|
Great, I'll make sure to stop by that shop, thanks!
|
#
?
Apr 22, 2014 10:03
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 2, 2024 07:50 |
|
|
tzz posted:I guess I'm out of luck because I'm in Battambang right now and I doubt I'll be going to the South again. I'll probably stay around here and Siem Reap a couple more weeks and then I'll take a flight to Chiang Mai. As for hotels, I typically stay in the Seng Hout, which is clean, new and nice and has a rooftop bar and pool - all for about $12 a night, I think. I'm not huge on tourist gimmicks, but the bamboo train's worth doing just for the giggles. The Killing Cave and all that is sort of banal just because it's such an exercise in disaster tourism, something I've grown really sick of in Cambodia. Still, there are monks wandering around a very old monastery on a hilltop that doubled as a KR camp, so there are rusty howitzers scattered about and monkeys playing on them next to a hole where people got dropped into a cave when they were disposed of. Great photo ops and a great view too. Personally, I find just hanging out in Battambang and talking to the various artists and owners and Khmer (whi could speak Thai or English anyway) and other local things much more interesting. Check out the couple of art galleries for sure and chat someone up. They do some interesting projects and some of the local artists are halfway decent. There's a lopsidedly large missionary community which owns about half of the restaurants and things in town. For some reason they've made Battambang their city the way they have with Chiang Rai in Thailand.
|
|
#
?
Apr 22, 2014 12:25
|
|
|
Thanks for the recommendations! I've only wandered around so far, but I think it's the best city in Cambodia for that. Nice architecture, cool riverside, not too crowded and overall very charming and laid back. I had lunch at Madison but I found it a bit lacking and overpriced. It seems like a good place to go have a drink at night, though. Nary's Kitchen was the opposite, cheap with some of the best fish amok I've had (best fish amok award still goes to Lost Art in Kampot, whose owner is an awesome Australian old man). I might even go back to take one of Nary's cooking classes some day. Today I'm planning to try some street food, but I'll make sure to check Eden and Lotus. Speaking of that, this country needs some sort of street food guide. I find it much harder to find good street food here than in Thailand, it's almost like a lottery. My old "find a crowded place" trick doesn't work here so well. I moved to the Seng Hout for the terrace before even reading your post. I was staying at the Asia Hotel right next to the bus "station" but I only booked a couple of nights and I had to move to another room if I wanted to stay, so I thought I'd try some other place. Totally recommended, the rooms are much nicer than Seng Hout's for the same price. It's a shame it has no bar or terrace to hang out, which is probably a must here in Battambang since everything closes so early.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2014 06:00
|
|
|
Yeah, unfortunately you have to go looking for the best street food places in Cambodia, compared to countries like Thailand where it's easy to find. That said, generally you can't go wrong with the bread, grilled stuff (since that's pretty easy to tell if it's going to be terrible), including the grilled bananas, or sweet stuff. The noodle/rice soups can be pretty good too. Often the crowded places are those "buffet"-type places, which are awful.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2014 07:10
|
|
|
tzz posted:I had lunch at Madison but I found it a bit lacking and overpriced. It seems like a good place to go have a drink at night, though. tzz posted:I moved to the Seng Hout for the terrace before even reading your post. I was staying at the Asia Hotel right next to the bus "station" but I only booked a couple of nights and I had to move to another room if I wanted to stay, so I thought I'd try some other place. Totally recommended, the rooms are much nicer than Seng Hout's for the same price. It's a shame it has no bar or terrace to hang out, which is probably a must here in Battambang since everything closes so early. There are also a couple of wannabe legit (not pervy or sex touristy) clubs in town hidden upstairs where the local university kids go to drink and stuff. I wandered in on accident once and got taken there for someone's staff's birthday once. Kinda fun just to see how Battambang's pseudo-cosmopolitan young party crowd go out I guess, heh. EDIT: I also take pleasure in yelling HOWDY ELDERS to all the Mormons when I'm there. EDIT: Reminder that Battambang is the second most populous city in Cambodia, heh. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 10:45 on Apr 24, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 08:18
|
|
|
I've been fired basically so my gf and I are planning our last 3-4 week blowout in south east asia before we head back to the states. Things that are must do -Angkor Wat -Vang Vieng, just for the ridiculousness of it -Proper time in Bangkok -Full Moon Party somewhere, June 13th. Open for suggestions -All the perfect Thai beaches -Something in Vietnam even though I don't know poo poo about it. I'm basically looking for suggestions of things to fill in the gaps, or things I absolutely have to see that aren't included. i've only ever been to Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. Money is kinda an issue but whatever I don't know when I'll be over here again. I'm also not opposed to heading down to Malaysia, Singapore, or the Philippines if anyone did something there life altering. This might be my last big excursion before I have to settle down and get serious about life so I'm willing to go nuts. Halp.
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 11:41
|
|
|
Welp, my quest for good street food hit a bump in the road when I had a bland noodle soup and I spent all day feeling all dizzy and nauseous, although the unbearable heat and humidity today might be the ones to blame for that. Still, I'm not giving up just yet: I found a woman frying some glorious patacón-style banana and I'll look for that Canteen tomorrow. I'm also getting swamped by work and it's only going to get worse next month, so I think it's time for me to settle down in Chiang Mai for a while starting next week and get a subscription at one of those fancy coworking places. Kinyei and Eden here in Battambang are perfect to get some work done while sipping good espresso, but I still feel uncomfortable staying so much time working in cafes. No sight of Mormons yet, just heard one Mexican missionary nut job (evangelical I guess) talking some disturbing bullshit while I pretended not to understand. Turning contraception into a sin, exactly what this country needs!  FizFashizzle posted:I've been fired basically so my gf and I are planning our last 3-4 week blowout in south east asia before we head back to the states. Things that are must do I did your Thailand and Cambodia part a few years ago and had a great time. I started in Bangkok, went South stopping on some beaches before taking the ferry to Koh Samui (I liked Khanom the most), then went to Phangan's FMP... I got way too drunk there, got lost and ended up in some random Thai village separated from my friends for a few days, but they went back to Surat Thani and waited for me in Ao Nang while visiting Phi Phi and that stuff. We then took a cheap flight from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. I'm not sure how can you link SR and VV or Vietnam, it seems way too spread out for me if money is an issue. tzz fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Apr 24, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 19:33
|
|
|
It might be back up now but Laos finally sat on VV a while back to stop it being such a huge horrible shitshow.
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 20:02
|
|
|
Vang Vieng is running but it's toned way, way down. Mostly the government got sick of debauched tourists corrupting the monks, with the lesser problem of fishing teenage Lao Lao-pickled falang corpses out of the river on a regular basis. The Death Slide was dismantled and most of the bars are gone. There are maybe 3-4 left. It's still a big draw for younger backpackers, though. The teens thought it was wicked rad but everyone who went over 25 figured there were better places to drink, better places to go tubing, and better places to see temples. It's not as wild as it used to be. Honestly, go if you're going to pass through Laos anyway and maybe spend a day in Luang Prabang, but I'd prioritize it under the rest of the stuff on that list. It's not going to be Burning Man in The Jungle.
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2014 20:25
|
|
|
That's disappointing. Although it will probably make the rest of the trip easier.
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2014 03:32
|
|
|
It was bullshit goon sir
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2014 03:59
|
|
|
tzz posted:I still feel uncomfortable staying so much time working in cafes. I spend a lot of time working from a bar: https://www.facebook.com/BanyanBarKohTao It's actually surprisingly good for productivity. During the day there are often one or two other people working remotely there and it's a good place to bounce ideas off people and to come up with new approaches to old problems. Of course it can be a bit messy and it's easy to get distracted when it's full of daytime drinkers, but the food is good and the night time antics are hilarious. Finch! fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Apr 25, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2014 05:14
|
|
|
tzz posted:Welp, my quest for good street food hit a bump in the road when I had a bland noodle soup and I spent all day feeling all dizzy and nauseous, although the unbearable heat and humidity today might be the ones to blame for that. Still, I'm not giving up just yet: I found a woman frying some glorious patacón-style banana and I'll look for that Canteen tomorrow. EDIT: Oops, White ROSE. Not Lotus. I always gently caress that up even though I've been eating there for like eight years. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 08:37 on Apr 26, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2014 08:13
|
|
|
Pixelante posted:Vang Vieng is running but it's toned way, way down. Mostly the government got sick of debauched tourists corrupting the monks, with the lesser problem of fishing teenage Lao Lao-pickled falang corpses out of the river on a regular basis. The Death Slide was dismantled and most of the bars are gone. There are maybe 3-4 left. It's still a big draw for younger backpackers, though. The teens thought it was wicked rad but everyone who went over 25 figured there were better places to drink, better places to go tubing, and better places to see temples. It's not as wild as it used to be. I've talked to a few travelers who say VV is still pretty great but not the same as it used to be. I'm from NZ so I'm doing the reverse route of all the Euro backpackers (moving from Malaysia upwards). I'm over 25 though T_T
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2014 14:58
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:On the food note in Battambang, White Lotus is good for a compromise, but if you want market/street food eat inside the middle of the old French market in the center of town. Charcoal stoves and soups and noodles and so on. Good stuff. Cranks up around 06:00 along with the coffee and tea. Hah, I thought you were confusing White Lotus with Lotus, a bar/restaurant/art gallery right in the centre. They do documentary and movie screenings, poetry readings, 2x1 pizza night and other events. Even though some of those are way too artsy for me, it's one of the best places I've found in Battambang to hang out, so thanks for the unintended tip :P The old market is great for some sausages and grilled meat, but it closes down way too early. Down by the Governor's building there's a night market that closes much later where there's some tasty stuff too. I'm leaving tomorrow to Siem Reap so I won't be able to try that White Rose this time, but I can definitely see myself coming back here in the future. I've grown quite fond of this town. Finch! posted:I spend a lot of time working from a bar: https://www.facebook.com/BanyanBarKohTao I've also found that I'm extremely productive working at cafes, especially when working in the mornings while everybody is sleeping in Europe. That's the catch, though, I often have to spend my evenings mailing, skyping and calling people and by that time cafes are either closing or getting full of early drinkers. I'm gonna go to Chiang Mai, stay there a few weeks visiting the surroundings and then I'll see about maybe moving to an island for some more lazy hammock days.
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2014 17:49
|
|
|
Who has experience in Vietnam? I'm trying to figure out if a trip to Hanoi to see Ha Long bay will be worth it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 02:34
|
|
|
I really enjoyed Ha Long Bay and if you're going to be in the area, it's worth a visit. Hanoi is a cool place to visit too.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 02:46
|
|
|
Not sure if it counts but I'll be in Bali from May 18 - ?, then up through Malaysia and the rest of SE Asia from late June to September. Thread has been great for planning so far. If anyone wants to meet up send me an ole PM. Question: a friend of mine is coming to visit July 23 - August 3. We're going to do a bit of Thailand and then down into Cambodia. She's heading back to the US from Bangkok though, so we'll need re-entry visas. I'm planning on going to Vietnam and Laos after that and then maybe back to Chaing Mai for a bit later in the year. Is it best to just get normal visas at the border or?
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 04:33
|
|
|
How Long Bay
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 05:29
|
|
|
mintskoal posted:Not sure if it counts but I'll be in Bali from May 18 - ?, then up through Malaysia and the rest of SE Asia from late June to September. Thread has been great for planning so far. If anyone wants to meet up send me an ole PM.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 06:12
|
|
|
Gail Wynand posted:Are you referring to Thailand? Just enter and exit the country as usual, there's nothing special you need to do assuming you are both US citizens. There's no visa involved. Yes, we both are from the US and I am referring to Thailand. Does that mean each time I enter and exit the country I'm good for 30 days, or are there other restrictions on that?
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 06:58
|
|
|
mintskoal posted:Yes, we both are from the US and I am referring to Thailand. Does that mean each time I enter and exit the country I'm good for 30 days, or are there other restrictions on that? Yes. As an American you're good for 30 days. Don't worry about visas if you're staying less than a month each time you enter.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 07:19
|
|
|
Just remember that you need to get the Vietnam visa in advance, you can't get it at the border. Flying in to do a VoA (just google Vietnam visa, I picked the cheapest service I could find) is the least annoying option for Vietnam. Laos and Cambodia you can get at the border, but some crossings might be pretty scammy.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 09:02
|
|
|
mintskoal posted:Yes, we both are from the US and I am referring to Thailand. Does that mean each time I enter and exit the country I'm good for 30 days, or are there other restrictions on that? It's 30 days by air and 15 on land.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 10:55
|
|
|
cent0r posted:It's 30 days by air and 15 on land. Some people say it's 30 days by land too if you are from one of the G7 countries.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 11:21
|
|
|
tzz posted:Some people say it's 30 days by land too if you are from one of the G7 countries. Thanks all. I've Googled this stuff but it's a bit unclear. I was aware of the rules for Vietnam though.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 11:31
|
|
|
It was 30 days by lanbd, then it was 15 days, then it was 30 days again and now it's back down to 15 days again apparently - by land. Anyway, yeah, by air it's always 30. As an American you just waltz in and waltz out, no worries.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 11:34
|
|
|
Still 30 days by land here for G7, ignore them Thai Visa folks.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 12:31
|
|
|
I heard it was 30 days the first time you enter by land, but if you try to do border jumps after that, it's only 15. Bottom line: Nobody has any idea how visas for Thailand work.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 17:37
|
|
|
Chair Huxtable posted:I heard it was 30 days the first time you enter by land, but if you try to do border jumps after that, it's only 15. Bottom line: Nobody has any idea how visas for Thailand work. To save myself the trouble, I just got a 60 day tourist visa in Malaysia before crossing over.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 18:21
|
|
|
I was in here asking a lot of questions about Thailand a few weeks back. I disappeared because my plans and my finances took a nasty hit to the tune of over half the liquid dollars I intended to have. I am currently grinding out a few bucks doing various things online. Would it be suicide to go ahead with my plans if it meant landing in Thailand with only $4-$5k in my pocket, plus the expectation of another $1,500-$3k in income in the first three months, not including my online work?
|
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 20:43
|
|
|
That's plenty for general backpacking. Should last forever if you A) don't travel constantly or B) don't try to live a baller lifestyle at the bars.Chair Huxtable posted:I heard it was 30 days the first time you enter by land, but if you try to do border jumps after that, it's only 15. Bottom line: Nobody has any idea how visas for Thailand work. This banner just showed up on SA's rotation (Google I'm sure) at the top of this page:  THAILAND WOMAN REAL RELATION Captivating copywriting. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 01:44 on Apr 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2014 22:44
|
|
|
You can travel and live in SEA for relatively little, but it's a lot like Vegas- the more money you have, the better (and it's not hard to spend there). Having less money can be somewhat compensated for by doing a lot of research. I spend more when I live and travel in SEA than when I live in San Francisco or Washington DC. I find myself traveling and being more outgoing in Asia though, and eating out/doing more stuff, so it is what it is. 8k is totally doable for 3-4 months.
Shammypants fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Apr 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 02:20
|
|
|
Yeah, basically if you stay in places for a longer time you'll spend less overall because A) you're not spending money on traveling and B) you'll escape the tourist-only stuff that always gouges people and C) you can negotiate long-term rent. It's very easy to spend a shitload, though. On an unrelated note, looks like you've got your own True Crime story, Siem Reap. Congrats! http://brighamyoung401.wordpress.com/
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 03:01
|
|
|
Journalist grapevine for a bit was that he was figured killed by ex-Khmer Rouge elements. Looks like there was some shady business going on for a while, then. And, speaking of border entries: I haven't had a visa since last year since I currently live 5 kilometers from a border crossing (I can see Burma from my house! Well, could from my old one), but since that's changing I'll need to do a border crossing from Bangkok next month. What's the best one? So many to choose from. MothraAttack fucked around with this message at 03:38 on Apr 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 03:35
|
|
|
Either Aran/Poipet or Trat/Koh Kong is easiest, with Poipet being the closest. You can catch the 05:00 (AM) van or bus out to Rong Kluea Market (the border market just past central Aran) and be back by afternoon probably. Poipet and Aran are both shitholes, of course. Trat's very boring and quiet, but you could stop over in Koh Chang. The Khmer touts at the border crossing there are the most ridiculous border touts I've ever experienced. I've recounted my experience there previously, but they came over to the Thai side like 10 minutes after I was in Thailand to tell me that I had forgotten to pay them a bribe - no joke. If you've picked up a bit of Thai, I recommend the Baan Pakard border checkpoint near Chanthaburi. Pailin, a quaint little town, is a 10 minute moto ride across the border, Battambang is just an hour and a half furhter and the whole trip is very hassle-free compared to most borders. Even if you just want to pop in and out, spending a night in Chan is worth it. Very quaint and modern for an off-the-beaten-path (unless you're a gem trader) Thai provincial capital. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 03:50 on Apr 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 03:46
|
|
|
I've got a plan put together to hit up some destinations with a few friends, we're doing a bit of a mix of hiking and little odds and ends. We also have an additional week we're thinking of doing either Cambodia or somewhere in Vietnam. Any recommendations, suggestions, or issues with our itinerary (the hiking stuff is a bit more fixed but the rest is flexible)? 11-May Fly Bangkok to Surat Thani Ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan (arrive afternoon) 12-May Koh Phangan 13-May Koh Phangan 14-May Koh Phangan - 15-May Koh Phangan 16-May Ferry/Bus/Flight from Phangan to Bangkok Fly from Bangkok to Surabaya (Arrive 1:00am) 17-May Drive to Ranupani 18-May Semeru Volcano - Hike to Kilimati Base Camp 19-May Semeru Volvano - Hike to Summit, then back to Ranupani 20-May Drive to Ijen Crater Base 21-May Ijen Crater Hike (start 2am) Ferry to Bali (Arrive in afternoon) 22-May Bali 23-May Bali 24-May Bali 25-May Bali to Lombok Private transport from Lombok Airport to Senaru 26-May Mount Rinjani 27-May Mount Rinjani 28-May Mount Rinjani Arranged Transport from Senaru to Kuta, Lombok 29-May Lombok 30-May Lombok 31-May ??? ??? 1-Jun ??? 2-Jun ??? 3-Jun ??? 4-Jun ??? 5-Jun ???
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 03:53
|
|
|
Go to Angkor, obviously. Definitely take an extra day and go see Borobudur while you're on Java anyway.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 04:25
|
|
XyrlocShammypants posted:You can travel and live in SEA for relatively little, but it's a lot like Vegas- the more money you have, the better (and it's not hard to spend there). Having less money can be somewhat compensated for by doing a lot of research. I spend more when I live and travel in SEA than when I live in San Francisco or Washington DC. I find myself traveling and being more outgoing in Asia though, and eating out/doing more stuff, so it is what it is. 8k is totally doable for 3-4 months. Heh, I actually live in Vegas. I'm looking to take language classes and otherwise live as cheaply as possible while still having internet, running water, and air conditioning. I was going to be rolling out with what I figured would be plenty of money to skate by for a year while taking classes, but that has been severely impacted by recent happenings. Should I be thinking Chiang Mai or something instead of Bangkok?
|
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 04:57
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 2, 2024 07:50 |
|
|
How tough is Thai to learn if you already have functional Mandarin? Edit: Just did a quick Wiki and apparently the languages aren't as related as I thought. I've been told they're structurally similar and that the tones aren't overly difficult if you're familiar with Mandarin tones though. Atlas Hugged fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Apr 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2014 05:08
|
|
