hi.. i am going to south east asia in april 2016.. I have no idea about anything.. so far i am thinking 2 weeks in thailand, 1 week in Philippines, and 1 week in tokyo.. any suggestions on accommodation, things to do, general tips and advice? (flight to bangkok is already booked and returning from tokyo will be booked shortly)

are you a diver? Philippines is amazing for that, otherwise I loved it here https://www.facebook.com/Pandan-island-345818995445639/...

Don't feel too comfortable driving in other countries. Did you experience an island hopper when you were there? Any accommodation recommendations?

What do you like to do? Check out trip advisor and Travel Fish websites for ideas.
Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and Koh Lanta in the south are two of my favourite places.

Thanks! I will look into both those places. I was thinking about going to an elephant sanctuary in the north.. any accommodation recommendations?

The Elephant Nature Reserve is wonderful. They are rescued elephants and visitors get to feed them watermelons and fruit and bathe them in the river. There is no riding of the animals and they wander freely on the reserve. When you sign up for a day trip, a van will pick you up at your hotel/hostel and take you to the mountains about 11/2 hours out of Chiang Mai. The buffet lunch is included. It costs about $85 but is so worth it.

I always stay at Eco Resort when I'm in CM. it's a budget stay with single or shared rooms with a shared bathroom and includes a buffet breakfast. The swimming pool is great and they have washing machines so you can do your own laundry. Not in the Old City, but easy to get transport to town.
www.ecoresortchiangmai.com
ECORESORTCHIANGMAI.COM
Eco Resort Chiang Mai | Hotel in Chiang Mai | Accommodation Chiang Mai

If you want to stay in the Old City stay away from the Night Bazaar as accommodation there is really noisy. I have stayed near Tha Pae Gate on Soi 9 off Moon Muang Road. If you look at a map near Siphoom Gate there's lots of places from budget hostels to guest houses to moderate and expensive hotels down the lanes (Soi).

Thanks for the great advice!!!

Pop over to Cambodia from Thailand. About an hour flight(cheap) to spend at least three days exploring Angkor Wat......stunning!

Oh wow I just searched that up and will definitely consider adding to my itinerary! Thanks!

Rumin agree completely! The Cambodian people will steal your heart!

I would give myself more time in Japan so much to do and see. Just Tokyo alone need at least a week to explore

I heard that from everyone so I think I am just going to stick to Tokyo and hopefully will have the opportunity to go back sometime in the future to explore the rest.. hopefully during the cherry blossom season

Jake Tapp

Make a reservation to Alcatraz ER restaurant while you are in Tokyo , it's so much fun !

And we went to the Ninja Restaurant in Tokyo. Really fun.

Avoid Phuket.... overrated and slimy...way better places to explore in Thailand that are more authentic... we loved Krabi!

i was thinking about two nights in Phuket.. i guess not?

I compare it to going to Cancun and saying you went to Mexico.. it's fun and lively but not very authentic. The sex trade was also alot more visible which hard to see. We went for 2 days because we were curious and its SO well known, but regretted it in the end.

If you want something smaller and more authentic, take the ride over to Koh Yao Yai, which is an island off the eastern side of Phuket (30 mins drive from airport, then 30 mins by speedboat), and is beautiful and still very serene. Just went there in March and the beaches were empty and it wasn't jaded by tourism yet.

thanks! will have to check that out!

Skip Phuket. You can fly into Krabe and take a shuttle bus to Ao Nang. Then do a day trip to Railay Beach. Great beaches, though getting more touristy as well. Ferries to the islands nearby.

thanks!

2 weeks alone in Japan is not enough. Unless you only go one city. (tokyo, osaka, kyoto)

I am only staying in tokyo city and will be going back in the future to explore the rest of japan

Robin You are there right now. Advise on your fave spots.

great time to go! I've been there twice in April. try not to plan too much in Thailand because you will definitely change your mind once you're on your way. I would pick 2 or 3 spots you want to check out, and let the rest be played by ear. Don't bother with booking accommodation too much in advance either. You can walk in to most GOOD hotels or bungalows on the beach for $10-$15/ night. I paid a bit more, but it's peanuts either way. I suggest you pick either west or east side of south thailand and go up to chiang mai for at least 3 days to experience awesome culture and cooler travellers. Air Asia has cheap flights, but i would consider taking an overnight train as they are super cheap and a great experience. Another thing you should SERIOUSLY consider is taking 3 days and flying from bangkok to angkor wat. I paid about $150 round trip a few years ago and it is worth every penny. what a remarkable place!!! have fun on your trip!

thanks for the tips!! I am arriving there on April 15th.. what is the weather like at that time? Also, how much cash do you think I should take with me? Do most places take credit card?

if you're in a bigger restaurant, most would take credit and most hotels do as well. As for cash, you really only need it for the small eateries, markets and some of the bungalows and even then, a lot take credit card. you need cash for taxis and tuk tuks. When you take cash out, take out a fair amount because it costs like $5 for each transaction out there. and that's just the atm fee, not your bank's fees. Don't stress about it though. you can totally get by with just a credit card and there are ATMs everywhere. The weather is fine. You might get hit with rain a few times, but it clears up right away. it usually doesn't last all day. Last year when I went was in November and the south was drizzly for like 4 days straight, so we decided to pack up and head north where it was sunny the entire time. That's why you shouldn't plan everything all at once. Just show up, enjoy and be on your way if things aren't good. It's cheap to change your mind and easy to get around whether it by train or a cheapo air asia flight. Both times I've gone in April, it rained like once the entire time.

Yes Cambodia and Chang Mai for sure. And air Asia is great, we have not paid more than $50 us for a flight yet. I hear that nok air is a good budget airline as well and they fly direct to Krabi from Chang Mai. So overnight train to cm, fly out to Krabi. Krabi is a nice town with an incredible night food market. Easy to get to ao nang beaches from there. Ferry from Krabi pier to koh lanta.
You will have a blast!!

Thanks! Wow that is cheap for a flight!