Vietnam / Cambodia / Thailand next year

richardw

bylromarha wrote: »

..... when you walk straight off the plane with a e-visa, there is no queue at passport control, as everyone else has gone to fill in their paperwork. If you're part of the filling in paperwork crowd, you're part of the passport control queue.
.

Exactly, we walked straight to passport control, no queues.

BakerBoy

I was keen to go to Ankor Wat in Cambodia as part of a three week trip around SE Asia. Came to my senses and decided to stick to Thailand. Went to a place called Sukothai in Central Thailand, a beautiful national park comprising temples from different eras. A whole day there was brilliant, and very quiet compared to what I understand Angkor Wat is like. Sukothai also has the most beautiful little airport I've ever been to.

Doshwaster

bylromarha wrote: »

Plus when you walk straight off the plane with a e-visa, there is no queue at passport control, as everyone else has gone to fill in their paperwork. If you're part of the filling in paperwork crowd, you're part of the passport control queue.

That's why you should complete the paperwork on the plane. I was off the plane, visa issued and through customs in just a few minutes.

PompeyPete

Doshwaster wrote: »

That's why you should complete the paperwork on the plane. I was off the plane, visa issued and through customs in just a few minutes.

Exactly, and that's why the regulars on TA recommend VOA when arriving by air in PP or SR...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g293939-i9162-k6515131-Cost_of_Cambodian_visa-Cambodia.html

And as this is MSE that $5 = a few glasses of 'pop' during an Happy Hour or two.:beer:

You also get electronically finger-printed when you go through Passport Control, which adds a bit of a delay, so I can't see how it's possible to simply waltz through. And in any case you've still got to retrieve your luggage once you've got through Passport Control.

PompeyPete

BakerBoy wrote: »

I was keen to go to Ankor Wat in Cambodia as part of a three week trip around SE Asia. Came to my senses and decided to stick to Thailand. Went to a place called Sukothai in Central Thailand, a beautiful national park comprising temples from different eras. A whole day there was brilliant, and very quiet compared to what I understand Angkor Wat is like. Sukothai also has the most beautiful little airport I've ever been to.

We weren't that impressed with Angkor Wat either. Scaffolding, tarpaulin, no-entry signs all over the place, and it's mobbed with ignorant ill-mannered Korean tour groups.

But once you get further into the Heritage Sites the crowds thin-out and it's really well worth the effort, but a single day pass was enough for us as temple fatigue can soon set in.

Quite a dangerous place too, especially when it's been raining and it's v.slippery. Lots of useful tips about safety on this thread...

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Cambodia/Khett_Siem_Reab/Angkor_Wat-1202517/Warnings_or_Dangers-Angkor_Wat-TG-C-1.html

totallybored

bylromarha wrote: »

You've been very lucky.

Our friends live out there and meet us from the airport. They have a lot of visitors from all over the world, so do a lot of airport runs collecting people - 1 a month at least.

They advise everyone to get e-visas as they've had to wait for people needing to queue for over 1 hour to complete the paperwork $5 is peanuts to pay to be assured you aren't wasting time queuing.

Plus when you walk straight off the plane with a e-visa, there is no queue at passport control, as everyone else has gone to fill in their paperwork. If you're part of the filling in paperwork crowd, you're part of the passport control queue.

I'd much rather pay extra $5 than chance joining a long queue - or even a 15 minute queue, but each to their own I guess.

I agree, the twice I've been I've got the Evisa and it has been much easier and quicker. I was on a flight not even half full last year but we landed just after a flight from Malaysia, queue for visa on arrival was huge. No queue at Evisa immigration line at all and no wait for my bags.

For the sake of $5 I'd rather not risk hoping there is no queue.

dustysandals

My good lady wife and I have backpacked all around the world (same age as you). For once we got a package, and rated it as 98% enjoyable. My wife and daughter decided to backpack it, and beat the package fee by well over £1000.00 (obviously!) BUT I would say to you, it's safe, , the sights are amazing, and I recommend you look at tinternet, so see what temperatures you can take.

We first went out at xmas, and it was great. T shirt weather. Vietnam Cambodia .... No language probs, esp if you speak french as well! Dollars are the main thing to carry. I could go on and on. If you need to know more get a lonely planet/rough guide. One thing you have to see, if you can do it, is see S21, their version of Auchvitz. I was in tears at the end. What made it worse was they have school trips. The kids run around laughing and playing as if it was Diney land. What is even worse, they used children as the guards, as they were more brutal!

Hope this does'nt put you off.

maggiesoup

dustysandals wrote: »

My good lady wife and I have backpacked all around the world (same age as you). For once we got a package, and rated it as 98% enjoyable. My wife and daughter decided to backpack it, and beat the package fee by well over £1000.00 (obviously!) BUT I would say to you, it's safe, , the sights are amazing, and I recommend you look at tinternet, so see what temperatures you can take.

We first went out at xmas, and it was great. T shirt weather. Vietnam Cambodia .... No language probs, esp if you speak french as well! Dollars are the main thing to carry. I could go on and on. If you need to know more get a lonely planet/rough guide. One thing you have to see, if you can do it, is see S21, their version of Auchvitz. I was in tears at the end. What made it worse was they have school trips. The kids run around laughing and playing as if it was Diney land. What is even worse, they used children as the guards, as they were more brutal!

Hope this does'nt put you off.

Hi Dusty,

How very kind of you to reply, you and your dear wife sound very like us too (even using the word tinternet! and we use tinterweb too!)

Yes we definitely want to see S21 having been to Auschwitz a few years ago. Sadly the same thing with teenage kids chatting and giggling (I specially remember one admiring herself in the toilets while putting eye shadow on! but hey, I'm sure she'll be embarrassed about it when she's older)

I can't wait to see SE Asia, no-one seems to have a bad word against it.

Mags

BakerBoy

I'll have to change that maggiesoup!!!

We hated Bangkok, but it was at the end of a three-week trip and we were pretty much ready to go home.

bylromarha

PompeyPete wrote: »

And in any case you've still got to retrieve your luggage once you've got through Passport Control.

Not if you've packed smart, and are visiting friends who share shampoo and washing machines, so you're hand luggage only.