Southeast Asia Itineraries: How Long to Spend

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 Trip to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore

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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.

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:

• 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.

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.

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.

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:

• Best Southeast Asia Tour Packages