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What eviljelly said.
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Jun 18, 2013 14:56
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Fair enough. I was mainly going there for the snorkelling and looking at the pictures/itinerary it seems were in fact going to be mostly staying on Koh Nangyuan, but I'm still not sure. Were taking one of those day trip tour things if I wasn't clear.
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Jun 18, 2013 16:56
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Just got back from a few days in Phangan. I stayed at Coco Garden, which was about a ten minute walk from Thong Sala. The beach there isn't great, but the site itself is awesome, and the staff are really good. I was there way before the full moon party, so it wasn't too crazy, although if you were looking for a night out, it wasn't too hard to find it. The weather was actually pretty good-it was cloudy pretty much the whole time but the temperature was perfect. I'm honestly kind of bummed to be back in Bangkok.
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Jun 19, 2013 04:57
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What is the weather going to be like on Koh Samui in mid July? Wet wet wet?
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Jun 19, 2013 05:17
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duckmaster posted:What is the weather going to be like on Koh Samui in mid July? Wet wet wet? So the guy at my guesthouse said Phangan is even different than Samui, but my best guess is that it'll definitely rain, but not nearly as hard as it will on the west coast.
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Jun 19, 2013 11:50
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Brimmy posted:I've been thinking of going to Malayasia after my time in Korea is up next February. If you don't mind me asking is your school a proper private school or a cram school? If it's proper private how did you go about finding it and what are the working conditions like? Not sure how much I can help you there, the school I'm at is due to having met the guy who's setting it up in China. It's a branch of Wall Street English, which is pretty big in China and has just opened their first branch here. It's selling to professionals and adult learners, their big selling point being giving an English speaking environment. It concentrates quite a bit on encouraging students to hang around for a bit and talk to one another (thought that's less of a selling point in KL versus countries where noone speaks English). I know a couple of the other teachers here though work with international schools (since we have weird hours it kind of sucks for anyone with a family). I can ask them about how they got into those schools if you're still looking for some guidance.
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Jun 19, 2013 12:09
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4 Day Weekend posted:Fair enough. I was mainly going there for the snorkelling and looking at the pictures/itinerary it seems were in fact going to be mostly staying on Koh Nangyuan, but I'm still not sure. Koh Nangyuan is a tiny little speck of an island so it's easily doable as a daytrip, if you are okay with spending a ton of time in transit on the taxi to the pier, then on the ferry, then doing those again on the way back. It is quite beautiful, although you will probably see the beauty through a haze of Korean and Chinese tourists freely touching corals and dropping garbage as they snorkel around the bays. The bar is quite nice, although their drinks are wildly overpriced. There's a wonderful viewpoint which is about a 15 minute well-marked climb up some stairs and then about a 1 minute climb up some boulders.
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Jun 19, 2013 12:15
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Yeah we went there today and it was really nice. Boat trip back was quite long due to bad weather but the rest was awesome. They don't allow flippers or any plastic bottles so all tourists were well behaved. Would you say its worth it to do ang Thong in addition to Koh Nangyuan?
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Jun 19, 2013 13:18
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Heeey, you know? You know!? Sit down, you know! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMlMhV6B5co Thai man points pistol at Russian visitor in Phuket, you know
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Jun 19, 2013 13:29
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Ringo R posted:Heeey, you know? You know!? Sit down, you know!
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Jun 19, 2013 13:48
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4 Day Weekend posted:Would you say its worth it to do ang Thong in addition to Koh Nangyuan? I've never been, but from what I understand it's not as 'spectacular' but much more nature-y, as it's actually a marine park rather than a tourist trap owned by a ferry company.
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Jun 19, 2013 14:19
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ReindeerF posted:I saw that and my first thought was, "This has to be staged." Okay, maybe the Russian happens to film this and acts completely stoic while being beaten around, but the calmly closing the door and the saunter back to the computer took the cake, heh. He's Russian, having your door pounded on by an angry man who slaps you around with a pistol is probably a weekly ritual.
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Jun 19, 2013 14:20
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CronoGamer posted:He's Russian, having your door pounded on by an angry man who slaps you around with a pistol is probably a weekly ritual.
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Jun 19, 2013 14:47
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I call bullshit. Russians (at least the ones I've seen/met/teach the children of) think Thais are beneath them.
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Jun 19, 2013 17:58
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Staged. Russian never shut the gently caress up. e: Someone else go put this in the China thread please https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbPWitSTe2k raton fucked around with this message at 07:20 on Jun 20, 2013 |
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Jun 19, 2013 20:37
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The alleged story behind the gun video: http://www.thephuketnews.com/thai-man-points-pistol-at-russian-visitor-in-phuket-video-40246.php quote:Thai man points pistol at Russian visitor in Phuket
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Jun 20, 2013 10:08
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So what do you think they're doing then? What was the point of faking it? Just getting hits? Maybe it's a long game, and he's trying to set the stage for faking his own death for insurance purposes.
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Jun 20, 2013 10:10
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CronoGamer posted:Just getting hits? I mean, you know, maybe it's real. It's certainly far from an unprecedented event, especially in a shithole Southern Thai area full of dirtbag tourists and jaded Thais like Phuket is. Just based on the video, though, I'd be really surprised if it were. :gets smacked around with a gun: :stays completely calm and silent: :saunters back to webcam nonchalantly: It's very difficult for me to buy the video, not the story. EDIT: I don't think anyone in Bangkok thinks much of either the Post or Nation, I certainly don't, but the Phuket/Pattaya rags make them look like the NY Times & Washington Post by comparison. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 10:36 on Jun 20, 2013 |
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Jun 20, 2013 10:24
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I think I've posted in here once before, vaguely, but things are starting to resolve. I'm looking at SE Asia for my honeymoon, arriving Nov 3ish and leaving Nov 28ish. Our current loose itinerary is Seattle -> Hanoi -> Halong Bay -> Hanoi -> Bangkok -> Chiang Mai -> Bangkok -> Seattle What I'm wondering is:
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Jun 20, 2013 21:27
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blk posted:I think I've posted in here once before, vaguely, but things are starting to resolve. On the Thai islands, it really depends on what you want and where you go. I feel like certain islands have a very cool vibe while other islands, yeah, could just be anywhere in the world. The problem is, the whole hanging-out-on-an-island-cool-vibe thing isn't really something you get a lot out of in 3d2n itineraries. In this case, you're probably best to skip the islands since they're a huge travel detour for such a short trip. Chiang Mai, you can do all that hill tribe trek poo poo I guess, everyone seems to love all that. For me, the only interesting part about Northern Thailand are the rural peoples, the beautiful scenery and the local foods like nam prik num and sai oua and khao soi and so on. All the elephants and hill tribes (with Coke machines in the chieftan's hut) and that stuff isn't my bag. Jogging into the countryside into coffee fields and chatting with villagers and eating at little local stalls is more fun. One thing most people don't immediately get about Thailand is that outside of heavily urban or touristed areas, there are almost no fences or rules of conduct as long as you're nice, polite and respectful. You can walk up to anyone, go anywhere, ask about/for anything and, again, as long as you basically khoor anuyot (ask permission) upon doing it you'll be greeted warmly. So just dicking around jogging or biking through villages and mountain passes and stuff for a day is great for me. Farmers offer you fresh fruit and stuff, kids swarm around yelling GOOD MORNING! (at 16:00) and it's what you'd kinda hoped Thailand would be like, as opposed to YOU GO LADY BAR!?
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Jun 20, 2013 22:53
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Have I been in Cambodia long enough that I can tell everyone who comes to this thread that they MUST MUST MUST go to Cambodia or do I have to wait till I've bought my bar?? Edit for useful advice: the bus from Bangkok to the Cambodian border is boring. I'm told the train journey is absolutely stunning, although it takes twice as long, so you might look into that when you (definitely) go to Cambodia. It's also hilariously cheap, like 100 baht or something. duckmaster fucked around with this message at 09:29 on Jun 21, 2013 |
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Jun 21, 2013 09:25
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blk posted:Are Sapa and/or Ninh Binh easy to get to and worth the detour from Hanoi? Is there much there besides the postcard view? duckmaster posted:Have I been in Cambodia long enough that I can tell everyone who comes to this thread that they MUST MUST MUST go to Cambodia or do I have to wait till I've bought my bar??
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Jun 21, 2013 10:20
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duckmaster buys a bar. eviljelly marries a prostitute. Let's turn this into ThaiVisa!
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Jun 21, 2013 10:24
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I have a strict white women only policy 
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Jun 21, 2013 11:08
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eviljelly posted:I have a strict white women only policy So you married a Russian prostitute?
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Jun 21, 2013 11:09
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marry russian prostitute, move to pattaya 
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Jun 21, 2013 11:10
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Tytan posted:I found Ninh Binh itself a bit boring to be honest. The surrounding countryside is nice enough for cycling around but not really worth the detour unless you're passing through. Sapa is better if you want to see a slightly different side to Vietnam. I'd take Ha Long Bay over either though. Buy 10 get 1 free.
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Jun 21, 2013 11:58
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blk posted:I think I've posted in here once before, vaguely, but things are starting to resolve. I was just in Hanoi and Halong Bay last month. Frankly, if you had to decide between Angkor Wat and Halong Bay as tourist destinations, go with the former. Halong Bay was kinda depressingly dirty.
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Jun 21, 2013 12:05
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eviljelly posted:I have a strict white women only policy :thaivisa:
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Jun 21, 2013 13:18
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duckmaster posted:Have I been in Cambodia long enough that I can tell everyone who comes to this thread that they MUST MUST MUST go to Cambodia or do I have to wait till I've bought my bar?? duckmaster posted:Edit for useful advice: the bus from Bangkok to the Cambodian border is boring. I'm told the train journey is absolutely stunning, although it takes twice as long, so you might look into that when you (definitely) go to Cambodia. It's also hilariously cheap, like 100 baht or something. Bus from Bangkok to Chanthaburi Saengtaew (ask for "Rot Pakard") from Chanthaburi to Baan Pakard Border Crossing Moto from Cambodian side to Pailin Taxi from Pailin to Battambang The Baan Pakard crossing is quaint, small and largely scam free and it's a much prettier, more peaceful trip than through Poipet. If you opt to stay in Battambang (you should) for at least a night - it's only a couple of hours from Pailin - then it breaks up what is otherwise an Uncomfortable-To-Hellish 7+ hour bus trip from Poipet to Phnom Penh. Chanthaburi is a cool city, the scenery from there to Baan Pakard is beautiful, Pailin is quaint and interesting old gem trading & Khmer Rouge capital, Battambang is a comfortable, but not overrun old provincial capital (technically Cambodia's second largest city, but you won't believe it) with a small collection of great food (Gecko Cafe, Pomme D'amour, White Rose) and awesome expat bar outposts (Madison Corner). The whole trip is very nice. Ringo R posted:duckmaster buys a bar. eviljelly marries a prostitute. Let's turn this into ThaiVisa! eviljelly posted:I have a strict white women only policy ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 14:03 on Jun 21, 2013 |
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Jun 21, 2013 13:36
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ReindeerF posted:Chiang Mai, you can do all that hill tribe trek poo poo I guess, everyone seems to love all that. For me, the only interesting part about Northern Thailand are the rural peoples, the beautiful scenery and the local foods like nam prik num and sai oua and khao soi and so on. All the elephants and hill tribes (with Coke machines in the chieftan's hut) and that stuff isn't my bag. Jogging into the countryside into coffee fields and chatting with villagers and eating at little local stalls is more fun. Yeah I'm with ReindeerF on this one. I spent two months in Chiang Mai after doing the SE Asia loop and I'm still a bit hard pressed to describe why it's such a huge tourist destination. Sure, the food is great (but so is most food in northern Thailand, and you can get most specialties in Bangkok) and the city is pretty chill, but I'd want more time in Cambodia or southern Thailand over just Chiang Mai. Elephant stuff is take it or leave it for me, and the hill tribe treks aren't my bag. If you motorbike, though, there are some nice day rides from the area, and Chiang Rai is kinda cool with its White Temple and equally alluring day rides. If you're into outdoors-y stuff, you could always try something like Umphang or the Mae Hong Son area instead (just promise us you don't do some "long neck" poo poo). Haven't been to either yet, but Umphang is supposed to have some great hiking and decent rafting, and it's pretty off the beaten path Thailand-wise. Some people also swear that the Mae Sariang -- Umphang route is among the prettiest in Thailand, should you choose that route if you come south from Chiang Mai (but that's getting a bit convoluted, I suppose). Now, getting there from Bangkok would require a Nok flight or bus to Tak or Mae Sot, and I suppose neither area exactly screams "honeymoon." MothraAttack fucked around with this message at 15:34 on Jun 21, 2013 |
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Jun 21, 2013 15:28
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I have to say, I love that this thread is still going strong! When I first decided to go to SE Asia after university some 6 years ago, this thread was my inspiration - and now again it has tempted me back to beg for some knowledge! In January 2014 I'm looking at a 4 weeks away, and was initially looking at flying to Kuala Lumpur, heading to Vietnam and travelling up the country by train (about a week), flying over to Burma for a bit (another week) then spending a few days before heading home in Southern Thailand. My concern is if this is cramming too much in to a short space of time - the first few times I've been to this neck of the world, things have always stopped me getting to Vietnam (girlfriend got food poisoning, bad weather...) and I really would like to get there. But reading the last dozen pages on here, doesn't seem like people have much good to say about the country! Is it really that bad or does it have some redeeming parts? And then there's Burma - I'm guessing information is still very light on the country but are there any particularly good blogs or anything to check out for there? It seems like you need to be pretty organised in advance due to visas and limited accommodation but is that really the case? The other thing was are there any decent alternative to Southern Thailand for a nice beach-chillout before heading home? I'd love to try somewhere new, but the diving around Ko Tao really was awesome... Any and all help appreciated! 
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Jun 22, 2013 01:16
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I'm not a huge help on your questions, other than to say that The Philippines can be a great place to bum around on a beach if you really, really want to get away from everyone and everything alive, heh (Boracay and a few other tourist beaches that aren't beloved excepted). I've always liked Kph Phangan, but it's not exactly remote. You might try Sri Racha/Koh Si Chang and some of the Eastern Thai islands, maybe with a jaunt over to Koh Kong on the Khmer side. On the question of your broad itinerary, some of us do poo poo on Vietnam a bit, but if I'd already been to Thailand and I was picking between Malaysia or Vietnam, I'd personally choose Vietnam unless I specifically wanted to see the marine parks and natural beauty aspects of Malaysia. I don't dislike Malaysia, I would just weight Vietnam more to my personal tastes even though I really don't like a few things about it. On the topic of Burma, there's a new wealth of info out there since its emergence from decades of isolation. I don't have any travel resources handy, but just hit google and wikitravel and I'm sure you'll find plenty. The only thing I've heard is that hotel prices are still through the roof in the cities (particularly Mandalay and Yangon) with all the chancers flooding in.
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Jun 22, 2013 05:16
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If you travel off season Burma you can find places for as low as $5/night if you look hard enough but $10/pp.pn is pretty easy to find. January or peek season, every place is booked solid well in advance and prices are (I'm told) 4x that of low season (You can always stay in monasteries if that's your thing). I have some posts on my blog (https://www.whereswil.com) from my trip there last month (and more posts coming) including information on connectivity and atms. The top notch guesthouses I'd recommend are... Hann Si - Yangon Remember Inn - Inle A.D.1 - Mandalay (Amazing location) Lily's - Hsipaw ...the others I stayed in were just alright. Ngwe Saung is a beautiful beach that hasn't made it to the typical tourist trail yet. It's beautiful, relaxing and there were only a handful of people there when I was.
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Jun 22, 2013 07:01
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I'm headed off to :nam: for the start of august - Saigon for a few days then whatever I decide seems like a good idea. Who is going to be kicking about? Senso, are you still in town, or are you away home?
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Jun 22, 2013 08:38
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This place is going to be even more locked-down and boring than usual for Idul Fitri (early August), so I'm going to take the week off and try to hit up Saigon/Hanoi and/or Phnom Phen. Part of me wants to scout them out as possible teaching locations for 2014 but I also need a drat holiday. What's fun?
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Jun 22, 2013 08:47
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I'm scheduled to leave Saigon on August 16 so anything before that, I'll be available to hit the bars and all that.
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Jun 22, 2013 10:03
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You could also check out Hpa-an in Karen State, Burma. It's supposed to have some good hiking, and it's a bit off the tourist trail. Or you can also get wild and try to get down into the Mergui archipelago. Ferries are a bit pricy and so is lodging (relatively), but it's basically a relatively tourist free Andaman destination.
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Jun 22, 2013 10:48
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SurreptitiousMuffin posted:What's fun? ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Jun 22, 2013 |
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Jun 22, 2013 17:42
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Started watching this for the parrot, finished watching it for the dank rear end bike https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo-ZTTyKe3M Also every time I see those candy cane curbs I get nostalgic.
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Jun 23, 2013 07:49
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