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Hooray for monsoon season!
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Nov 4, 2012 12:31
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| # ? May 9, 2024 21:57 |
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Where is that? Ko Tao?
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Nov 4, 2012 12:53
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B-Rad posted:Whats the best bet for finding decent accommodation in Palawan during high season? Should we just rock up or prebook at least for Christmas eve/day? We should be in El Nido during that time. From what I could tell in El Nido, there were a ton of guest houses that weren't on Agoda. You'll probably be fine just rolling into town but if you're at all picky about your accommodations, then book ahead. Personally, I liked staying in the bungalows that line the water to the right of the town proper. Way quieter and cleaner than El Nido town itself. If you don't want to walk though, stay in town.
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Nov 4, 2012 13:46
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Morricone posted:Where is that? Ko Tao? Yeah - Sairee beach (outside Big Blue), Koh Tao.
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Nov 4, 2012 16:38
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Welp. Koh Samui is out of the picture now - I guess the inconvenience and the lack of time got it tossed out of the picture as well. Looking at Pangkor Malaysia now.
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Nov 5, 2012 03:57
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Just landed in KUL, malaysia is a but rainier than expected. Will try to make my way to penang asap to see if I can catch better weather. Flying to JAK on friday. Anyone got any advice for activities and a hostel for three days penang? I like eating, drinking, cycling and scootering. Don't like taxis.
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Nov 5, 2012 11:10
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Rojkir posted:Just landed in KUL, malaysia is a but rainier than expected. Will try to make my way to penang asap to see if I can catch better weather. Flying to JAK on friday. Anyone got any advice for activities and a hostel for three days penang? I like eating, drinking, cycling and scootering. Don't like taxis. No recommendations for hostels but there is a club called "club 69" (lol) that a group of local gangster dudes gave me a bucket of beers because I was polite and said "oh hey sorry" after they pointed out they had hired out the swimming pool in the back of the club and I was checking it out. Remarkably friendly for any part of the world!
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Nov 5, 2012 11:35
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kru posted:No recommendations for hostels but there is a club called "club 69" (lol) that a group of local gangster dudes gave me a bucket of beers because I was polite and said "oh hey sorry" after they pointed out they had hired out the swimming pool in the back of the club and I was checking it out. Remarkably friendly for any part of the world! "oh sorry I'm Scottish" is my trump card in any situation
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Nov 5, 2012 11:36
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imnotinsane posted:Why isn't this the thread theme song: Really its just concentrated in certain areas right?
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Nov 5, 2012 19:12
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TheLizard posted:From what I could tell in El Nido, there were a ton of guest houses that weren't on Agoda. You'll probably be fine just rolling into town but if you're at all picky about your accommodations, then book ahead. If your going to El Nido during a busy time I highly recommend you book ahead. I was there during the Chinese new year (probably their busiest time) and there were people sleeping on the beach because everything was fully booked (I booked about 2 months in advance). Also, check to the left of the cove (downtown), that stretch of beach has some really good accommodation. I spent maybe $45 a night for a suite.
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Nov 5, 2012 21:04
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Rojkir posted:Just landed in KUL, malaysia is a but rainier than expected. Will try to make my way to penang asap to see if I can catch better weather. Flying to JAK on friday. Anyone got any advice for activities and a hostel for three days penang? I like eating, drinking, cycling and scootering. Don't like taxis. I haven't been up to Penang, but I hear the food is amazing. It is one of the few areas in Malaysia where Chinese Malaysians are the majority so expect a lot of amazing Chinese food (DIM SUM!!!!). As far as the weather goes, Malaysia will have rain literally every day, though it's just a short downpour usually. Being said, they are getting into monsoon season so it may be a bit worse right now. You can probably find a bike or scooter you can rent somewhere, but I'd be wary of cars - Malaysian drivers (and other scooter drivers) can be insane, and there is a lot of purse snatching done on scooters (may not apply if you don't have anyone carrying a bag with you) so be wary of that. I would agree taxis suck in Malaysia, especially if you are white. They will rip you off. When I was in Malaysia, I'd always stay hidden and let my wife negotiate the fare before I came up to the cab. In regards to drinking, wrong country bro. Alcohol is easy to find but Malaysia has a horrible tax on it - well over 100% iirc. The only places in Malaysia where you can find relatively (take this with a grain of salt) good prices on booze are duty free parts of the airports and Langkawi, which is an entirely duty free island. I say to take that with a grain of salt because the business owners know how much alcohol costs elsewhere in the country so their booze is still marked up pretty high because they know you'll still buy it because it's still cheaper than what you'll find elsewhere. I don't know about any hostels either, sorry.
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Nov 6, 2012 00:15
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Rojkir posted:Just landed in KUL, malaysia is a but rainier than expected. Will try to make my way to penang asap to see if I can catch better weather. Flying to JAK on friday. Anyone got any advice for activities and a hostel for three days penang? I like eating, drinking, cycling and scootering. Don't like taxis. I liked Old Penang guest house on Love Lane. Good eats are a few minutes walk away at Tek Sen restaurant. It's on Lebuh Carnarvon. Eat as much of the double cooked pork as you possibly can. http://goo.gl/maps/AVzCa There are good eats everywhere in Penang. Visit http://eatingasia.typepad.com and download Bourdain's No Reservations Penang episode. Finch! fucked around with this message at 03:45 on Nov 6, 2012 |
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Nov 6, 2012 03:41
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The Ultimate Goon Transport. VIP Bus comes with free wifi and power points. Now I can be sperg out on a bus too. Thailand the ultimate destination
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Nov 6, 2012 06:39
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Twister off Koh Tao this morning: It's not my photograph (though it is my hosting) but many different angles are showing up on Facebook so I guess it's real and not some crazy Photoshop campaign. I didn't see it, I was still in bed.
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Nov 6, 2012 08:19
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Thanks for the penang advice guys, I'm in a budget on love lane, the weather is much much better than kl which was what I came for in the first place and I just had what was probably my best lunch ever. I thought thailand's food was great, but my (limited) sampling of malaysian cuisine had proven to be better and cheaper.
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Nov 6, 2012 09:43
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Rojkir posted:Thanks for the penang advice guys, I'm in a budget on love lane, the weather is much much better than kl which was what I came for in the first place and I just had what was probably my best lunch ever. I thought thailand's food was great, but my (limited) sampling of malaysian cuisine had proven to be better and cheaper. I really loved Malaysian food when I was there. Their take on curries, BBQs, and satay are amazing. If you hit a Chinese-Malay restaurant, see if they have "orange peel beef".
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Nov 6, 2012 13:17
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Red Garden in Penang was probably one of my favorite night markets in SE Asia. Jalan Alor was also very nice if you are in KL, though more popular and crowded. I still liked Thai food better though (from a cuisine standpoint). The best food I had in the region was easily in Singapore hawker centers (Maxwell specifically), with Vietnam as a close second.
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Nov 6, 2012 22:43
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Was looking for tickets from San Francisco to BKK and assumed that one way would be more expensive like always. Round trip prices pretty much made me  , one way was MUCH better.I know it's been asked in this mammoth thread, but does one way tickets cause problems when getting a tourism visa (from a consulate in the US) or getting into the country in general? edit: Thaivisa says "Getting a tourist visa in advance provides exemption from the need for a return ticket, but the airlines may still require one even so." Also, any opinions on EVA Air? moflika fucked around with this message at 04:08 on Nov 7, 2012 |
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Nov 7, 2012 03:36
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moflika posted:Was looking for tickets from San Francisco to BKK and assumed that one way would be more expensive like always. Round trip prices pretty much made me Usually round trip is better but once in a while the system breaks down and one way becomes tolerable. Usually having a one way ticket is not an issue as far as getting into a country is concerned if you're moving down in terms of GDP per capita (US to Congo). If you're moving up in terms of GDP per capita (Liberia to Luxembourg) the visa process is totally different and actually has an application that you have to give documents and letters with (XX in local property and non liquid funds, letter from a boss saying you intend to return to your job, statement from a sick auntie that you're her main caretaker, whatever). HOWEVER, the visa gods are fickle and, especially in places like SE Asia or India or other places with petty autocratic government officials and more than their fair share of red tape one week can be NO PROBLEMO and the next NO WAY gently caress OFF. This can even vary by embassy -- for example when I worked in Thailand the Thai embassy in Laos was notorious for giving no one work permits ever, whereas the one in Penang gave it up like a chubby buck toothed girl on prom night. ADDITIONALLY, it's not really the governments you have to worry about so much if you're moving down in GDP per capita. No visa? Ok, whatever, I'll fly in anyway and get my two weeks or whatever and just do a visa run. The airline, however, can itself give you issues. They'll let you buy a one way ticket, then when you show up at the gate they'll look around for your visa and if you don't have a work visa or business visa or other long term visa they'll go OH NO YOU NEED A ROUND TRIP TICKET. This isn't because some government told them this. This is because recently some lovely hippy got on the plane, landed in BKK, customs took a look at him and said "You know what gently caress that guy let's send him back" and after a few hours in a lovely room at Soowwwaaannnnnaaappouuuuuuuu they marched him back to the desk at Air Asia and said "Take this piece of poo poo back home  " and the airline lady said okay. But he didn't have a ticket. He doesn't have any money. The airline eats that fee. So then a very angry Dragon Lady from the Air Asia desk in Bangkok calls her little cousin in JFK (whom she got the job for) and says "NO loving AMERICANS WITHOUT ROUND TRIP" and then Noi says "What if they have a work visa Auntie?" and Auntie says "NO" but Noi lets those people on the plane anyway because she's tired of arguing with 6'6" fat people who frankly scare her day in and day out and they get red faced and holler. Anyway, if you're buying a one way to try to save money just estimate "What is the the chance I will get turned away and how much would I pay to avoid that stress" and then add that to the price of the one way. Also estimate "what is the chance I will lose my mind in SE Asia, spend all my money, then get stuck over there with no way home and have to call my Dad in an embarrassing way and say 'geez dad I really need about eleven hundred dollars to get home quick because I'm losing my mind and might die'" and then guess how much you would pay to avoid that and add that price on to the cost of the one way as well. Then compare the Round Trip price to the Modified One Way Price (With Possible Inconvenience Fees) for a scientific way to see if the one way is truly a better deal. Sometimes it still is. Hey-o.EVA is ok unless your plane is infested with Mainlanders so hopefully you change in Taipei or something to avoid most of them. Old rear end Taiwanese can be pretty miserable airline compartment sharers but the from like 40 down Taiwanese are very nice and fun and friendly people. raton fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Nov 7, 2012 |
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Nov 7, 2012 04:18
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Hahah, nice breakdown. I have no doubt that that Noi/Auntie poo poo goes down exactly like you described. Oddly enough one way tickets are a little less than half the price of round trip. I'm wondering if an AirAsia ticket out of Thailand to somewhere else in SEA will be enough to please the Thai consulate and airport...
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Nov 7, 2012 05:04
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There's never a sure answer to that question. It's a risk tolerance question you're asking. I can't help you currently on toting that out because you need a literal up to the minute feel for how things are in the visa office / airport plus some indication if the winds are likely to change or not soon. Also if you decide to roll the dice wear a nice outfit to the airport. And be nice to the check in lady. Smile at her. Get her number. Never call her.
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Nov 7, 2012 05:07
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America now has a legit Thai-American (who speaks fluent Thai!) in office.
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Nov 7, 2012 05:15
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The analogies were  Sheep-Goats.Luckly I never had this problem. Next year, I plan on flying into BKK (most likely one way) if it's cheaper and then buying a one way ticket to Laos at the airport, as it seems there's not a lot of code sharing agreements with Lao Airlines, so booking through expedia.com or some online service jacks up the price insanely.
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Nov 7, 2012 05:18
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I arrived in Thailand on a one way ticket from Myanmar nobody seemed to care at the immigration, they just stamped me and I walked on through. Also Air Asia didn't ask me about a return ticket or visa either. I think you will be alright, they must get a lot of tourists that come here then go to other nearby countries.
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Nov 7, 2012 06:20
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Modus Operandi posted:America now has a legit Thai-American (who speaks fluent Thai!) in office. Why would you post that and not say who it is / where they're in office. Edit: Found it. Ladda Tammy Duckworth. Illinois of all loving places. Going to be in the House, lost a run two years ago, succeeded this year by unseating a Republican. Daughter of a military man and a Thai wife who served in Iraq and lost both her legs in a chopper crash there. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/319964/thai-american-wins-election The first Thai-American was this guy but he got in via special election as a Hawaii Republican and then lost his seat in the general election. Interestingly (I guess) he's also technically the first Chinese-American to serve in the House as his father is Chinese-American and his mother is Thai-American. And his wife is Japanese-American. So his kids can't go anywhere in Asia and not catch racist flak. raton fucked around with this message at 07:16 on Nov 7, 2012 |
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Nov 7, 2012 07:05
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Sheep-Goats posted:Why would you post that and not say who it is / where they're in office. I saw her give a brief interview in Thai with Thai channel 3 who sent that popular corrupt talk show host guy to go interview her. I was also impressed that she didn't give a crap about protecting her All American image from constituents and spoke in a foreign language to foreign press. She's a smart cookie and I hope she does well. It's also kind of funny seeing some Thais all confused by why there's a Thai speaking person running for office in the U.S.
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Nov 7, 2012 12:52
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Someone put sheep goats' one-way ticket visa question in the OP. That is the best explanation I have seen yet, and it seems that question comes up a lot.
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Nov 7, 2012 17:30
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Awesome collection of Thai Film posters: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutantskeleton/sets/72157630755427078/
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Nov 8, 2012 09:57
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Wow, sheep goats is a gifted man, predicting what just happened at the malaysia air check in counter. I was going to take the risk flying into jakarta on a one way (because I suck at planning and have a return from kl back to amsterdam), but they decided to be cunts and refused to check me in without a return ticket. Second time around turns out I should have just lied about it, because they don't actually need to see the ticket, but it's easy being credible with the actual ticket in your pocket.
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Nov 9, 2012 04:30
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 Definitely not what I wanted to hear after purchasing my one-way ticket... hahaha
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Nov 9, 2012 07:16
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Modus Operandi posted:America now has a legit Thai-American (who speaks fluent Thai!) in office. I'll be back in country next week - I'll look you up then, sorry I've been out of touch. Busy and then America for three weeks now. +5lbs.
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Nov 9, 2012 09:29
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moflika posted:
One thing about visas. Houston used to be the easiest place on Earth, famously so, but they're on the ball now and even with a packet full of papers and company letters for my business visa they needed a bank statement showing >$500. So, if you go for a visa even in America, get ready to take the bank statement requirement seriously. I though it was a joke and had to go back and get one, heh.
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Nov 9, 2012 09:32
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I'm dealing with the consulate in LA (by mail), and they don't even mention a plane ticket in their requirements for a tourist visa. I hope I'm allowed to try again fairly quickly if I get denied. Time will tell!
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Nov 9, 2012 09:37
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Ideally they won't, but be on the lookout for the bank statement thing. That one blew my mind. I was like, "What? I have papers for an entire business here. How can $500 be a concern when there's an entire business in this folder?" Anyway, she said it applied to every kind of visa now, so who knows. Thailand's weird, what can I say, heh.
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Nov 9, 2012 10:41
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ReindeerF posted:I am so stoked about this - and she's tough as loving nails. I don't mean the combat and the injuries, I mean watch her in a debate. The loving men in Congress better watch out, there's a combat-trained Thai-Chinese lady with a bone to pick on the way. quote:I'll be back in country next week - I'll look you up then, sorry I've been out of touch. Busy and then America for three weeks now. +5lbs.
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Nov 9, 2012 16:37
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Doing two weeks in Vietnam in late January. Couple of questions: 1) We're flying in and out of HCMC. Should we stick to the southern half of the country? I hear the north has its rainy season that time of year, but I hear good things about the landscapes/Hanoi/Ha Long Bay. Then again, it's only two weeks and we want to maximize our time. 2) Any thoughts on motorcycle tours in Vietnam? Frankly, motorcycles make me nervous, but I met someone who had an awesome time riding around the countryside on the back of a tour guide's bike. 3) Are prices going to be crazy in January? 4) General suggestions for places to check out during the trip? Thanks everyone. I'd be happy to help anyone with Korea questions. (I know, I know...)
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Nov 9, 2012 16:48
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Modus Operandi posted:What she needs to do is team up with Senator Inouye for a photo op and start the League of crippled Asian-Americans. A new superhero duo to fight the evil right wing Tea party menace. Modus Operandi posted:Sounds good i'll be heading back to the U.S. end of Nov with a stop over at Hawaii.
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Nov 9, 2012 18:44
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big boi posted:Doing two weeks in Vietnam in late January. Couple of questions: 2. It's the thing to do in Vietnam. Though if you are afraid of motorcycles it might not be such a great idea. The roads are chaotic. 3. It's Vietnam. Unless your budget is really tight, don't worry about it.
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Nov 9, 2012 19:11
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Rapsey posted:The roads are chaotic. Understatement of the century
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Nov 9, 2012 19:17
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Regarding EVA Air and one way tickets, I flew to the Philippines with them one time and intended to fly back on Hawaiian Airlines. They made me dig up my itinerary with Hawaiian to show that I had a return ticket. Hawaiian Airlines, on the other hand, has never made me show proof that I have a return ticket when flying to SEA from Hawaii. EVA also made me show them the credit card that I used to book the flight, while Hawaiian has never done it.
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Nov 9, 2012 19:48
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