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Here's our game plan for early Sept 2006:

Singapore - 3 nts (Swissotel the Stamford)
Hanoi - 4 nts (Sofitel Metropole)
KL - 4 nts (Shangri-La)
Bangkok - 4 nts (Shangri-La)

Appreciate Fodorite feedback on the hotels if you've stayed there plus suggestions for restaurants, sightseeing, shopping (particularly handicrafts, fabrics/silk, jewelry), etc...?

We've been to Sing but this will be the first time in the other cities so really interested in recommendations for HAN/KL/BKK. Unlike many, we're more interested in what to do IN the city rather than day trips or relaxing on the beach.

Flying SingAir throughout (plus int'l to LAX). How's regular economy class?

Hanoi: Go to the Temple of Literature, then shop at Citi-Link around the corner, then walk further up the street to the Art Museum. In the evening, walk around Hoan Kiem lake then take in the water puppets (book in advance). Have some ice cream at Fanny's. The Metropole is within walking distance of the lake, and a great place to stay.

KL: Four nights may be a bit much. It's a nice city but there aren't a whole lot of sights. Yes, see the twin towers, shop the golden triangle, and spend one evening around the central market/Chinatown. I would strongly suggest you plan a day trip to Malacca, and maybe another to Batu Caves.

i have a bkk restaurant listing if it will help you, just ask me for it at:

[email protected]

i have stayed twice at the bkk sh-la...it is a huge hotel...it is lovely...its grounds are compact but decent...it has fantastic restaurants...perhaps the best italian in the city...
its main pool is nice but sandwiched close to the hotel...
its main benefit is that it is right next to the skytrain...and it is on the river...

rooms are decent sized and very comfortable...

make sure you join their FF club because it gives you all kinds of benefits...including free or reduced priced breakfasts and late check out...

the area around the hotel, along new road and up as far as the oriental has tons of shopping...mostly lower end however...there is a shopping district attached to the hotel as well with some shops in it...

i used a laundry on the soi (narrow street) in back of the hotel for a very inexpensive price...she did a fantastic job on our stuff...there is a good camera shop near the hotel as well..

there may be a craft show in sept...let me look and see for you...look at the next post..

jim thompson's main shop is not far from the hotel on suriwong...well worth a visit rather than just going to the one in the hotel...there is a great lunch cafe there as well on the 2nd floor

the craft show and sale is on sept 2 from 10-2 at the ambassador hotel on soi 11, sukhumvit rd...well worth a trip over there...be there before 10...we buy some of our best thai stuff there...gifts and home furnishings, etc...clothing...silks, cottons...

their web site is: www.thaicraft.org

Yeah, I think that 4 nights in KL is a bit much,too. I'd drop one night and add that to Bangkok. Happy Travels!

Type in "Siam Ocean World" in the Search box and you can pull up my Bangkok...Dec 2005/Jan 2006...3-week trip report.I also have a trip report under the thread, "Boston GTG-Announcements". That is the 2005 Boston GTG thread. If you click on," Most recent Post" it will take you to the BOTTOM of the thread. And then scroll UP to around August 22 and the Singapore/Bangkok reports start there. Happy Travels!

Oops...you have to type in "BOSTON GTG--ANNOUNCEMENT" or else it won't pop up. Happy Travels!

The report starts at Aug 20th, not the 22nd. I just pulled it up. That's the one under the Boston thread. Happy Travels!

Hanoi: I agree with Michael, the Temple of Literature is a must-see. I also enjoyed the Art Museum and shopping at CraftLink, a fair trade crafts store (Michael, has the name changed?). Stop for lunch or a cool drink at Koto, next door, a restaurant that trains street kids. I also enjoyed teh excellent Ethnographic Museum and the History Museum. We enjoyed walking around the lake, and we loved getting of the tourist track and visiting some temples farther afield (we were the only non-Vietnamese at those places). My favorite restaurants in Hanoi were Brothers Cafe and Club L'Opera.

KL - I agree, take a day away from KL and add it to Bangkok. I have a fabulous restaurant recommendation for KL, Frangipani.

Bangkok - You'll want to see the Grand Palace/Temple of the Emerald Buddha/ Wat Po. Just jump on a water taxi (take the public one, not the tourist boat) from the dock near your hotel. I also consider the Jim Thompson House a must-see. If you can, make a trip to Wat Ben (The Marble Wat) very early in the morning to see people making merit by giving food to the monks. Shopping: visit the main Jim Thompson store and then visit the outlet store; if you are interested in fine jewelry (sapphires and rubies are the best deals), I recommend my long-time jeweler, SJ International. Restaurants: my faves include The China House at the Oriental for Peking Duck, Lana Thai at Face, and Mahanaga.

Have a wonderful time!