Michael_Jackson Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 I fancy seeing somewhere different next year. Can anyone recommend the best places they have been to in Asia and what they enjoyed most about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMFC4LIFE Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Get yourself to Koh Phi Phi. Never look back after that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddley Walker Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 If you're looking for an experience I would go for India. It's so varied, you've got desert, jungle, mental minging cities, beautiful beaches, ancient temples. Truly one of the most unbelievable places you can go, especially if you move around to different areas. It's also cheaper than you can imagine. If you spend a tenner a night you will stay in an excellent hotel. If you're looking for paradise beaches then Thailand is where you want to be. Malaysia is where we got the best food IMO. Cambodia is a brilliant experience as well, it has pretty much everything, although it is poor as **** and the infrastructure is not there, so out depends what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnunb Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Never had any inclination to visit Asia however several folk I know have raved about Sri Lanka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobNox Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Never had any inclination to visit Asia however several folk I know have raved about Sri Lanka Geography clearly not one of your best subjects at school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo dans les Pyrenees Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Geography clearly not one of your best subjects at school Sri Lanka is part of Asia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddley Walker Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Geography clearly not one of your best subjects at school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Jackson Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Isn't the poster saying that whilst he doesn't fancy it several of his friends recommend it? I don't think he is suggesting that it isn't in Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnunb Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Geography clearly not one of your best subjects at school Erm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helzibob Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Never had any inclination to visit Asia however several folk I know have raved about Sri Lanka I've been to Sri Lanka, loved it and would definitely go again. We stayed off the beaten track, went trekking in the rain forest and white water rafting. It's not a massive country and if I remember correctly it has 7 or 8 unesco world heritage sites. Fantastic place to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swarlos Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Get yourself to Koh Phi Phi. Never look back after that The Andaman coast of Thailand is stunning and a good place to start in Asia since it's very touristy. Go to Ao Nang for Railay Beach and Koh Phi Phi for the boat trips round the bays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jonesy Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Go to Xinjiang. Kanas Lake and around is one of the most special places in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deesidejambo Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Go to Sabah and climb Mt Kinabalu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughesie27 Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 If I had to choose 1 place I'd go for India. I imagine Thailand is a lovely place however once you've seen 1 amazing beach you've seen them all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambo_steve87 Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I second the shout for India. One of the best places I've ever been. Riddley Walker describes it perfectly. Some parts of it are ridiculously mental and minging, but that only adds to the overall experience, Some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet and some of the most amazing landscapes and scenery. I spent a few months working in Chennai a few years ago and travelled most of the South (draw a line across from Goa) and would recommend it to anyone. Thailand's brilliant too, but maybe a bit too touristy for my liking. It seems to be the next progressive step for lads group holidays after Magaluf/Zante. Lots of zoomers. Probably my own fault as I only did the 'tourist trail' a few years ago; Bangkok > Chaing Mai > Koh Samui > Koh Phangan > Koh Tao > Koh Samui > Bangkok. Undoubtedly some fantastic places off the beaten track to visit, just pick wisely if you don't want to keep bumping into the same 'brits abroad' and gap yah ******s. I'm currently in Singapore with work and would recommend that for a few days if you were travelling through. Lovely clean & friendly city, but there's 100 other places in Asia you should probably go to first rather than spending time in a city. I'm spending most weekends travelling to the Malaysian Islands; Pulau Sibu/Rawa/Tioman around the Johor area. Next planned trip is the Philippines. El Nido in Palawan looks amazing (I think someone else recommended it on another thread), but seems to be an absolute mission to get to. I guess that's part of the attraction! You can't go wrong with Asia, and there's definitely enough places that you can tailor your trip to what sort of holiday you fancy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belly Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I'm currently in Singapore with work Where are you working, I am here just now also, working in the Keppel Shipyard on the Armada Kraken Project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Drago Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Only ever been to Japan and it was amazing. Fancy doing Vietnam or China next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Jarman Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I've heard at the right price you can shoot a cow with an RPG in Vietnam, just in case that's your thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queensferryjambo Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I have been to Japan a couple of times and it is amazing. I would recommend Kyoto for amazing sightseeing, Tokyo and Osaka for the nightlife. Hong Kong and Singapore were also fantastic when I was there but only spent 4 days in each as it was stopping over on my way to and from Australia. I would love to spend a bit more time in Hong Kong if I had the chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pohang Jambo Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I live in Hong Kong and would definitely recommend it for a few days if you make it over. Other fantastic cities to see are Seoul and Tokyo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal Kingston Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Vietnam is meant to be superb - not as touristy as Thailand and better infrastructure than Cambodia I've only been to Thailand and had a brilliant 3 weeks One of the highlights was a 30 minute foot massage from a local in her 60's. Cost about ?2 and I ended up falling asleep Would love to try India too - so intriguing and like another planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.Wright Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I worked in India for around 6 months. Done a wee bit of touring and would recommend it. As has been mentioned the diversity is unbelievable, although it's maybe not the place I would suggest if you're not 100% commited as parts of it can be unpleasant. Spent a small amount of time in Sri Lanaka which was brilliant. I thought it had similarities to India although slightly more developed. The scuba diving and beach parties were superb although that was before the tsunami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadows Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I'm off next week to meet up with Bangkok Hearts before we head to Cambodia ... Doing the eating insects, firing Kalashnikov's as well as visiting the killing fields , temples etc . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyjambo Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I'm off next week to meet up with Bangkok Hearts before we head to Cambodia ... Doing the eating insects, firing Kalashnikov's as well as visiting the killing fields , temples etc . Had 2 days at Angkor Wat last year, absolutely stunning. Killing fields was pretty traumatic, unbelievable that this only happened in the 70's. Not much to see in Pnohm Phen, tbh, 2 or 3 days there is enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddley Walker Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I'm off next week to meet up with Bangkok Hearts before we head to Cambodia ... Doing the eating insects, firing Kalashnikov's as well as visiting the killing fields , temples etc .Cambodia is brilliant man. Are you crossing the border from Thailand by bus? Some experience that Angkor Wat and Phonm Penh are obviously where most folk go and they are both great for different reasons. But if you're also looking for the cheapest and most hedonistic beach partying you should head down to Sihanoukville. You can get a beach but for 2-4 US dollars a night, beers for 1 dollar ( or 50 cents during the seemingly endless happy hours). "Happy" pizzas everywhere as well if you're into that sort of thing. Kep is also a brilliant place that is a lot less touristy but still lots to see and do. We splashed out a bit there (about 15 dollars a night) and got a apartment in the middle of the jungle. It was amazing but probably not if you're not a fan of insects and spiders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadows Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 My mate lives in Bangkok , he's been before so taking me over. We are flying from BKK , one hour flight so should be a doddle ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddley Walker Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 My mate lives in Bangkok , he's been before so taking me over. We are flying from BKK , one hour flight so should be a doddle ! Probably the best avoiding the land border crossing unless you want to get ripped off and crammed into a wee bus for hours on end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swarlos Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Probably the best avoiding the land border crossing unless you want to get ripped off and crammed into a wee bus for hours on end. Hand your passport over and not see it again for an eternity as you stand in a tiny building with no air con and 100 other people. Then get back on a bus only to stop 5 minutes down the road at yet another "rest stop" which conveniently also belongs to the bus company. Ah, Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddley Walker Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Hand your passport over and not see it again for an eternity as you stand in a tiny building with no air con and 100 other people. Then get back on a bus only to stop 5 minutes down the road at yet another "rest stop" which conveniently also belongs to the bus company. Ah, Asia. We went over the Thailand-Cambodia border at Trat. I'd read all about the scams and was convinced I wouldn't get done over... Aye right. We got conned into "health checks" at the border and our bus we'd pre-paid for had "already gone" once we got over the border. And unless you paid 40 dollars for your visa - instead of the standard 20/25 - you had to wait in a wee office for hours on end. Then there was guys who had grabbed your bag and put it on the bus begging for a a couple of dollars. And all that from mainly govt. officials. Absolute scam-artists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_R Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I expect you'll get a few shouts for thailand, Cambodia etc which I suspect can be breathtaking but for me you just can't beat china. From the big cities with everything you could imagine right out to the palaces and little villages in middle of no where. What I enjoyed about it was the amount to see and do. "Big ticket" sights like Great Wall, terracotta warriors, summer palace etc I've also been to Malaysia, singapore, Hong Kong and would recommend them all for various reasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadows Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Visited Shenzen in March , was amazing. The locals can't help staring , it was like being a Hollywood superstar! Hong Kong is superb , only had a couple of nights there but would gladly revisit . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I P Knightley Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Here's another recommendation for Sri Lanka. Great food, friendly people, fine climate, lots of variety. I've not gone to the north, which I hear is well worth a trip, but stayed in Colombo with trips down south to Galle and Marata. The beaches in the south are great and the restaurants/bars on the beach serve up about the freshest fish you'll get in almost whatever style you'll want. It's less costly than places I've been in the far east and SE Asia (except Myanmar - that was dirt cheap). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@VladMagic Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Another vote for Cambodia from me. Ankor Watt is off the scale breath taking. In fact I loved Cambodia more than Thailand. I have done Ko Phi Phi, Samui, Panyang, Crabby, Koh Chang and obviously Bangkok but found Thailand quite intimidating at times. Everyone is out to screw you over for a few dollars. Cambodia I found refreshing and friendlier. A lot more beggars especially kids in Cambodia but generally the people are just pleased to see you. We planned to head to Laos for the river tubing but over stayed in Cambodia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pasha Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I fancy seeing somewhere different next year. Can anyone recommend the best places they have been to in Asia and what they enjoyed most about it? Ive lived in Thailand for the past 13 years, so can only give you info about Thailand. What kind of holiday are you looking for? Do you want to lie on beaches and maybe try snorkeling or scuba diving, or do you want to head inland and explore temples and waterfalls? If you want quiet islands and beaches then i highly recommend Koh Chang or Koh Lipe. If you want to see jungle, temples and waterfalls then i recommend Chang Mai and Chang Rai. International flights arrive in Bangkok and also Phuket. Bangkok is perfect for connecting flights to Chang Mai. Phuket airport is perfect if you want to go to the southern islands like Koh Phi Phi or or Koh Lipe. Let me know if you want any other info about Thailand. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pasha Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Another vote for Cambodia from me. Ankor Watt is off the scale breath taking. In fact I loved Cambodia more than Thailand. I have done Ko Phi Phi, Samui, Panyang, Crabby, Koh Chang and obviously Bangkok but found Thailand quite intimidating at times. Everyone is out to screw you over for a few dollars. Cambodia I found refreshing and friendlier. A lot more beggars especially kids in Cambodia but generally the people are just pleased to see you. We planned to head to Laos for the river tubing but over stayed in Cambodia Its a real shame that you found Thailand intimidating at times matey. The tourist areas of Bangkok, Samui and Phuket can certainly be challenging. I live in Phuket and absolutely hate Patong, but there are many other absolutely fantastic and beautiful parts of Phuket. If you ever decide to visit Thailand again, drop me a PM and i'll suggest some really cool off the beaten track places for you to visit. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@VladMagic Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Its a real shame that you found Thailand intimidating at times matey. The tourist areas of Bangkok, Samui and Phuket can certainly be challenging. I live in Phuket and absolutely hate Patong, but there are many other absolutely fantastic and beautiful parts of Phuket. If you ever decide to visit Thailand again, drop me a PM and i'll suggest some really cool off the beaten track places for you to visit. Cheers. It was more my first visit to be honest Pasha. I got ripped off by the taxi driver on the way from the Airport to Koh San Road which annoyed me obviously and put me on my guard. Once we left Bangkok and got Koh Phangan and the beaches of Haad Yuan I was a lot more relaxed. You have to have your wits about you though when dealing with people. We had a scary moment on Koh Samui at 4 in the morning. We got lost going back to the hotel. 2 of us on 1 moped. Already stuck it in a bush once Nearly out of fuel we stopped in the middle of no where to buy juice. A load of local lads turned up and you could see them eyeing us up for a good thieve! Fortunately im 6ft 7 and stared right back at them as if to say "good luck lads" and they left us alone. Was quite scary! Koh Chang was the nicest place I have been in Thailand. Lonely Beach to be precise. Met some amazing people there and had a fantastic time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pasha Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 It was more my first visit to be honest Pasha. I got ripped off by the taxi driver on the way from the Airport to Koh San Road which annoyed me obviously and put me on my guard. Once we left Bangkok and got Koh Phangan and the beaches of Haad Yuan I was a lot more relaxed. You have to have your wits about you though when dealing with people. We had a scary moment on Koh Samui at 4 in the morning. We got lost going back to the hotel. 2 of us on 1 moped. Already stuck it in a bush once Nearly out of fuel we stopped in the middle of no where to buy juice. A load of local lads turned up and you could see them eyeing us up for a good thieve! Fortunately im 6ft 7 and stared right back at them as if to say "good luck lads" and they left us alone. Was quite scary! Koh Chang was the nicest place I have been in Thailand. Lonely Beach to be precise. Met some amazing people there and had a fantastic time. Yip, i agree that you definitely need to have your wits about you. Thailand can be a crazy, exciting, scary place! If you enjoyed Koh Chang, try googling Koh Lipe. This island is amazing.... very chilled out and relaxed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcurrent Jambo Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Another for Sri Lanka, Went for 3 weeks in 2013/14 over Christmas and New Year down the south West of Island Hikka, surfers paradise, very hippie but loads of fun, Had some great parties on the Beach..great food, beer and freindliest people you will meet, Did dambulla, sigirya (lions Rock) Kandy (Temple of the tooth) Usual stuff, Going back in Jan Next year, Colombo then zig zagging our way across to the East coast by train (very Cheap) and Bus(even Cheaper) then Back down to Galle and work out way back to Colombo for Flight Home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo dans les Pyrenees Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Yip, i agree that you definitely need to have your wits about you. Thailand can be a crazy, exciting, scary place! If you enjoyed Koh Chang, try googling Koh Lipe. This island is amazing.... very chilled out and relaxed. My old man is thinking about retiring to Phuket. Property seems cheap (by western standards) but the online agencies he has looked at so far looked a bit "photoshopped" and some new builds seem quite far from the cost in the interior of the island. Any recommendations/tips mate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorneoHearts Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 Go to Sabah and climb Mt Kinabalu I live in Kota Kinabalu and have done for 12 years.....great place to go if its your first time to Asia, everyone speaks english and not as tacky as thailand or bali 6th best place in the world to retire apparently.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pasha Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 My old man is thinking about retiring to Phuket. Property seems cheap (by western standards) but the online agencies he has looked at so far looked a bit "photoshopped" and some new builds seem quite far from the cost in the interior of the island. Any recommendations/tips mate? Hi mate, My fiance is GM for a property management company called Lemon Rabbit. www.lemonrabbit.com/property.php will take you to their current properties for sale. I would strongly recommend that your old man contacts a few agencies and companies online first, and then comes to Phuket for a short holiday to meet with the agencies and companies and look at the properties. A "foreigner" cannot ever own land in Thailand, but we can buy land contracts for up to 99 years, which means you can own an apartment on that land for 99 years. Another option is to set up a Thai Company, but this involves quite a lot of paperwork and paying of taxes every month, but isnt 100% legal in the eyes of the Thai Government, but they have never done anything to stop this practice so far. The only thing your old man could ever own legally in Thailand would be a condominium. I hope this helps, but send me a PM if you would like any other info. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydney Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Places to put on your list (dont know how old you are, or how much money you have, so basing this list on what I like): Hong Kong - beautiful skyline, great fun on HK Island. Star Ferry is the cheapest tourist attraction. Shanghai - great city, but easy to get lost in. India - so much to do, so little time. Beaches in Goa, waterways in Kerala, mountains up north, great food everywhere. Scratch the surface to see below the shittiness. Singapore - such an easy city to enjoy Melaka and Penang - for food. Oh and bars. Oh and colonial architecture. Thailand - mountains, beaches, crazy cities and WW2 history Indonesia - Jakarta is a hole, but Yogjakarta is great. Some of the Islands are well worth a visit, but are not always easy to get to. Hill tribes in China, near Guiyang in Guizhou Province. Maybe the best place I've ever been. Eating hotpot in Chongqing in China is great. Seoul - easy to hate it, but easy to love it too. Food can be a bit hmmmmmmm Mumbai if you have cash can be the greatest place in the world. Tokyo - much like Seoul for easy to hate/love at the same time. Palawan Island in the Philippines (fly from Manila). Awesomely beautiful. One thing about Asia is that you need to go with the flow, but be careful at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the general Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Yip, i agree that you definitely need to have your wits about you. Thailand can be a crazy, exciting, scary place! If you enjoyed Koh Chang, try googling Koh Lipe. This island is amazing.... very chilled out and relaxed. agreed but Koh Kood is even better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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