Looking for some Travel Tips (Asean Area)

Doshwaster

Mr_Wang wrote: »

I suggest you start again - Get to know the people, the culture, the lifestyle and the food. Then, and only then will your comments carry any weight or credibility whatsoever.

soil wrote: »

Lol :rotfl: I know the people more intimately than you can imagine. As for the food, every time I return from the region I carry back leaves and spices you've never even heard of, in order that I can reproduce the food at home (one problem: English chicken is mutant and tasteless with oversized breasts, guinea fowl is a good substitute).

OK, calm down you two. Everyone goes to SE Asia looking for different things, has different experiences and different opinions. Some go for backpacking and wild parties, others for culture and to explore temples and others for luxurious resorts and deserted beaches.

The beauty of the region is that there is something for everyone whatever your budget.

dickydonkin

English chicken is mutant and tasteless with oversized breasts

I used to go out with someone similar many years ago...............!

But back to the thread, you two can extol the virtues of any destination until you are blue in the face but as Doshwaster quite correctly states is that we all seek different things when travelling.

Opinions on destinations are always going to be subjective and it is beneficial for posters on here seeking other individuals views of a specific area(s), however, hitting each other with handbags is hardly constructive to the people seeking information.

My wife and I have just returned from Bangkok - where we stayed entirely for 9 days - many people state we were crackers staying there for so long, but that was our choice - we relaxed, enjoyed the food, enjoyed the hospitality of our hotel, savoured the nightlife and had a great time.

Each to their own.

PompeyPete

dickydonkin wrote: »

My wife and I have just returned from Bangkok - where we stayed entirely for 9 days - many people state we were crackers staying there for so long, but that was our choice - we relaxed, enjoyed the food, enjoyed the hospitality of our hotel, savoured the nightlife and had a great time.

Each to their own.

A bit like Morecambe I suppose.
We visit once a year for a few days.
Our favourite pub [the Tivoli] is always full.
Full, not of locals, but of all sorts from all over the shop.
They came to Morecambe for a few days.
But they fell in love with the town that time forgot, and never left.
Strange, but true.
It takes all sorts.
Personally, 3 nights in BKK max, and then escape pdq.

soil_2

PompeyPete wrote: »

Rubbish.
They are completely different countries.
Burma is a beautiful country with wonderful people.
I like what I saw of Cambodia too, but the thousands of poor wretches with one or more limbs missing, who have to crawl around and beg for an existence is hardly what you can call civilised.

Civilisation is relative.

Why do these 'thousands of poor wretches with one or more limbs missing' 'crawl around and beg for an existence'? You might have heard a thing or two about them, though less since Diana died. That's right landmines.

The country suffered horrific genocide and war from which it is still recovering and most people are very poor.

Most people are very poor in Burma too, the only difference is they still have their limbs intact (many have been killed by the current government there of course, but tourists are not allowed to visit the genocide areas).

To discount Cambodia on the basis of the horrific injuries suffered by landmine victims is ludicrous.

There are beggars in Bangkok with no limbs owned by !!!!! types too, who operate in full public view, should we avoid going there also?

Travel to Burma is controversial, you can go either way on the issue, but OTOH there's no reason not to visit Cambodia, unless seeing those poor amputees made you feel so guilty you wanted to leave.

soil_2

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Look, and with the greatest of respect you write utter garbage. Your posts are hypocritical and much of it simply made up.
That said I will say this - Meeting the locals is one of the best things about travel to places like SE Asia, for you to suggest most people don't like to meet locals shows just how narrow minded and out of touch you are.

You fail reading comprehension 101 I'm afraid. Or perhaps you are just being disingenuous.

In case it is mere ignorance, let me explain for you:

'People have many different reasons for travelling, meeting locals is not I think the principal one'

is not the same thing as 'People don't like meeting locals'.

I can meet SE Asian people any time I like, I don't travel 7,000 miles for that. It is true that friendly locals is a plus point for much of SE Asia, but it is not typically the principal (definition: main, primary) reason for going there.

You find the Balinese unfriendly, yet people flock there in their millions each year. Why could that be? If you don't know well you've really got no business offering advice on here.

Proven again by comparing SE Asia to Benidorm! Or North Korea to Burma!!!!! :cool:

I worked with a man who was very antisocial, wasn't interested in culture or art, he flew to Hua Hin for a week because he liked massage, he spent a week getting pummeled and prodded there for the simple reason that it was the cheapest way to spend a week getting massaged. Other people might pick a week in some ghastly resort on Patong Beach because it has nice slides, for them it is indeed an alternative to Benidorm.

North Korea has ties with Burma ( http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1907343,00.html and while no two countries are the same the analogy is perfectly apt.

I genuinely don't believe you have been further than reading a few pages of SE Asia on a shoestring, or perhaps the odd resort in Samui.

Lol, I wouldn't touch SE Asia on a Shoestring with a bargepole, you'll end up at some place infested with cockroaches, or, worse, Australian backpackers (infested with cockroaches).

I strongly suggest anyone reading the advice of Soil does so with a huge pinch of salt. From someone (myself) who has travelled SE Asia extensively, his/her advice is nothing but dubious, contradicting tripe.

Your wang is bigger than my wang eh? Whatever makes you feel better, it's all part of the therapy, you'll get better soon.

soil_2

PompeyPete wrote: »

Can you get a tourist visa for North Korea? No.
Can you get a tourist visa for Burma? Yes.
So that's a massive difference!

You what? You most certainly CAN get a tourist visa for North Korea. They even have an embassy in Ealing. If you want to go, it's 100% possible.

Should tourists visit Burma? Of course they should. The people haven't done anything wrong have they?

It's a great place, and easy to navigate. There are places that are out of bounds to tourists, but there's more than plenty to keep you fully occupied for several weeks.
With a bit of planning it's also easy to make sure that the bulk of your money goes to the people and not to the government.

Well indeed that's true, I merely pointed out that Cambodia is a more straightforward choice for temples without moral doubts over whether you are supporting a repressive regime by your hotel choices. Some people prefer not to have to deal with such questions on their trip, but it's better if all are informed about these things.

dickydonkin

Lol, I wouldn't touch SE Asia on a Shoestring with a bargepole, you'll end up at some place infested with cockroaches, or, worse, Australian backpackers (infested with cockroaches).

:rotfl::rotfl:Nice one.

Good (and possibly true) quote - but a little unfair.

By virtue of the myriad of budget accommodation available in Thailand in particular, provides the opportunity for those whose finances may not be healthy to enjoy the delights of SE Asia.

I am fortunate insomuch I am in a position to stay in decent accommodation and certainly the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' applies worldwide.

I am with you that I would not do such a trip on a shoestring PARTLY for the reason you have given, however, we should not tar every 'budget traveller' with the same brush and they have just as much right to travel as the more 'better off' traveller.

soil_2

dickydonkin wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:Nice one.

Good (and possibly true) quote - but a little unfair.

By virtue of the myriad of budget accommodation available in Thailand in particular, provides the opportunity for those whose finances may not be healthy to enjoy the delights of SE Asia.

I am fortunate insomuch I am in a position to stay in decent accommodation and certainly the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' applies worldwide.

I am with you that I would not do such a trip on a shoestring PARTLY for the reason you have given, however, we should not tar every 'budget traveller' with the same brush and they have just as much right to travel as the more 'better off' traveller.

Budget travel is fine, and Thailand is a good place to do it.

However there is a specific problem with Lonely Planet in that every naive 18-year-old backpacker ends up with a copy and there are often only one or two choices for an area, and as a result the hotel/guesthouse gets extra business, puts up its prices and lowers standards and lo and behold it's no longer a good budget choice after all.

When travelling on a shoestring, turn up in the appropriate area, ask to inspect the room before checking in, if you don't like it leave and try the next one. Often just asking to see the room will earn you one of the better rooms while the Loney Planet sheeple end up with the cockroach-infested hole. For anything above a guesthouse (2/3* hotel or better), you can get MUCH better info on the internet than Lonely Planet can offer.

If you're going to travel with a guidebook the Rough Guide is a better choice simply because fewer fellow dirty hippies have a copy.

PompeyPete

Soil
That's an excellent posting.
Use LP as a guide, not as the bible.