Looking for some Travel Tips (Asean Area)

soil_2

trrk wrote: »

Agreed - try to take public transport whenever you can. Bangkok's taxi drivers are some of the most dishonest in Asia and rarely want to use the meter.

:rotfl:You need to get around Asia a bit more if you think that.

Bangkok taxi drivers are not that bad, ok there is a language barrier, and if you get one of the taxis waiting at the end of the Khao San Road they refuse to use the meter, but stop a moving one it's no problem, and even if they don't use the meter, you're not paying that much anyway.

Tuk tuks are even worse and if you do get a low price it's probably because they want to take you on a massive shopping expedition.

Agreed, Bangkok's tuktuks are to be avoided.

Doshwaster

You just have to be firm with the taxi drivers. They will offer to take you anywhere in the city for 100BHT but only if you go via their "brother's shop". Just say no and if necessary get out of the cab. The Tuks Tuks can be fun but they not to be relied on.

Almost everyone gets ripped off by a taxi driver on their first visit but it's part of the learning experience and you soon get to grips with it.

trrk

soil wrote: »

:rotfl:You need to get around Asia a bit more if you think that.

Bangkok taxi drivers are not that bad, ok there is a language barrier, and if you get one of the taxis waiting at the end of the Khao San Road they refuse to use the meter, but stop a moving one it's no problem, and even if they don't use the meter, you're not paying that much anyway.

I should have phrased it 'the subset of Bangkok taxi drivers that hang around tourist areas are some of the worst....'. I have travelled widely in SE Asia and for some reason I always have the most problems with taxi drivers in Bangkok and not just the ones near KSR.

Doshwaster

trrk wrote: »

I should have phrased it 'the subset of Bangkok taxi drivers that hang around tourist areas are some of the worst....'. I have travelled widely in SE Asia and for some reason I always have the most problems with taxi drivers in Bangkok and not just the ones near KSR.

In my experience taxi drivers in Phuket make the ones in BKK look like angels.

jamsandwiches

Doshwaster wrote: »

The secret to travelling around SE Asia is to travel light. The weather is hot and humid, clothing is cheap to buy and laundry services are everywhere. If you are going to be moving around a lot you don't want to be lugging around a huge suitcase with you.

Thanks but we travel around Asia during the European winter for a few months at a time and do not take much for us. All my books are on Kindle but I do take quite a lot of English language reading books (with large letters and numbers) for a lady in Vietnam for the children she teaches plus "English" pressies for a few people we know, nothing expensive but things they like - one has a fancy for tinned red salmon and it keeps me in her good books
20kgs is fine for us but it is the "extras" I miss taking.

PompeyPete

trrk wrote: »

The Khao San and Bangalamphu area is convenient for first time visitors as it's near the Grand Palace, Wat Arun etc but it's inconvenient for the Skytrain.

That's where the public ferry comes in. Jump on at Pier 11 next to the Navalai River Resort, and get off at the terminus at Central. Then jump on the sky train. Easy to get to Chinatown too by ferry from Pier 11.
Only drawback is the ferry finishes at about 1900. But by that time you should be enjoying the vibes and laid back bars around Khao San.

Waldy

Maybe Phuket and Singapore will be perfect recommendations for your Asian trip. But it´s up to you.

dickydonkin

jamsandwiches wrote: »

Thanks for the information about Qatar to Vietnam - annoys me when I can take up to 45kgs with Jet Airways as far as Bangkok then Vietnam Airlines only lets me have 20kgs for the onward flight.

What I should have mentioned that the 33kg included a 10kg free allowance for membership of Qatar FF - however, 23kg is still reasonable.

Just returned from BKK a couple of weeks ago with Qatar and due to the fact I checked in on line for the return flight, I received a complimentary 'fast trak' immigration and security pass.

There are those on this thread who will understand the value of that much appreciated gesture!

Mattchew

How much money do you think we should be looking to take for 18 months?

Doshwaster

Mattchew wrote: »

How much money do you think we should be looking to take for 18 months?

It depends on how long your piece of string is. You can just as easily live on £10 a day as blow £200. For a trip that long you really need to work out a budget.