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South East Asia travel tips!

Nilly

Nilly

stb
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So in a couple weeks I am jetting off to South-East Asia for three months, I'm going to be backpacking solo through Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia (and potentially a few other places depending on how things go). I will be embarking on the classic liberal millennial hippie activity of 'finding myself maaan'.

I'd like to draw on the collective wisdom that is DebatePolitics for advice! Has anyone lived or travelled in these areas? Any recommendations as for things to do or places to see? Preferably off of the beaten track. I have a broad itinerary in place but I'm being very flexible in terms of planning. Also welcome are any tips for solo travel, I already do a lot traveling on my own as apart of my job, but that's entirely confined to the US so a little bit different to being out in Cambodia or whatever.
 
Nilly said:
So in a couple weeks I am jetting off to South-East Asia for three months, I'm going to be backpacking solo through Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia (and potentially a few other places depending on how things go). I will be embarking on the classic liberal millennial hippie activity of 'finding myself maaan'.

I'd like to draw on the collective wisdom that is DebatePolitics for advice! Has anyone lived or travelled in these areas? Any recommendations as for things to do or places to see? Preferably off of the beaten track. I have a broad itinerary in place but I'm being very flexible in terms of planning. Also welcome are any tips for solo travel, I already do a lot traveling on my own as apart of my job, but that's entirely confined to the US so a little bit different to being out in Cambodia or whatever.
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I've been to Vietnam twice, Cambodia once, Bali twice and Thailand at least 10 times. For Vietnam, just go N to S or vice versa, I've been to Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, on a trip through the DMZ up to Khe Sahn, Hoi Ahn, Hue, Dalat, Saigon, on a trip through the delta and Na Trang. I want to go back and see Pleiku and the NW corner. Cambodia, I went to Angkor Wat environs, tried to go to Phnom Phen on a different trip but Bangkok airport shut down. Thailand: Bangkok, Krabi, Koh Samui, Phuket, Chaing Mai, Phi Phi and multiple diving sites. Bali is amazing, been all over it...however Mount Agung is about ready to errupt, so watch out. Solo travel is super easy, hotels/hostels at any price range, Vietnam is very cheap/ Food...its all so good and so fresh...you really can't go wrong anywhere, even the street stalls.

Let me know if there are any specifics you need to see. Laos is interesting but really poor, very nice people though, and Cambodia can be a bit challenging. In Thailand, Bangkok gets old after a few days, and there are tons of scammers (never take a tour offered by a tuk-tuk driver, especially when they lie to you and say that the Royal Palace is closed for the day....it is NEVER closed!)
 
Nilly said:
So in a couple weeks I am jetting off to South-East Asia for three months, I'm going to be backpacking solo through Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia (and potentially a few other places depending on how things go). I will be embarking on the classic liberal millennial hippie activity of 'finding myself maaan'.

I'd like to draw on the collective wisdom that is DebatePolitics for advice! Has anyone lived or travelled in these areas? Any recommendations as for things to do or places to see? Preferably off of the beaten track. I have a broad itinerary in place but I'm being very flexible in terms of planning. Also welcome are any tips for solo travel, I already do a lot traveling on my own as apart of my job, but that's entirely confined to the US so a little bit different to being out in Cambodia or whatever.
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I dont really know you but damn, good for you!
 
Nilly said:
So in a couple weeks I am jetting off to South-East Asia for three months, I'm going to be backpacking solo through Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia (and potentially a few other places depending on how things go). I will be embarking on the classic liberal millennial hippie activity of 'finding myself maaan'.

I'd like to draw on the collective wisdom that is DebatePolitics for advice! Has anyone lived or travelled in these areas? Any recommendations as for things to do or places to see? Preferably off of the beaten track. I have a broad itinerary in place but I'm being very flexible in terms of planning. Also welcome are any tips for solo travel, I already do a lot traveling on my own as apart of my job, but that's entirely confined to the US so a little bit different to being out in Cambodia or whatever.
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My son toured SE Asia a couple years ago. He loved Vietnam, and Cambodia outside of Phnom Penh. The old temples are well worth the effort, he reports. Thailand up north, too, but Bangkok he said was just tooo much city, and 'way too polluted. Our family never have been city types, though, so YMMV.
I'd love to visit the place, but from my son's description of the street markets I think I'd be vegetarian while I was there!
 
Grand Mal said:
My son toured SE Asia a couple years ago. He loved Vietnam, and Cambodia outside of Phnom Penh. The old temples are well worth the effort, he reports. Thailand up north, too, but Bangkok he said was just tooo much city, and 'way too polluted. Our family never have been city types, though, so YMMV.
I'd love to visit the place, but from my son's description of the street markets I think I'd be vegetarian while I was there!
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I have also heard that Bangkok is just a touristy trashheap, so apart from being a place where I can get flights to and out of, I don't plan on spending too much time there. My friend moved out there a few weeks ago, she's teaching there for a year (potentially two) so I'm going to see her for a little while, but apart from that I can't see myself being there for too long!

beefheart said:
I've been to Vietnam twice, Cambodia once, Bali twice and Thailand at least 10 times. For Vietnam, just go N to S or vice versa, I've been to Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, on a trip through the DMZ up to Khe Sahn, Hoi Ahn, Hue, Dalat, Saigon, on a trip through the delta and Na Trang. I want to go back and see Pleiku and the NW corner. Cambodia, I went to Angkor Wat environs, tried to go to Phnom Phen on a different trip but Bangkok airport shut down. Thailand: Bangkok, Krabi, Koh Samui, Phuket, Chaing Mai, Phi Phi and multiple diving sites. Bali is amazing, been all over it...however Mount Agung is about ready to errupt, so watch out. Solo travel is super easy, hotels/hostels at any price range, Vietnam is very cheap/ Food...its all so good and so fresh...you really can't go wrong anywhere, even the street stalls.

Let me know if there are any specifics you need to see. Laos is interesting but really poor, very nice people though, and Cambodia can be a bit challenging. In Thailand, Bangkok gets old after a few days, and there are tons of scammers (never take a tour offered by a tuk-tuk driver, especially when they lie to you and say that the Royal Palace is closed for the day....it is NEVER closed!)
Click to expand...

Sounds good! Yeah I'm planning on getting a motorbike and traveling up from Ho Chi Mihn City up to Hanoi. My plan for Thailand is arrive in Bangkok, head up to Chiang Mai for a week, then make my way southwards back to Bangkok, then flying to the southern islands, see Koh Phi Phi, Koh Tao, maybe do a full moon party in Koh Phangan. Cambodia I would love to see for the temples.

I don't know whether to hit Laos or not. I would love to do both it and Myanmar, although given the situation in Myanmar right now it'll probably have to be another time. 3 months sounds like a long time, but I'm spending 3 weeks of that scuba diving in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, which ultimately gives me 9 weeks or so of free travel time. Once you start trying to fit more and more countries in, you end up spending < 2 weeks per country and I want to take things at a fairly leisurely pace.

The same is true for Bali, I would love to go there and/or Lombok, but with the time spent traveling I don't want it to eat into my time there too much. If you think Bali/Laos are definitely worth seeing I'd definitely heighten my consideration for them.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
I dont really know you but damn, good for you!
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Thankyou sir!

Jetboogieman said:
Watch out for the chicks with dicks bra :2razz:
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Haha will do. I was in Ipanema in Rio de Janiero a few years ago (at least, I think it was Ipanema) which is famous for it's transvestite prostitutes (both pre and post op). Me and a friend took a cab there and the friendly advice from the cabbie (who spoke very little English and mainly communicated through gestures) was look out for the adams apple, that's how you can tell if it's actually a dude. The level of plastic surgery they have can apparently make it really difficult to actually tell them apart, especially after a drink or three!
 
Nilly said:
I have also heard that Bangkok is just a touristy trashheap, so apart from being a place where I can get flights to and out of, I don't plan on spending too much time there. My friend moved out there a few weeks ago, she's teaching there for a year (potentially two) so I'm going to see her for a little while, but apart from that I can't see myself being there for too long!



Sounds good! Yeah I'm planning on getting a motorbike and traveling up from Ho Chi Mihn City up to Hanoi. My plan for Thailand is arrive in Bangkok, head up to Chiang Mai for a week, then make my way southwards back to Bangkok, then flying to the southern islands, see Koh Phi Phi, Koh Tao, maybe do a full moon party in Koh Phangan. Cambodia I would love to see for the temples.

I don't know whether to hit Laos or not. I would love to do both it and Myanmar, although given the situation in Myanmar right now it'll probably have to be another time. 3 months sounds like a long time, but I'm spending 3 weeks of that scuba diving in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, which ultimately gives me 9 weeks or so of free travel time. Once you start trying to fit more and more countries in, you end up spending < 2 weeks per country and I want to take things at a fairly leisurely pace.

The same is true for Bali, I would love to go there and/or Lombok, but with the time spent traveling I don't want it to eat into my time there too much. If you think Bali/Laos are definitely worth seeing I'd definitely heighten my consideration for them.
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Bali is a wonderful place, its Hindu and the customs there are fantastic, very peaceful place (if you can avoid the Aussies drinking their way around). I did Luang Prabang, Van Vieng and Vientiane in Laos....Vientiane was dreadfully boring.
 
beefheart said:
Bali is a wonderful place, its Hindu and the customs there are fantastic, very peaceful place (if you can avoid the Aussies drinking their way around). I did Luang Prabang, Van Vieng and Vientiane in Laos....Vientiane was dreadfully boring.
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Aussies are bloody everywhere you go, every hostel I've been to has a good contingent of them haha - I have no idea how there can be any left in Australia!
 
Nilly said:
Aussies are bloody everywhere you go, every hostel I've been to has a good contingent of them haha - I have no idea how there can be any left in Australia!
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When in Bangkok, I stay at a pretty upscale hostel with private rooms, its a really neat place, lots of nooks and crannies I discovered over the years. Its called Suk11, easy to google, on Sukhumvit 11, right off the Nana BTS line.
 
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