Thailand & Vietnam multicentre recommendations for Feb?

[Ilikeyoursleeves]

We are hoping to go to Thailand and also possibly Vietnam in Feb 2025, I am so excited even thinking about it! We will be going as a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 teens), I'm just wondering how to do it, where to go and with what travel company?

I'm thinking a few nights in Bangkok, then on to somewhere for a beach and relaxation on one of the islands maybe. I'd also love to go to Vietnam seeing as we are over there and won't be likely to return any time soon and it's probably our last big family holiday given the age of our kids. We will have two weeks or maybe more if they are off school for longer (we will be taking the kids out of school for a week then it will be half term).

I'd love to hear anyone's experiences and recommendations for Feb over that neck of the woods?? Thank you!

Use Travelfish site to do your own search on which places attract you.
South of Vietnam will have better weather than the other 2 regions (North and Central VN) in February.

Hanoi is cold in February. You need to bring a jacket or coat. Halong Bay is just misty and not worth the boat trip.

It is beautiful weather for Sapa.

We've just booked with Trailfinders for our 'last big family holiday' but just for Thailand - and for Dec. I'd have loved to add Vietnam but the cost and distances are high....so we are doing 2 weeks and have Bangkok, Chang Mai, 3 nights at an Elephant sanctuary bush camp and then to Khao Lak for 5 days on the beach on the itinerary.

We are staying in mid range hotels, but due to 6x flights (2 adults, 4 older teens) and transfers it isn't cheap, but adding in Vietnam made it crazy money - plus we ran out of (school) holiday.

I'm sure we could have done it cheaper if we had researched and booked it all ourselves, but Trailfinders have been brilliant and I like the comfort of knowing we are covered if there are any problems.

We are doing Singapore and Vietnam but in July so sticking to central Vietnam as north and south rainy then. I’m thinking if we love it, we can explore it further once the DC no longer want to come with us (18 & 20 and still do!) in March/April time another year.

I got Trailfinders to price it up but didn’t much fancy the hotels they had contracts with, so researched myself and got better hotels and £1500 cheaper booking direct.

Vietnam looks to be super cheap once there so we are spending the bulk of our time there. Singapore we will eat at street food places for supper and I’ve got breakfast included at the hotel so shouldn’t need to spend much on food there.

@Panicmode1 I'm thinking of booking with Trailfinders too maybe, when I spoke to them they suggested I came back to them in a few months when the flights would be bookable.

Can I ask roughly how much it is costing you per person for 2 weeks? Obv this will vary depending on board and location / flights etc but your itinerary sounds similar to what I'd love!

Hadn't thought a Vietnam swap for a Thailand place would be so £££££. Might be better just going to Thailand then?

Thanks, I've not heard of that site so will have a look

@Dontwish did you book the flights and hotels yourself then?

Yes - flights direct with airline and hotels on booking dot com. Dead easy.

About £3500...staying in c 3 rather than 5 places. That's flights, hotels and transfers and most meals.

(We actually wanted to go to SA and do a safari etc but were quoted 19k just for flights 🤯 this Dec)

@Panicmode1 Ooft that's a lot but prob not far off what I was thinking. We would prob do 3 places, Bangkok and two beach type places I think

Speaking from experience, Vietnam offers way more - better scenery, a lot cheaper, way fewer backpackers. If you want to do Thailand -

• Do 2 nights in Bangkok (max - you can do the whole city in a day)
• Catch the sleeper train to Chiang Mai and explore the mountains, stay there for 3/4 nights.
• Fly from Chiang Mai down to island of choice or Krabi/Phuket, spend 4/5 nights relaxing in the sun.

Just a warning that Thailand is pretty full of 18 y/o backpackers, especially the islands, and especially around the full moon parties. So bear this in mind with teens - they will likely be offered 'stuff' if they're left on their own and they look like backpacker age.

Vietnam you could easily spend a week in the north (Hanoi, trekking in Sapa, Ninh Binh), fly down south to Da Nang and Hoi An for a few days (surfer city and quaint touristy village), then finish the holiday with a few days in the madness of Ho Chi Minh City.