|
I think the only benefit an Airbnb have against a hotel is that they usually have washers and/or dryers so you can bring a lighter suitcase and have nice clean clothes when you go home
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 12:03
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 11, 2024 20:59 |
|
|
There's a lot of potential benefits to an airbnb over a hotel. As someone who works online and travels full time, I stay in airbnbs or find apartments in other ways to live 90% of the time. You can often get a much larger space, more privacy, ability to wash your clothes/make your own food, have a place to actually work from home comfortably... all at a much cheaper price, especially if you are renting for a longer term period. Last time I was in Bangkok I stayed at a one bedroom apartment that was around 700 sq ft/70 sq m. It had a seperate bedroom, living room, kitchen. Balcony overlooking the city. 3 rooftop swimming pools. A 2 story gym on the rooftop that was better than 90% of the gyms in the city. In a great area next to a BTS station and a 20 minute walk from Asoke. All for 1100 usd for the month. You'd be extremely hard pressed to find anything similar in quality to that in a hotel for the equivalent of less than 40 dollars a night. When I was in Chiang Mai last, I had a huge apartment with a large balcony overlooking the mountains in one of the most upscale apartment buildings in the city in the Nimman area. I think I paid 800 for the month. If I'm staying somewhere just a few days and looking to use all of my waking hours exploring outside, I'll just go with a simple hotel too. As someone who works online and likes having a nice space to feel like home in while slow traveling, airbnb over hotels is the better option almost every time. I've only had 2 bad experiences ever, both were rectified by airbnb. It's easy to not "get scammed" on price by sorting by total price like the above poster said. Just literally check the total price when you go to finalize your booking too. Its not difficult. Do read the fine print on cancellation policy and whatnot.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 16:09
|
|
|
Taking a detour from my Thailand visit to hang out in Siem Reap and I didn't realize a fair number of places here will just accept US dollars. I would have brought some cash with me from home had I known!
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 16:16
|
|
|
C-Euro posted:Taking a detour from my Thailand visit to hang out in Siem Reap and I didn't realize a fair number of places here will just accept US dollars. I would have brought some cash with me from home had I known! USD is as accepted as Cambodian currency. It's a legacy of the UN work there in the 1990s that flooded the country with dollars. Be careful though, because people will be really difficult about any damage on the bills, and sometimes they'll slip you damaged ones and not take them back.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 16:25
|
|
|
My post about my bad airbnb experience is probably somewhere on these forums. I'll post it if anyone cares, but I can never summarize it very succinctly. But it took me over two weeks to get my money back from Airbnb despite me providing picture proof of the issues I had with it. Host wasn't in the country, with no management locally. They ignored me once they realized my issue was bigger than them saying polite things and it ruined my last night in Taiwan all over maybe $40 savings over a standard hotel. Not only that, my review was removed from their listing and they still had a 5 star rating a year or two later. Yes if you're staying somewhere for an entire month the likelihood they can do this is pretty slim. Hell even a short stay is unlikely to be bad generally. But when it happens to you you will regret going with Airbnb to save a fraction of the cost vs the rest of your trip. I'm flying from the States so maybe to me that's more important than someone who's just flying in from China. So I guess do it if it won't bother you if it ends up going bad. Airbnb will not side with you though, you don't make them any money. The scams most people talk about isn't the pricing, the scams are you showing up and the place doesn't exist. All these little scams run on Airbnb can easily be quashed by them. But that'll cost them money both in developing it and all the fees they get from people scamming their customers. C-Euro posted:Taking a detour from my Thailand visit to hang out in Siem Reap and I didn't realize a fair number of places here will just accept US dollars. I would have brought some cash with me from home had I known! I think anything below $5 bill they convert to Riels at 4000:1. When I went last year it was like 4100ish. That's how they kinda "get" you in the conversions. So if my change was $41, I'd get 2 $20 and $1 in Riels (~4000)
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 17:55
|
|
|
Traveler that spent over half of 2018 in hotels and AirBnBs... There's an element of gambling with AirBnBs but if you see one with review, good pictures, well kept, etc. it can totally be worth it plus you can stay in some incredibly unique places.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 21:06
|
|
|
Aye, if it has a lot of reviews the gamble is small. I did have one place that looked amazing with no reviews, brand new. The person contacter me asking them to send them money directly off site to confirm the reservation. Lol. Reported them and the listing was removed. My experience was the opposite of the above poster in the 2 bad experiences I had out of maybe 150-200 airbnb took my side. Maybe because I use them so much they took my side more seriously. Just book places with a lot of good reviews and you're most likely going to have no issues.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 21:37
|
|
|
On the subject, I kind of prefer hotels over AirBnBs generally speaking but if I am traveling more than few days I'm absolutely going to look at AirBnBs.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2024 21:39
|
|
|
I was planning on doing AirBnB for my upcoming trip but all i found in the area I'm heading to is shared bathroom garbage. Naw dawg.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 00:07
|
|
|
I am basically deciding between the Lub D hostel and the Cat Story hotel. I think for my desired goals (eg being near the beach, within walking distance of Bangla Road and other fun spots, being in the center of the action, meeting new people etc), I'm leaning toward Lub D. Also, if I am more flexible on plane ticket (ie short stop in Hong Kong vs direct flight etc), I feel like I can get get a good package with a private room at Lub D vs shared 4 bunk room. Roughly ¥11,825 for 13 nights, or $1,661, including plane tickets. Does that seem reasonable? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Jan 3, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 03:25
|
|
|
If you are paying over $100 a night in Thailand, it should be for a 5 star place.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 04:16
|
|
|
Waltzing Along posted:If you are paying over $100 a night in Thailand, it should be for a 5 star place. I mean.. 100 isn't really 5 star luxury in Thailand, so is the idea that you should just spend a bunch more to get 5 stars?
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 04:43
|
|
|
Waltzing Along posted:If you are paying over $100 a night in Thailand, it should be for a 5 star place. This is combined plane/room. I think for Junior room double room only is 444 yuan or $62 per night.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 05:07
|
|
|
In 2016 I had an apartment in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. It was $180usd per month. A studio in district 1, 10 minute walk to the big district 1 park and Bui Vien St. It had a bathroom/shower, a queen sized bed, a fridge, an AC unit (electricity not included in the $180). No kitchen or ability to cook, but I was able to set up an electric stove by the window and cook that way. It was right next to a co-op mart, which is a big western style grocery store. It was amazing. I lived in that apartment for 6 months with my local girlfriend. Without her I wouldn't have been able to find that cheap of an apartment as the owner only spoke Vietnamese. I went back to Vietnam in 2017 and got a place down the street from the first apartment, it was $250 a month. The owner lived in the building and was a nuisance, it was a mistake to rent that one for sure. The owner was all up in our buisness and had a strict 'no visitor' policy. It was also a PITA to park our scooter in their little "garage" as the owner had to open the garage door for us everytime... Which never was a problem as she never once stepped foot out of the building, but having a helicopter landlord like that was annoying and ridiculous. The whole time me and the gf were living there we were wishing we were in our old spot. Which sadly had been rented out to someone else. $180 a month though, I was shocked at the affordability. Having no kitchen was not an issue whatsoever as we would just eat out for every meal. We did start cooking for ourselves because I started really missing western food after a while. In Denver, CO a similar apartment in a central location downtown would cost me 10x as much, easily. I miss Vietnam. 😭
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 06:07
|
|
|
I LIKE COOKIE posted:In 2016 I had an apartment in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Need some food recommendations there! Also yeah food in Asia is so cheap you probably never need to use a kitchen even if you had one
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 06:17
|
|
|
Doing further research, I think the following places are good choices for what I'm looking for in terms of lodging: Cat Story Hotel Black Pantera Hostel Patong Poshtel I Am O'tel Patong Big Boys' Bed & Burger Lub D Hostel Alfresco Phuket Hotel Anyone been to one of these? It seems kind of weird for some of the hostels there's a huge price gap between the shared bunk hostels and first smallest junior double room. Ideally I'd like to get a private double room and be able to securely lock away passport and put away my suitcase and backpack while also being in or close to the party/social scene yet have a private room in case I need to chill out. E: I think out of all of these, I am most partial to Cat Story, Lub D and Black Pantera. After comparing more hotels and hostels, Lub D does definitely seem overpriced, but you do get the most opportunity to socialize and meet new people as a solo traveler compared to anywhere else I've seen (the other hostels were labeled as quieter/non-social places  ).Something my coworker suggested is to book a room at a few different places to get a taste of different room styles and experiences. I could maybe do a few nights at Lub D then switch to a cheaper hotel/hostel after I've had my fill of Bangla mania socializing. On the other hand, my well-experienced traveler friend suggested booking for a few days at a hotel and leave the other days blank and book when I get there for flexibility. Is this a good or bad idea for a relatively newbie solo traveler? E2: Also since I'm planning on being in Phuket for a longer stay, are there other spots on the island I should consider too like Old Phuket Town? Or maybe just visit while keeping home base in Patong? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 09:47 on Jan 3, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 08:36
|
|
|
You're totally overthinking this. If you feel partial to one and it's a decent price and convenient location just go for it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 09:35
|
|
|
Why limit yourself to staying only in Patong for your vacation? You could also split your time between Khao San Road in Bangkok and Walking Street in Pattaya to truly get a feel for Thai culture. Edit: Soi Cowboy might also be more your style. Maybe they have a cat hostel there too. Boola fucked around with this message at 11:23 on Jan 3, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 11:20
|
|
|
Boola posted:Why limit yourself to staying only in Patong for your vacation? You could also split your time between Khao San Road in Bangkok and Walking Street in Pattaya to truly get a feel for Thai culture. Well, I mainly want to be on an island/near a beach for most of my vacation, but I might consider some other places as well. I'm already used to a big crowded city environment with living in Beijing, so I'm not really eager to see another big crowded city with Bangkok; but I wouldn't say no, either. I've heard there are some cool day trips and tours you can make while in Phuket, such as visiting Old Town, James Bond Island, Phi Phi Island, visiting the elephant and gibbon conservation sites, etc. It would also be great to see some Buddhist temples, reclining Buddha, and so on. If I end up staying in Patong/Phuket for the whole trip, I think I'll go Lub D -> Black Pantera -> Cat Story for my lodging. Appreciate the help. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 13:03
|
|
|
Haha. I was just joking. But, yes, go on some side trips. Bangla/Patong is the scum of Phuket. I wouldn't recommend anyone spending more than a day or two there. The Similan islands are beautiful. Big Buddha is a cool viewpoint. Phi Phi and Railay are both worth it if you can make it. Old Town Phuket is worth a wander.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 15:46
|
|
|
BabyFur Denny posted:Going to Myanmar between Christmas and New Year. Does anyone know if they have esims for tourists? My current provider doesn't offer a roaming package for MM How was your trip to Burma? Haven't been back since Dec 2019 and seriously considering that I may never go back if the political situation does not improve. My parents were able to meet DASSK briefly and my aunt finally left the country since then, so at least we had that opportunity.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2024 22:44
|
|
|
Mandalay posted:How was your trip to Burma? Haven't been back since Dec 2019 and seriously considering that I may never go back if the political situation does not improve. My parents were able to meet DASSK briefly and my aunt finally left the country since then, so at least we had that opportunity. It was nice, peaceful and uneventful. Felt safe enough the entire trip. Barely saw any white people.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 02:09
|
|
|
Oh, something I just thought of: how do people normally dispose of used toilet paper in Thailand? I'm used to Chinese squatter toilets and throwing away paper in a nearby trash bin, but I'm not sure if I should flush, throw, bidet etc while in Thailand.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 02:31
|
|
|
Depends where you are but when I was in Koh Phangan the toilets had signs in them saying to dispose of tp in the bin near the toilet. That was 15 years ago though so maybe it's different now. When I was in Hua Hin last year everywhere was just flush the paper.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 02:45
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 02:46
|
|
|
Bum gun to air dry supremacy. But it will vary venue to venue. Some of the nicer shopping centers have recently installed Japanese bidets. If you're making GBS threads at a night market, be prepared for anything.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 03:16
|
|
|
Hotels with bidets: Grande Center Point Terminal 21 Nishitetsu Solaria Hotel (across the street) Carlton Hotel down the street toward Thong Lor If you don't book hotels based on the toilets you need to reassess how you vacation!
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 03:27
|
|
|
Strong Sauce posted:Need some food recommendations there! Unfortunately it's been nearly A decade (2016 was 8 years ago now  ) and a lot has changed in Saigon since I was there. I had a friend go in 2019 pre-covid and I sent her to a bunch of places to go eat that no longer existed, even just 3 years after my trip. My friend got pretty frustrated with all my secret food spot advice because most of it was wrong! I can't imagine how much has changed during covid and after. the growth was insane when I was there. If you've been in Asia a while and are craving tex-mex like I was, La Fiesta! Is still there according to Google maps. Another factor is I had a local leading me around so half the time I didn't even know what district I was in, lol. Sorry.I never once got invited to a new friends house or truly befriended any locals in Thailand, Cambodia, or The Philippines. In Vietnam I was going out for drinks and ice cream with new viet friends, getting invited to dinner at peoples homes (and it actually not being a scam). Going to weddings when I'd just met the relatives of the bride and groom a week prior (and met the couple getting married at the ceremony). Spent 2 weeks at a small village in dak lak sleeping at a house/bakery for tet, the list goes on. Vietnamese people are the best! If you're on the fence about going to Vietnam because obtaining the visa is a PITA compared to the neighboring countries- Do it. it's worth it. MOT HAI BA YO!
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 17:47
|
|
|
I LIKE COOKIE posted:If you're on the fence about going to Vietnam because obtaining the visa is a PITA compared to the neighboring countries- Do it. it's worth it. E-visa takes around 10 minutes and costs $25. They even have a 90 day one now. Just remember to apply at least 2 weeks before your arrival date.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 20:00
|
|
|
yeah i gotta file for that visa soon
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 21:52
|
|
|
I was stressing about that but got mine back in one business day. They did ask for a correction though because they want some things formatted oddly.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2024 22:40
|
|
|
Can I enter Thailand using a one-way ticket and make up my vacation as I go (E.g. I book only a few nights in Phuket at first in case I decide I want to visit Bangkok and leave from there back to China later on etc), or do I need to book round-trip tickets to and from Phuket to show the airline/Thailand immigration I have proof that I will leave Thailand once my vacation is done? E: based on what a friend suggested, maybe it's best to keep round-trip tickets in and out of Phuket but leave my trip open for exploring all kinds of places in southern Thailand. Any recommendations? He said Ko Lanta and Trang are good. Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 09:15 on Jan 5, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2024 08:53
|
|
|
You can pick up a cheap refundable ticket to somewhere nearby if you want to keep your options open. Generally your airline will demand you have a ticket out of Thailand. I'm currently heading to Lanta for 7 weeks myself and I quite like it there.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2024 09:25
|
|
|
Booked my roundtrip tickets to Phuket!  Just gotta book my initial hostel and I'll be good to go. E: does anyone know about the Mad Monkey hostel? It looks like they opened their Phuket location in December last year, so pretty new. From the reviews it looks like a pretty social hostel with great staff. I feel like this one might be better than Lub D since the rooms are cheaper and more spacious while still providing a party/social atmosphere. That's the impression I'm getting, anyways. E2: Went ahead and booked my first 3 nights there. Really excited to see what I find out for my next step! Maybe off to Lanta or elsewhere. Those beach bungalows look rad as hell, especially the Cat Bungalow! Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 17:21 on Jan 5, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2024 15:32
|
|
|
Vietnam's Visa Page is offline. Wonderful.
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 02:30
|
|
|
I have used Vietnam-Visa.com a few times for my bosses because they have more money than time and it was always easy.
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 10:19
|
|
|
I have arrived in Thailand and life is good
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 12:54
|
|
|
Cynic Jester posted:I have arrived in Thailand and life is good  Our tickets and hotels are booked, I’ll be the same way in a little less than a month’s time.
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 14:26
|
|
|
Nothing like a leo and texas bbq to know I'm on Lanta.
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 14:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 11, 2024 20:59 |
|
|
peanut posted:I have used Vietnam-Visa.com a few times for my bosses because they have more money than time and it was always easy. Ewww just get an apec card and renew every 5 years
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 19:58
|
|
