Backpacking Route Planner
for Asia



Need help with your itinerary?

-- Then you've come to the right place!

Here you`ll find backpacking route planners for Asia/Southeast Asia.

Note: And since this website is about Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and India, I`ve focused on these countries. And this theme is comprehensive, so I divided it into six parts. This page is part 1.

Here are the other pages:

Part 2: Itineraries for north Thailand

Part 3: Itineraries for Laos

Part 4: Itineraries for Cambodia

Part 5: Itineraries for Southern Thailand

Part 6: Itineraries for Malaysia

Part 7: Itineraries for India

Before you start:

When travelling in Thailand...

Have in mind that when you`re traveling without a Thai visa and traveling overland, you ONLY have 15 days of stay!

This is how I`ve understood the rules:

Example: You arrive in Thailand and stay there for 4 weeks. You travel overland to Laos, then back to Thailand (by overland). When you arrive in Thailand this time, you only have 15 days of stay!

But if you travel back to Thailand by airplane, you will get 30 days at the airport. You can re-enter Thailand for a total duration of 90 days within 6 months.

This rule applies for nationalities coming from one of these countries.

This rule has apparently been made to avoid the "in-and-out" border travel and applies for all border crossings in-and-out of Thailand.

New (and stupid) policy I`m afraid which took place from December 2008.

Read valuable info at Travelfish. Click here.

So, have this in mind when you`re reading the different itineraries. If I were you, I would arrange a tourist visa/multiple entry tourist visa in advance.

Note: The "stopover" in the itineraries below means that you likely have to switch to another transportation option.

Example: Huay Xai is a stopover for the slow boats to Luang Prabang.

If the itineraries doesn`t say anything about stopovers, you can travel directly from place to place. Island to island.

Now, let`s get started:

Itinerary covering India, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia (included all necessary stopovers)

Want to end your backpacking trip on the beaches? Check out this route.

Total time: 4 months/16-17 weeks

India: 3 weeks

A) Mumbai B) South Goa (Palolem) C) Jaipur D) New Delhi


View Larger Map

Northern Thailand: 3-4 weeks

A) Bangkok B) Chiang Mai C) Pai D) Stopover: Chiang Khong/Huay Xai border (Thailand/Laos border)


View Larger Map

Laos: 3 weeks

Huay Xai (stopover) Luang Prabang Vang Vieng
Vientiane Pakse 4000 Islands (Don Det) Vang Tao/Chong Mek border crossing (Laos/Cambodia border)

Cambodia: 2-3 weeks

Stung Treng (stopover) Phnom Penh Siem Reap Battambang
Poipet/Aranya Prather border (Cambodia/Laos border)

Then heading towards Southern Thailand:

Time: 3-4 weeks

Bangkok (overnight) Surat Thani (stopover) Koh Pha Ngan
Krabi (possible overnight) Koh Lanta Koh Phi Phi Back to Krabi (stopover) Ao Nang Khao Lak Ranong (visa renewal) Hua Hin
Cha-am Back to Bangkok

Finally Eastern Thailand: 1-2 weeks

Koh Chang Back to Bangkok

  • If you`re travelling this route in Southern Thailand, you might have to renew your visa along the way. You may do this at Ranong/Kawthoung border (Thailand/Burma). I did this back in January 2008 and it went alright.

    But check if the border is still open. The border is known for closing down at times when political issues arise. You can never know with Burma.

    • You`re done with Backpacking Route Planner, where do you want to go next?

    Back to Getting started?

    Want to read about the border crossings in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and India?

    Return from Backpacking Route Planner to Backpacking Tips Asia.





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