This isn’t a real Feministe Feedback, just me using the blog for my own selfish causes.
I’m taking the Bar exam this summer, and I have about a month to travel between the exam and when I start work. So I’m planning a trip to South East Asia. A month sounds like a long time, but now that I’m actually sitting down and planning my itinerary, it’s frustratingly short. So I’m looking for feedback from anyone who has traveled to that part of the world. And really, anything you can give me is helpful — as broad as “You should definitely go to Vietnam” or as narrow as “There’s this great cafe in Bangkok that you must try.”
The big problem I’m running into is this: My ideal trip would include Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia (Bali). But it’s looking like there’s not enough time for that. So I have an itinerary right now that stars me out in Bangkok and northern Thailand (Sukhothai, Chiang Mai) for a week, then takes me over to Laos for four days (Luang Prabang and a multi-day trek), then to Phnom Penh and Angkor/Siem Reap for four days, then northern Vietnam (Hanoi and Halong Bay) and down to Nha Trang, then back to Bangkok, and down to the South of Thailand for a week to hit up some islands — I’m thinking Ko Pha-Ngan, Krabi, Ko Phi Phi and Phuket — and then back to Bangkok to fly back to New York.
So Indonesia got nixed. But now I keep hearing how amazing Bali is — plus a friend of mine is going to be there, and it would be nice to not be traveling alone constantly. So one option is to skip Vietnam and/or Laos — I’m only reluctant because I’ve heard Laos is really beautiful and less touristic than the other countries, and I was planning on spending three days out on a “trek” seeing jungle and countryside. Hanoi is also supposed to be cool, and Halong Bay is supposedly beautiful. Going straight to Angkor and skipping out on Phnom Penh is also an option.
In furtherance of my desire to go to Bali, I created an alternate itinerary that gets rid of Phnom Penh and Nha Trang, giving me four days to head down to Bali at the end of the trip. Is that a mistake? Am I missing out on Cambodia’s major city? As it stands, I’m spending a solid week in Southern Thailand — should I just cut down on some of those islands, or are they prettier than Bali is? When it comes to the last leg of the trip, my primary interests are nice beaches and beautiful scenery.
Which leads me to the big questions: What are the absolute must-sees? What would you skip? Which islands must be visited? I want the trip to be a combination of sight-seeing and straight-up sunning and relaxing after a very stressful summer, but I’m having to admit to myself that I can’t do everything.
Any advice is welcome, including where to go and what to see, which airlines to fly, where to stay, where/what to eat, how to get to and from the less well-connected places, etc etc. Some of you have been to SE Asia, right? Gimme whatever you’ve got.
Also, please don’t hate me.
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I did a similar trip, but it included China and Hong Kong, instead of Thailand. I LOVED Angkor, and it is absolutely not to be missed. I did not go to Phnom Penh, so I don’t know if you’d be missing anything incredible by not going there, but Siem Reap is a great little town and I didn’t feel like I had missed out on anything by not going to PP. I spent five days total in Siem Reap, 2 for traveling in and out of the city and 3 for the temples, and a 3-day tour is enough to get you to all the major temples, but definitely not ALL of them, and it’s not too many days that you will get sick of temples.
Hanoi was cool, but I spent about five days there, and it was too many. Halong Bay was pretty great, as well, but I’m not sure if it’s worth any more than a one-night trip. The islands are AMAZING, but the overnight doesn’t enhance the experience any, especially the overnight on the boat.
Feel free to contact me (I’m not sure if you can see the email left with this comment, though) if you’d like me to expound on my experiences any! Have fun!
too late…how can you possibly afford to travel like this?
good luck on the Bar exam…I assume you’re taking one of the multistates…?
I lived in Thailand for two years. Southeast Asia is a wonderful place. (See my now-defunct blog for more of my own personal experiences.)
I have nothing to say about Vietnam or Laos, never having been there, but I have some thoughts about Thailand.
Since you’re going to the north and you’re planning on a trek, I would advise strong caution about treks that take you into “hill tribe villages.” The hill tribes are ethnic minorities that live in northern Thailand, Laos, Burma, and southern China. It has become fashionable for tourists to visit their villages, spend the night in homestays, and take photos of their colorfully-dressed children.
Yes, the tourists pour money into these places. Yes, the kids sure seem to like having their pictures taken.
But.
Not only is there something inherently exploitative about walking in on someone’s life and staring at it as part of a vacation (and yes, this is different from going to a show or a museum or even a night market–which you SHOULDN’T miss, either in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai–because it’s not a “package” or product for your consumption that you’re looking at, it’s people’s actual, whole lives that they can’t clock out of and leave when they get tired of looking at you).
Not only, I say (and get tangled up in my sentence structure).
Unfortunately it gets worse.
Some (not all) of the villages may not even be real. There have been stories about people being smuggled across the Burma border and held against their will in mock villages created to fool tourists (I have no citation for this at the moment–but it was even mentioned in “Lonely Planet” a few years ago so I’m not just making it up; also when I was at the cultural museum in Chiang Rai there were warnings about this kind of scam).
Yuck.
Bangkok is great. If you can, try to get out of the usual Sukhumvit/Khao San tourist corridor. When you go to temples, don’t forget to take off your shoes, and never hand anything directly to a monk (they can’t touch women). Hire a boat and go up to Ko Kret (further up the river from the city).
Don’t go to Pattaya.
I have lots of specifics if you’d like; email me if you want to know more.
If you get the itch while in south Thailand for the whole week, you could take the train down into northern Malaysia. It’s a really interesting country because of its melding/clash of Muslim and Buddhist influences. There are also some awesome uber scenic hiking/cave exploring and hot springs opportunities.
Others may disagree, but if you’re looking where to cut, I’d vote for one of the bigger cities. I haven’t been, but heard Hanoi is getting really built-up and touristy. Throughout all the areas you’re talking about, make sure and venture out to the night markets though; they’re well-lit and a lot of fun. Sometimes they’re every night, some only on weekends, but if you ask around, locals will know.
If you’re going to Southeast Asia, you shouldn’t overlook the Philippines. You should go before the Jeepney, the world’s most psychedelic form of mass transit, becomes extinct.
In Bangkok, go to Cabbages and Condoms. Not only is the food spectacular, the profits go to family planning and Thailand’s 100% condom initiative, which has done a great job arresting the AIDS epidemic there. Plus, you can buy espresso cups with little condoms on them.
I feel like half of the graduating 3Ls at my school are going to Southeast Asia for their bar trip. I hate every single one of them (and you).
P.S. Have fun!
Jill, that sounds like a fantasitc trip but you’re right, a month is not a long time for what you want to do. I’ve travelled in Thailand and Vietnam (albeit a few years ago now) and my recommendations are as follows… The first time I went to Bangkok I didn’t like it at all but the second time (when I stayed longer and explored much more) I loved it. Unless you want to get stuck in the middle of a massive party (and you may want this, I don’t know) then avoid much of Southern Thailand. Krabi is beautiful (good climbing etc), and I’ve heard Phi Phi is also but I found the island scene very party oriented. That was just my experience and it could easily be that I simply wound up in the wrong places. There are gorgeous beaches, great scenery and delicious food though! On the other hand, I loved Ko Chang which is an island closer to Bangkok, it was beautiful and really chilled out. Ko Samet also has some nice beaches but is busier. I haven’t been north myself but I’ve heard that Pai is nice and a good alternative to the very busy Chang Mai.
In Vietnam my favourite places were the Mekong Delta in the south and Halong Bay to the north. Nha Trang is nice but there are better beaches IMHO in Thailand and prob. in Cambodia. Halong Bay is stunningly beautiful and I wouldn’t miss it if I were you. Hanoi you can probably pass through if you are pushed for time. The Mekong Delta was just amazing, we did one of those three day trips with a small group and I really enjoyed seeing the floating markets (I’m a market fiend) and the life along the Delta.
I hope that helps a bit. Thing is, you’ll have a wonderful time whereever you go and you’ll never be able to see all the things you want to see anyway so try not to rush too much. It might be nice just to visit a few places and really get to enjoy them without speeding off every other day.
Happy trails!
Georgia
I was just in Thailand in January.
The day I spent in Bangkok was more than enough. Yes, the temples were fabulous (we couldn’t go to the palace b/c it was closed to non-Thais for the official mourning for the King’s sister), but the place in general was loud, dirty, and crowded. I’m glad I went, and we had to fly in there and overnight, but I probably will never go back. I live in Japan, so I may have just had some serious culture shock after coming from this very quiet and reserved culture. ymmv
Chiang Mai, however, was phenomenal. I think it helped that I met up with friends who’ve lived there for 6 years and know the language and the city. But, beyond that, it was just a great place. There was some cultural show with traditional northern Thai food and dancing that they took us to. Although I was dubious about it being touristy, it was a lot of fun, and almost all the tourists were Thai rather than suckered westerners. Deinitely check out Doi Suthep, and do a cooking class (another highlight of our trip, we used Baan Thai, but I’ve heard great reports from many of them).
As for the southern parts, we went on a small sailing cruise and went to the isolated islands. We had to leave out of Phuket, and that was the least enjoyable part of the whole trip (well, other than Bangkok). Some of the islands we went to had day trippers visiting by hired boat. That’s probably the easiest way to see the more remote areas. Having grown up in Ft. Laud., I have no desire for crowded beaches with vendors and drunken fratty types.
I’ve heard that Halong Bay and Phang Nga are very similar. We spent a day in Phang Nga just riding around on a little inflatable boat. It was incredible. Don’t fall for the overpriced James Bond tours, though. You sit in an enclosed boat and ride around. Hire an open boat and go to the isolated beaches. You’ll be going through the same bay.
If you are in Bangkok, I can’t recommend my hotel enough. Something like Pra Nornelen. It’s on trip advisor near the top of the list. Organic veggie meals, a little isolated oasis within walking distance of the water taxi, just a really cool place.
We also stopped in Penang which was interesting I guess. We got a fabulous massage and Indian food, so that’s about all I need to enjoy a place :)
Sorry for the novel. It was just a fabulous trip, getting me out of the snowy isolation of where I live when I desperately needed it, so I can get a little verbose.
I don’t really understand where all you 3Ls are getting the money for your “Bar trips.” I’m worried about how I’m going to afford rent, food, and bar fees that summer and whether or not I’ll have health insurance to pay for my meds, let alone going on some month-long excursion. Are you getting some sort of summer advance from a firm?
I ask this as someone who is a 2L planning on doing public interest work, which means I may well have zero income between when I graduate and when I pass the bar. I also may or may not be bitter about my classmates going to firms where they’ll be starting at $160,000.
Yep — that’s exactly how it works. I also worked at a firm this summer, and purposely had them tax me at a higher rate so that I got a really big return. I’m using the return to pay for my rent and summer expenses, and using the advance to fund the trip.
I hear ya about being bitter about the disparities between firm work and public interest. I went to law school convinced that I would NEVER work at a firm and that I was public interest all the way — and then the financial realities set in. I’ll be somewhere around $200,000 in debt when I graduate. NYU has a loan forgiveness program, and it’s good as far as loan forgiveness programs work, but I’m still trying to work out exactly what I want to do, and realized by 2L year that it’s a lot easier to get a job starting at six figures than one that starts at $50,000. So I’m doing the firm thing, hoping to learn something, getting myself into a better financial position, and figuring out what exactly I want to do with my life. Hopefully the firm will at least give me some direction as to whether or not I even want to be a lawyer — three years into law school and $200k into debt is a great time to start thinking, “Hey, maybe I don’t want to do this after all!”
It’s all very stressful and terrifying and soul-numbing. I’m trying to focus on this trip as the one bright spot in the next four months of my life. :-)
So I feel you on the bitterness. There are really frustrating and tough decisions to be made. Part of my decision-making process is to let myself have as much joy as possible — and that means living on a tight budget when I’m in NY so that I can afford to travel when I have the time. I know I’m really lucky, and I know it’s frustrating to see other people able to afford these things straight out of law school… I guess I’ll just ask to please cut me some slack, realize that this is the one good thing I have to look forward to right now, and don’t make me justify it.
Go to wherethehellismatt.com, click on “journals” at the bottom, and check out the countries that you might want to visit. He’s been everywhere.
Seeing as I’m from Malaysia, I can’t help but put a llittle plug in there. If you can, head down to Penang. Renowned for its phenomenal food. The best places are next to drains. Do not go with a weak stomach. (KL-ites try to mimic Penang food as much as they can, but they fail.)
Ha, but you wouldn’t be the first law student I’ve heard have that dilemma. It sounds as though you’ve come up with a good practical plan for working this all out, though. And you don’t have to justify wanting to eat or wanting to travel. These are fairly common wants (and let’s be real, the first is more properly a need), and I think it’s great that you’re able to actualize them.
Good luck on the bar exam. I WISH I had advice for your trip but I’m afraid all I can do is read everyone else’s suggestions and dream, and look forward to pictures.
not that this has anything to do with your trip, Jill ….
but i don’t get why there is so much shame among progressive-minded people regarding making a good living. i did my undergrad in a school of education and social policy, and by far the best-represented cohort in my graduating class was white women who came from well-off families [of which i am one - no hate on those women]. working in public service is a wonderful thing to do but in a lot of ways being able to work in public service is a luxury. in the ways that it is not a luxury (it certainly involves material sacrifice) it is a choice. anonymous coward, of course bitterness is an understandable response, but as a future j.d. you also have the option of working at a firm.
furthermore, i think that the idea that public service is somehow a burden that certain people are called to take on [not that that is what was said, it's just my mind racing] does a disservice to the populations who are supposed to benefit from whatever service a public interest employee is providing. if bitterness is the sentiment that comes to your mind when you think of a career with a humanitarian bent, then maybe you can fulfill your humanitarian impulse in a way other than through your career. Volunteering is also meaningful as is philanthropy as are any number of ways to contribute; you can make a good living for yourself and do some good in the world in the same lifetime and, if you have the energy, at the same time.
so, jill, you should be proud of yourself for working hard and bringing home the bacon. enjoy your trip.
I did a 16-day trip in Vietnam, starting in Ho Chi Minh City and traveling north to Hanoi. Some thoughts: The Mekong Delta was great, but I did it as part of a tour group and it felt fake and pushed. We had to eat where they said, no time to relax really, etc. But the Delta was gorgeous. Nha Trang wasn’t that exceptional, in my opinion. Hanoi was fun and interesting. If you go, the cultural museum is absolutely fascinating. Hire a motorcycle and driver to get you there and arrange for them to pick you up, but give yourself more than 2 hours! Also great was Hoi An and My Son. Hoi An is an overnight train ride south of Hanoi and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Now it’s a little village with art galleries and shops, filled with tourists, but also charming. Be sure to get a dress made out of the gorgeous Vietnamese silks! My Son is an ancient Cham site. Go early in the morning before the hordes of tourists arrive–in time to appreciate all the vaginal and clitoral (at least that’s what it looked like to me) imagery!
But by far the BEST thing to do in Vietnam: a trip with the Easy Riders out of Dalat. Dalat is a kitschy little mountain town. As soon as you arrive you’ll have guys on motorcycles offering you tours. My friend and I hired two of them to give us a day long tour of the area. We hit up the tourist sites in the area–some important buildings, scenic views, an local village where silk is made. The guides, Phuc and Moh, were friendly and funny, great guides. We ended up hiring them for a 2 day trip to Nha Trang, though they’ll go anywhere. We strapped our backpacks to the back of their motorcycles and took off. We stayed off all major roads, saw how a lot of different things that we can purchase in the US are made (gave me a whole new meaning to the phrase “Made in Vietnam”), visited Cham relics hidden down old dirt roads, spent the night at a small hotel on a gorgeous white sand beach with hardly any other tourists, and had a great time getting to know Phuc and Moh. They were really open to talking about pretty much anything and I got a really interesting and complex view into life in Vietnam. It cost about U$90 for the two days, but was so much more worth it than the $65 or so that we spent to be on a bus and with a lot of other tourists in the Mekong Delta.
Have a great trip where ever you go!
I love SE Asia! It’s my favorite region in the world. You should definitely go to Malaysia and Singapore. It is very easy to get around in those places, because English is a common language. I really liked Borneo, and the nature preserves in Sarawak are so pretty. There’s also some great hiking if you’re into that (I’m not).
Singapore has the Raffles Hotel, a great Chinatown, and simply the best zoo I have ever been to. I’m not the biggest fan of zoos, but this one grabbed my attention. The Night Safari was amazing.
I also really loved Phuket and Phi Phi Island in Thailand. If you go to Phuket, I recommend going to Kata beach rather than the others. It seemed like I got sold to a little less and I am one of those people that just wants to be left alone unless I’m at a bazar. There’s also a great Italian restaurant bear Kata beach, not to mention all of the great Thai food.
I love Bangkok too, but it’s not for everyone. As an aside, if there is any medical issues you need taken care of on the cheap, some of the best medical care in the world takes place in Bangkok, at the Bumrungrad Hospital.
I realize this is second hand info, but… a good friend of mine took a trip to that area a couple of years ago and she went to a cooking school in Thailand for a couple of days. Out of all the things she did — her BF is a dive instructor so they spent a lot of time on the beaches and diving as well — that is the part of her trip she raved about the most.
(She’s not a pro chef or anything, just loves good food.)
I’m going to disagree with a few other commenters here and say you should skip Ha Long Bay and keep Hanoi. Ha Long Bay is beautiful, but when I spent a month in Vietnam a few years ago, that was the only part of the trip where I actually found myself bored. If you do go, try to make it a day trip from Hanoi. After you marvel at the limestone cliffs for a while, there’s just not much to do. Hanoi, on the other hand, is full of life. Sure it’s touristy, but try to avoid the ex pat spots and try to hang out in places actually owned by the Vietnamese. You’ll meet a lot of interesting people that way. Oh, and definitely stay long enough to get some clothing made (although Hoi An is better for that). You could definitely skip Nha Trang, although I loved it there. If you do go, there’s an amazing seafood restaurant where they grill everything at your table. I can’t remember the name, but it’s sure to be in the guide book. I also went on one of the booze cruise trips they offer and it was a blast! For $6 we toured around all day being fed an abundance of seafood and fresh fruit along with the most lethal and disgusting wine I’ve ever tasted. Plus there was snorkeling and swimming. Totally awesome, and much more fun (and less expensive) than the similar Ha Long trips.
Hi Jill,
I lived in Thailand for 5 months, the last month I just back packed around in the south. Here’s some advice.
Try not to fit in all of the really beautiful places in the country in one trip. You will be traveling around more than enjoying yourself, and relaxing. One of the awesome things about backpacking is the people you meet. In Thailand you will run into many great people who are just trying to have a good time. Everywhere we went we ended up meeting people we didn’t want to say goodbye to.
That being said, the islands are beautiful (but it may be pretty hot when you’fe there). Koh Tao is a scuba island that has not felt the same effects of tourism that some of the other islands have (like Koh Samui.. stay away from Koh Samui). Koh Chang is a island more north, near cambodia that is really really chill. There is a place there called the treehouse, which is about 200 baht a night, cheap food and great people. I don’t know exactly what kind of trip you are planning, but if its to backpack around, relax and get to know Thailand a little, this place is a gold mine (plus they have happy shakes, but I wouldn’t recommend drinking more than one).
Fullmoon parties are not as terrible as you might think. Most people just dance all night, and continue dancing with the rise of the sun and into the day. I loved it, dancing with people from all over the world was priceless.
If you are going up north continue into Laos. Rough guides has some great tips (much better than lonely planet). But again, stay away from the touristy places. Stay in villages. I was there studying human rights issues and if you are at all interested in talking with NGOs or villagers about dam, landfill, urban slums, HIV/AIDS, sex workers, rights or farming issues let me know. There are so many people that would love to tell you their story, feed you are give you a place to stay ( oh ya and a group of lawyers who are working with local NGOs who would love to talk to you). Anyways let me know if there is anything I can help you with.
OT, I know this feeling. When I started grad school, I was convinced I was going to become an academic. Many years later, I’m saying to hell with it. It’s just not a good deal.
Indeed. Money, after all, is one tool among many, and it can be used to make the world better. That doesn’t mean that traveling automatically does that (though as a frequent traveler, I do grow from my travels). It does mean that affluence (always a relative concept) isn’t inherently a bad thing. Mindless consumption is, exploitation is, but affluence is not inherently connected to either.
I wrote about falling in love with the Philippines earlier this year — just amazing. And in Bangkok, splurge on a drink at the Oriental. If you want a really great dinner, try Celadon at the Sukhothai Hotel (where we stayed). And the Jim Thompson House tour is worth it, but don’t buy the overpriced silks sold in their company store.
long time lurker, first time poster…go to vietnam!!!i did a volunteer project in the mekong delta about 4 years ago and spent 3 weeks in that area. i would second (or third?) the suggestion to hit up dalat, i loved it. a beautiful lake at the top and there’s a buddhist temple there you can walk around the grounds. somewhere there’s a bench that our university sponsored! ho chi min city was really interesting, nha trang was ok, nothing too spectacular. have a great trip!
The 3rd comment is right on–the hill tribe tourism is extremely exploitative. I did it in 96-97 and have regretted it ever since. It’s just wrong and imperialistic. These “treks” are going to put you more in contact with other tourists than actual people who live there. If you really want to get to see some of the country, go somewhere without tourists, maybe in northeast Thailand.
As for the trip as a whole, it’s just too big. If you do all of that in a month, you’ll be traveling most of the time and not spending enough time enjoying what you are seeing. I’d recommend cutting that way back and either doing the Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos thing, or flying into Bangkok and heading south through southern Thailand and Malaysia to Singapore. You could also fly into Bali and spend the month in Indonesia alone–Bali, Lombok, Komodo, and Java would be more than a month right there.
I think you should just choose a place a go with it. All the choices are good–they only become bad when you don’t spend the time to enjoy them. And it’s not like they are going anywhere. You can always go back.
Also, eat all the street food you can.
I was in Thailand in 2004. Bangkok you don’t need to spend that much time on – it’s dirty and crowded – but there are some really fabulous temples. The north part of Thailand is nice and has some good national parks. Go to Doi Inthanon to see some excellent waterfalls. The night market in Chiang Mai is really fun, and I took a cooking class in that city which was good. But because I’m a biology geek, I had the most fun in the south. The limestone karst environment in the bay area between Thailand and Myanmar is spectacular. We saw a flying lizard and a monitor lizard. You should definitely do some snorkeling (but remember that most things sting, so no touching!). Don’t miss out on the invertebrate life – both aquatic and terrestrial, it is simply phenomenal. And the beaches…oh my god the beaches….sigh. I want to go back.
Speaking of invertebrate life, here is some free advice on how not to die of a hideous tropical disease. Get an insect repellent with a high DEET content. Don’t bother with malaria prophylactics unless you plan on being in endemic areas over night (like the hill country). Wear long sleeves and pants (you’ll have to wear pants and shirt sleeves to visit temples anyway) in the evening. Jungle streams, rice paddies, pools of fresh water, etc. contain things like liver flukes, so it’s best to just stay out of them. Take a small tube of Sting-Eze with you – I found this very helpful after having my foot devoured by a hive of ants in Krabi. I didn’t find the mosquito netting I brought with me very helpful, but you will want it if you are staying over night in an area endemic to mosquito-vectored illnesses. Oh, and don’t drink the water.
If you are a foodie, you MUST go to Singapore. I spent a few weeks there, and there is a place called “Newton Circus,” that is an absolute food orgasm.
Now there isn’t much there if you are a vegetarian, so I’ll just presume that you aren’t.
In Newton Circus, you just grab a seat at an outdoor table and wave down servers. They all work for a variety of food vendors and have everything from Sambal Stingray, to Mutton Bones, to little fried squid in sweet sauce… out of this world.
Since you are going to Laos, I would stop one day at Vang Vieng. It is enroute to Luang Prabang from Vientiane if you are taking a bus. Otherwise, its a shortish bus ride – 4 hours if I remember correctly? It is very mellow, people are friendly, and floating down the Nam Song river is spectacular. Oh – and some of the best good in SE Asia is to be had at the organic farm cafe in Vang Vieng.
If you spend any time in Vientiane, and like good french food, try L’Cote D’azur (I think that’s the name). Also, an evening walk along the mekong is lovely.
But: even if all you are doing is spending time in Luang Prabang, that in itself is stunning. Definitely rent a bicycle. There is also this incredible guide – hit name is Mr. Thongdy – he can take you on an exploratory boat ride to some very interesting places along the mekong river (Pak Ou caves, and a stunning 7 layer waterwall – can’t remember the name of it). Definitely go to the evening market – I think its only on wednesday evenings, on the main street? That main street also has a fancy lao massage parlor. My partner and I both didn’t think it was that good at first (we hurt like hell), but we both felt limber the following day.
Of course, that is all assuming things haven’t changed.
I wouldn’t spend too much time in Thailand – simply because people always go back to Thailand. Don’t get me wrong though – its absolutely beautiful. But if you get a chance, spend some time at Ayuthyaya. Chiang Mai and Chinag Rai are nice places to explore from.
I would concus with the other commentators who say you’re doing too much. I would really recommend sticking to two countries at most. I would pick Laos and Thailand for a first trip. Thailand has good train service – travelling by trail enables you to see some of the country as well. You can buy train tickets by calling them. http://www.seat66.com has some information on that as well.
oooh… if you have never tried “The King of Fruits” — the DURIAN, you MUST!!!!
Now be careful, and make sure that your first Durian is a proper Singaporean durian.
Durian is a stinky fruit that looks like a football covered in spikes. It smells like a dirty diaper. You probably won’t like it… not many westerners do. In fact, I found that eating a durian in public would ALWAYS draw a crowd of fascinated asians who came to see the white boy eating a durian… Any time I buy one, the clerk always says “For you? No! Not for you! You have asian wife?”
So, with that sales pitch — you MUST still try it. If you are one of the few westerners who do like it, you may find yourself addicted. I can’t think of anything else that tastes like it… oh, im craving it right now.
“The King of Fruits” indeed.
This stuff smells so bad that it’s illegal to bring it on the subway in Singapore.
Anyway, I have to agree with the person who suggested Cabbages and Condoms. The food is quite good, and the decor is not to be missed.
I was just in Thailand, mostly visiting relatives that have moved there over the years. Because of where they live I spent most of my time in Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Chang, and small islands in that area. I second the person that says stay away from Pattaya. If it was up to me I would never had gone there but my family lives by Jomtien Beach (they might move North-yeah for next trip). Koh Chang was very beautiful and laid back. If you go there eat at the Hungry Elephant (mmmm). For traveling purposes around Thailand take the baht bus for in town and for going city to city try to take the first class bus. I took the mini bus and the taxi, the mini bus was unpredictable and we were sandwiched in (ride to the ferry was 4 hours, ride back the exact same way was over 8) and the taxi can be a little spendy (we took one for an hour plus trip and the driver was tweeking). The first class bus is very cheap and I found it more comfortable and faster than the taxi and minibus.
I have also heard fabulous things about Cabbages and Condoms, both their resort and restaurant. I believe they have multiple locations. For making reservations do not go through websites like travelocity. You are not going in the high season for tourism so I suggest booking your first nights ahead (call/fax/or use Thai website) and then schedule your stays there because you will be able to get a better price. Our Lonely Planet guidebook was actually very helpful in deciding what to do during our visit (it too recommended against Pattaya) so I would pick up a copy.
I haven’t been a long time reader so this is my first post here. I will be taking notes on recommendations by the readers for my next trip.
Hi Jill,
I live in Phnom Penh and while the city itself is a nice enough city with lots of bars and restaurants, most people visit it to see Toul Sleng and the Killing Fields. These are the Khmer Rouge genocide memorials and are naturally quite depressing. If you have practical on the ground questions about Cambodia, I can help you out. Been living here two years now. Good luck with your choice!
Plus AirAsia does cheap flights around SE Asia and are cheap(er) and reliable!
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