Korean Job Discussion Forums

Howard Roark · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Location: Canada

i'm starting my second year in korea. i didn't get to do as much travelling last year as i wanted to. i went to japan twice and i'll be going again soon for my visa.
i hope to do a bit more travelling this time, but i'll probably only have time and money for one real trip somewhere. everyone goes to thailand, i'm considering that. but i would like some other asian destination suggestions. what are some other places that you have travelled that were fun, interesting, and reasonably priced?

richinkorea · Posted: Tue May 20, 2003 4:47 am Post subject:

Travelling in Asia rules !

How much time you have and how much $$$$.

Interests ?

rudyflyer · Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Location: pacing the cage

Phillippines and Boracay didn't look bad. Airfare is cheap and places to stay are cheap too. Just not enough there for us to do for 4-5 weeks vs Thailand.

Also try Bali should still be some bargains there.

If you want something else I hear Angkor is incredible and Vietnam is nice.

Lemon will reccommend Malaysia

thats for starters try lonely planets thorn tree for more ideas

sickboy · Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Location: Miari Texas

How much time do you have?

Big factor!

gang ah jee · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: city of paper

anyone been to the plain of jars in laos? what's up with it?

and howard: what kind of things do you like doing?

sickboy · Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Location: Miari Texas

I've heard a lot about Pattaya in the news lately....

Howard Roark · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Location: Canada

time: maybe 2 weeks
money: ~$2000 - 3000 including airfare

what do i like doing?
hmmm, that actually stumped me. well, i like sandy beaches, warm and sunny weather, shopping!! of any kind, good food in lots of cafes and restaurants, historical sites, sightseeing, total immersion in a rich and unique culture, love big cities but want to spend time in more rural areas also, basically just relaxing and feeling like i live somehwere else for a while. i'm not after a wild time of bar hopping and debauchery. it seems like a lot of people go to thailand for that sort of thing, so that's why i wanted some other ideas.

richinkorea · Posted: Tue May 20, 2003 5:53 am Post subject:

HR,

The reason many go to Thailand is because you can do all of the things you mentioned, cheaply and easily. It's easy to stay away from the rentagirl scene. CHeck out the destinations on lonelyplanet.com.

In two weeks you can hit the city both ways (in and out), from there you could spend the rest of the time on the beach or split one week between the beach and one in Northern Thailand. $2K is plenty of money (too much, way too much) for two weeks. That kind of money will only get you in trouble Laughing

$1,000 will do pretty good if you don't mind guesthouses and eat local food (most foreign food in thai is c rap too)

Sickboy:
People go to Pattaya for 2 reasons, they want to Smile

, or they don't know any better and take a package tour. 1 more category, just checking it out ! It's quite an experience and people should see it ! But if you're not into it a day would be sufficient.

G
Plain of Jars is pretty ambitious. Laos is great, but requires time and willingness to sit on buses for long periods at a time. The most ambitious way to go is through Cambodia. It's real frontier land in them parts. Easiest way - No easy way. Not much to see either. Use the thorn tree for specific up to date queries.

I need a vaction Sad

Patong Dong · Joined: 06 May 2003 Location: On Nut

I've got to say Phuket, even though I'm going the opposite way and returning to teach in Korea after living here in Phuket for almost 2 years.

This is the year of the high season that never started and the worst low season in years, so bargains are rife. I just set up a visiting friend in a hotel for 500B with satellite TV. and a pool in PAtong. There are plenty of good clean guesthouses for 300B and high end hotels that'll start the bargaining before you do.
Phuket runs the gamut from decadent to quiet getaway. PM me if you want some good locales because the best info is available on the ground.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Wed May 21, 2003 5:35 am Post subject:

Are there any online sites that really detail Thailand/Malaysia? Them travel books are too damn expensive to go buying for a 10-day trip. Looking to bus it off and on from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur over about 10 days, and stop a lot along the way...

rudyflyer · Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Location: pacing the cage

post over on lonely planets thorn tree site. 2 branches you may want to look at: thailand and a south east asia one.

you are right zyz, all the hotel sites i've looked up are high end and no discounts. an article from "the nation" posted on tt said hotels in bkk and phuket are less than 20% booked vs over 50% last year. maybe you just need to ask

hth

Blue Flower · Posted: Wed May 21, 2003 7:01 am Post subject:

I want to go somewhere during Chusok - where do you guys recomend? i want fun, great food, touristy, knick knacky things, some cool temples/palaces, things to see. I will have bout 7 days. I am seriously considering Thailand, love the food, and i miss the beach something terrible. If it is Thailand, how much would i roughly need? and where should i go?

gang ah jee · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: city of paper

Thanks rich... on more research Plain of Jars cost/benefit doesn't appeal so much. If i'm going to go somewhere dangerous then it had at least better be fun.

Howard, with your money and lack of interest in getting trainwrecked, Malaysia is cheap (not as cheap as thai but...), quite clean, modern, lots of culture, great food, beautiful architecture etc

richinkorea · Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 2:01 am Post subject:

By now, I hope everyone who's interested has checked out: www.lonelyplanet.com

The worldguide (destinations) will give you a basic level of information for most countries.

Specific questions can be asked on: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/

Just like this forum, there is some really useful info, and a bunch of junk. Do a search first prior to posting questions to avoid looking like a fool. The Thailand branch has a FAQ thread right on top: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfm?postaction=reply&catid=51&threadid=97237&messid=785717&STARTPAGE=1&parentid=0&from=1

If you are new to Asia and travelling, Thailand is a great place to start, way easy to get around, easier than Korea, so go for it ! Budget rooms go from $2 to $10 a night, nice food about a $2-4 a plate, and a large beer is also about a $1 at 7-11. These are budget prices, if you wish to splurge you can easily find people to take your $$$.

Used LP guidebooks can be picked up in the backpacker sections (KSR) of most major cities, other travellers are usually willing to help.

Danger and excitement ? A trip through Kumpuchea would be interesting, or Indonesia, or some areas in the Golden Triangle, hardly more dangerous than the Korean roads or the semiannual lung infection. Just use common sense, eh ?

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

My friend just came back from a few days in Guam,- loved it. Plenty of cheap deals for there if you fancy a short break on the beach. Also, all the shops there stock american goods.