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 Southeast Asia?
Based on our data from our over 10,000 customers, it appears that the ideal duration for exploring Southeast Asia varies among different traveler demographics. Couples tend to find a three-week itinerary most satisfying, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of the region's diverse attractions.
On the other hand, families with children often find a two-week timeframe more suitable, striking a balance between experiencing key destinations and accommodating the needs of younger travelers.
In Southeast Asia, Thailand and Vietnam are relatively big, so plan to spend about 10-12 days exploring each. For smaller countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, a week is usually enough, especially if it's your first visit. This way, you can enjoy and experience the best of each place without feeling rushed.
- Thailand requires about 10 to 12 days. It is popular to visit two cities (Bangkok and Chiang Mai) and an island. If you want something different, like a forest park, you may need about 2 weeks.
- Vietnam needs about 10 days to 2 weeks to travel from Hanoi in the north to Hoi An in the middle and Ho Chi Minh in the south.
- Cambodia usually requires about a week for the main attractions, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
- Laos needs about 1 week. Luang Prabang is the main tourist city.
- For a trip to Myanmar, 7 days is enough to visit three of its best destinations — Mandalay, Bagan, and Yangon.
- In Indonesia, if you just go to 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.
- In Singapore, three days is enough to visit the highlights.
- 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.
>>>Further reading:
- How to Plan a Trip to Southeast Asia: A Beginner's Guide
- How to Plan a Family Trip to Southeast Asia
- How to Plan a Trip to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore
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Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
Rylan Coache, Feb 2024
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Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
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Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
Tricia, Feb 2024
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Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
Ashley White, Feb 2024
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Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
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Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
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What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
Rachel, Feb 2024
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Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
Sandy, Jan 2024
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Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
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Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024
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Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
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Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024
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Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024
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Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
Taylor Jones, Jan 2024
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Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
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We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
Karen Rocque, Dec 2023
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Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023
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Accommodations by Asia highlights have
Accommodations by Asia highlights have been terrific so far. The Khmer Residence in Siem Reap as well as Eastin Grand hotel in Bangkok. Both had excellent pools and breakfasts.Tours in Siem Reap were particularly well given with an amazing mix of culture, history and humor throughout (Mr Poly). Tours in Bangkok by Mr Banks were informative and well organized with samples of Thai fruit and treats throughout. More
Chris Williams, Nov 2023
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Seeing Bangkok with ease
In Bangkok, our tour guide, Ying, was wonderful. She navigated all the sights with ease, gave us interesting tidbits on Thai culture and history, helped us pick the right food at all the restaurants, and was just a pleasure to be around. We had a great time, and it was so nice to not have to worry about any of the details. More
Diane Elkins, Nov 2023
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Thailand- October 2023!
The team in Thailand was also great. Shout out to our tour guides (Monchai in Bangkok, Indy in Chang Mai and Sonia in Phuket) they were the best!! It was 6 of us and they make us all feel right at home! Kudos! More
Mori P, Nov 2023
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How to Make the Most of Your Time in Southeast Asia?
Southeast Asia boasts over 10 diverse countries, and the key to an enriching experience is to mix destinations with unique features and vibes. For a standout adventure, consider combining countries that offer distinct flavors.
For example, Thailand stands out as a top destination, known for its diversity and excellent travel amenities. To complement your Thai experience, choose a country with a different vibe, like Vietnam. Vietnam offers stunning natural wonders like Halong Bay and the cultural richness of the Mekong Delta, providing a unique contrast to Thailand's temples, beaches, and rainforests.
One of the most popular travel combinations in Southeast Asia is Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. If you're unsure about your itinerary, we'll provide some inspiration to help you plan your trip.
- 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 a comfortable pace of travel, you can consider our 15-Day Best of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour.
- If you prefer an in-depth trip in Southeast Asia, the 19-Day Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam In-Depth Tour is best for you.
Southeast Asia Itineraries: 2 Weeks
Embarking on a 2-week journey in Southeast Asia presents a myriad of options.
1. Focused Exploration: Opt for a deep dive into one destination with specialized tours like the 2-Week Thailand Getaway Tour for Couples or the 13-Day Vietnam Family-with-Teenagers Holiday.
2. Two-Country Adventure: Perfect for those craving variety, a two-country trip is not only feasible but comfortable. Key combinations include:
- 14-Day Classic Thailand + Vietnam: Islands, Mekong River cruise, temples & buildings
- 11-Day Best of Thailand + Cambodia: Islands, elephants, temples, and Angkor Wat
- 12-Day Vietnam + Cambodia: Mekong River cruise, historical buildings, and Angkor Wat
3. Triple Delight: Visiting three countries in 2 weeks is also possible. The classic trio of Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia beckons, offering a blend of efficiency and value. Check out our thoughtfully crafted 12-Day Essential Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour for a time-smart itinerary. For a more leisurely pace, consider the 15-day option.
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
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.
You could also check options for 2 weeks in Thailand and Vietnam, 2 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia & 2-Week Thailand-and-Cambodia Itineraries>>>
A Sample 15-Day Southeast Asia Itinerary Covering 3 Countries:
If you want to travel at 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 (Bangkok, Chiang Mai)
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 (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City)
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 (Siem Reap, Angkor Wat)
Spend 4 days exploring Cambodian spirituality — Angkor Wat and some cultural treasures like Banteay Srei, which is the jewel of Khmer art.
Suggested reading:
- Top 3 2-Week Itineraries in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam;
- 2 Weeks in Southeast Asia: Top 5 Trip Itineraries
Southeast Asia Itineraries of 3 Weeks
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.
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: Cambodia
Spend two days exploring Cambodia's national treasure — Angkor Wat — and some other attractions, like Tonle Sap Lake.
- Days 12–19: Thailand
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.
If you want an in-depth discovery, learn more itineraries about 3 weeks in Thailand and Cambodia>>>
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.
Suggested reading: 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 (Mandalay, Bagan, Yangon)
- Days 9–16: Vietnam (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta)
- Days 17–19 : Laos (Luang Prabang)
- Days 20–21: Cambodia (Angkor Wat)
- Days 22–28: Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, an island)
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.
Suggested reading: 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.
Suggested reading:
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- 12-Day Essential Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour
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- 13-Day Private Singapore and Bali Journey of Discovery
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- 14-Day Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Itinerary: Premium Private Tour
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It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)
moreFrom the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.
moreThe tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history
moreWe made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreOther highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,
moreOur day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.
moreWe had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreWe traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.
moreWe visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.
moreAmazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!
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