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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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 Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:07 pm Post subject: Sinapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau? |
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| I want to go abroad for my next holiday and I'd like to go somewhere that I can see all the main sites of an island/country in one week or thereabouts. That criteria pretty much rules out Vietnam/Cambodia/what have you, so I've chosen a short list of smaller places that I reckon I could see all the main sites in one week. Any recommendations out of Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau? |
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Reappropriated
Joined: 08 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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It really depends on what you enjoy. I have been to all of these places in the last year and liked all of them, but for very different reasons.
You can make Hong Kong and Macau one trip. The ferry that connects the two is relatively cheap and fast. There is even one that goes directly between Hong Kong airport and Macau, and you get to skip immigration in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is interesting, and there is stuff to see, but it is not the same sort of historical stuff you would see other places. The main sights are really the buildings and how many people are in such a small palce. Macau is only interesting for about a day if you are not into casinos. I really enjoyed it, but I also would take trips to Las Vegas a lot when I was back in the US. One day I walked around most of the main Island. The cultural stuff if fun, but nothing spectacular in either Hong Kong or Macau. Saying that I really enjoyed my time in both, but it is less of a sightseeing trip and more of a enjoyed the vibe of both places. I am also a little strange and enjoy large cities (being from Los ANgeles), so if you do not like that sort of thing you would probably want to spend less time there. You wouldn't have any problem seeing all the sights in one week, everything is really compact.
I was in Singapore over Lunar New Years, and without that the 8 days I was there probably would have been about 3 days too much. There is an interesting mix of cultural stuff, but my favorite non-LNY part of the trip was eating at the hawker stalls and doing things like that. There are some interesting sights, nice parks, and if you can find a really good deal staying at the Marina Bay Sands was amazing. The Skypark pool is worth the price (well not the real price, but if you can get a good discount). You would also not have any problem seeing all the sights here.
Taiwan is a little more spread out, I was there for 9 1/2 days and stayed in 3 cities (all along the HSR). It was probably more than I would choose to do again, but I was not planning on going back to Taiwan again so I wanted to try and see as much as I could. Just for sights, I would say Taiwan is best, but it is also the place that I am pretty sure I am never going to go back to again. The other two I would love to go back to because I enjoyed my time there much more than in Taiwan. The people that were with me along with other people I have known that have gone to Taiwan have all sort of agreed that they are really happy they went, but don't really want to go back again.
They are all very different places, and offer different things. Also these are just my observations on the places, there are lots of other people that have had very different experiences (I am sure there will be someone who will call be crazy soon enough). |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
Taiwan is great and you could do a lot in a week there, with a few days doing Taipei followed by some time on the east coast. That said, the weather can be kind of brutal in the summertime, with a hell of a lot of rain. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
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That's a pretty decent plan. Any problems crossing from Malaysia in to Singapore and then back? |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:33 am Post subject: |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
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That's a pretty decent plan. Any problems crossing from Malaysia in to Singapore and then back? |
Not in the least, there's a ton of tourism (and commerce) going both ways. |
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Missihippi
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: Gwangmyeong
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
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I disagree here, While singapore alone might not constitute a week malaysia certainly deserves more time. I did 2 weeks in malaysia and i could've done a lot more.
Anyway, my suggestion is Hong Kong and Macau. Shopping, beaches, casinos, and great food. Some people say it's really expensive, but i disagree.. i did it on about the same budget you would have on a day to day basis in Seoul. |
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alwaysbeclosing100
Joined: 07 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:34 pm Post subject: re |
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| taiwan is underrated and there is a lot to see |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Missihippi wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
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I disagree here, While singapore alone might not constitute a week malaysia certainly deserves more time. I did 2 weeks in malaysia and i could've done a lot more.
Anyway, my suggestion is Hong Kong and Macau. Shopping, beaches, casinos, and great food. Some people say it's really expensive, but i disagree.. i did it on about the same budget you would have on a day to day basis in Seoul. |
What kind of things would people recommend doing/seeing in Singapore/Malaysia? I'm leaning more toward Singapore at the moment. |
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Missihippi
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: Gwangmyeong
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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Singapore = Arm + Leg
The street food and china town shopping were ok, but hotels were above the regional average as well alchohol -- way too expensive. I didn't get to check out the beaches in the singapore vacinity, but north malaysia's beaches were close to perfect -- between the georgetown area side or the perehetian island side.. really great! |
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alwaysbeclosing100
Joined: 07 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| Missihippi wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
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I disagree here, While singapore alone might not constitute a week malaysia certainly deserves more time. I did 2 weeks in malaysia and i could've done a lot more.
Anyway, my suggestion is Hong Kong and Macau. Shopping, beaches, casinos, and great food. Some people say it's really expensive, but i disagree.. i did it on about the same budget you would have on a day to day basis in Seoul. |
What kind of things would people recommend doing/seeing in Singapore/Malaysia? I'm leaning more toward Singapore at the moment. |
penang and i thought the street food in KL was quite good.... thaipusam at batu caves in KL at the end of january is a pretty epic event. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| Missihippi wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
You can do Singapore pretty well in about three days, and I get the impression that it's pretty easy to get a good taste of Malaysia and wipe out Singapore over the course of a nine day break (and you can take advantage of Air Asia's cheap flights to KL).
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I disagree here, While singapore alone might not constitute a week malaysia certainly deserves more time. I did 2 weeks in malaysia and i could've done a lot more.
Anyway, my suggestion is Hong Kong and Macau. Shopping, beaches, casinos, and great food. Some people say it's really expensive, but i disagree.. i did it on about the same budget you would have on a day to day basis in Seoul. |
My point was more that you could exhaust Singapore without being doomed to boredom after doing so. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:30 am Post subject: |
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| I think you should limit your question to Hong Kong or Macau. Singapore and Taiwan are interesting, but I don't think they're anything great really. But don't take my word for it, I've never been to either. I know somebody who went to Singapore and for the money he spent I don't think it was all that great. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| Missihippi wrote: |
| but north malaysia's beaches were close to perfect -- between the georgetown area side or the perehetian island side.. really great! |
I've heard the same thing about Penang too. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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| young_clinton wrote: |
| I think you should limit your question to Hong Kong or Macau. Singapore and Taiwan are interesting, but I don't think they're anything great really. But don't take my word for it, I've never been to either. I know somebody who went to Singapore and for the money he spent I don't think it was all that great. |
The reason I was contemplating going to Singapore or Taiwan was to check them out as I'm thinking of applying to dual master's degree programs at universities there. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| young_clinton wrote: |
| I think you should limit your question to Hong Kong or Macau. Singapore and Taiwan are interesting, but I don't think they're anything great really. But don't take my word for it, I've never been to either. I know somebody who went to Singapore and for the money he spent I don't think it was all that great. |
The reason I was contemplating going to Singapore or Taiwan was to check them out as I'm thinking of applying to dual master's degree programs at universities there. |
That's a good reason to visit them. Both are nice and have something to offer.
I think if someone said of the four where to visit, than HK/Macau makes the most sense, as you can see half of what you want to see right next to each other. Plus they both offer a lot. |
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