Southeast Asia
Oct 5th, 2003, 12:20 PM
#1
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Southeast Asia
Hi!.
Below I wrote everything I would like to confirm before my departure to Southeast Asia next week (Phuket, Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Da Nang, Siem Reap).
I don't want to bother with too many questions, but I'll be happy with very short answers!
- Do you have any recommendations to go from the airport to the hotels in those cities, or can I just get any taxi? Is it safe to arrive without reservations, and just show the name of a hotel to the driver (I'll choose hotels in a travel guide)?
- Besides money, photos and passport, anything else is necessary to get the Visas at the airports on Luang Prabang, Da Nang and Siem Reap?
- Is it better to arrange tours on the hotels or in local travel agencies? For example, I'll stay just 2 nights in Da Nang, and I would like to do a day trip to Hue.
- I've never been to Asia. If you have any tips or specific warning for the region, please let me know.
Thanks.
Below I wrote everything I would like to confirm before my departure to Southeast Asia next week (Phuket, Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Da Nang, Siem Reap).
I don't want to bother with too many questions, but I'll be happy with very short answers!
- Do you have any recommendations to go from the airport to the hotels in those cities, or can I just get any taxi? Is it safe to arrive without reservations, and just show the name of a hotel to the driver (I'll choose hotels in a travel guide)?
- Besides money, photos and passport, anything else is necessary to get the Visas at the airports on Luang Prabang, Da Nang and Siem Reap?
- Is it better to arrange tours on the hotels or in local travel agencies? For example, I'll stay just 2 nights in Da Nang, and I would like to do a day trip to Hue.
- I've never been to Asia. If you have any tips or specific warning for the region, please let me know.
Thanks.
Oct 5th, 2003, 08:03 PM
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For answers about the Bangkok taxi, check out: http://www.hasekamp.net/cgi-bin/FAQm...;t=thailand#q1
For answers to many more questions about Thailand, refer to the home page of the above site: http://www.hasekamp.net/thaiindex.htm
Regarding the Cambodian visa: a lot of people have reported that your passport MUST have a blank pair of facing pages available. Without them, you won't be given a visa or allowed entrance into Cambodia.
For answers to many more questions about Thailand, refer to the home page of the above site: http://www.hasekamp.net/thaiindex.htm
Regarding the Cambodian visa: a lot of people have reported that your passport MUST have a blank pair of facing pages available. Without them, you won't be given a visa or allowed entrance into Cambodia.
Oct 5th, 2003, 09:49 PM
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-sure it's safe too take a taxi and show him the name of the hotel but it dosn't mean there will be any accupancy.
it's probably better too reserve before you leave or reserve at accomodation kiosks at airports..
just book tours at hotel it will save you time..
tip the pase of life is much slower in southeast asia..
= have hotel names writern in local language..
- check too see if ther is any festival or event . in a city you will be before you arrive.. it may couse probs with accomidation.
i went too luang prabang durring, water festival and i was forced too sleep in a guest house's living room floor since the town was booked tight.
it's probably better too reserve before you leave or reserve at accomodation kiosks at airports..
just book tours at hotel it will save you time..
tip the pase of life is much slower in southeast asia..
= have hotel names writern in local language..
- check too see if ther is any festival or event . in a city you will be before you arrive.. it may couse probs with accomidation.
i went too luang prabang durring, water festival and i was forced too sleep in a guest house's living room floor since the town was booked tight.
Oct 6th, 2003, 12:28 PM
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A few tips for Siem Reap:
1. You need US$20 for your visa plus a photo. You can get the visa when you land at the SR airport.
2. There are no ATM's in Cambodia, and the country more or less runs on US dollars. Anything you have to do at a bank will take valuable time away from seeing Angkor. My advice is to take US currency (lots of singles) to Cambodia and plan to use it for most expenses other than hotel and some restaurants if they take credit cards.
For Bangkok:
Going to and from the airport, tell the taxi driver to take the expressway. It costs a couple dollars more but is well worth it as traffic on the free road can be horrendous.
In general: have you gotten whatever shots you need and have you made an informed decision about taking anti-malarial drugs?
Have a great trip!
1. You need US$20 for your visa plus a photo. You can get the visa when you land at the SR airport.
2. There are no ATM's in Cambodia, and the country more or less runs on US dollars. Anything you have to do at a bank will take valuable time away from seeing Angkor. My advice is to take US currency (lots of singles) to Cambodia and plan to use it for most expenses other than hotel and some restaurants if they take credit cards.
For Bangkok:
Going to and from the airport, tell the taxi driver to take the expressway. It costs a couple dollars more but is well worth it as traffic on the free road can be horrendous.
In general: have you gotten whatever shots you need and have you made an informed decision about taking anti-malarial drugs?
Have a great trip!
Oct 6th, 2003, 02:55 PM
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You cannot get a visa on arrival in VietNam. You need a visa in advance, which you can get in a couple of days in Bangkok.
Depending on where you want to stay, you may be fine arriving without reservations. However, don't expect you'll always get your first choice of hotel. If it's important to stay in a particular place, make your reservations before you arrive.
You can easily arrange tours once you arrive, either from yout hotel or from a travel agency. If you are staying only 2 nights in DaNang, it'll be a very long hard day to get to Hue and back. Once you get there, I expect you'll have to re-think your plans.
You are covering a lot - I hope you have at least three weeks for what you've outlined! Travel in SE Asia is slow.
Depending on where you want to stay, you may be fine arriving without reservations. However, don't expect you'll always get your first choice of hotel. If it's important to stay in a particular place, make your reservations before you arrive.
You can easily arrange tours once you arrive, either from yout hotel or from a travel agency. If you are staying only 2 nights in DaNang, it'll be a very long hard day to get to Hue and back. Once you get there, I expect you'll have to re-think your plans.
You are covering a lot - I hope you have at least three weeks for what you've outlined! Travel in SE Asia is slow.
Oct 7th, 2003, 08:07 AM
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Thank you!
Are there accomodation kiosks at airports in Luang Prabang, Da Nang and Siem Reap?
I've taken yellow fever and hepatitis vaccins. Consdering I won't stay that long, I'm not planning to take anti-malarial drugs.
I'll change my ittinerary to stay 3 nights at DaNang/Hue area.
I'll use a Bangkok Airways Pass, and I'll stay just 2 week at SEAsia. It's a question of choice: I prefer to visit only the most important places of the 5 cities, than to visit just a couple of places, so that I can really know them. It's possible I won't ever go back there, it's a 30 hour trip from my country!
Are there accomodation kiosks at airports in Luang Prabang, Da Nang and Siem Reap?
I've taken yellow fever and hepatitis vaccins. Consdering I won't stay that long, I'm not planning to take anti-malarial drugs.
I'll change my ittinerary to stay 3 nights at DaNang/Hue area.
I'll use a Bangkok Airways Pass, and I'll stay just 2 week at SEAsia. It's a question of choice: I prefer to visit only the most important places of the 5 cities, than to visit just a couple of places, so that I can really know them. It's possible I won't ever go back there, it's a 30 hour trip from my country!
Oct 7th, 2003, 05:38 PM
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You don't need the yellow fever vaccine unless you are coming from a yellow fever area (parts of Africa and South America), as there is no yellow fever in Asia. You should have innoculations against Hep A, tetnaus and diptheria, and typhoid at a minimum.
