Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bbud656]

I have about six weeks to go around SE asia during winter break from the end of Dec-beginning of Feb. Id say after the flight costs, I can afford about 50 dollars a day (including room, food, drinks, everything, etc). Im thinking Thailand is a good place to start, maybe a round trip in and out of bangkok. I like to be on the move a lot. 3-4 days in one place. I can always come back so I dont need to try to fit it all in in 6 weeks. I like a good mix of relaxing beaches, historical temples/buildings, and seedy party places. I think my visa will force me out of Thailand part way into the trip. Any recommendations?

[northway]

Thailand is one of the most expensive places in Southeast Asia to visit. Fifty dollars a day is doable there, but you're going to be sitting on the beach more than you'll be doing anything. Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos are significantly cheaper, and also a bit less overrun by tourists. This isn't to say that you should avoid Thailand, but on a budget of $50 a day you're going to be significantly more limited than you will be in the latter countries.

It sounds like you'd enjoy doing the Vientiane/Vang Vieng/Louangphrabang circuit through Laos. It's easily accessible from Bangkok (bus or train to Vientiane), and each of those towns can keep you busy for a few days. Vientiane and Louangphrabang would fit your desire for temples (with Vientiane having some interesting clubbing to go along with it), while Louangphrabang is relatively quiet but is one of the most laid back temple towns in Southeast Asia. Vang Vieng is the epitome of a seedy party town, with the prime activity being tubing down a river plastered with beach bars. It's also worth noting that the weather in Laos is awesome that time of year, warm and sunny during the day and cool at night (like Korean fall but with warmer days).

[Drew345]

That's a good recommendation about Vientiane/Vang Vieng/Luangphrabang.
You can do it as a loop too, so you don't have to go in and our of Vientiane. From Chiang Rai, Thailand, you can take a boat down the maekong to Luangphrabang. Then go on to Vang Vieng, and out of Laos at Vientiane.
Before getting to Chiang Rai, be sure to go to Pai (Pie in the sky), in the mountains near Chiang Mai. You can sort out your trip to Laos from there, as there are many people going that way.
If you feel Laos is really for you, the the bus from Vientiane to South Laos, and chill down there a while. You can even cross from South Laos to Cambodia, if you have your Cambodia visa done already.

Here's a good website that is good for connecting all the places into loop routes:
http://www.passplanet.com/welc/index.htm

If Laos isn't your thing, you can do a loop through Cambodia including Angkor Wat and then down to the Cambodia beaches.

[bbud656]

Thanks. 50$ a day is my ideal budget. Im a pretty cheap traveler. Realistically, I could go up to 75$ if felt the urge. Maybe meet somewhere in the middle, 75 if Thailand, 40-50 in Laos/Cambodia. As far as money goes, when traveling between a few countries like this, am I going to have better lucky with a stack of USD or will I be able to reliably find ATMs?

[alwaysbeclosing100]

dont miss burma.....it is by far the best country in asia.......chiang mai is also pretty nice........palawan is good too............

[northway]

I've never ventured far from the tourist trail, but there have always been ATMs where I've been.

As for your daily budget, you'd do well to find a travel buddy so you can split on a decent room rather than being forced to stay in six dollar toilets the whole time. In Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, twelve bucks can get you a pretty decent room, while six will often get you something that's not entirely clean. It's usually easy to find someone you get along with to travel with for a bit. If you're not too anti-social, do that.

[politica]

I spent 4 weeks in SE Asia last winter. Here's is a glance at my trip:

Bangkok
Siem Reap
Phnom Penh
Bangkok
Vientiane
Chiang Mai
Bangkok
Yangon
Bangkok

A lot of in and out of Bangkok, but it acts as a really great transportation hub, and just in general an easy city to travel around it.

If I could have stayed for 2 weeks longer, I would have included northern Laos/Luang Prabang and northern Myanmar/Mandalay + Bayan. I also highly recommend Vietnam if you haven't been (I went on a trip two years earlier). I think it can all be done in 6 weeks with a little bit of careful planning.

Also, don't be afraid to fly in and out of places. In many cases, flying is MUCH quicker and even cheaper than going by bus or train in between cities.

Have fun!

[northway]

It's kind of pointless to go to Laos if Vientiane is going to be your only stop, unless you're just going for the passport porn.

[Italy37612]

I have six weeks off myself starting on October 22nd. I have planned my trip out as follows.

1. Vietnam

a. Hanoi (flying into here)
b. Hue

2. Laos

a. Luang Prabang
b. Vang Vieng
c. Vientiane

3. Thailand

a. Bangkok
b. Chiang Mai
c. Chiang Rai

4. Burma (Myanmar)

a. Magwe
b. Rangoon

5. Thailand

a. Bangkok
b. Pattaya
c. Chachoengsao

6. Cambodia

a. Battambang
b. Siem Reap
c. Phnom Penh

7. Vietnam

a. Ho Chi Minh City (I fly out of here)

These are all the cities I will be spending at least two days or more in. I am not counting all the places I just plan to walk through while backpacking.

Try to stay out of Bangkok / Thailand as much as possible. 50 bucks a day isn't going to go very far there if you want to travel around to see a lot of sites after subtracting hostel costs.

I found a great deal on Cathay Pacific for a multi-city flight. So I don't have to take the train or fly back to Hanoi to go back to Korea.

I have done a lot of research on where to say and what to do on the way. If you want any more details let me know. Good luck in your travels! Don't forget those visas.

[eat_yeot]

[christopherjk]

Have 6 weeks off at the same time and am doing SE Asia as well. BKK is probably the best place in SE Asia to get to and from South Korea. Thailand can be done for pretty cheap if you are smart about it, cheap busses and accommodation can be found outside of BKK and Phuket which can get very touristy. If you want to party, head south to the islands in Thailand (Ko Phi Phi or the Full Moon party on Koh Phangnan) or tubing in Vang Vieng up in Laos. Chiang Mai and Pai can definitely take up a week of your time, lots of trekking and outdoor stuff to do up there. It's all been said already. I'm doing BKK to Chiang Mai, then looping up through Laos (Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang) then over to Hanoi and Halong Bay, down the coast to Da Nang and to HCM City, then over to Phnom Pneh and down to Sihanoukville back to PP, ferry over the Tonle Sap Lake to Siem Reap/Angor Wat then back through BKK to maybe some islands down south. Any suggestions would be great, if flying than bussing in any situation or any cities being overrated or a place I've missed let me know. I lived in Thailand for 6 months so I've done plenty there trying to explore the rest of SE Asia. Already counting down the days till I'm a backpacker again![/i]

[northway]

Vang Vieng is a pit. Avoid.

As for there being no reason to go to Hue, I really, really disagree. If you're into architecture at all, the mausoleums and the old city are awesome, especially if you get to some of the less visited ones.

[jc1257]

[jfromtheway]

[northway]