South East Asia

[PressurePoint]

hey im traveling to Thailand, Cambodia, Veitnam, and Laos for 6 months, maybe a year... I was just wondering if anyone had some good tips they would like sharing with me. Helpful pointers and other good ideas while im there?? thanks so much....

[LaurieL622]

Hi Pressurepoint-

I got back from a 5 week trip to se asia a few months ago. I'm not sure when you are headed out there...or if you've already left but msg me if you'd like any specific advice. I'm not sure what you're looking to do...whether it'd be sightseeing, partying, laying on the beach, or hiking (or maybe all of the above).

Good advice about se asia is to have a travel buddy (or make some friends there) because you can save a lot of money by splitting transportation and rooms. This might be general advice if you're familiar with the area, but in Bangkok you should check out koh san road (which everyone knows as the backpacker's meet-up point), pat pong...huge outdoor market and a good example of the seedy nightlife in se asia, chatachuck...the thai answer for the american swap meet, and of course...the hua lampong train station where you'll find lots of travel agents, transport, and tons of travelers. In Vietnam you should check out Ha Long Bay, and the old quarters in Hanoi. For a beachy backpackers mecca go to Na Trang. And if you're into the war-era history, don't pass up Hue, in central vietnam.

Let me know if you have more Q's!

[worldwidemike]

Laurie, I'd love to hear about your trip.

Pressure: If you have specific questions, try asking Atchoum about Laos (she backpacked through there and loved it); and Polsart about Thailand (he lives there). Send them PMs.

Feel free to read my travelogues on my SE travels (brief as they may be), and zip any questions my way that you can think of...

worldwidemike

[LaurieL622]

Mike-

On our Asian adventure my best friend and I got drunk on the 13 hour plane ride, slept on the streets of Tokyo (in winter, I might add!!), sat in the back of a police car, had lots of cool fusion drinks in Japan (anyone who's been there...remember apple cider meets condensed milk?), saw the beautiful snow covered mt. fuji, fell in love with the Tokyo skyline, got ripped off right after our plane landed in Bangkok, slept in too many sex-motels, hung out at hooker bars in Pat Pong, ate some scorpions and fried maggots on Koh San road, spent a few nights with the village tribes in Chaing Mai...and ate a freshly slaughtered and roasted pig they presented us with, almost got ran over by 100 motorcycles in Hanoi, went on a 2 hour taxi ride (long story) through central Vietnam...and got to see the coast line the whole way, hung out with my best friends' "long lost" family in Da Nang, was eaten alive by bugs in Saigon, got too cocky on our motorbikes in Ko Samui, went to the full moon party (and many other parties) in Ko Pha-nang (sp?), had amazing food and met lots of interesting ppl along the way!!!! Whew, what a run-on sentence!

Maybe you can relate? Can you send me a link to ur travel log/journal? I would like to hear all about ur SE asia adventures! :D :D :D

[urOZm8]

Helpful pointers and other good ideas while im there??

Don't forget toilet paper, insect repellant and medicine/tablets for an upset stomach.

ev

[worldwidemike]

For my travelogues, just click on the link at the bottom...takes you to my web page. Then scroll down through the list on the left, pick a country, and click on it. Brings up my travelogue and photos...

Can't say I had NEAR the adventures you did...and luckily, not to rip-offs...!

worldwidemike