoi.
Have a day tour to explore Hanoi's city highlights, then an overnight cruise on Halong Bay. Spend two days in Ho Chi Minh City to visit its top attractions like the Cu Chi Tunnels. Finally, take a one-day Mekong Delta trip by motorboat.
- Days 12–15: Cambodia
Fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Cambodia's Siem Reap.
Spend 4 days to explore Cambodian spirituality — Angkor Wat and some cultural treasures like Banteay Srei, which is the jewel of Khmer art.
For more itinerary suggestions, you can check out our 2-Week Itineraries in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam or 2-Week Southeast Asia Itineraries for Honeymoons, Families, and More,
However, 2 weeks is a limited time, so if you want to explore more places and have a deeper experience, 3 weeks or more would be better.
Southeast Asia Itineraries of 3 Weeks
Touring three countries in 3 weeks allows a comfortable pace. For most first-time visitors to Southeast Asia, it's best to choose destinations that are as multi-faceted as possible.
The most popular combination is Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia: 8 days in Vietnam, 3 days in Cambodia, and 8 days in Thailand.
A Sample 3-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary:
- Days 1–8: Vietnam
Spend two days to explore Hanoi's city highlights. Take an overnight cruise on Halong Bay and explore Sung Sot Cave. Take half a day to explore Hoi An Ancient Town. And finally, take three days to explore Ho Chi Minh City with a Mekong Delta trip.
- Days 9–11: Siem Reap
Fly to Cambodia's Siem Reap from Ho Chi Minh City.
Spend two days to explore Cambodia's national treasure — Angkor Wat — and some other attractions, like Tonle Sap Lake.
- Days 12–19: Thailand
Fly to Thailand's capital Bangkok from Siem Reap.
Spend a day in Bangkok exploring the highlights of the city, like the Grand Palace.
Spend two days in Chiang Mai to explore its famous temples and mountains with an elephant experience. Spend the remaining 4 days at the beach in Phuket or Koh Samui.
If you want to explore more places, you could choose a combination of Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia plus Laos or Myanmar. Laos is more popular, because of its famous Luang Prabang cultural jungle and its current relaxed entry policy. Myanmar requires more entry documents. Check out more about entry policies on our 10+ Asia Countries Open for Tourism without Quarantine in 2023.
You could select your preferred destinations using our Create My Trip service, and then we will create your choice of itinerary based on your wishes.
>>>How to Plan a 3-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary
Southeast Asia Itineraries: 1 Month
A month gives you some more days to explore and better achieve your SE Asia travel ambitions. 4 weeks is suitable for visiting about 5 countries. You can visit all countries of Indochina: Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Spend 8 days in Myanmar to visit its three best tourist cities — Mandalay, Yangon, and Bagan — with a lake tour, and 9 days in Vietnam to tour from south to north, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An to Hanoi.
Laos and Cambodia are smaller, so you can spend less time on them: 3 days in Laos' Luang Prabang and 2 days in Cambodia's Siem Reap. And finally take 7–9 days in Thailand to take in one or two cities and an island.
A Sample 1-Month Southeast Asia Itinerary:
- Days 1–8: Myanmar
Spend two days in Mandalay to explore its top attractions like Kuthodaw Pagoda and the World's Largest Book.
Plan two days in Bagan. Explore local markets, take part in a cooking class and visit Bagan Archaeological Zone.
Leave two days for an Inle Lake trip and two days in Yangon. Highlights include Shwedagon Pagoda and the Colonial District.
- Days 9–16: Vietnam
Fly to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City from Yangon. Take two days to explore Ho Chi Minh City with a Mekong Delta trip. Spend one day to explore Hoi An Ancient Town. In the north, spend two days exploring Hanoi city highlights and two days cruising Halong Bay.
- Days 17–19 : Laos
Fly to Laos' Luang Prabang from Hanoi.
Spend the all two days in Luang Prabang with the highlights include Wat Xieng Thong Temple, Royal Palace Museum, and Kuangsi Waterfall.
- Days 20–21: Cambodia
Fly to Cambodia's Siem Reap from Luang Prabang. Spend all two days in Siem Reap visiting Angkor Wat.
- Days 22–28: Thailand
Fly to Bangkok from Siem Reap.
Spend 2 days exploring Bangkok's highlights, like the Grand Place, and have dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Then fly to Phuket or Koh Samui to enjoy some relaxing beach time.
While what we suggest is a more comprehensive option. The choice of destination varies from person to person. If you love the beaches, you could choose to spend a month in Thailand, Bali, Malaysia, and/or the Philippines. That could be the most wonderful option for you.
Just tell us your ideal destinations, how long you have to travel, group size, budget, and other requirements, and we will create a perfectly-fitting itinerary for you together.
For more on 1-month trip planning, see The Ultimate 4-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary for You!
Southeast Asia Itineraries: 2 Months or More
If you are planning a Southeast Asia trip lasting 2 months, 3 months, or more, you could extend your travels to cover countries in Maritime Southeast Asia — Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines… (as well as the Indochina Peninsula).
Indonesia and the Philippines are great for beach fans, Singapore is an awesome city state and a high-class hub for international flights, and Malaysia's beaches and food will not disappoint you.
Or you could enrich your Indochina time with more activities in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. There are still many little-known places that are well worth visiting: Mai Chao in Vietnam, home to the White Thai ethnic group, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, ruins of former kingdoms in Thailand, and so on.
Popular Southeast Asia Tours
All our tours can be adjusted according to your requirements. Just contact us to tell us your initial ideas/needs. Or you can use our Create My Trip service to give us more detail if you already have some clear ideas about what you want.
Here are our top-choice itineraries again, which can be adjusted to suit you:
- 15-Day Best of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour
- 19-Day Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam In-Depth Tour
- 14-Day Classic Vietnam and Thailand Tour
You could use our shorter vacation plans as a starting point:
- 12-Day Essential Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour
- 13-Day Private Singapore and Bali Journey of Discovery
- 11-Day Best of Thailand and Cambodia Tour
For yet more inspiration, see our Best Southeast Asia Tour Packages>>>
Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
Get Inspired with Our Sample Itineraries
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.
