Laos/Thailand/Cambodia

Doshwaster

If you have never been to SE Asia before then Thailand is probably the best place to start - very accessible and tourist friendly. Cambodia or Vietnam can be a little more of a challenge.

Also, don't forget about Malaysia. It's a little more expensive than Thailand but still excellent value in European terms, but is generally more developed and doesn't have the seedier side of the tourist experience that Thailand does. ("In Malaysia, a massage is just a massage" as everyone there will tell you)

It depends what you are looking for - a luxury resort, a simple beach hut or a trek through the jungle.

I tend to go to the region for 2 weeks each year for my main holiday - I just love the people, the fusion of cultures, the food (especially the food!) and the excellent value for money (a 5* hotel for the price of a grotty B&B here). I would love to go for an extended tour but can't get the time off work. If I got laid off I know where I'd be heading with my redundancy cheque.

Mat_Lock

happy ending

Stavros_3

We went to Chaing-Rai and Chang-Mai in the North of Thailand (Golden Triangle) it was fantastic plenty of history and sight seeing, if your lucky you might see an exchange of gunfire between Thailand and Myanmar (formerly Burma) lol. The Opium museums are of great interests but now the opium poppies have been replaced by Orchid farms.

Party_Animal

I did Cambodia last year flying into Phnom Penhh from Bangkok, then by car up to Siem Reap. Its well worth a trip. No problems whatsoever, never felt in any danger and Angkor is amazing. We did the Killing Fields too. Sitting in the FCC in Phnom Penhh looking over the river with some of the best and cheapest sea bass I've ever tasted was superb.

richardw

Is the drive OK from Phnom Penhh to Siem Reap?

Mr_Lahey

richardw wrote: »

Is the drive OK from Phnom Penhh to Siem Reap?

Sack the drive off mate, there is a boat which leaves Phnom Penh, costs $25, sails right up the Mekong, a day of sunbathing and the most amazing scenery imaginable

richardw

Gosh that's interesting.

Considering flying Bangkok to Phnom Penhh then land/boat to Siem Reap staying there then flying to Phuket staying there and then flying back through Bangkok.

Mr_Lahey

richardw wrote: »

Gosh that's interesting.

Considering flying Bangkok to Phnom Penhh then land/boat to Siem Reap staying there then flying to Phuket staying there and then flying back through Bangkok.

All adds to the adventure mate, last time i was in SE Asia i had 27 flights, i realised afterwards that i missed so much. This time im doing Egypt, Cairo, Bahrain, India, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and the USA and ive got it down to just 14 flights. A lot of it is overland travel.

Also i would recommend staying in hostels/guest houses as oppose to hotels, you will find out so much more and save an absolute fortune. An example, i was in Borneo and the tours to the Orangutan sanctuary were about $80USD, the hostel i was in told me about the local bus that goes there, fare was about $0.20.

charlea

i have been to thailand ( just come back last week) bangkok pattaya phuket also been to hau hin as well

if you want luxury the hotels are fab but you can also go very cheap and do small b&b ect
lots of nightlife but also lots of history and culture depend on what you want to do when your there weather at this time of the year is fab i was there for 3 weeks and had not a bit of rain

its cheap to eat and if you travel as the locals do its cheap to get around

the beaches are gorgeous just stay away from the daytipping crowd i went to where they fimed the beach ( in the pics it looks like a deserted paradise island with a few people on it ) reality its like f...... brighton beach - ok maybe not .... but hundreds of people all arriving at the same time on speed boats and no leonardo either very dissapointed

my next trip next year will be thailand borneo and somewhere else just not sure yet

sturll wrote: »

Anyone who has been to either place. If you had a choice would you got to Thailand, Laos or Cambodia.

And why.

Thanks

Mr_Lahey

charlea wrote: »

i have been to thailand ( just come back last week) bangkok pattaya phuket also been to hau hin as well

if you want luxury the hotels are fab but you can also go very cheap and do small b&b ect
lots of nightlife but also lots of history and culture depend on what you want to do when your there weather at this time of the year is fab i was there for 3 weeks and had not a bit of rain

its cheap to eat and if you travel as the locals do its cheap to get around

the beaches are gorgeous just stay away from the daytipping crowd i went to where they fimed the beach ( in the pics it looks like a deserted paradise island with a few people on it ) reality its like f...... brighton beach - ok maybe not .... but hundreds of people all arriving at the same time on speed boats and no leonardo either very dissapointed

my next trip next year will be thailand borneo and somewhere else just not sure yet

Borneo is amazing!

PM me if you decide to go, I have tonnes of advice all nicely collated in a blog about how to save an absolute fortune!