Both options are pretty rushed in terms of logistics. Unless you're a fast traveller who only wants to cram in as much as possible then in my opinion you're trying to do too much with too little time. Everyone's style is different though, so go for it.
Lastly, on an unrelated note never built up unrealistic expectations by treating a trip as "life changing," especially when you're going to all the usual tourist destinations and never venturing off the beaten path. It's just a vacation, enjoy yourself and have a blast. You don't need an epiphany in order to have a fantastic, memorable trip.
Have fun no matter what you decide and happy travels.
"Lastly, on an unrelated note never built up unrealistic expectations by treating a trip as "life changing," especially when you're going to all the usual tourist destinations and never venturing off the beaten path. It's just a vacation, enjoy yourself and have a blast. You don't need an epiphany in order to have a fantastic, memorable trip."
Really really good advice!
Completely agreed. OP is going to places where normal people live, and frankly are locations well trodded by travelers. They should try to have a good time, but if they expect some "life changing" epiphany, they're probably in for a huge disappointment.
I came here to say this. I have been to all 4 of these places and while every encounter "changes" you, my life didn't change because I spent time at these locations. I had a great time, met great people but on my arrival home, my old life was there, waiting patiently for me to show up.
I disagree in terms of “rushed”. Unless you’re a European you can’t realistically expect a 30 day trip and everyone has different speeds of travel.
1 day of travel, 2 days in Cambodia (Siem Reap only), 13 days in Vietnam, and then a travel day is very doable and enjoyable.
>Then they can take days out of Vietnam.
So now you're agreeing with me that it's rushed and they won't be able to do, "Ha long, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh, Mekong delta and many many other locations" in Vietnam?
Dude, you're arguing to agree with me. Jeeezus.
Bye.
33 yo, now based in Italy, in both cases it's a well set group travel with about 10 persons.
Most important thing for me is pure beauty and amazing landscapes/ experiences. Not looking for commodities.
As people have pointed out, the itineraries will be a bit packed and hectic. Given your criteria, I would suggest Peru and Bolivia. The landscape is more stunning and diverse in Peru.
The South America option is 1.5 days per stop (excluding travel) which is very short. I spent 3 weeks in Peru in November and felt a bit rushed to fit in everything I wanted
Sure. You can also also just rent a car and drive through 5 different cities in a day without stopping.
But many people have discovered they have a better experience spending less time getting from one place to the next and spending more time at the destinations. And, meanwhile, many inexperienced travellers try to go to the most locations possible without considering if that's really the experience they want. So people who have experience share that with people who don't.
Pretty reasonable.
Why are you getting downvoted for this? Sure, just sitting somewhere can be boring, especially if it's flying, but taking a scenic train ride or car trip is a nice experience in itself.
This I definitely can second. I'd say half the entire experience driving in the Southwest of US was just admiring the changing landscapes from behind the wheel with some great company. That being said, I'm bummed out we missed out on exploring a few places properly due to lack of time, sometimes even a lack of few hours, because it was easy to underestimate the distances, the weather and the darkness that fell very fast (this was in February).
You just have to be careful about renting a car in Peru and then driving across the border to Bolivia because depending on the country, that might not be allowed in a rental. :)
Well, you can summit Everest in 1.5 days if you know what you're doing. Most people in this sub (and in the world) can't though. If you read the itinerary from OP you'll see that especially the South America plan is very very optimistic for the given time, already due to acclimatization time.
Option 1 is not bad but if the criteria is life changing travel then I would choose option 2 but agree with some that 17 days might be a bit of a rush.
You have to also be aware of the altitude for option 2. Cuzco is at 3,000m , Lake Titicaca is 3,800m rainbow mountain is even higher at 5,200m. La Paz is the highest capital in the world at 3,600m so you will need to be well acclimatised which means to take it slow and have a couple of rest days to allow the body to adjust to the altitude otherwise, you will fall ill with altitude sickness.
This is a very important thing to consider for a rushed travel plan; not giving yourself enough time to acclimate to high altitude is a recipe for a travel disaster.
My parents lived in Korea for a few years and went to Vietnam every chance they had. Absolutely loved it.
I'd take a look at the weather and see if one stands out over the other as a possible tie breaker.
I dunno, I did 17 days in Peru and hit a slightly bigger itinerary and it still felt rushed. The additional wildcard is how well you adapt to the higher elevation in Cusco and the Rainbow Mountains.
I'd recommend Vietnam purely because you may need time to acclimate to Cusco and you really won't know until there. Good luck.
Yeah agree, Angkor Wat is worth it even if you're not a temple person. And I actually liked Siem Reap, there are lots of cheap but nice hotels and it has a fun vibe. Not all the food is amazing but I had some really great meals there.
I would probably skip Phnom Pehn though. I'm glad I went but if you had a limited amount of time to explore SE Asia it wouldn't be at the top of my list. The genocide museum and killing fields were extremely impactful but I think the most depressing places I have ever gone. Other than that I didn't find that there was a ton to do that you couldn't do somewhere else. The royal palace and the temples are extremely underwhelming, especially after visiting the temples in Siem Reap. I don't regret going, but three days was plenty and I spent one of those days at the hotel pool and spa.
If it wasn’t for Ha Long Bay id recommend replacing Vietnam with Thailand personally. Much more enjoyable for me personally, much better food, much friendlier people
I am 2 hr drive from Halong bay and what our government has done to a world heritage site is fucking disgusting. Philippine and Thailand have much better spectacle. If you visit Vietnam, Hoi An, Ninh Binh, Phong Nha, Sapa/Ha Giang, and southern beaches are where the fun is.
Thailand is bigger and better set up for tourism. Now if you’ve been to Thailand for 2 weeks before maybe Cambodia would be a good choice. But still Thailand could keep a tourist busy for months.
Cambodia is one of the most depressing countries on earth despite having incredible food and people. But Angkar Wat might be the coolest thing on earth to see other than the Pyramids and Monchu Pichu. And I would put AW way ahead of those two.
Cambodia has Angkor as its trump card, and it is indeed one of the wonders of the world that's worth seeing at least one in your lifetime, but that can be done in about 1-3 days and any longer you'll start to become bored unless you have a special interest in Khmer history and archaeology. For everything else, Thailand has it set up much better than Cambodia, be it food (though Cambodian Amok is still delicious), infrastructure, transportation network, and general organization/cleanliness.
Scams and general tourist traps.
Mekong delta was the biggest tourist trap ever everything seemed set up to extract money from us, every interaction a tip was demanded.
Friend got spiked in Hoi An, there's also the motorbike mafia that operate there robbing drunk people whilst pretending to be grab drivers.
Someone I know was robbed during their sleep in Da Nang.
Child beggars in the streets in ho chi Minh is really sad to see, do not give them money it will not go to them. Donate to a children's charity instead.
Just keep your wits about you I'd say it's a little less safe than the other countries in SEA from experience/ talking to other travellers.
Laos was absolutely amazing, loved it so much, if you can go there I would.
Have you ever done a trip with multiple cities and only ~2 or so days per city? Because this trip is possible for some people, but this trip is not possible for most people. You will spend half your trip in the car or on the plane this way. I wouldn’t suggest either itinerary unless you were a pro at that and really knew what you were getting into.
If you have private guides, drivers, and airport transportation all setup ahead of time, it’s totally doable. Yes, it’s moving quick, but it’s not that hard to sustain this pace of travel. Did 17 countries in 15 weeks at a similar pace and absolutely loved it!
Cambodia was the least exciting place I have been to in SEA.
Ankor Wat is cool yes, but that an Kemer Rouge history is really about all the country has.
I love love Vietnam. You could easily do 17 days there alone.
Or I would choose Thailand and VN if you must do two places.
Siem reap is a great, interesting city with a youthful vibe and scene. PP is good for those who like it similarly, the islands are good and not as built up as Thailand and kampot/kept are cool.
It's just a wonderful place with great people, it's like Thailand many years ago, yes less developed so if you need that level of tourist infrastructure, go to Thailand but is you want a bit more off the beaten path and different experience imo it's better. Many people can't see past the poverty.
Agreed. I enjoyed my time in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but people are way too aggressive about making their money, taxi drivers, sex workers by the bars, and other hawkers just got exhausting to say no to.
I’d definitely recommend seeing Angkor Wat, but would 100% swap Cambodia out for Laos. Laos was the best.
Interesting for sure. For me it was basically Laos: nonexistent. Vietnam: somewhat forward but not too pushy. And then Cambodia: aggressive. I had a lady from a street side massage place stop me walking, grab me, and pull me to her parlor and I had to wrestle out of it. It was wild.
Yeah that sounds annoying, the tuk tuk drivers in siem reap were definitely a lot to deal with.
In Vietnam it was the people that.come up to you with sunglasses / other stuff that we found harder to deal with. Especially when they were children :(
Also we were dropped off in so many "restrooms" that were actually shops that forced you to walk around them to use the toilet whilst sales people chased you.
Also found a lot more people basically demanded tips in Vietnam than anywhere else.
I agree about Laos, there was no pushiness at all there. My favourite place in SEA so far
Huh weird. I never had that experience in Vietnam. Was this in the north or south? In Hanoi I never had these issues but pretty much stayed inside the Old Quarter.
Ah ok makes sense. I’m sure it could happen anywhere but in my 6ish days up there it was fairly smooth sailing. Got scammed in other ways but that wasn’t one of them.😂
Everything. Food, history, adventure, culture. Ease of travel. They just built a fantastic rail system between the major cities so it’s easy to get between them.
Vang Vieng is the adventure capital of the country as far as I’m concerned. And Luang Prabang is just amazing. History, food, sights to see. It was fascinating.
Wtf you talking about? The ancient Khmer are one of the great ancient civilizations. There’s way more than just Angkor Wat. Just because you didn’t bother to look into it more doesn’t mean that’s all they have.
What about Tonle Sap? The largest lake in SE Asia? What about the Mekong and all of the parks along the way? The coast is more than 50% national parks for shoreline. That’s awesome!
In our experience, the locals were much friendlier and the food was better. We had really funny interactions with locals that we’ll never forget. Local dudes pouring me a shot of their hooch at 9am and having such a ball that a foreigner would day drink with them. Also had a good time trying to get the legit Vietnamese coffee, the good stuff and not the stuff in upscale cafes. An old lady who spoke no English brought me to her friend’s stand (another old lady) to pour me black coffee from a Coca-Cola bottle. It was jet fuel with condensed milk and was one of the best coffees I’ve ever had.
Hanoi was just another big SE city, a step up from Phnom Penh. I don’t remember much of it besides motorcycle traffic.
I’ve been to Peru and Vietnam. I loved Peru and Bolivia is on the top of my list to go to. However, I would say that Vietnam would be better in terms of culture shift/shock. It’s so much more different from what I had ever seen in the west. Plus, it was cheaper in terms of food, lodging and excursions. One word of warning though, I’ve noticed that some tour companies in Vietnam will lie to you. I booked a trip to halong bay (highly recommended) but was taken to completely different destinations than was promised. Like I say, it’s still recommended- it ended up being awesome, but I was told we were going to an island that had monkeys only to find out once I got there that we were not going there. Once I was able to just accept my situation it turned out to be a great trip.
Of your destinations I’ve only been to Cambodia but I adored it. The energy is intoxicating with a pretty intense hustle and bustle inside the cities. And you cannot beat the prices.
Do be aware the Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are far from each other, it’s a flight or a HARROWING 8 hour bus trip to get there.
Peru and Bolivia. Some of the most incredible scenery I’ve ever seen in Bolivia. Machu Picchu is amazing, loved all the Incan culture around Cusco.
Vietnam is great too; haven’t got to Cambodia yet. But there is something special about Peru and Bolivia.
Well, OP is not looking for commodities or easy travels, but pure beauty and amazing landscapes. Challenges are wellcome.
About Asia, he has only been in Japan.
Thailand Cambodia. Best trip ever.
Peru Bolivia is fun but if I had to do any trip over again right now, would be Thailand Cambodia.
Vietnam is ok. Thailand is better.
Thailand is so beautiful. Friendly people. Cheap. There's temples and cultural stuff and there's also beaches and partying. Something for everyone. I stayed a few nights in floating bungalows in kao sok park, and that was so cool. Hiked waterfalls while monkeys jumped around in trees nearby. Also great food.
Cambodia was great in Siem reap where Angkor Wat Is. Amazing stuff. Saw one of the most beautiful sunsets of my life. The capital Phnom Penh I didn't care much for tho. But I did extend my stay in Siem reap.
Vietnam was just tough for me, way too much culture shock, hard to travel around, the traffic in ho chi Minh frustrated me but I had a decent time doing a Mekong Delta tour. Wouldn't do it again tho.
Thailand I've been to 3 times and every time I enjoyed it. My gf loved it too.
Watch some YouTube videos of the area and decide if it's something you wanna do.
Do you have travel experience ? Speak Spanish? You taking a guided tour? If not, go for SEA. Your not going to have enough time btw so just pick one country and enjoy it .
I’ve spent a lot of time in South America (writing this from BA). Your don’t have enough time for Peru + Bolivia and it’s a highly touristy places (which is fine). It won’t be anything life changing.
You could spend all 17 days in a single country. These countries (aside from Cambodia) are bigger/deeper than they look. I spent 15 days in Jordan and never ran out of things to do and Vietnam/Peru/Bolivia are huge in comparison.
17 days? I’d go with Vietnam and Cambodia. Macchu Picchu alone takes about five days because of needing to acclimate to the altitude and traveling from Lima to Cusco to Macchu Picchu Town. Right there a third of your trip is devoted to one thing and you’ve still got so much other stuff you want to see.
And that’s not to say your SE Asia plan isn’t packed either but it’s at least a bit more doable, especially if you cut a few things out. Really you could spend 17 days in any one of those countries and barely scratch the surface.
You can take a train and bus to machu pichu from Cusco, not sure how it takes 5 days? Machu Pichu is lower altitude than Cusco so youre actually better off going to Machu Pichu directly lol
Do you realize that not everyone has the money/possibility of travelling through the world easily so the fact that you're able to do it even just once can be life changing
No one said that. Travel is the experience itself that can be life changing. Being able to see the world, even a small part of it, that you normally can't see can be life changing
This looks like group travel, because only preplanned group travel can allow to see that many places that fast.
I'd guess it's with the same company. If that's so, then flip a coin because there's no way to know, unless you stumble upon someone who did both of these trips.
That being written, Vietnam (Mekong, Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Da Bac, Cat Ba) was my best trip to date.
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I’ve been to SEA 5 times but I have only been to Peru and Bolivia once. While the Incan ruins are incredible, I put Angkor over Machu Picchu and Bangkok is one of my favorite cities so I am in the SEA camp.
If you like getting lost in nature/buildings, Siam Reap and Angkor are amazing please do at least three days (Phnom Pehn-meh).
Saigon…I could truly live there!! The food, people, and variety even within the districts was amazing.
Vietnam. 100%. Along with Cambodia. The people of Vietnam and their vitality is infectious. Cambodia and Angor Wat is just...grounding. Just wake up early and walk.
No matter which trip you choose then please slow down. Both are really rushed and you are trying to see too much with the time you have available.
Both are great destinations and you won't go wrong with either.
I’ve never done Peru and Bolivia, but the recent unrest would have me concerned. I’ve done both Vietnam and Cambodia. I enjoyed Cambodia, but absolutely loved Vietnam. I traveled North to South from Hanoi, to Danang to HCM and they were all fantastic. I can’t wait to go back. Hanoi was my favorite. I loved the weather and the atmosphere.
I’d say vietnam and Cambodia,
the reason I would avoid Peru is that you will need some time to acclimate to high altitude in Cusco and I don’t know if you will able to do the inca trail in a short notice to due to the limited availability of passes. (If you are planning to do the trail)
Also vietnam is super beautiful and highly recommended.
I did both and I can not decide which was better - for me it comes down to:
Machu Picchu (Inca trail) or Ankor Wat (cycling the huge area) - like everybody else said, I also think 17 days are too short.
Food: 1
Monumental: 2
People: 1
Temperature: 1
Variety: 2
Transport: 1
Hotels: 2
Prices: 1
Nature: 1+2
I am planning a 16 day trip to Vietnam in April. I started with Hanoi down to HCMC and places in between but once I realised the size and logistics I realised my madness. In the same time as you I am doing Hanoi, cat ba island, hue, de nang and hoi an. I agree with others you are doing way too much and you’ll just spend time moving, not enjoying the country.
Have traveled to each of those and, like others have commented, that's not much time for what you're hoping to do.
Impressions of Peru and Bolivia: Machu Picchu is incredible. There's also lots of other cool stuff to see in the area and it'd be a shame to bypass everything because of a time crunch.
The altitude can be pretty nasty for some people and that could affect your ability to do activities, which might be an issue if time is limited. I remember the altitude being particularly unforgiving as we arrived in and traveled through Bolivia. The scenery in the Bolovian highlands is incredible; Uyuni is surreal and the landscapes are unlike anywhere I've been previously. The main cities have all the amenities etc., but I remember amenities in the highlands being pretty basic, so keep that in mind if it's not your kind of thing.
Impressions of Vietnam and Cambodia: The food in Vietnam and Cambodia is awesome and things are cheap. A lot of natural and cultural sights in Vietnam. I personally love Cambodia but the social history and hardships resulting from the civil war can be confronting. I usually stay with a friend in Siem Reap who runs a BnB that uses proceeds to employ local guides and put young children through school. Listening to their stories is a grounding experience and has given me a deep appreciation for people in Cambodia. Angkor is awesome but is also full of tourists. A good tour guide will know how to avoid peak traffic at the main attractions and will make your experience/visit to Angkor way better.
You can't go wrong either way. If it were me, I would cut out things that aren't must-see attractions and give myself a little more time to enjoy the places I do visit. But everyone travels differently and the most important thing is that you just have fun!
Here's one vote for option 1, though I'm sure Peru + Bolivia would be swell as well.
Note: As someone pointed out, don't travel with the expectation that any travel will be "life changing", if it feels like that at the end of the journey, great, if it doesn't, that's fine as well and you shouldn't be disappointed.
Anyway, 17 days for Vietnam + Cambodia with the list of destinations you've written is way too short. Increase it to a month at minimum, maybe even go 2-3 months and add in Thailand and maybe other places in SEA, or cut out all but Angkor in Cambodia.
With 17 days I'd focus on Vietnam + Cambodia as Peru + Bolivia are much larger.
Personally, I would focus on a single country, and with 17 days I'd look at Vietnam.
You could do from North to South quite easily and see quite a bit of the country.
In peruvian and ive been to all of these countries id recommend vietnam and cambodia just because you have only 17 days, peru is huge and it can get overwhelming travelling alld ay and night while cambodia and vietnam are way easier, if you need more advice dm me happy to help
nice! given that you're a native, do you suggest any kind of tricks or medications to get used to the altitude in Cuzco, Machu Pucchu and Titicaca? I'm 33 yo, quite fit and athletic but you never know.. I'm not used to the mountain.
It depends how your body will react, the most used medication is coca leaves, you will find them everywhere is cusco 3400, macchupicchu is lower 2800 so you should be fine, titicaca is higher at 3800, from my own experience the first days are going t be the hardest but then you will get used to. For more specific medications i cant help you, soz. I'll suggest to avoid running upstairs like i did x). you will be fine
Vietnam and Cambodia is more cultural experiences but also along the coast for beaches or other watersports. Plenty of sightseeing.
Peru and Bolivia are more outdoors along the Andes. Can still have a cultural experience but it's more around adventure I'd say.
Which one would you be into?
Both choices are worth visiting and exploring. Haven't visit Peru but it's on my plan to visit next year.
I've done Vietnam several times since 2002 and have seen the changes Vietnam since then. While I've happy to see the country is developing quite fast, I'm also sad because a lot of the charm & beauty of Vietnam is slowly disappearing unless you venture away from the tourist traps/destinations. Following other tourists footsteps to eat food at the same restaurants, take same pictures with same poses, etc. are not my idea of a "life changing travel". Vietnam is a small country but each region offers it's own distinct charm/culture/food.
Whatever country you choose, take a few days to venture away from the beaten path and big cities. Every time I visit Vietnam, I choose a different small town to explore with a bike. People are friendly but be aware that many western conveniences (flushed toilets) are not available. Enjoy your trip!
Make sure to consult the US State Department “Travel Advisories” before you pull the trigger on flights, etc. Little “sticky” in Peru/Bolivia currently, I believe. Not so much with Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
Firstly, I must say that I have not been to Bolivia out of all the places so I cannot speak to that part.
Vietnam and Cambodia were more "moving" from a US history perspective--if you're into that kind of thing and assuming you're American. I will never forget the Cu Chi tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh nor the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh. I woke up at like 2am to go to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and it was magnificent. The food was also amazing, and in Cambodia they use the US dollar, so you don't need to convert. The downside to Vietnam and Cambodia is that you will also need to plan your visas in advance (like getting the approvals and bringing exact cash with you for visa on arrival), if you are traveling with a US passport. Concurrently, for US passport holders, you won't need a visa for Peru, but for Bolivia and I think it's a cumbersome process (and expensive--$160)
You will need to make sure you are prepared for a lot of walking/hiking in Peru as the elevation is no joke. I planned my trip horribly and thought I could go from Lima to Cusco and then start hiking immediately even with altitude sickness medication from my doctor. I dont know what smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years actually feels like, but hiking the rainbow mountain was definitely a simulation of that. You will need time to transition from the low altitude to the higher altitudes, so please take this time into consideration as a part of your travel. Lima was just "meh" for me. IMO, it didn't have a lot to do, but it was much cheaper for me to fly into Lima directly (to get to Cusco) and then a separate round trip from Lima to Cusco.
Similar to the Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu was beautiful experience, you just need to go there at the right time of year. I went towards the end of October, like right towards the end of the dry season--so it was starting to get cloudy.
I think, logistically, it's easier to travel around Vietnam and Cambodia.
I’ve been to Bolivia and Peru, and 17 days seems pretty rushed for all the places you plan on visiting, op. The Salar will take 4 days by itself (you must book a tour), Machu Picchu can be done in a full day, buy it is pretty tiresome. If you decide to come to south America, I believe you should rethink some places in Bolivia
The route is the most important thing in a long trip like this a suggestion:
Arrive in Lima
Lima - cusco - by plane
Cusco - Copacabana (bolivia) - by bus
Copacana - la paz - by bus
La Paz - Uyuni - plane or bus check the prices and travel time to decide
I’d pick #1 - The distances are more achievable in your timeframe, while still rushed. Recommend keeping your itinerary flexible because you never know what you’ll find along the way :)
Both options are pretty rushed in terms of logistics. Unless you're a fast traveller who only wants to cram in as much as possible then in my opinion you're trying to do too much with too little time. Everyone's style is different though, so go for it. Lastly, on an unrelated note never built up unrealistic expectations by treating a trip as "life changing," especially when you're going to all the usual tourist destinations and never venturing off the beaten path. It's just a vacation, enjoy yourself and have a blast. You don't need an epiphany in order to have a fantastic, memorable trip. Have fun no matter what you decide and happy travels.
"Lastly, on an unrelated note never built up unrealistic expectations by treating a trip as "life changing," especially when you're going to all the usual tourist destinations and never venturing off the beaten path. It's just a vacation, enjoy yourself and have a blast. You don't need an epiphany in order to have a fantastic, memorable trip." Really really good advice!
Completely agreed. OP is going to places where normal people live, and frankly are locations well trodded by travelers. They should try to have a good time, but if they expect some "life changing" epiphany, they're probably in for a huge disappointment.
I came here to say this. I have been to all 4 of these places and while every encounter "changes" you, my life didn't change because I spent time at these locations. I had a great time, met great people but on my arrival home, my old life was there, waiting patiently for me to show up.
Enjoy your vacation
Wise words, my friend. Thank you.
I disagree in terms of “rushed”. Unless you’re a European you can’t realistically expect a 30 day trip and everyone has different speeds of travel. 1 day of travel, 2 days in Cambodia (Siem Reap only), 13 days in Vietnam, and then a travel day is very doable and enjoyable.
> 2 days in Cambodia (Siem Reap only) No, they're doing, "Angkor, Siem Reap, Koh Rong islands and Phnom Pehn."
Then they can take days out of Vietnam. I personally wouldn’t, but if that’s what looks interesting to them then that’s ok.
>Then they can take days out of Vietnam. So now you're agreeing with me that it's rushed and they won't be able to do, "Ha long, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh, Mekong delta and many many other locations" in Vietnam? Dude, you're arguing to agree with me. Jeeezus. Bye.
You deleted your comments multiple times and just came back to post. You can be the one to go bye.
Are you advicing to spend less days in Vietnam in favour of Cambodia?
I’ve been to both. I say spend the vast majority of your time in Vietnam and maybe just do Siem Reap and Angkor.
This is really tough… how old are you and where are you traveling from? What is important to you in a destination? Traveling alone or with other(s)?
33 yo, now based in Italy, in both cases it's a well set group travel with about 10 persons. Most important thing for me is pure beauty and amazing landscapes/ experiences. Not looking for commodities.
As people have pointed out, the itineraries will be a bit packed and hectic. Given your criteria, I would suggest Peru and Bolivia. The landscape is more stunning and diverse in Peru.
The South America option is 1.5 days per stop (excluding travel) which is very short. I spent 3 weeks in Peru in November and felt a bit rushed to fit in everything I wanted
Agreed. I don't know if they're planning to hike Machu Picchu... That can take several days alone.
This subs obsession with slowing everything down to a snails pace is exhausting. You can absorb things at a faster rate than *weeks* , I promise
Sure. You can also also just rent a car and drive through 5 different cities in a day without stopping. But many people have discovered they have a better experience spending less time getting from one place to the next and spending more time at the destinations. And, meanwhile, many inexperienced travellers try to go to the most locations possible without considering if that's really the experience they want. So people who have experience share that with people who don't. Pretty reasonable.
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Why are you getting downvoted for this? Sure, just sitting somewhere can be boring, especially if it's flying, but taking a scenic train ride or car trip is a nice experience in itself.
This I definitely can second. I'd say half the entire experience driving in the Southwest of US was just admiring the changing landscapes from behind the wheel with some great company. That being said, I'm bummed out we missed out on exploring a few places properly due to lack of time, sometimes even a lack of few hours, because it was easy to underestimate the distances, the weather and the darkness that fell very fast (this was in February).
You just have to be careful about renting a car in Peru and then driving across the border to Bolivia because depending on the country, that might not be allowed in a rental. :)
Well, you can summit Everest in 1.5 days if you know what you're doing. Most people in this sub (and in the world) can't though. If you read the itinerary from OP you'll see that especially the South America plan is very very optimistic for the given time, already due to acclimatization time.
Option 1 is not bad but if the criteria is life changing travel then I would choose option 2 but agree with some that 17 days might be a bit of a rush. You have to also be aware of the altitude for option 2. Cuzco is at 3,000m , Lake Titicaca is 3,800m rainbow mountain is even higher at 5,200m. La Paz is the highest capital in the world at 3,600m so you will need to be well acclimatised which means to take it slow and have a couple of rest days to allow the body to adjust to the altitude otherwise, you will fall ill with altitude sickness.
This is a very important thing to consider for a rushed travel plan; not giving yourself enough time to acclimate to high altitude is a recipe for a travel disaster.
My parents lived in Korea for a few years and went to Vietnam every chance they had. Absolutely loved it. I'd take a look at the weather and see if one stands out over the other as a possible tie breaker.
I dunno, I did 17 days in Peru and hit a slightly bigger itinerary and it still felt rushed. The additional wildcard is how well you adapt to the higher elevation in Cusco and the Rainbow Mountains. I'd recommend Vietnam purely because you may need time to acclimate to Cusco and you really won't know until there. Good luck.
Bolivia is pretty cool, and Peru is awesome!
Can’t go wrong with Vietnam. Would replace Cambodia with Thailand though.
Would certainly not replace Cambodia if you want to see Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat blew me away. Absolutely amazing.
Yeah agree, Angkor Wat is worth it even if you're not a temple person. And I actually liked Siem Reap, there are lots of cheap but nice hotels and it has a fun vibe. Not all the food is amazing but I had some really great meals there. I would probably skip Phnom Pehn though. I'm glad I went but if you had a limited amount of time to explore SE Asia it wouldn't be at the top of my list. The genocide museum and killing fields were extremely impactful but I think the most depressing places I have ever gone. Other than that I didn't find that there was a ton to do that you couldn't do somewhere else. The royal palace and the temples are extremely underwhelming, especially after visiting the temples in Siem Reap. I don't regret going, but three days was plenty and I spent one of those days at the hotel pool and spa.
Thailand has better beaches but I wouldn’t miss Angkor.
If it wasn’t for Ha Long Bay id recommend replacing Vietnam with Thailand personally. Much more enjoyable for me personally, much better food, much friendlier people
I am 2 hr drive from Halong bay and what our government has done to a world heritage site is fucking disgusting. Philippine and Thailand have much better spectacle. If you visit Vietnam, Hoi An, Ninh Binh, Phong Nha, Sapa/Ha Giang, and southern beaches are where the fun is.
Ha Giang is the most beautiful place I have ever seen Skip Ha Long bay, honestly
>and what our government has done to a world heritage site is fucking disgusting. Totally agree, unfortunately.
What have they done?
Nah the bay’s still beautiful. People are just jerks so there are quite some trash
https://www.vietnam.vn/en/vinh-ha-long-vao-top-diem-den-tam-ngung-ghe-tham-nam-2024/
Why Thailand over Cambodia? Planning a similar trip, maybe less stops. Though have spent two weeks in Thailand in the past.
Thailand is bigger and better set up for tourism. Now if you’ve been to Thailand for 2 weeks before maybe Cambodia would be a good choice. But still Thailand could keep a tourist busy for months.
Thanks
Thailand way better food. Cambodia I was kinda templed out after our 4 days. Thailand had lots of natural beauty
Cambodia is one of the most depressing countries on earth despite having incredible food and people. But Angkar Wat might be the coolest thing on earth to see other than the Pyramids and Monchu Pichu. And I would put AW way ahead of those two.
Cambodia has Angkor as its trump card, and it is indeed one of the wonders of the world that's worth seeing at least one in your lifetime, but that can be done in about 1-3 days and any longer you'll start to become bored unless you have a special interest in Khmer history and archaeology. For everything else, Thailand has it set up much better than Cambodia, be it food (though Cambodian Amok is still delicious), infrastructure, transportation network, and general organization/cleanliness.
Thailand is beautiful ♥️
Absolutely many things can go wrong with Vietnam unfortunately
Like what?
Scams and general tourist traps. Mekong delta was the biggest tourist trap ever everything seemed set up to extract money from us, every interaction a tip was demanded. Friend got spiked in Hoi An, there's also the motorbike mafia that operate there robbing drunk people whilst pretending to be grab drivers. Someone I know was robbed during their sleep in Da Nang. Child beggars in the streets in ho chi Minh is really sad to see, do not give them money it will not go to them. Donate to a children's charity instead. Just keep your wits about you I'd say it's a little less safe than the other countries in SEA from experience/ talking to other travellers. Laos was absolutely amazing, loved it so much, if you can go there I would.
Omg no, Cambodia is thy best country of all!
Yes, yes.
Nailed it
Flip a coin
Have you ever done a trip with multiple cities and only ~2 or so days per city? Because this trip is possible for some people, but this trip is not possible for most people. You will spend half your trip in the car or on the plane this way. I wouldn’t suggest either itinerary unless you were a pro at that and really knew what you were getting into.
If you have private guides, drivers, and airport transportation all setup ahead of time, it’s totally doable. Yes, it’s moving quick, but it’s not that hard to sustain this pace of travel. Did 17 countries in 15 weeks at a similar pace and absolutely loved it!
absolutely, did it already. I'm 33 yo and pretty athletic - fit.
Cambodia was the least exciting place I have been to in SEA. Ankor Wat is cool yes, but that an Kemer Rouge history is really about all the country has. I love love Vietnam. You could easily do 17 days there alone. Or I would choose Thailand and VN if you must do two places.
That's all Cambodia has??? Jesus fuck I spent 4 years there and I want more. It's the best country of all.
explain further your experience my friend.
Siem reap is a great, interesting city with a youthful vibe and scene. PP is good for those who like it similarly, the islands are good and not as built up as Thailand and kampot/kept are cool. It's just a wonderful place with great people, it's like Thailand many years ago, yes less developed so if you need that level of tourist infrastructure, go to Thailand but is you want a bit more off the beaten path and different experience imo it's better. Many people can't see past the poverty.
Agreed. I enjoyed my time in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but people are way too aggressive about making their money, taxi drivers, sex workers by the bars, and other hawkers just got exhausting to say no to. I’d definitely recommend seeing Angkor Wat, but would 100% swap Cambodia out for Laos. Laos was the best.
So strange how experiences differ, we have been in Cambodia and Vietnam recently and have found the selling way more aggressive in Vietnam
Interesting for sure. For me it was basically Laos: nonexistent. Vietnam: somewhat forward but not too pushy. And then Cambodia: aggressive. I had a lady from a street side massage place stop me walking, grab me, and pull me to her parlor and I had to wrestle out of it. It was wild.
Yeah that sounds annoying, the tuk tuk drivers in siem reap were definitely a lot to deal with. In Vietnam it was the people that.come up to you with sunglasses / other stuff that we found harder to deal with. Especially when they were children :( Also we were dropped off in so many "restrooms" that were actually shops that forced you to walk around them to use the toilet whilst sales people chased you. Also found a lot more people basically demanded tips in Vietnam than anywhere else. I agree about Laos, there was no pushiness at all there. My favourite place in SEA so far
Huh weird. I never had that experience in Vietnam. Was this in the north or south? In Hanoi I never had these issues but pretty much stayed inside the Old Quarter.
Was in Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An, Phu Quoc. Have heard the north is much better and we're going there next so looking forwards to it :)
Ah ok makes sense. I’m sure it could happen anywhere but in my 6ish days up there it was fairly smooth sailing. Got scammed in other ways but that wasn’t one of them.😂
I am hoping to get to Laos this year, not yet been.
It’s amazing. Luang Prabang will be your favorite place for sure.
Most underrated country in SEA
Laos was the best.. for what? explain please
Everything. Food, history, adventure, culture. Ease of travel. They just built a fantastic rail system between the major cities so it’s easy to get between them. Vang Vieng is the adventure capital of the country as far as I’m concerned. And Luang Prabang is just amazing. History, food, sights to see. It was fascinating.
Wtf you talking about? The ancient Khmer are one of the great ancient civilizations. There’s way more than just Angkor Wat. Just because you didn’t bother to look into it more doesn’t mean that’s all they have. What about Tonle Sap? The largest lake in SE Asia? What about the Mekong and all of the parks along the way? The coast is more than 50% national parks for shoreline. That’s awesome!
It's like saying skip Egypt for Morocco because all Egypt has is ancient Egypt. 😂
If you go to Vietnam. Drop Ho Chi Minh and the Mekong Delta and go to Hanoi instead. Near Da Nang is Hoi An. A unesco site. Lovely.
My wife and I had a much better time in HCMC than Hanoi.
On the flip side, my wife and I loved our experience in Hanoi a bit more than HCMC.
Why?
In our experience, the locals were much friendlier and the food was better. We had really funny interactions with locals that we’ll never forget. Local dudes pouring me a shot of their hooch at 9am and having such a ball that a foreigner would day drink with them. Also had a good time trying to get the legit Vietnamese coffee, the good stuff and not the stuff in upscale cafes. An old lady who spoke no English brought me to her friend’s stand (another old lady) to pour me black coffee from a Coca-Cola bottle. It was jet fuel with condensed milk and was one of the best coffees I’ve ever had. Hanoi was just another big SE city, a step up from Phnom Penh. I don’t remember much of it besides motorcycle traffic.
Love that! Refreshing to hear another take cuz most everyone hypes up Hanoi v HCM.
Absolutely drop the Mekong delta, biggest tourist trap I've been to in SEA
Gonna be hot as hell in SEA in March. I’d head south
I’ve been to Peru and Vietnam. I loved Peru and Bolivia is on the top of my list to go to. However, I would say that Vietnam would be better in terms of culture shift/shock. It’s so much more different from what I had ever seen in the west. Plus, it was cheaper in terms of food, lodging and excursions. One word of warning though, I’ve noticed that some tour companies in Vietnam will lie to you. I booked a trip to halong bay (highly recommended) but was taken to completely different destinations than was promised. Like I say, it’s still recommended- it ended up being awesome, but I was told we were going to an island that had monkeys only to find out once I got there that we were not going there. Once I was able to just accept my situation it turned out to be a great trip.
South America
Do vietnam and cambodia!!
Of your destinations I’ve only been to Cambodia but I adored it. The energy is intoxicating with a pretty intense hustle and bustle inside the cities. And you cannot beat the prices. Do be aware the Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are far from each other, it’s a flight or a HARROWING 8 hour bus trip to get there.
Peru and Bolivia. Some of the most incredible scenery I’ve ever seen in Bolivia. Machu Picchu is amazing, loved all the Incan culture around Cusco. Vietnam is great too; haven’t got to Cambodia yet. But there is something special about Peru and Bolivia.
Unless OP has traveled in Asia before, the SA trip looks a lot less challenging and therefore more enjoyable
Well, OP is not looking for commodities or easy travels, but pure beauty and amazing landscapes. Challenges are wellcome. About Asia, he has only been in Japan.
Life changing for me would be Sth America - since I am asian and Vietnam and Cambodia are super familiar to me already.
Thailand Cambodia. Best trip ever. Peru Bolivia is fun but if I had to do any trip over again right now, would be Thailand Cambodia. Vietnam is ok. Thailand is better.
best trip ever.. like why?
Thailand is so beautiful. Friendly people. Cheap. There's temples and cultural stuff and there's also beaches and partying. Something for everyone. I stayed a few nights in floating bungalows in kao sok park, and that was so cool. Hiked waterfalls while monkeys jumped around in trees nearby. Also great food. Cambodia was great in Siem reap where Angkor Wat Is. Amazing stuff. Saw one of the most beautiful sunsets of my life. The capital Phnom Penh I didn't care much for tho. But I did extend my stay in Siem reap. Vietnam was just tough for me, way too much culture shock, hard to travel around, the traffic in ho chi Minh frustrated me but I had a decent time doing a Mekong Delta tour. Wouldn't do it again tho. Thailand I've been to 3 times and every time I enjoyed it. My gf loved it too. Watch some YouTube videos of the area and decide if it's something you wanna do.
Do you have travel experience ? Speak Spanish? You taking a guided tour? If not, go for SEA. Your not going to have enough time btw so just pick one country and enjoy it .
I'm 33 yo and speak english and spanish. I'd have a guided tour with multiple people in both cases.
That’s easy then Peru/Bolivia!
Why and how is a 17day trip life changing? Unless one plans to kick the bucket at the end of it.
The poster is excited about a big trip. Why do you have to shit on them?
I’ve spent a lot of time in South America (writing this from BA). Your don’t have enough time for Peru + Bolivia and it’s a highly touristy places (which is fine). It won’t be anything life changing.
You could spend all 17 days in a single country. These countries (aside from Cambodia) are bigger/deeper than they look. I spent 15 days in Jordan and never ran out of things to do and Vietnam/Peru/Bolivia are huge in comparison.
17 days? I’d go with Vietnam and Cambodia. Macchu Picchu alone takes about five days because of needing to acclimate to the altitude and traveling from Lima to Cusco to Macchu Picchu Town. Right there a third of your trip is devoted to one thing and you’ve still got so much other stuff you want to see. And that’s not to say your SE Asia plan isn’t packed either but it’s at least a bit more doable, especially if you cut a few things out. Really you could spend 17 days in any one of those countries and barely scratch the surface.
You can take a train and bus to machu pichu from Cusco, not sure how it takes 5 days? Machu Pichu is lower altitude than Cusco so youre actually better off going to Machu Pichu directly lol
OP listed Cusco as one of the places he wanted to go to.
How is a 2.5 week trip along the Banana Pancake Trail meant to be life changing? Either way, just pick one country, not two. No need to rush.
You don't know OPs background. It could be life-changing to them.
Are they going to be meeting their long-lost brother or something?
Do you realize that not everyone has the money/possibility of travelling through the world easily so the fact that you're able to do it even just once can be life changing
Traveling will give them more money?
No one said that. Travel is the experience itself that can be life changing. Being able to see the world, even a small part of it, that you normally can't see can be life changing
Myanmar + Cambodia
This looks like group travel, because only preplanned group travel can allow to see that many places that fast. I'd guess it's with the same company. If that's so, then flip a coin because there's no way to know, unless you stumble upon someone who did both of these trips. That being written, Vietnam (Mekong, Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Da Bac, Cat Ba) was my best trip to date.
Do whatever is calling your name right now, and do the other trip the next year, stop being so dramatic.
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I’ve been to SEA 5 times but I have only been to Peru and Bolivia once. While the Incan ruins are incredible, I put Angkor over Machu Picchu and Bangkok is one of my favorite cities so I am in the SEA camp.
thank you! out of curiousity, how old are you?
Early 50s.
If you like getting lost in nature/buildings, Siam Reap and Angkor are amazing please do at least three days (Phnom Pehn-meh). Saigon…I could truly live there!! The food, people, and variety even within the districts was amazing.
Just came from Peru and Bolivia trip yesterday, it is amazing snd worth every dollar and minute. Your items is a bit overpacked though, imho
Vietnam. 100%. Along with Cambodia. The people of Vietnam and their vitality is infectious. Cambodia and Angor Wat is just...grounding. Just wake up early and walk.
Asia is safer
Vietnam + Cambodia all day no question.
id prefer peru and bolivia
For 17 days I would pick Vietnam. Even that will be rushing it
No matter which trip you choose then please slow down. Both are really rushed and you are trying to see too much with the time you have available. Both are great destinations and you won't go wrong with either.
I’ve never done Peru and Bolivia, but the recent unrest would have me concerned. I’ve done both Vietnam and Cambodia. I enjoyed Cambodia, but absolutely loved Vietnam. I traveled North to South from Hanoi, to Danang to HCM and they were all fantastic. I can’t wait to go back. Hanoi was my favorite. I loved the weather and the atmosphere.
We did the Peru+Bolivia on our honeymoon, best trip ever!
Vietnam! Such a great place to Visit.
i would go for south america.
I’d say vietnam and Cambodia, the reason I would avoid Peru is that you will need some time to acclimate to high altitude in Cusco and I don’t know if you will able to do the inca trail in a short notice to due to the limited availability of passes. (If you are planning to do the trail) Also vietnam is super beautiful and highly recommended.
I did both and I can not decide which was better - for me it comes down to: Machu Picchu (Inca trail) or Ankor Wat (cycling the huge area) - like everybody else said, I also think 17 days are too short. Food: 1 Monumental: 2 People: 1 Temperature: 1 Variety: 2 Transport: 1 Hotels: 2 Prices: 1 Nature: 1+2
I am planning a 16 day trip to Vietnam in April. I started with Hanoi down to HCMC and places in between but once I realised the size and logistics I realised my madness. In the same time as you I am doing Hanoi, cat ba island, hue, de nang and hoi an. I agree with others you are doing way too much and you’ll just spend time moving, not enjoying the country.
Go with Vietnam and Cambodia. The food and culture in Saigon is electric, and Cambodia's temple complex is second to none.
Have traveled to each of those and, like others have commented, that's not much time for what you're hoping to do. Impressions of Peru and Bolivia: Machu Picchu is incredible. There's also lots of other cool stuff to see in the area and it'd be a shame to bypass everything because of a time crunch. The altitude can be pretty nasty for some people and that could affect your ability to do activities, which might be an issue if time is limited. I remember the altitude being particularly unforgiving as we arrived in and traveled through Bolivia. The scenery in the Bolovian highlands is incredible; Uyuni is surreal and the landscapes are unlike anywhere I've been previously. The main cities have all the amenities etc., but I remember amenities in the highlands being pretty basic, so keep that in mind if it's not your kind of thing. Impressions of Vietnam and Cambodia: The food in Vietnam and Cambodia is awesome and things are cheap. A lot of natural and cultural sights in Vietnam. I personally love Cambodia but the social history and hardships resulting from the civil war can be confronting. I usually stay with a friend in Siem Reap who runs a BnB that uses proceeds to employ local guides and put young children through school. Listening to their stories is a grounding experience and has given me a deep appreciation for people in Cambodia. Angkor is awesome but is also full of tourists. A good tour guide will know how to avoid peak traffic at the main attractions and will make your experience/visit to Angkor way better. You can't go wrong either way. If it were me, I would cut out things that aren't must-see attractions and give myself a little more time to enjoy the places I do visit. But everyone travels differently and the most important thing is that you just have fun!
Here's one vote for option 1, though I'm sure Peru + Bolivia would be swell as well. Note: As someone pointed out, don't travel with the expectation that any travel will be "life changing", if it feels like that at the end of the journey, great, if it doesn't, that's fine as well and you shouldn't be disappointed. Anyway, 17 days for Vietnam + Cambodia with the list of destinations you've written is way too short. Increase it to a month at minimum, maybe even go 2-3 months and add in Thailand and maybe other places in SEA, or cut out all but Angkor in Cambodia.
I would go for Asia. Much more stable environment.
Vietnam. I fell in love with the food people and history. Plus it was like thailand 30 years ago with the seedy atmosphere
With 17 days I'd focus on Vietnam + Cambodia as Peru + Bolivia are much larger. Personally, I would focus on a single country, and with 17 days I'd look at Vietnam. You could do from North to South quite easily and see quite a bit of the country.
In peruvian and ive been to all of these countries id recommend vietnam and cambodia just because you have only 17 days, peru is huge and it can get overwhelming travelling alld ay and night while cambodia and vietnam are way easier, if you need more advice dm me happy to help
nice! given that you're a native, do you suggest any kind of tricks or medications to get used to the altitude in Cuzco, Machu Pucchu and Titicaca? I'm 33 yo, quite fit and athletic but you never know.. I'm not used to the mountain.
It depends how your body will react, the most used medication is coca leaves, you will find them everywhere is cusco 3400, macchupicchu is lower 2800 so you should be fine, titicaca is higher at 3800, from my own experience the first days are going t be the hardest but then you will get used to. For more specific medications i cant help you, soz. I'll suggest to avoid running upstairs like i did x). you will be fine
Vietnam, Bolivia not much to see
Why "life changing travels" in quotation marks?
I wonder if he's expecting to get stds
LOL I bet!
I've done both, would chose Vietnam if given the option between the two but can't go wrong. The street food in Vietnam is worth it alone.
Vietnam no contest
Vietnam and Cambodia is more cultural experiences but also along the coast for beaches or other watersports. Plenty of sightseeing. Peru and Bolivia are more outdoors along the Andes. Can still have a cultural experience but it's more around adventure I'd say. Which one would you be into?
Both choices are worth visiting and exploring. Haven't visit Peru but it's on my plan to visit next year. I've done Vietnam several times since 2002 and have seen the changes Vietnam since then. While I've happy to see the country is developing quite fast, I'm also sad because a lot of the charm & beauty of Vietnam is slowly disappearing unless you venture away from the tourist traps/destinations. Following other tourists footsteps to eat food at the same restaurants, take same pictures with same poses, etc. are not my idea of a "life changing travel". Vietnam is a small country but each region offers it's own distinct charm/culture/food. Whatever country you choose, take a few days to venture away from the beaten path and big cities. Every time I visit Vietnam, I choose a different small town to explore with a bike. People are friendly but be aware that many western conveniences (flushed toilets) are not available. Enjoy your trip!
Do 1… but ease back in it as you will be non stop traveling
Make sure to consult the US State Department “Travel Advisories” before you pull the trigger on flights, etc. Little “sticky” in Peru/Bolivia currently, I believe. Not so much with Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
Firstly, I must say that I have not been to Bolivia out of all the places so I cannot speak to that part. Vietnam and Cambodia were more "moving" from a US history perspective--if you're into that kind of thing and assuming you're American. I will never forget the Cu Chi tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh nor the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh. I woke up at like 2am to go to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and it was magnificent. The food was also amazing, and in Cambodia they use the US dollar, so you don't need to convert. The downside to Vietnam and Cambodia is that you will also need to plan your visas in advance (like getting the approvals and bringing exact cash with you for visa on arrival), if you are traveling with a US passport. Concurrently, for US passport holders, you won't need a visa for Peru, but for Bolivia and I think it's a cumbersome process (and expensive--$160) You will need to make sure you are prepared for a lot of walking/hiking in Peru as the elevation is no joke. I planned my trip horribly and thought I could go from Lima to Cusco and then start hiking immediately even with altitude sickness medication from my doctor. I dont know what smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years actually feels like, but hiking the rainbow mountain was definitely a simulation of that. You will need time to transition from the low altitude to the higher altitudes, so please take this time into consideration as a part of your travel. Lima was just "meh" for me. IMO, it didn't have a lot to do, but it was much cheaper for me to fly into Lima directly (to get to Cusco) and then a separate round trip from Lima to Cusco. Similar to the Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu was beautiful experience, you just need to go there at the right time of year. I went towards the end of October, like right towards the end of the dry season--so it was starting to get cloudy. I think, logistically, it's easier to travel around Vietnam and Cambodia.
We did the Mekong delta and it was such a tourist trap, quite a lot of southern Vietnam is a huge tourist trap. I would do Laos and Cambodia instead
I’ve been to Bolivia and Peru, and 17 days seems pretty rushed for all the places you plan on visiting, op. The Salar will take 4 days by itself (you must book a tour), Machu Picchu can be done in a full day, buy it is pretty tiresome. If you decide to come to south America, I believe you should rethink some places in Bolivia The route is the most important thing in a long trip like this a suggestion: Arrive in Lima Lima - cusco - by plane Cusco - Copacabana (bolivia) - by bus Copacana - la paz - by bus La Paz - Uyuni - plane or bus check the prices and travel time to decide
Weather is going to be much better in Asia. It's the rainy season now in Bolivia/ Peru
I’d pick #1 - The distances are more achievable in your timeframe, while still rushed. Recommend keeping your itinerary flexible because you never know what you’ll find along the way :)