Has anyone ever been to SE Asia? (Vietnam,Thailand,Cambodia,Tibet)

[Phanuthier]

Hi, I'm trying to get some help gathering info and I am looking for the following:

What is the temperature like in these countries? I don't mean what it is quantitativly, I mean qualitatively, ie. how hot does it feel? I know in Hong Kong, it feels 10-20 degree's hotter then what it is.

What is there to see in Vietnam?

And is it recommended to go to any of these countries via tour or is it ok to travel alone? I know most of Asia is better to travel via tour.

Also, any other info for traveling to these countries, stories ect would be great.

Thanks

[Fozzie_DeBear]

I hear that Vietnam is really nice, a lot like what Thailand used to be like. Is it better to travel alone or in a group? I think that if you are a savvy traveller you could probably survive solo, however you still may get a better experience in a group...my wife and I are thinking of thinking of China and may use GAP adventures...you may find useful stuff in here re: Vietnam

http://www.gapadventures.com
________
Toys Cam

[Phanuthier]

Thanks Fozzie, me and a couple friends (2-4, including me) are thinking about going on a big trip, and right now, its between Europe (mostly the Slovakia's, Poland's ect instead of the Frace and England's) and SE Asia.

SE Asia, I have marked down Tibet (Portala Palace, Mialayas), Thailand (Wat Phra Keo, Ayuttaya) and Cambodia (Angkor Wat) as definates if we go that route.

If we go the SE Asia route, I'd see how much of it we can do individually since I generally hate tours. Too rushed, ect ect, but SE Asia is a pretty sketchy place. Tibet will probably be one that we have to tour, but I think we could get away with travelling alone in Vietnam, not sure about Cambodia and Thailand which is why I'm asking. Hong Kong will probably be our first stop and our general base stop since I know HK very well.

I've done tons of travelling (Europe twice, Hong Kong 8 times, Shanghai once, Australia 3 times, basically everything in North America) and I want to see something I've never seen before, so either its the gritty part of Europe or SE Asia).

Vietnam is the quesitonable one right now. Due to time constraints ect, I'm trying to find info I can, but its hard from sites that will of coarse promote their country, so I've been looking around on travelling message boards to get a starter before I start more serious planning.

[FlamesAddiction]

My brother in law works in Myanmar. It's hot and muggy.

But I wouldn't recommend going there as a tourist, unless you like right-wing military juntas.

[flamingchina]

Tibet ain't in SE asia....
anyways make sure you can get there, as currently, the way I know to get there is from HK/Beijing/shanghai -> Chengdu -> Lhasa....
Anyways, SE asia isn't sketchy, not really at least... the tours there blow and are more about making you buy crappy stuff from overpriced gift stores, much better to do things on your own. (certain things need tours unfortunetly..)
Depending what you're looking for for beaches, Malaysia can have some really nice ones, without the drunkness of the thai ones...

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by flamingchina

Anyways, SE asia isn't sketchy, not really at least... the tours there blow and are more about making you buy crappy stuff from overpriced gift stores, much better to do things on your own. (certain things need tours unfortunetly..).

Yup, sounds like my tour of Shanghai.

Being of Asian decent, would you recommend me (and my friends, 2-4 including me) to travel alone or take a tour?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Don't go there man. They're crazy.

Have you been to Wichita? I hear Wichita is nice.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Don't go there man. They're crazy.

If I die, I need you to feed my fish.

[Rubber Ducky]

If you're going to go to Vietnam, go now. I went there about 5 years ago, and it was just starting to open up to tourism. So, if you want to see it before it's totally commercialized and touristized (my own word ), go now.

What I mean is that in Bangkok for example, you can't walk 2 minutes without having a tuk-tuk driver or souvenir hawker calling you over, or wanting to be your best friend. In Vietnam, my friend and I walked blocks and blocks without being bothered at all. They have bicycle taxi drivers that hound you a bit, but it's nothing like Thailand. Quite peaceful. But that will change when the Vietnamese get craftier and realize that they can make big bucks off tourists. (For the record, Thai hawkers have nothing on the hardened Egyptians... they've been fleecing tourists for centuries...)

I did a 5 day trip to Vietnam, and flew there without even having a hotel reservation. You don't need to take a tour or whatever. It's simple/safe/fun to plan it while you're there. I stayed in Ho Chi Minh City, and took a 2 day/1 night trip to Nha Trang to do some diving. A friend told me that in the last 5 years, Nha Trang has really been developed into a tourist resort trap, so I fear the innocence is gone there. Anyhow, we did dives for $20 US each - gear included. Dirt cheap. Not much to see though...

I have a funny Ho Chi Minh story to share with you. My buddy and I were sitting in a pub, having a beer. A 40something woman comes over, and she's the stereotypical mama-san - heavy make-up, strong perfume, long permed hair. She starts by asking where we were from (how original), and 2 minutes into the conversation, she says 'So, you boys want some boom boom?' I stopped cold and just looked at her. I said 'Did you say 'boom boom'?' She said 'Yessss!!'

Well, I just started laughing. I was stunned that they actually used that phrase. I thought it was a bad Hollywood cliche. So I said to my buddy, 'Hey we could get some boom boom!!' And she threw back her mighty mane, tilted her head back and joined in our laughter - 'YEESSSS!! Boom boom!!' It was a moment I'll never forget.

After the laughter died down, she started pointing out the girls that were strategically placed around the bar. We hadn't seen them before, but they were all looking at us now. Anyhow, we fought the urge to partake in some 'boom boom' and assured mama-san that if we did actually change our minds, she'd be the first to know. What a highlight.

Anyhow, if you're interested in war history, check out the American War Crimes Museum (they call it the American War, not the Vietnam War - I guess they earned that right by winning the war). It's a pretty gruesome testament to the war. Some truly awful pictures.

And we took a day trip out to the Cu Chi Tunnels. It's a section of Viet Cong tunnels that is now a touristy area. I crawled through a Viet Cong tunnel, and it was pretty creepy.

This is getting pretty long-winded, so I'll wrap up by saying that Vietnam is pretty good bang for your buck. (Never got the price for boom boom, so I'm not trying to drop a pun...) It's fairly cheap, with decent markets. I really enjoyed it. Much more than Bangkok.

For what it's worth, if you go to Thailand, you only need a couple of days for Bangkok. After that, get out of the city - head north to the jungles or south to the beaches.

Final word - don't forget Malaysia. Really starting to modernize, but still really Asian.

Edit - I was just mucking about, and I found a decent website with lots of pictures. It's a couples blog about their cycling adventures through SE Asia. I have no connection to these people - just lots of pictures.

http://downtheroad.org/Asia/

[LeftWing]

I spent three weeks in Thailand and loved it. Thai people must be the friendliest folks I have ever met. The worst three days were the ones we spent in Bankok - not that it's a terrible place (quite the contrary) but it doesn't hold a candle to Koh Samui (read: island paradise). Go to Bankok for the experience, go to Samui for an amazing tropical vacation.

[flamingchina]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Yup, sounds like my tour of Shanghai.

Being of Asian decent, would you recommend me (and my friends, 2-4 including me) to travel alone or take a tour?

Well, I ain't of asian decent, just lived there for a couple of years.

And I'd suggest not taking tours (there are certain exceptions, Angkor Watt is one of them, I'm petty sure you basically have to take a tour to go there, but check a guide book)

To elaborate on Rubber Ducky, the vietnamese are now experts tourist people.. 5 years has been long enough... although really, everywhere in SE asia is now touristy (even cambodia and Laos) part of the problem is that off the beaten track in certain countries is still rather dangerous (landmines, insurgents, etc.)

pick up a good guidebook or two, figure out some stuff you want to do (more than you have time for) then go, and see where the wind takes you.

[Phanuthier]

Thanks for the help. Don't feel long winded, that's actually quite helpful.

I hear alot about how you should take a tour, but I'd really perfer not too. Too rushed and they take you to expensive gift shops ect ect, so any stories about you travelling SE Asia that's NOT on a tour (tour stories are helpful too) are really helpful.

And I probably already know the answere to this, but "boom boom" is exactly what I'm thinking it is?

[4X4]

Just head on down ot your local bookstore and secure a copy of Frommer's or Lonely Planet for SE Asia... Wealth of info those guides are... Everything from what to do to what to aviod to how to get from one place to another... If I'd have consulted one of those books before blowing 116 pounds on a cab in London...

[4X4]

Oh yeah, there are also walking tours and such. These books cost like 30 bucks but they are the equivalant of a guided tour in each city you visit. They pay for themselves after two cities. Plus, you can read them while travelling between places, so you don't have to wander the streets with a book in hand (ie, big sign on your back that says "I'm a sucker tourist. Please rob or steal").

Seriously, check it out...

[Phanuthier]

Thanks 4X4, I know a guy named Rick Steve did one for Europe and we followed his guide book religiously... where to stay, eat, go, get away with, ect.

Did you use that book for SE Asia? I'll be sure to get a copy of that if SE Asia is the way we go.

[FurnaceFace]

We were in Thailand in 99. We booked our flights, hotel, tours through Westcan Treks which is on 14th St, just a couple blocks north of Chicken-on-the-Run. They were really good at the time as they knew the area and what was good to see.

We spent 4 days in Bangkok. Bangkok is a big, muggy, hot, active city with a fair amount for the tourist to see. We stayed in the Royal Hotel (http://www.bangkok.com/royal-hotel-bangkok/) which was near many of the top attractions. Price was reasonable, rooms were nothing special, but clean and the AC worked. Bangkok is worth a visit, and the Chatuchak Market should not be missed for sheer quantity of stuff.

After Bangkok we spent the rest of our time on Koh Phi Phi (pronounced gah pee pee) http://www.phi-phi.com/ at a resort. Phi Phi was hit by the Tsunami but looks to have have recovered for the most part. We were at the Phi Phi Coral resort which was on the side not affected by the big wave. If you've seen the movie The Beach, it was filmed on Phi Phi's sister island in Maya Bay. Very nice. I'd recommend Phi Phi or Samui which I've also heard nothing but good things about.

Biggest issue in the area might be language. Thai looks like nothing else so it's tough to figure things out but that makes it more fun and better stories when you get home.

I've also heard good things about Vietnam and Cambodia. Cambodia would take more effort but likely worth it.

On the other side of the world I had friends who were in Czech, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, etc last year and they had a great time.

If you haven't done much travelling Europe is easier to cut your teeth on, but I'd go with SE Asia though as it's more of a challenge and less visited.

[FurnaceFace]

Oh, and I almost forgot. Everytime someone says Bangkok I always think of the saying:

"Man who go through airport turnstyle sideways is going to Bangkok."

Makes me giggle every time.

[Phanuthier]

Thanks for the response. One question, when did you go? (ie. what month)

Europe... If we take the Europe trip, my plan is to do it this way, in this order:
Barcelona
Arles
Les Bux
Cinquo Terra
Florance
Venice
Croatio (Rijaka, then Dubrounik)
Budipest
Brataslava
Krakow
Prague
Germany (not sure where?)

[Rubber Ducky]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I hear alot about how you should take a tour, but I'd really perfer not too. Too rushed and they take you to expensive gift shops ect ect, so any stories about you travelling SE Asia that's NOT on a tour (tour stories are helpful too) are really helpful.

And I probably already know the answere to this, but "boom boom" is exactly what I'm thinking it is?

When you take a day tour, often it involves simply transportation to the site and that's it. You have a meeting time to be back at the bus and you can explore at your leisure. So from that point of view, 'tours' can be an easy way to see an area.

And often, especially in touristy places like Thailand, the tour bus simply needs to stop at the silver factory/tailor shop to make an appearance and then you can be on your way. The little sidetrips are irritating, but often don't take too long.

And boom boom is exactly what you think it is.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Thanks for the response. One question, when did you go? (ie. what month)

<snip>

Germany (not sure where?)

We were in Thailand in November.

For Germany Berlin is a fun city, less fun now there is less evidence of East Berlin. We were there in 93 and there was bunches of wall still up in the middle of construction sites you could climb.

I was in the Frankfurt area on business in June and we went to the Rhine Valley. Lots of old castles and interesting scenary with small towns which are exactly what you'd picture for Germany. I wanted, but didn't have time, to go to Rothenburg as it's a medieval walled city and from everything I read sounds super cool. I also liked Heidelberg when we were there in 93. It's touristy but you can over look that.

A good route might be from Krakow to head to Berlin, the Rhine valley or wherever and then your right beside Frankfurt to hop a direct flight home.