CONNECT BAOLAU AND CLAUDE

I've checked live availability on Baolau for all seven legs. Every departure below is on sale, and the links open Baolau with the train or bus already selected. Prices are for 1 passenger in a reserved seat.

Your itinerary

Time at each stop

• Matsumoto: about 8 hours. That's enough for the castle and the Nakamachi/Nawate streets before the evening train.
• Nagano: two nights, with 02/11 completely free. Zenkō-ji is the obvious choice, or a day trip to the snow monkeys at Jigokudani.
• Kanazawa: you arrive late morning on 03/11 and have the rest of the day for Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya and Omicho Market.
• Shirakawa-go: about 4 hours. That's enough for the village and the Shiroyama viewpoint.
• Takayama: you arrive mid-afternoon on 04/11 for the old town, and pass by the morning market on the way to the 08:00 train.
• Nagoya: about 8 hours, which is enough to visit the castle and Osu. You reach Kyoto at 19:00.

There's no direct flight or road to Koh Tao, so every route combines land or air with a ferry from the mainland, usually from Chumphon. The simplest option is a joint bus + catamaran ticket from Khao San Road in Bangkok.

Bus + catamaran

I checked a sample date. Prices are from Baolau's latest check, not a live quote.

The night departures save you a hotel night and arrive on Koh Tao in the morning.

Other ways

• Overnight train to Chumphon, then ferry. Sleeper trains run from Bangkok to Chumphon, and catamarans cross from there in about 1.5–2 hours. This is more comfortable than the bus, but you have to time the train arrival and the ferry departure.
• Fly, then ferry. You can fly to Koh Samui or Surat Thani and then take a boat. This is the fastest overall, but it costs the most.

Want me to check a specific date?

Here's the plan for Thu 12/11, for 1 passenger. Both legs were confirmed on sale just now.

Your itinerary

Why this combination

• The timing works. You arrive about 3 hours before the boat. Southbound trains often run late, so that cushion matters.
• You get a sleeper. The berth is about $11 more than a seat, and it's worth it for an overnight train.
• I skipped the earliest ferry at 05:45. It's too tight to get from Chumphon Raiway Station to Thung Makham Noi Pier, outside Chumphon town.

I've planned the route and checked live availability on Baolau for all four legs. Every departure below is on sale, and the links open Baolau with the service and fare already selected for 2 passengers.

Your itinerary

Itinerary

• Ninh Binh (20–22/11): the Limousine van drops you in Tam Coc by 10:00. You get two full days for a Tam Coc boat ride, the Hang Mua viewpoint and Trang An. The night train on the following day saves you a hotel night.
• Hue (23–24/11): you arrive at 08:45 and have all day plus the morning of the next day to visit the Citadel and the royal tombs.
• Da Nang (24–26/11): the afternoon HĐ train runs along the coast over the Hai Van Pass, which is a sight in itself. Spend the next day in Hoi An, about 45 minutes away, and the last day in Da Nang before the evening flight to Ho Chi Minh.

Choices and alternatives

• Night train from Ninh Binh to Hue: Vietnam Railways' own 4-berth sleeper on SE19 is sold out. For two people, the Lotus private cabin gives you the whole compartment. To save about $147 for the two of you, take the Lotus 4-berth shared cabin ($77.26).
• Flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh: Deluxe is only $2.50 more than Eco ($26.65). Deluxe fares usually include checked baggage. A train from Da Nang to Saigon takes 17 hours or more, so flying makes sense here.