Asia

MooShop

Hi all,

I'm going traveling around Asia within in the next few months. I hope to leave around April time.

I'm just looking for advice and places of interest on my travels. I will be spending 3-4months traveling around and would like to take in a wide variety of activities. Places of scenic beauty, places where you can do sporty things like bungee jumping,rafting,trekking etc. also places with good night life and places you can just chill out. As I said a wide variety of things to do and I'm open to anything really.

I'm going to go to Thailand, Cambodia,Laos and Vietnam. I really want to see Ha Long Bay, it looks fantastic. Also was then thinking of going to Marau,Hong Kong, maybe Seoul and Tokyo. I don't really have anything planned yet so any suggestions would be greatly received.

Thank you in advance.

biko

Since this is more open than a particular city I think you're probabkly better off in Travels forum.
High on the page to the right is a Search this forum button. Try searching for specific destinations like Vietnam, it should bring up lots of old threads and suggestions. Also search in Travel reveiwes. Good luck

http://www.travelfish.org/ is a good start if you haven't seen it before.

MooShop

Thank you for your help.

I will try searching for old threads and have a browse through that website.

Thanks again.

picturethis

Hi there,
lucky you heading off to Asia, wish I was going again.

As mentioned there are alot of older threads with info, which I used before I headed off in May.

A few places that I would say that shouldnt be missed are:
Halong Bay, also while you in Hanoi you could look into doing the Sapa Trek, I didnt do it but heard great things about it.

Angkor Wat, this place is just incredible, and I'd recommend the 3 day pass, its around €35 and worth every penny.

Pai, in Northern Thailand is another little gem, alot of travellers go there and stay for a few weeks it really sucks you in, at the same time alot of people leave it off their itinerary tho and just visit Bangkok and Chiang Mai as Pai is not so well known. Its a chill out place.

You can go trekking/rafting in Chiang Mai. I did the trekking, it was just brill, i can still picture sitting in a little hut up on a mountain with some germans, canadians, chinese, swiss and dutch, fab views.

A motorbike trip is another amazing way to see a country. I did one in laos and again in Vietnam. You dont need a licence or experience, they will teach you. Driving in Vietnam is pretty dangerous, you'll see when you get there, but if you go with a guide you'll be fine. If you do it in Laos watch out for the stray animals on the roads..

Cambodia is an amazing country, my favourite. Great nightlife in Siam Reap. I volunteered in an orphanage called the New Futures Orphanage, its in Takeo, about 2 hours from Phnom Pehn, if this is something you're interested in doing it could turn out to be the highlight of your trip, it was for me. You'll find details in the Happy Hostel in Phnom Pehn.

I'm living in Seoul at the moment, it doesnt seem to have alot of backpackers but there is lots to do here. The nightlife is great, come to Itaewon or Hongdae for partying. You can also do a trip to the DMZ, which is pretty cool esp since they are technically still at war. You can also do a temple stay, and the food here in amazing.

You'll pick up loads of tips along the way, and 4 months is a good timeframe to have. Have fun

MooShop

Thanks for that, some great tips.

The more I organise it the more I'm dying to get going!!!! I have a friend in Seoul as well so I want to make that part of my trip as well

Thanks again...

kraggy

Whatever else, spend as much time in Laos as possible and less in Vietnam. Northern Vietnam is nicer than the South.

Favourite places in Vientnam were Halong Bay, Hanoi and Hoi An. Hue is just a city with no particular character. Good for a stopover for a night, max 2. If you're stuck for time, I'd skip it altogether.

If you're buying a the bus ticket that gets you from one end of the country to the other, go with Sinh Cafe. Do not go with TM Brothers as they're not good at all. A ticket will cost you about $50 for one that lets you stop at the most amount of places.

Do Halong Bay through Hanoi Backpacker's Hostel in Hanoi. More expensive than other trips but brilliant. One of my highlights. It costs $110 for 2 nights, 1 night on the boat, the second night on Castaway Island (only people from your trip will be on the island, amazing).

Laos is my favourite country. Here at the moment. Second time here in fact. The nicest people out of all South East Asians. Beautiful scenery. Especially on the slow boat from Northern Thailand down to Luang Prabang in Laos. And it's beautiful here too in Vang Vieng (where you do tubing, awful craic altogether)

Cambodia, Angkor Wat is a must. Sihanoukaville is ok (beach town with drinking scene) and many don't but I liked Phnom Pehn the capital. Cambodians are really nice too. 2nd nicest people. In Phnom Pen, go to The Killing Fields and S21, the scenes of the Pol Pot brutality.

You can do whitewater rafting and bungee jumping in Chiang Mai. Don't stay in Eagle House guesthouse. They're very rude and unhelpful. Charged me extra for leaving the light on in my room.

Any other specific questions let us know.



I'm rambling