Holiday Destinations!

[Stan 101]

I'm off to Phuket, Rome, Florence, Venice, Brussels & Paris at the end of the year on my first ever overseas adventure. Would appreciate any advice on each of my destinations, particularly what not to do

m.

Marklar, just north of Florence is Bologna which is a stunning place with so much to see. Famous for it's meat sauce ragou, the world's first recogised university its many basilicas and piazzas and cathederals. There are stunning porticos all through the city and the food is devine! Also a great place if you like motor sport as a few famous bike and car marques call Bologna home..

Have a great trip..

 

[Who Dares Wins]

Grand Baie in Mauritius is my favourite place. Its just so expensive to get there from NZ unfortunately. Cheap Blue Marlin beer, women in bikinis in bars, and taxi drivers that will drink a beer with you while driving you around.

Going to Kuala Lumpur next week and then on to Phnom Penh after that. Looking forward to a beer on the banks of the mekong.

 

[dalek]

It's just a ticker unless you leverage into stock then you are in a bit of trouble but for others they just invest with their hard earn saving and as long as the stocks pay nice dividend and not going belly up .. it just a ticker that tick along like a heart beat

Yeah you are right and life's too short to be staring at graphs all day.
I'm off to Merimbula for a few weeks for some domestic R&R. fishing, golf, drinking, etc.before heading off to Bangkok, Chang Mai and Hua Hin and anywhere else the wind blows me.
Haven't previously been to Hua Hin so any tips welcome.

 

[bigt]

Kaya valley in Turkey...absolutely beautiful part of the world.

Here is a link to a property we have stayed at previously, we had a wonderful time. The book "Birds Without Wings" by Louis de Bernieres was set in Kaya Koy.

http://www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk/destinations/property/meryem/roomtypeprices/3+Bedroom+Villa/?date=2008-08&airport=LHR&search_availability=search

 

[Stan 101]

Haven't previously been to Hua Hin so any tips welcome.

The jazz festival on the beach is held in May/June each year. It is a weekend long festival and get huge crowds. You may like to book early if that is when you are looking to go there. Nice place, though..




cheers,

 

[robert toms]

Hua Hin..been there on and off since it was a sleepy fishing town of 20000 in the late eighties...now a lot of expats live there...northern europeans etc.
I still enjoy Hua Hin,if you stay in town you can walk everywhere...good night market,reasonable beach...good place to relax...best during week days,Bankokians use it for a weekend getway...probably population of about 100,000 ,a lot busier now...quite a few day tours and half day tours around area and out to Burmese border,if you are in to that sort of thing.

 

[dalek]

The jazz festival on the beach is held in May/June each year. It is a weekend long festival and get huge crowds. You may like to book early if that is when you are looking to go there. Nice place, though.
cheers,

Thanks Stan 101 & RT I'll check if my travel dates fit.

 

[Gordon Gekko]

With Out a doubt it has to be ORPHEUS ISLAND RESORT!!!
No Kids, day trippers, 7 course degustation dinners and only 21 rooms.

It reminds me of a Caribbean resort in the 80's, before they were discovered by thousands of tourists.

Absolute paradise!

Check out the website.
www.orpheus.com.au

Best

 

[Muschu]

We had a great holiday last year in Bali staying at the Griya Santrian in Sanur -- right on the beach, spacious rooms, great staff.

Also highly recommend Margaret River / Yallingup, and especially Windmills Break lodge. Great surf, wine, forest,cheese area and very relaxing.

 

[2BAD4U]

If you like history, I went to Cambodia a couple of years ago. Seeing temples that were 1200 years old that had been lost to the jungles was something else.

Last year I went to Hong Kong and China. HK was great would go back there any day. China was completely different. Alot of history and culture.

I lived in Exmouth (north west WA) and this is god's country. Drink piss, fish, sleep, repeat.

 

[Ashsaege]

I just got back from a holiday at Byron Bay. Fantastic, beautiful, little town. Awesome beaches and surrounds. Nice cheap weekend getaway.
I went up there for the blues and roots festival which was nuts!

 

[So_Cynical]

Boracay, Philippines...Without question 1 of the best tourist beaches on the planet...postcard perfect...the main
3 km beach is called "white sand beach" good deals can be had online, everything from 1 to 5 stars and
now easier than ever to get to, as the Caticlan Airport can now handle bigger jets...Cebu pacific air
now flys direct, Manila/Cebu to Caticlan.

Trust me...u will never go to Bali again.

 

[trinity]

I was in Boracay, Philippines back in 1996 or 97. The sand is soft and cool, truly one of a kind.

 

[insider]

I've spent a fair bit of time in Thailand and have traveled its provinces extensively.

Currency: No need for US currency as the Thai baht rules. Before you head overseas talk to your bank about overseas ATM fees. There are ATMs everywhere especially outside 7-11 and Family Mart convenience stalls. You'll get anything between 23 - 29 baht to the $AU these days.

Elephants: Called chang in Thai. You'll find someone walking around through popular night spots with a baby elephant selling sugar cane or peanuts. It's a common occurrence in tourist spots such as Koh San Rd, between Asok and Nana, and the infamous Patpong Rd.
Probably heading up to Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai are your best bets for an elephant safari. It will probably include an elephant ride, a a few hours on a bamboo raft down a river and visiting some hill tribe people. They can be day trips or a few day adventure. I would imagine a day trip like that would be around 800 - 1500 baht depending on what's included.

Shopping: In Bangkok, MBK is a huge shopping centre. There is a Robinsons down by the river near Central Pier. Get off at the last stop on the BTS line, Saphon Taksin.
If you caught the sky train (BTS) to Nana and walked back along Sukhumvit Rd toward Siam Square you will find a tonne of modern shopping centres. Panthip Plaza is also nearby and is about 7 stories of electronics. Some things are cheap, some are on par if you are savvy in Australia.
Most provinces will have a major shopping centre. Of course there are the street stalls. Quality varies but you can get some really good value products. You can get genuine Perfumes aftershaves at great prices if you know what you want and are at the right place at the right time.

Tailors: Could write until the sun came up and still not scrape the surface. remember you get what you pay for. If someone says they will give you 2 suits, two shirts and a tie for $150au don't be suprised when it fall apart after the first wear.
Go for a measure up and choose your fabrics and style. Set the price at this time. Remember if you push the price too low, the quality will suffer. Give them a couple of days to stitch up the basics and have a first fitting and then a few days for a final fitting. Putting down a reasonable deposit at time of ordering in normal. I personally avoid buying from any shop where there is a guy of Indian decent calling me "big boss" and to "come on in"..

Socialising: If you are referring to bar girls, I can't help you there. If you want to meet locals in their envoiroment, that will be easy. Thais are very social people. Outdoor dining in night bizzarres are common all over the country. Try to learn some basic Thai phrases, always be sure to use polite particles such as "krup" at the end of the sentences for guy and "ka" for girls. If you pull out a few Thai plesantries to the locals they may very well be so excited about you trying to learn their language, they'll be a friend for life!
There is a very real social structure in Thailand. It's easy to pick after some time with the language used.

Architecture tours: Pick a Wat any Wat.. I really like the areas of Surin and Chantaburi in the south east. It's not so tourist friendly, though.

Laying on Beaches: Personal Fav was Koh Chang near Trat. I hear now the west coast is now full of 7 -11 and most of the beach bungalows. Some great waterfalls and swimming holes. There is a fishing villiage at the bottom of the island. On the east side of the island there were some bungalows and very little else. The best accomodation (in my not so humble opinion)in Thailand can't be booked in advance. It's just a local with a few bungalows on the beach / by the river / whatever and if they aren't rented at the time you get there, it's yours.

Other places are KOh Samui - I've heard has gone the way of Koh Chang. In the North of Koh Samui is a fisherman villiage named Bo Put. Along that street are a few bars and the ferry to Koh Pha Nang. There is also a little shop front called the Oasis Restaurant run by a lovely lady called May. She has some stunning bungalows in the back of the house / restaurant for a couple of hundred baht. It will be low season, so you'd probably be a walk up start.
North of Samui is Koh Pha Nang and is famous for the full moon parties. That's not for me but the island is a gem.. The west and the north has beautiful beaches and seclusion. At the very north west of the island at low tide you can walk to another small island and stay at the bungalows there. If you are lazy, just flick a fisherman a hundred baht and he'll take you there.
North of Pha Nag is Koh Tao, the northern island in the group of three in the Gulf of Thailand. Some good shipwreck for scuba in the 60 - 70 metre region. Vis is ordinary though.

Koh Samet is another option but now I hear is a millionaire's paradise.

Phuket: The good the bad and the ugly hehehe..
I like the south west end of Phuket. For me Patong (the famous beach) is just too full on with expensive restaurants and too many hawkers. Nice seafood,though. Bangla rd and all the accompanying sois are worth a look once in your life. Watch out though, one of those sois is only for lady boys... I'll let you find that one yourself.
The beaches south are Karon and Kata. There are a few other beaches on the very south of the island but I forget the names. Have stayed there though and it's not oo bad. There is A Muay Thai training camp down that way, too. The Southern beaches are quieter and much more relaxing. You can island hop to Phi Phi and then back to the mainland (Krabi) easily.

In General: Flighing is cheap if you are in a hurry to be somewhere. Try Nok Air, Air Asia and Bangkok Air for internal flight. Often there are stupidly cheap fares.

- You may get to see the waterfestival, songkran. Be prepared to get wet.
- eat from the street stalls. If locals are eating, you know it's good.
- Second class sleepers on trains are good value and reasonably comfortable. First class sleepers are usually more expensive than flying. I prefer trains as you get to see the countryside. Buses come in different classes, too even local buses.
- Canal boats in Bangkok are a great way to get around.
- The Chiang Mai Chiang Rai region is lovely and very hilly. Their food is in vast contrast to southern places like Surat Thani.
- Going to the friendship bridge into Laos is easy to do and well worth it. Head north from Udon Thani.
- Kanchanaburi is a nice spot with history and just a few hours west of Bangkok. 2000 baht for a taxi one way. 150 baht by mini bus. Along the river kwai noi you can stay in pole homes, tree houses, stone bungalows for as low as 100 baht a night.. That will be cold shower and non flush toilet, thought.Some lovely waterfalls north of there. head on to Si Sawat for some really amazing national parks.
- There is an awesome all you can eat (including seafood) place on New Petchaburi rd near the Amari hotel. Can't remember its name but if you get in a pink cab that has a "i love farang" sign on the window, they will find it for you. Awesome value for about 200 baht. You even have to catch your own live shellfish and cook it hehe.. It seats about 500 people under a bigtop.




This is a second attempt, I lost the first post and now it's late... If you want to know some specifics, pm me if you like..


cheers,

Thanks heaps Stan 101. That was more than I was expecting. I think I may have solved my issue in regards to money. I think I'm gonna get a Travelex card where you top it up using Bpay and just use it like a credit card basically... This way I don't carry around too much physical cash... Getting suits made is a priority and I was told Nana is the place to go... I want a Camo patterned suit, a leopard skin suit, a Paisley suit (like an old granny's couch), and a silk suit...

Yeah those ladyboys are a real worry. I've seen pictures of some that were so pretty it made me freak out...

I'll put up some photos when I get back though...

I have just two more sleeps until departure... I must admit I feel a bit nervous and excited but it's same energy channeled differently

Cheers...

 

[stock_man]

I've spent a fair bit of time in Thailand and have traveled its provinces extensively.

Hi Stan 101 (or anyone else that can offer assistance),

My wife and I are currently planning our first o/s trip to Thailand. As this is our first time out of this country, we are a little anxious and decided to check out everything through a travel agent.

We got a price for 8 nights in Phuket (some place 20 minutes north of patong - get away from crowds but still have access), and 4 nights in Phi Phi Don.

I was completely surprised when the total came in at $4600 for 2 people. This price was for accommodation, flights, taxes and all transfers.

In my mind, Thailand was going to be cheaper than that. I could stay for 10 nights in the Whitsundays for that price.

From your post regarding pricing and activities, something is not right here.

Are we getting gypped? Would $AUD1.5K (BAH43.5K) be enough for spending money food etc?

 

[imajica]

I'm heading off to the maldives in July - will post photos when I return. The last true paradise on Earth!

 

[doctorj]

I'd say that 8 nights is a little too long in Phuket, but that's just me. I was there last October and stayed in Karon (I'm guess that's where you meant) and was glad I did. Karon isn't as busy as Patong and there are fewer places to eat but it was nice get away from Patong. Also, a lot of the resorts in Patong looked quite tired.

The only thing to be aware of is that to eat in the evenings you're probably going to want to be in/around Patong. Getting a tuk tuk back won't be a problem (~200baht), but getting there may be a problem. Check the place you're staying offers a regular shuttle to/from Patong as you might find it hard getting a tuk tuk back.

Compared to Bangkok, Phuket is very expensive - particularly when it comes to food. Seafood is sold by weight at many multiples of what you'll pay in Bangkok. You'll also pay more for booze and things from the night markets. It's the usual tourist-trap thing.

$1500 should be enough for two people for 12 nights - it just depends how you want to eat and how much shopping you're inclined to do. A little tip - if you want to take tours, don't book through your travel agent or hotel, but find someone on the street. You'll end up paying up to 50% less, particularly if you book multiple tours.

 

[glenn_r]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn, Patong Beach in Phuket for 10 days last July and had a great time the trip including 3 nights at Singapore ended up costing me about $5K for 2 adults and 2 kids which includes accommodation and food.

I booked everything myself using the net, Singapore Air and Holiday Inn direct, all the quotes I had from travel agents were around $6K to $7K.

The shopping in Phuket is not what it was and most shops are run/staffed by Indians and it appears they must be doing well as not many wanted to barter.

Tuk tuks were cool and a cheap way to get around, we negotiated one for a whole day a few times and visited different places around the island, all in all it was a good place to visit and we will return one day.

I wouldn't go to Singapore again it's getting too expensive (the cost of 3 nights there was what the room for 10 nights cost in Phuket), this year we're looking at Vietnam/Cambodia .

 

[moneymajix]

PLUS

If visiting Vietnam consider a visit to World Heritage listed Halong Bay.
I think it is impressive.
http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en&resnum=0&q=halong+bay&um=1&ie=UTF-8

I have been told nearby Laos is worth a visit.
Apparently, like going back in time (no ATMs etc).


MINUS

I think Singapore is quite boring and expensive.
I didn't think there was much to do in Hong Kong either.

I am no fan of Phuket.


CHEAP

India. It is very interesting with a lot of variety and great shopping (although you will have to use your very best bargaining skills!).

It is not for everyone, as some people find the dirt and poverty too much to handle. It is a culture shock.
The south (Goa) is more relaxed than other places I visited.

A great book to read which is set largely in India is Shantaram.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantaram_(film)#Film_adaptation

Shantaram is the 2003 novel written by Gregory David Roberts, a convicted Australian bank robber and heroin addict who escaped from Pentridge Prison and fled to India where he lived for 10 years.


FRANCE
Yummy!


CHINA
Beijing is very interesting - Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Summer Palace etc.

You go to Shanghai for the nightlife and shopping, imo. Not for the sights.
It is a big city with over 16 million people which can be quite mind boggling!

 

[Stan 101]

Hi Stan 101 (or anyone else that can offer assistance),

My wife and I are currently planning our first o/s trip to Thailand. As this is our first time out of this country, we are a little anxious and decided to check out everything through a travel agent.

We got a price for 8 nights in Phuket (some place 20 minutes north of patong - get away from crowds but still have access), and 4 nights in Phi Phi Don.

I was completely surprised when the total came in at $4600 for 2 people. This price was for accommodation, flights, taxes and all transfers.

In my mind, Thailand was going to be cheaper than that. I could stay for 10 nights in the Whitsundays for that price.

From your post regarding pricing and activities, something is not right here.

Are we getting gypped? Would $AUD1.5K (BAH43.5K) be enough for spending money food etc?

Hi Stock-Man, Yes, north of Patong are some very exclusive resorts. You are closer to the airport. Karon and Kata are much cheaper than the resorts than the resorts north of Patong.

Spending money should be fine. As the Doc said, seafood is expensive by thai standards. Booze is usually the expensive thing for people there. Prices for booze are comparable to Australian prices.
have fun!