Korean Job Discussion Forums

mdsb87 · Joined: 16 Aug 2010 Location: Gyeongsangnam do

My girlfriend and I are wondering where to travel to during time off in August (10 days).

We would love to go to Vietnam but have been told that the heat could ruin the trip and that it may be better to leave Cambodia and Vietnam til Winter when it's a little cooler.

What is Mongolia like? know little more than a quick look at wikitravel. Anyone been there? Is there much to do ?

Thanks

n�fara · Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Location: The Island

Of all the places I have travelled, I have loved Mongolia the most.
Go there, spend as little time as you can in Ulan Baator but go out and see the land and the people.

Even if you only have 10 days, that's enough for you to find a few people and hire a van and driver and head out into some place like the Gobi. There are heaps of guesthouses in the capital that can help you.

alwaysbeclosing100 · Joined: 07 Feb 2009

the weather is decent in indonesia and sri lanka

mdsb87 · Joined: 16 Aug 2010 Location: Gyeongsangnam do

samd · Joined: 03 Jan 2007

I second what nifara said. UB is a miserable place, so just use it as a jumping off point to see the rest of the country.

I was there in September, and we used a travel agency located across the road (not the main road, but the street that runs along the side of it, near the supermarket) from the side of the State Department Store. They organised tours for us where you get a jeep/van and a driver and guide and they will help you do a tour that's right for you - it's very flexible. Then you can get out into the countryside and visit different national parks, stay in a ger, meet some nomads etc. which is a great experience.

In response to your other questions:

- It's cheap compared to Korea, but it's much less developed, so be prepared for no hot water in your hotel, and the worst food you've ever had. You can make your won go far, yes. Or you can spend it all at once. It's up to you really.

- It's not difficult to get a tourist visa. Americans get in free, no visa required, just show up at the airport.

- You don't need to be an experienced hiker.

richinlondon · Joined: 17 Oct 2008

Mongolia is amazing, when your in the countryside, its pure serenity, pure wilderness.

Probably 25% cheaper than Korea. You can get a visa from a Korean tourist company for around 40,000 won, send your passport recorded mail and they send it back same way.

I got a bus out of Ulaanbaatar, 10 hours, on a DIY mission. I rented a horse with another backpacker and a guide when we got to some random place. Done three days horseback, from ger to ger, it was a little rough, as in we had to carry all the food we'd need, but well worth it.

Three days was US$50 for guide and horses each. Some other guys we met had done it even cheaper. The tours are good value as well, down to the Gobi etc but just choose company carefully, make sure you know what your getting for what you pay.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

McGenghis · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Location: Gangneung

mdsb87 · Joined: 16 Aug 2010 Location: Gyeongsangnam do

Thanks for the info folks.

Is it better to book your tours before you arrive or wait til you get to the capital and try to get them kinda custom made. We would love to do say 3 days horse riding and 3 days Jeep touring if ya get my drift. . . .

mdsb87 · Joined: 16 Aug 2010 Location: Gyeongsangnam do

n�fara · Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Location: The Island

If you plan to book a tour through the guesthouses there (which many people do and the guesthouses have a lot of experience) you could let them know what you'd like to do in advance so perhaps they'll be able to find some other people to travel with you on the same tour to spread the costs around and make it cheaper.

There are some tour agencies that are not associated with the guest houses, and some of them are very good (but more expensive, of course). Some are located in UB, others in the towns outside of the capital.

I would advise you to not pay for anything before you get there, and go with either an established tour agency with a good reputation or through a guesthouse. Two guesthouses I've had good experiences with are:

UB Guesthouse - www.ubguest.com
Golden Gobi - www.goldengobi.com

Keep in mind that the guesthouses do like to get people booked on tours that they run regularly (as it's easier for them) so they promote certain tours even when you told them you might like to do something different. However, they can still help you if you have your own plan on what you'd like to see. Going with a guesthouse is also good in that they have established relationships with all the drivers and whatnot, so they are more reliable.

We hired a guesthouse van, driver, and a "guide". It was nice having our guide/interpreter, he was pretty fun even if not the most experienced in the area we went to. Our driver was awesome but didn't speak much English so it allowed us to talk with him more and get a better feel for the places that we went to. Hiring a guide is not expensive at all and it gives your driver some company.

Some people are more inclined to DIY tours, which is awesome if you're up for it and you have some idea of what you'd like to do. Outside of UB, I've found that people are very open and not pushy when it comes to dealing with tourists so you can set things up in the towns in the countryside as well.

Do a bit of research on where or what you'd like to do and what tour companies offer, and then email a tour company or guesthouse and see what they say.

Any thought to places you'd like to see in Mongolia?

n�fara · Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Location: The Island

tukmax · Joined: 06 Jul 2010

I read this book last year and become interested in Ghengis Khan and the history of the Mongolian people.

http://www.amazon.com/Genghis-Khan-Making-Modern-World/dp/0609610627

I would like to see some of the main sites mentioned in the book. I forget their names now but it was where they think Ghengis Khan was born and that mountain that was shut off by the Soviets during the cold war.

How much do the tours through those two guest houses cost? I'm thinking of going in July during the summer festivals. I've heard the weather is nice then as well.

n�fara · Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Location: The Island

travel zen · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Location: Good old Toronto, Canada

Mongolia is the most wickedest place in Asia - hands down !

I might show up there this summer as I have 4 weeks vacation time Very Happy

Kim is the owner of UB Guesthouse and his Mongolian wife and very cute child you may see. He is very cool and I was happy to be invited there for two weeks.

Tours can be a little pricey. In 2009, Gobi tour was about 150-300 USD depending on how many days. I didn't go but people showed me pictures - ok I guess.

UB has some attractions, next time I go, I will stay at a $30/day hotel to myself with shower and tv.

+ If you like meat and dumplings, then Mongolia is heaven. I love the food.
+ The women are knockouts! I have not seen such exotic Asian beauty.
+ The name is pronounced Chinggis Ha
+ If you look chinese, please be careful, hate is strong for them. I had conversations even with the meekest, cutest gal...propagandized to hate all chinese Sad

I've seen Neo Nazi Mongolians in UB !!
+ Countryside and horse riding is a MUST in Mongolia, you can see Kharkorin (Karakorum) and other of the Khans exploits.

I love the country, people and history. Fell in love the first time.