H
Hitori
Re: Travel
Dude, go to India, but South Korea is fantastic because of K-Pop!
Dude, go to India, but South Korea is fantastic because of K-Pop!
He/him
Re: Travel
So I've decided I'm going to South East Asia and I'm incredibly fucking excited. Ideally going to book a flight for the last week of January or first week of February, and spend four months exploring Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Any tips?
I'm tempted to book onto a Stray bus - it basically takes you round a big great loop, but it's valid for 12 months from your first ride and the hop-on-hop-off nature of it allows you to take as much time as you want, where you want. Undecided though, as it's a bit pricey (£420) and I'm guessing I could probably get about a bit cheaper on public transport. I'm going on my own though, so I quite like the idea of getting on a bus with a bunch of other travellers!
So I've decided I'm going to South East Asia and I'm incredibly fucking excited. Ideally going to book a flight for the last week of January or first week of February, and spend four months exploring Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Any tips?
I'm tempted to book onto a Stray bus - it basically takes you round a big great loop, but it's valid for 12 months from your first ride and the hop-on-hop-off nature of it allows you to take as much time as you want, where you want. Undecided though, as it's a bit pricey (£420) and I'm guessing I could probably get about a bit cheaper on public transport. I'm going on my own though, so I quite like the idea of getting on a bus with a bunch of other travellers!
H
Hitori
Re: Travel
Four months? You should definitely chuck in some Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia in there.
Four months? You should definitely chuck in some Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia in there.
G
graffiti my soul
Re: Travel
Cambodia and Laos are amazing - make sure you go to Luang Prabang, it's gorgeous. There's a lovely cave with loads of Buddha statues in it and you get a cruise on a fishing boat thingy down the Mekong to get back to the village. I'd say it's one of my favourite places in the world.
I only went to Siem Reap in Cambodia, where the Angkor Wat ruins are, but that was an unmissable experience! The markets there are fantastic, and you have to go a restaurant called Khmer Kitchen...random, but it is actually fantastic.
Cambodia and Laos are amazing - make sure you go to Luang Prabang, it's gorgeous. There's a lovely cave with loads of Buddha statues in it and you get a cruise on a fishing boat thingy down the Mekong to get back to the village. I'd say it's one of my favourite places in the world.
I only went to Siem Reap in Cambodia, where the Angkor Wat ruins are, but that was an unmissable experience! The markets there are fantastic, and you have to go a restaurant called Khmer Kitchen...random, but it is actually fantastic.
He/him
Re: Travel
Hey I'm in Vietnam at that time *waves* sorry I can't give you any tips as its my first time in that area too, but it looks amazing. I'm going to based in Ho Chi Minh for the start and it looks an amazing city. Thailand and Cambodia are both great from what I've heard too. Where will you be flying from? I found a cheap flight deal with Emirates which was pretty amazing. Also insurance may be a pain, if you PM me I can give you some reccomendations.
Hey I'm in Vietnam at that time *waves* sorry I can't give you any tips as its my first time in that area too, but it looks amazing. I'm going to based in Ho Chi Minh for the start and it looks an amazing city. Thailand and Cambodia are both great from what I've heard too. Where will you be flying from? I found a cheap flight deal with Emirates which was pretty amazing. Also insurance may be a pain, if you PM me I can give you some reccomendations.
Re: Travel
That seems really expensive considering things are so cheap there. I didn't like Cambodia that much aside from Angkor Wat. I'd love to have got the train up from HCMC to Hanoi and then across to Laos.
Thailand spend ages in Bangkok, it's amazing. I'd recommend Silom over Kho San road as it is funner. Chiang Mai is amazing too for adventurey stuff.
That seems really expensive considering things are so cheap there. I didn't like Cambodia that much aside from Angkor Wat. I'd love to have got the train up from HCMC to Hanoi and then across to Laos.
Thailand spend ages in Bangkok, it's amazing. I'd recommend Silom over Kho San road as it is funner. Chiang Mai is amazing too for adventurey stuff.
He/him
Re: Travel
miklc, is it cheaper to take the train or fly from HCMC to Hanoi? I believe flights are around £50, do you know how much the train is? May consider going to Hanoi while I'm there.
miklc, is it cheaper to take the train or fly from HCMC to Hanoi? I believe flights are around £50, do you know how much the train is? May consider going to Hanoi while I'm there.
Re: Travel
Went to sort vaccinations today and it looks like I'm going to have to postpone my trip by at least a week.
All the injections they want me to have done have made me feel a bit sick though: typhoid, MMR booster, tetanus, polio and diptheria booster, hepatitis B (3 injections) and rabies (3 injections). And then malaria tablets too. Ugh - I really hate injections!
I'm thinking of leaving out rabies, as I'm not sure how likely it is that I'll be bitten by a rabid dog, and with or without the vaccination I'd need to get to a hospital very quickly.
Went to sort vaccinations today and it looks like I'm going to have to postpone my trip by at least a week.
All the injections they want me to have done have made me feel a bit sick though: typhoid, MMR booster, tetanus, polio and diptheria booster, hepatitis B (3 injections) and rabies (3 injections). And then malaria tablets too. Ugh - I really hate injections!
I'm thinking of leaving out rabies, as I'm not sure how likely it is that I'll be bitten by a rabid dog, and with or without the vaccination I'd need to get to a hospital very quickly.
Re: Travel
Ok that's useful to know. Thanks! Is there anything else I need for SE Asia, or does that pretty much cover it?
Also, one random question: you're supposed to drink only bottled water while you're out there, so does that go for brushing teeth too? My gums tend to bleed now and again, and I wouldn't want to risk ending up with cholera or something because I stupidly brushed my teeth with tap water.
Ok that's useful to know. Thanks! Is there anything else I need for SE Asia, or does that pretty much cover it?
Also, one random question: you're supposed to drink only bottled water while you're out there, so does that go for brushing teeth too? My gums tend to bleed now and again, and I wouldn't want to risk ending up with cholera or something because I stupidly brushed my teeth with tap water.
G
graffiti my soul
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H
Hitori
Re: Travel
Gosh, not everywhere in Southeast Asia is cholera-infested. You got to check what it's like in the city or town you're in. I brush my teeth with tap water, and I'm perfectly fine. But if you're willing to brush you're teeth with bottled water, when everybody else is using tap water, it's you're choice. However, certain places can have dirty water indeed!
I'd like to remind that it's important is to bring insect repellents.
Also, be patient with your English. Talk slowly and clearly. Sometimes locals wouldn't get certain accents, and pretend to understand you, but they actually didn't. These can be major causes of misunderstanding. Additionally, it wouldn't hurt if you know greetings and important phrases in the local language.
Gosh, not everywhere in Southeast Asia is cholera-infested. You got to check what it's like in the city or town you're in. I brush my teeth with tap water, and I'm perfectly fine. But if you're willing to brush you're teeth with bottled water, when everybody else is using tap water, it's you're choice. However, certain places can have dirty water indeed!
I'd like to remind that it's important is to bring insect repellents.
Also, be patient with your English. Talk slowly and clearly. Sometimes locals wouldn't get certain accents, and pretend to understand you, but they actually didn't. These can be major causes of misunderstanding. Additionally, it wouldn't hurt if you know greetings and important phrases in the local language.
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Re: Travel
Thanks for the tips! Injections are under way, and despite me hating them and generally feeling nauseous at the thought, they were okay!
With my vaccine timeline all figured out, I'm about to book my flight, but I'm facing a mini-dilemma. My plan is to fly to Hanoi and back from Bangkok, but that's going to involve a stop, so I thought I'd make the most of it! My options are:
1) Fly with Malaysian Airways, stopping in Kuala Lumpur for a few hours on the way there, and for a week on the way back (costs about £25 more than the standard fare, which is great)
2) Fly with Jet, doing the same sort of stopping as above, but in Mumbai (costs about £50 more than the standard fare)
3) Fly with Jet, but to Hong Kong for a bit at the start (which is about £110 cheaper than flying to Hanoi) then work my way to Hanoi from there. I don't know how easy this would be! I would also have the option of stopping in Mumbai on the way back with this.
Any advice would be most welcome! I think I'm most tempted by Kuala Lumpur, but the saving on the flight to HK is pretty big...
Thanks for the tips! Injections are under way, and despite me hating them and generally feeling nauseous at the thought, they were okay!
With my vaccine timeline all figured out, I'm about to book my flight, but I'm facing a mini-dilemma. My plan is to fly to Hanoi and back from Bangkok, but that's going to involve a stop, so I thought I'd make the most of it! My options are:
1) Fly with Malaysian Airways, stopping in Kuala Lumpur for a few hours on the way there, and for a week on the way back (costs about £25 more than the standard fare, which is great)
2) Fly with Jet, doing the same sort of stopping as above, but in Mumbai (costs about £50 more than the standard fare)
3) Fly with Jet, but to Hong Kong for a bit at the start (which is about £110 cheaper than flying to Hanoi) then work my way to Hanoi from there. I don't know how easy this would be! I would also have the option of stopping in Mumbai on the way back with this.
Any advice would be most welcome! I think I'm most tempted by Kuala Lumpur, but the saving on the flight to HK is pretty big...
He/him
Re: Travel
If I was making the decision I would choose Hong Kong because they have amazing theme parks, but thats my personal preference. I'm afraid I don't know much about Mumbai, can't say its a part of India that appeals to me much.
I personally think Hong Kong would be amazing.
On a personal note... I leave for Vietnam in 2 weeks... ohmygosh.
If I was making the decision I would choose Hong Kong because they have amazing theme parks, but thats my personal preference. I'm afraid I don't know much about Mumbai, can't say its a part of India that appeals to me much.
I personally think Hong Kong would be amazing.
On a personal note... I leave for Vietnam in 2 weeks... ohmygosh.
Re: Travel
Yeah I think it would be cool, but this being a budget backpacking trip I'm not sure many theme parks would be on the cards (unless they're super cheap!) I've been looking up traveling from Hong Kong to Hanoi, and although it's supposedly 'easy' it looks like a right pain in the arse, and perhaps not the best way to start a trip. I'm still interested seeing as it's so much cheaper... I've found flights with Qatar that go from London to Hong Kong and then back from Singapore for £491 which is so cheap compared to the other flights.
Cool that you're going to Vietnam soon. I'm heading there in about three and a half weeks, so our paths may cross!
I'm thinking I'm going to do Kuala Lumpur (and potentially Singapore too) for sure now! The trains from Bangkok seem pretty straightforward and cheap as chips, and seeing as you don't need a visa for Malaysia it would be rude not to visit.
My only two requirements for a plane are that the in-flight entertainment is decent and witchcraft-powered metal bird doesn't crash. But I'm sure the A380 is incredibly exciting.
Yeah I think it would be cool, but this being a budget backpacking trip I'm not sure many theme parks would be on the cards (unless they're super cheap!) I've been looking up traveling from Hong Kong to Hanoi, and although it's supposedly 'easy' it looks like a right pain in the arse, and perhaps not the best way to start a trip. I'm still interested seeing as it's so much cheaper... I've found flights with Qatar that go from London to Hong Kong and then back from Singapore for £491 which is so cheap compared to the other flights.
Cool that you're going to Vietnam soon. I'm heading there in about three and a half weeks, so our paths may cross!
I'm thinking I'm going to do Kuala Lumpur (and potentially Singapore too) for sure now! The trains from Bangkok seem pretty straightforward and cheap as chips, and seeing as you don't need a visa for Malaysia it would be rude not to visit.
My only two requirements for a plane are that the in-flight entertainment is decent and witchcraft-powered metal bird doesn't crash. But I'm sure the A380 is incredibly exciting.