SEA General Thread

>>1110361

Any hidden jems in Laos/Cambodia?

Trying to see a few things out of the ordinary, hopefully not too far off the tourist trail.

Will ask here again.

In a scale of 1-10, where 1 is airport level with the country's passport in hand and 10 is impossiburu, how hard is it for foreigners to cross by train (read: by land, not by plane) between Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam?

>>1110416
10.

There are no train lines through Cambodia. The only line that goes to Laos goes a little past the border and then stops, so you won't really cross anywhere.

>>1110428
Is it impossible to cross the border by land?

>>1110459
No, but going by train is impossible. If you want to rent a motorcycle or buy a bus ticket and do it, that's very easy.

>>1110462
That's the question, then.
How easy is it to cross borders not by plane between those countries. Considering I don't have a motorcycle license, I'd be going by bus/train/boat/whatever.
Or just take the plane, which I'd like to leave as the last option if the other ones are too much of a hassle.

>>1110464
between Thailand and Laos, there are buses every hour from Udon to Vientien, Mukdaharn to Sawanakhet and Ubon to Pakse, you just have to stop at the borders and pay taxes.

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand all allow land crossings now, though depending on your nationality you may need pre-approval. Laos for US citizens issues visas on arrival at all ports. Cambodia now has eVisas (apply online and print the visa yourself) but Vietnam still requires pre-approved visas-on-arrival, which are easily obtain through online travel agents. Thailand too allows visa-less entry at land borders but you only get 15 days (30 days at airports).

>>1110482
Awesome.
So there are means of crossing.
Will check how's the process for Vietnam pre-approval visa thing. Does it mean I'll need to enter until a certain date, though?

Can I bullshit my way into teaching English in some SEA country if I have no experience whatsoever, am not a native speaker but have a master's degree?
I can also take toefl or whatever to prove proficiency.

>>1110361
Bangla Rd is fun.
Cheap food, cheap beer, cheap women.
The End

I'm moving to Hat Yai, Thailand on the 20th. So excited. Going to start teaching in November, having a little girl born at the beginning of June (main reason I'm moving there).

Can't wait. I've spent about 2 years in Southeast Asia over the last 3 years and absolutely love it there.

>>1111063
Get a TEFL course for $800 in country and you'll have a job in a week. I am a high school drop out with a forged high school diploma teaching in Thailand.

TEFL schools guarantee work placement.

>>1111148
Oh missed the part about not being a native speaker. That might be hard unless your accent is really clear. Might be better off to get your dive master course and just live in the islands doing that (can find work in an hour on the islands, faster if multilingual).

I'm still figuring out what I want to do, but I'm generally planning to take 2 months off this summer and travel SEA.

I want to go from Burma to Papua New Guinea. I can either go eastwards from Thailand to Cambodia and Vietnam, then cross to Malaysia and Brunei, then to the Philippines and then fly to PNG. OR I can go south through southern Thailand and then into Malaysia, Indonesia, Bali, East Timor because fuck it I want to say I've been to East Timor and it's on the way, and then finally arriving in PNG.

Does anyone have any experience with either or both of these routes or know enough about the countries in both routes to make a judgement about which would be better for a good budget conscious mix of adventure and chill locales?

>>1111186
What kind of "adventure" are you looking for?
Sexual adventures (hookers and aids), natural adventures (hiking, diving, etc), man-made adventures (city crawling, architecture, museum, traffic chaos, etc)?

>>1111070

Bangla Rd (in Patong, Phuket for those unaware) is ground zero for package / mass market tourists. It's a freakshow full of scummy bogans and yobbos who think they are experiencing a foreign culturez Steer clear at all costs.

Get to Myanmar as soon as you can. It's the last bastion of "old asia", is relatively untainted by commercial tourism (though rapidly changing) and has a really nice charm to it, despite most of the country being desperately poor. The people are by & large friendly and welcoming and don't try to extract money from you at every opportunity. There is no visible commercial sex industry. Travel is hard enough still to feel like an adventure (train trips are unlike anything else), and while hotels/guesthouses are overpriced compared to Thailand, the food & beer (both tasty & satisfying) costs a pittance. It's a huge, diverse country full of things to see, get there before it's all mortgaged to the Chinese to log/mine/dam or is overrun with package tourists, you will not regret a trip to Myanmar!

>>1110361
lol at singapore being right below brunei.if you're looking for legal sex,Singapore's the place man

>>1111341
What do you mean?

>>1111312
wow, okay. thank you! how is the pricing for non-commercial/alternative housing? like renting a hut or a room with a nice family?

>>1111312
I agree with this strongly - I spent 5mos in SE Asia recently and Myanmar definitely wasn't my favorite country (I like fucking the locals, not possible there), but it was an incredible experience.

In the largest tourist sites in the country there were many more Burmese religious pilgrims than foreign tourists. That will change very rapidly now that Myanmar is fairly easy to travel in, and as a result you'll have a completely different experience. The regular Burmese people will be driven out of many of those spots and replaced with foreign tourists and scammers targeting them. As-is, they take pictures of *you* if you're white.

Also, I got a super cute, petite hooker for $5, so there's that.

>>1111302
I don't consider hookers or city walks very adventurous, so I guess I mean jungle stuff; going to seldom visited old temples, ruins, trekking maybe, going to weird communities with interesting people and traditions, I don't know stuff like that.

>>1111384
Also diving, I love a good dive and I'm certified through advanced open water.

>>1111364
Which SEA country should I use to refill my condom stock?
Heard Thai sucks for condoms.

>>1111308
Oh here comes the elitist traveller...!
Some people actually like tourist areas because, you know, their fucking tourists!
I like clubs, drinking and fucking women.
Bangla and walking street cater perfectly for this desire!
What's wrong with visiting here for a few nights then going elsewhere for other activities/sight seeing?

>>1111472
Most (all?) condoms in Asia are made in Thailand. Even brands like Durex and Lifestyles.

>>1111364
>Also, I got a super cute, petite hooker for $5, so there's that.

Where? Condoms or no?

>>1111483
Doesn't mean they sell the best in Thai.
They could produce higher quality for exportation and sell lower quality for their own market. It's not unheard of.

>>1111518
I've had "made in Thailand" Durex in the Middle East and they still sucked. The Lifestyles ones weren't too bad. Neither was as good as the American made Trojans I had access, too. So I guess my advice is to go for Lifestyles if you have no other options.

>>1111312
I just arrived in Yangon 3 days ago. I'm having a bit of culture shock for the first time, but everyone is really friendly and the food delicious.

I wanted to know what you felt were must-see parts of Myanmar. I know I should try to see as much as possible but I just don't have the energy and money to pack up and see a new city every 3 days. I typically spend a week in each city I visit (I'm also running low on money so staying put is cheaper). I have a little more than 3 weeks to work with. Do you have any suggestions?

Is trains the best way to get to other cities for the most part?

>>1111523
Probably.
You could rent a car/bike and try your luck driving, but I wouldn't suggest that unless you're familiar with how the navigate yourself through their chaotic traffic.

>>1110361
North India to Nepal to Bangladesh to Myanmar to BKK?

Anybody done this route before? How dangerous is it?

In my mind all SE Asian countries are the same: Overpopulated jungles with good food and rowdy tourists. Can someone give me brief descriptions of what makes each country unique?

>>1112183
No.
Do it yourself.
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia

I was checking the visa requirements and it looks like I need one for every country here. Can I just arrive in Vietnam by plane and make my way on land from there or will they turn me back?

Is traveling throughout SEA on the road by bus or train possible? I want to not take a flight with the exception of the Phillipines to Vietnam (Saigon) and my flight out from Singapore.

My current itinerary: Phillipines, Vietnam, South China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Also, any trekking spots you guys recommend?

>>1112178
You'd have to check the viability of those border crossings first.

Also, most of the western border of Myanmar is with India, not Bangladesh, so you'd have to figure out a way to go from India to Bangladesh to India again and then to Myanmar. I am not aware of a border crossing between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the south.

>>1113388
They have immigration posts in the land boarders too dude so unless you go undercover, you'll need to show that you either don't need a visa (by showing your passport or whatever they require from citizens who don't need visas) or show your visa.

>>1113434
So a US passport is all I need?

>>1113494
US passport holders specifically need a visa to Vietnam. A few European countries do not.

>>1113523
Okay. This is gonna suck. Hate doing this stuff

>>1114087
It's not hard nor expensive to get a visa to Vietnam.

>>1114095
Yea I know. I just need to get visas for a ton of countries is all.

>>1114153
Pfffft. Try being Iranian, Chinese, Russian or Kenyan or some shit, then come back and whine.

>>1114156
Wait I just checked the visa requirements again. Sweet deal. Just need one for Vietnam. There are visa on arrival, but that'll happen when I get there from the airplane. Guess crossing the border is not an option huh?

What's the cheapest countries to fly to from the Philippines? I'm looking for photogenic places for travel photography. The only place I definitely want to go to is Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

>>1114156
fuk u, me chinese

This is my sea to-go/bucket list

Thailand (Bangkok/Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai)
Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Singapore)
Cambodia (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap/Angkor Wat)
Indonesia (Yogyakarta/Borobudur/Prambanan, Bali/Lombok)
Burma (Yangon/Bago, Bagan/Mandalay)

Thoughts? Other places to consider or any of these i should considering passing on?

>>1114161
watch out for vietnam. for most EU countries you get a visa on arrival, but you need an invitational letter from vietnamese government/ambassy or some similair bullshit. without that they won't let you board on the airplane. happened to me once and I had to get a new flight ticket...

you can get the invitational letter on the internet, there's plenty of agencies that does that for some small price like 5$. then you simply show the letter on the airport and pay another 20-30$ for "visa on arrival" and you're good to go...

How is it with crossing the border on foot I have no idea, but you should be able to bribe them.

How easy is it to do the motorbike thing in Myanmar like in Vietnam, would love to do it that way

re Vietnam visas. THe rules changed recently, now many more EU countries are allowed in visa-free. For the rest, if you are travelling in SEA tehre are lots of agencies in tourist places that would arrange a Viet visa for you. Sets you back like 60$, but you can cross by land no worries.


anyway, the easiest way to check if you need a visa: wikipedia search for
>visa requirements for [my country] citizens
you get all the countries on one page

Myanmar in the height of the wet season - July-August - still worth a visit or no point? Is it raining all of the time?

I'm going to SEA (mostly philippines) at that time and was thinking including a week or so detour to Myanmar

>>1114434
That visa free deal is only until the 30th of June, well at least for UK passports.

I really hope they make that a permanent thing but I kind of doubt they will

>>1114677
random dude here. if it's wet season I would suggest going another time. rain in the west is not the same as rain in sea. raining cats and dogs is an understatement. November might be better. heard myanmar has a cool holiday or two sometime in the month.

also, I would set aside two weeks just to be safe. Things just don't move as fast in myanmar as it does in countries with better tourism. .

>>1114677
You won't be able to enjoy as much as in other season. You could always go to have some chill time, though.

>>1114688
Another anon here.

Do you have experience with traveling to North Thailand in September? I am a bit concerned about the rain.

>>1114677
I was there in early september, wasn't too bad. Generally the rain is fairly reliable - say, in the morning, or the evening - and afterwards everyone just gets on with their day.

Other than maybe soaking your smart phone, rain in tropical country is more annoying than restricting

Flying into Suvarnabhumi in a few weeks. I wanted to know if anyone has experience with getting a Thai sim on their Android device. How much was the rate in Baht and for how much data?
I've never unlocked my phone before, is it a relatively easy process?

>>1114316
Check out Kyde & Eric on youtube. They did the motorbike thing in both countries.

Booked flights to Bali for this weekend last night. Done all the touristy shit, so I'm just gonna get blackout drunk for 12 nights.

>>1111312
not to mention a pack of lucky strikes cost 50 cents there

What SEA country should i visit as starters? i visited Indonesia and Malaysia with my parents as a kid but planning to visit the region again alone

>>1114981
>>1115747
Unlocking a phone is easy, at least in the USA. A couple phones I just requested an unlock code from my carrier and put it in.

Another phone, because it was too new, just came out, I couldn't get one from the carrier so paid $30 to a cell unlockin site. They send you the code. Guarantee or your money back. I did have to buy a cheap prepaid sim card from another carrier to input it. Instructions were also blatant I had to unlock it before leaving the USA. A security feature would brick the phone if I waited to unlock it on a foreign network (Galaxy Note 4)

>>1110361
I absolutely hate the heat and humidity, it makes me sweat uncontrollably, but I still wanna visit for 2 weeks or so. Probably Vietnam and Laos. What's the best time of the year when it's likely to be the least humid?

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Anyone taken the Jungle Train Line through Malyasia recently and/or crossed the border at Sungai Kolok/Rantau Panjang?

I am planning to take the train from Singapore to Tumpat and then cross the border into Thailand at Rantau Panjang...

Are there any updates on security in the region (Southern Thailand) and the condition of train tracks in Northern Malaysia?

Also, how easy is it to cross into Thailand at Sungai Kolok, will I have any trouble just walking it? Will they expect bribes?

>>1115797
I met this big white american guy who did a train trip through exactly that a week after the bombing and had a great trip/no issues. YMMV.

>>1115757
anyone?

>>1115899
Thailand, easy assimilation for westerners. Get acclamitized there first and work outward.

>>1115904
I'm not a westerner, i'm from the middle east and it's safe to say i'm used to third world climate

>>1115927 #
Oh, so you're one of these guys: http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-15/thai-sex-trade-propped-up-by-sexually-repressed-tourists/7413762

>>1115931
No, these gulf states citizens are scum wherever they go, we're more self-restrained

>>1115927
>>1115966
Does the Shariah law in Malaysia and Indonesia apply to you or only local Muslims? If so, it could limit what you can do.

Any good alternatives for Tinder that's popular in SEA?

Thoughts on Malaysia?

UK national thinking about doing a Master's in Uni of Nottingham's Malaysia campus. Cheaper living costs, nicer weather, better domestic sights and well placed for short trips make this a no-brainer.

My course will be taught in Kuala Lumpur so that and my love for cities makes me want to live close by.

>>1116394
Badoo and MeetMe.

>>1116417
I lived in KL for three years. Not sure I'd do it again, but no ragrets at all. Really easy place to live. Great expat community, heaps of sporting clubs/HHH/expat mingle events. The food is epic, the local beer sucks, but you can always find a duty free shop so it's cheap enough. And Taps is there now, they have a better selection than most Melbourne bars.
Sporting clubs (OE are probably your best bet for finding somewhere to rent a room/split an apartment, it can be hard to find something on your own for less than 3,000MYR per month cos you're white.
Taxis suck, Uber is the way.
Are you at the Uni of Nottingham campus? Cos that's probably an hour out of KL, absolutely not something you'd want to contemplate without a car

>inb4 some RT fag chews me out for sticking with expats
You will never, ever be a local. They're a lot more exclusive than we are.

>>1116474
Thanks for your thoughts mate.

My course (International Relations) would be taught away from the campus and in KL central itself so I would 100% scout for an apartment in the city. Happy to hear there's a healthy amount of expats simply if it makes the living situation easier. Even with the amount of time I'd spend studying for the MA and practising my language skills, nothing beats the ability to go to a bar and mingle when you wanna unwind

Going to Indonesia to marry a girl. Any suggestions on couple type things at all? Or in general. Didn't see a whole lot about Indonesia in the thread. Western half of Jakarta if that matters. I'm up for any sort of activity.

How can you teach English to Southeast Asians if you don't speak Southeast Asian?

>>1116503
Have u meet her irl???


If not- Bad news!

>>1116417
Personally I think if you want to live in SEA it's for the nature, not the cities.

Cities in developing countries = you're gonna have a bad time.

>>1116526

Bad news? I'm Muslim soooooo....
We've chatted and video talked and all that for over a year. And if I dont like her, I can always leave.

>>1114981
Sim card costs ~50 baht, I used TrueMove operator, 160 baht gives you unlimited data for 14 days (and some minutes/sms too, I just don't use it), look up on their site as this package is not advertised in the outlets.
Otherwise you can buy 1 GB for a month for 300 baht, the internet speed will be slightly better.
Don't buy 'Tourist sim', it's a ripoff.
>>1115797
That railroad was closed for repair when I was in Malaysia in March last time.
I crossed the border in Sungai Kolok, also stayed three days in Narathiwat city, I liked it a lot: cheap, comfortable, somewhat different from other Thai cities. There's no problem with security for tourists, the terrorist atttacks are not random bombings, they go to some remote village and shoot a policemen or a teacher deliberately.

>>1114677
Rainy season means that it rains for like 10 minutes in the evening. It might rain the whole day for like once a month, but that could happen in the dry season too. Rainy season is the best time to go to Thailand because accomodation prices are much lower. In Myanmar it doesn't really matter.
>>1114316
You can't rent a motorbike in Myanmar (except Bagan, but you can't drive it cross-country). You can't bring a bike from Thailand either. However, you can buy a bike in Myanmar and drive.

>>1116429
Are these good to find qt3.14 that can speak some English and want to fuck?

>>1116429
Thaifriendly for Thailand, and interpals, for lining up something before you arrive. Also download the LINE app

>>1116503
Learn about her traditional culture (assuming she is a native, not chinese blood)

>>1111063
Bachelor Degree in anything is all that's required in Japan. For non-native they probably want an IELTS testscore and they will have a Skype interview, if you speak good English in the inteview that'll be satisfactory.

China is pretty easy to get into, but careful with school selection, they may promise one thing and you end up leading a huge class by yourself or something with increased work. Same with most Asian countries (except Japan).

>>1116503
>>1116526
I'm going to Indonesia to meet my friend that I used to hang out with back here, going to go look visit volcanoes, islands, etc, take photos.

>>1115979
I think local muslims only but i was a kid when i visited so didn't do the haram stuff

>>1115979
Only Aceh in Indonesia has Sharia law iirc.

>>1117145

You tryna hangout with me bro?

>>1117338
No thanks lol

>>1110361
How much do Laotian people hate the U.S. for bombing the shit out of their country and abandoning the Hmong?

I'm a respectful dude who wouldn't bring that up, but just wanted to know how to present myself as an American so I'm likable to locals.

indon here ready to help. feel free to ask as much as you like

>>1118065
Pretend to be Canadian.

>>1118073
What's the standard of living like in Jakarta? Safety? Crime? Sanitation?

How easy would it be for a 21 year old white American to get SCUBA/Divemaster certified and find work in SEA, and earn enough to go venturing? I have no career or anything, so i'm thinking "fuck it" and just wanting to go do something exciting.

Also, what is being a dive instructor like in a place like SEA? Shitty, or bearable?

>>1118065
Anyone else has insight on this. I too plan on passing by Laos

Two random questions.
Is chopsticks common in SEA countries?
Do they have any issues with left-handed people?

>>1118080
Depends how rich you are.
Very low violent crime rate. I never felt unsafe there. But it's very corrupt. That won't affect you though, unless you get caught doing something dumb. And then it will help you.
Sanitation? Depends on the area and the price of the food. Jakarta has the full spectrum, usually one within walking distance of the other. Crime is fairly low, provided you're not a drunken buffoon. Indos are a genuinely friendly bunch.
Everybody gets fucked by Jakartan traffic at some point. The difference between landing at the airport at 5 and 7pm is probably four hours in transit time. Oh, and when it rains all the drains back up so the city gets flooded with semi-sewerage. So there's that.

Cool bar scene, cafe scene, art scene, generally cool shit about the place.

Overall though certainly not the worst place in the world.

>>1118341
>chopsticks
depends what you're eating. Malay, Indo, and Phil food is either fingers or spoon and fork. Chinese or Korean is generally chopsticks. They're not that hard, I promise. Also, you're a customer. They'll get you a fork if you need one.
>leftys
Only really a concern when you're dealing with Muslims, and only in he sense that you might offend someone by giving them something from your left hand. You can literally pass the item from your left hand, to your right hand, and that's fine. After three years in Malaysia, it's habit. I live back in Aus now and I still catch myself switching hands when I pay people

>>1118460
I arrive at 11am on a Saturday in Jakarta airport, how fucked am I? Also it's next month, so maybe less traffic during daylight hours ramadan etc?

I'll only be there a few days, before leaving by train. But I have to fly back out via Jakarta in July.

>>1118341
Yeah you'll need special left handed chop sticks bro

>>1118479
>11am on a saturday
Completely un-fucked.

>>1118491
Oh good, my flight leaving departs 6:15pm on a wednesday from Jakarta to Bali, then a few hours in between flights till back home.

Do I need to allow even more extra time to make it to the airport?

>>1118479
Oh, so they do have special left handed chopsticks there? Do they also have special left handed knife and fork too or will I have to bring from the mighty superior west side of the world

Indonesia:

Most scenic things to photograph is West and Central Java (like volcanic craters etc).

Need to populate that area of the trip.

Kawah Putih and Tangkuban Perahu already listed on my map I made.

>>1118555
They're not left-handed chopsticks, but you just have to remember to swap them over since they're laid out for right-handed people.

I'm in the Philippines but open to the entire region.

Is it possible to get "face jobs", where you are basically the token white guy who looks good in a suit?

>>1119127
no idea what you're talking about
maybe you can whore yourself in cambodia?

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Java people

Anything good to fill in the gaps with? Anything I'm missing?

>>1111481
>I like clubs, drinking and fucking women.
Why haven't you joined the Navy?

This decidedly lowbrow and unapologeticly blunt made me fall from my chair laughing.

>>1111312
just came back from Myanmar and can attest to this, out of 20 countries I've been to this is probably my favorite.

>>1111523

Trains aren't the worst way around but I found that the train system was still more expensive than just taking buses, which were cheaper and nicer. train tracks and cabin cars are still pretty uncomfortable and rickity due to the train system in the country being shit. But if you're looking for an adventure that it'll do.

>>1114295
there's always a scam going on

>>1115747
>OZ? there are better and cheaper places to get drunk than bali, but suit yourself

This.. I don't get it Bali isn't as fun as other places

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should I skip Vang Vieng on my trip to Laos if I'm not very interested in drugs and partying?

If I have 5/6 weeks with a motorbike and am mostly interested in natural beauty, should I visit Sumatra or Java to best spend that time? (or is there even another part of Indonesia I'd prefer). It'd also need to be somewhere a bike is purchasable.

>>1118065
Say you're from Canada

>>1119563
Maybe you can travel to Asia at some point?

Well, well, well.
Time to go to the Philippines and get rich by shooting some criminals dead!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36340638

Indonesia - Is it possible to visit Mt Kelud yet?

>>1119737
Various places over them all, look into Flores as well

>>1119933
Hmm looking at it Google Maps says that Medan to the far end of Java is around 3000km by the most direct route it suggests, which is about as far (or maybe slightly under if I'm fast) as I think I'd realistically drive in 6 weeks if it's like similar trips I've taken in Thailand and Vietnam. But obviously this doesn't take into account the fact that I almost certainly won't be going the most direct route, which Is why I want to try and contain myself to 1 big or a couple smaller islands. No point in rushing around exhausted.

>>1120459
There any islands (as in not the big kind, the small kind with beaches, snorkelling spots, etc) that arent expensive to stay on? Kanawa has no more camping apparently.

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Delightful Thai girl I met in Bangkok. Thailand is my favorite SEA country.

>nb4 is it a man?
No.

>>1120815

Don't worry, we only ask if the attractive ones are men. We don't care about girls like her

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>>1120992
>we

Didn't realize you spoke for everyone here anon.

How many days should I set for Cambodia?
Is 7 days too long?

Which country would get me the most bang for my buck, and what time of the year is recommended to visit there? Budget for spending and hotels is around $2,000.

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Want to teach English. Yadda yadda yadda
Not a rich Asian country yadda yadda yadda.

Which SEA country has easy women, cheap booze and cigs and is generally fun to be in. Thinking Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand.

>>1122458
I dunno about how good it is to be in, but Indonesia is cheap with easy women for foreigners (dont meet them at bars, that's usually prostitutes that bait and switch after pretending to like you, not telling you they're a hooker, and also they dont care if they give you HIV).

But the thing is, you're not allowed to leave the country if your employer hasn't given their permission for you to do so, even if they give you no work or being dicks to you etc.

So unlike every other country that'll kick you out, these guys will lock you in and not let you leave the country even if working hol visa.

>>1122322
Depends on what you're closet to and flight costs. Basically almost any asian country, except Japan, even Japan is cheap on most things apart from intercity travel.

>>1122709
Indonesia also has an allahu ackbar problem with jihadis kidnapping white ESL teachers. Don't go to Indonesia to teach.

>>1122730
Link?

Hi,

I just arrived in Siem Reap by bus from Bangkok, hualamphon station. We bought the tickets there and for some reason when we arrived here the bus company 'gave' us a tuktuk driver who said he'll drive us around for free today & tomorrow and to Angkor wat. Does anyone know if it's legit or do we have to pay afterwards? The bus company didn't state that we'd get a free tuktuk.

Thanks

>>1123395
Confirm with the tuktuk that it's free before the ride to be sure.
After the ride, just leave, even if the driver as for money.

>>1123395
Sounds sketchy. When I was in Siem Reap, my hotel arranged for a tuktuk driver and a guide. The price was quoted beforehand. The driver will for sure need to be paid by someone, so if your hotel or company hasn't, then you need to. That being said, I didn't feel that in Cambodia people were trying to scam me that much, compared to Thailand.

There is no shortage of tuktuk drivers. So you can just walk up to anyone, tell them you want to do Angkor Wat, and then you can agree on a price for the day.

>>1123395
>do we have to pay afterwards?
He gets a commission wherever he takes you. And during the time there he will try to reach bro-tier with you, so you will feel obligated to pay him something at the end.

Mind you, if you slip a guy a small amount, it goes a long way for him, and does not matter much for you.

Tuktuk drivers make 100-300 a month. Motodop 100-200. Waitress 80-120. Seamstress 120. So a tiny amount can help a lot.

>>1123468
>>Tuktuk drivers make 100-300 a month. Motodop 100-200. Waitress 80-120. Seamstress 120.
100-300 what?

Question about Indonesia:

Could one buy a cheap motor scooter in Jakarta? The goal is to ride it across the island of Sumatra. Problems?

>>1123507
If it's $300USD they earn more than I do.

I want to travel somewhere warm with beaches and if possible other things to do as well in February for two weeks and I was thinking of SEA since I've never been there. Any recommendations on countries/regions I should look at? Something with islands would be a big plus as well since I like islands

>>1123586
>indonesia is ghetto but kind of exciting. wanna travel on a leaky wooden boat? sometimes it's your only choice. the nature is more pristine, but the cities are fucking filthy. (do NOT go if you're a single woman.)
I'm not so that wouldn't be a problem. What parts of Indonesia should I look into? You mentioned Bali, would two weeks be enough to explore the island?
>the nicest parts of PI are CLEANER and NICER than almost anywhere else in SEA
which parts specifically would you recommend there?

Thanks!

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>>1123586

>the only place in indonesia with cool art is bali.

Not entirely true. In Yogyakarta, there are some nice art exhibitions with pieces for sale.

Pic attached. Bought this piece in Yogya for about $70/80. Probably could've talked them down a lot lower.

The sheet is covered in beeswax, which is removed in patterns after being dyed progressively lighter.

>>1111147
what do you do for work, i just graduated highschool and i seem stuck it seems to do anything over there u gotta have assocs or ba degree

Hey guys, 23 y/o, white, student here. Planning on going to Thailand between January 23rd - February 20th. Since this will be a budget trip and I don't have months to travel (Only 4 weeks), I've decided to stay in places that are close to each other and not spend alot of time on the road (Dont really wanna pay for a lot of expensive flights). Want to start with Chiang Mai (Maybe 3-4 days) then stay in Bangkok for a few nights (Probably 5-6 days, will come back for more at the final days of my trip if I like it).
After that, planning on going South-West to Phuket, go to the Full Moon Party and visit some of the islands - coastal towns there. This is where I need the help. I dont plan on seeing every single island. Looking for some islands with good beaches but still, relatively not overrun by the tourists. Like, chilling at the beach, exploring around with a rental motorbike and hanging out at the bars - clubs in the evening. ( Doesn't have to be chaotic, still, it'd be cool if they had some other tourists or backpackers to mingle with).
I need 2-3 more destinations (2-3 that are close to Koh Phangan and Phuket). What would you suggest and how many days out of 28 would you spend in each destination if you were me (Chiang Mai - Bangkok - Phuket - Koh Phangan +2-3 more beach towns)?
P.S:
I'm not a huge fan of prostitution but I'd like to approach girls tho, so i'd not prefer deserted destinations.
Would 2000$ be enough for 28 days (Plane tickets not included)?

Is it easy to pick up a cute thai teen or shouldnt I even bother? (I consider myself relatively good looking. Fit 1.83m Tall white dude)

Cheers

>>1111312
>>1111364

What months would be the best time to go? I'd prefer avoiding all the tourist groups and buses. It seems the off season is May - October, so July - August would be good, right?

Were they all insistent on your dollars being all pristine and crease free? Every place I read info about Myanmar, it makes it seem like you need about 75-100 dollars a days, and they all need to be in perfect shape to be accepted.

>>1110361

where's the best place to live in Vietnam?

>>1124185

Here are some tips from someone who has been to Thailand a few times and loves it. Don't stay in bangkok more than two or three days, it's really just the place you go to before you head off somewhere else. Khao san road can only be entertaining for so long...

Fuck phuket, once you get to phuket take the ferry over to koh phi phi, it's honnestly my favourite place in thailand, it is a party island so be aware of that.

The full moon party is on koh phangan, which is on the exact other side of thailand to phuket, you want to head to koh samui or koh tao and then head to koh phangan. Samui is very resorty, koh tao is really cool and there is some great diving you can do. Koh phangan and Koh samui are your best bet for riding scooters around, roads are pretty quiet and you shouldn't crash, samui has a first world quality hospital, koh phangan doesn't so try to crash on samui if you have to.

Ideal plan would be Chiang mai 3 days - pai 2 days - bangkok 3 days - phuket 2/3 days (if you must) - phi phi 4 days - krabi ( ao nang and railay are where you want to go) Then head over to the eastern islands which are Koh tao , Koh samui and Koh phangan.

>>1110361
bump

>>1124384

Checked phi phi islands on booking.com, accomodation is really expensive. Like, twice the normal price!

Would I miss a lot if I skipped phi phi? I may roam around tao - pha ngan - samui. Are those lively islands or deserted? Like, do they have bars - pubs - massage parlors etc? And, how is the sea - beaches there? Since they are pretty close islands to each other, I might just spend a few days on each

>>1124384
>Don't stay in bangkok more than two or three days
I hear a lot of people say this and I don't doubt you're wrong in most cases, but what about someone who is staying with a local they know well? Someone who will know about cool non touristy stuff and be adept at getting around, etc..

>>1124680
*right

Phi phi depends on what time of the year you're going, I always stay in hostels, stones bar is good and we paid 400 baht a night for accomodation. Which is a lot more expensive than the north, but well worth it if you want to party a bit, I rate phi phi better than the full moon party.

As for the other islands they are all populated, they all have bars and massage parlours etc. Samui is by far the most developed of the three, Koh Tao and Koh phangan have their less developed spots, but you would have to go out of your way to find them.

As for Bangkok being cool if you know a local...eh. Bangkok is a magical place, but it easily has the most scammers, I only really stayed in two areas, Khao San road which is where all the backpackers stay and it's actually really cool - just gets old after a few days. The other part I stayed in was near phrom phong station, which is near Soi cowboy and other streets which are just filled with bars and nightclubs etc. I just found the northern jungles and the southern islands better.

>>1123557
yes usd, I talekd to the driver i hired for 9am-3pm for I think $12-14 including bottled water and tkae us anywhere we want service. said he makes $300usd/mo pays $100 to rent the tuktuk

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Anyone ever been to Bohol in the Philippines? Anything interesting to see/photograph there? Quick google search says Chocolate Hills, so I guess I'll check that out. Anything else interesting in the immediate area?

>>1118073
Going to Bali and Lombok and maybe some other locations as well in a month. Already know a lot of basic stuff. Still would like some advice about how to get locals friendly with you (I'll try to pick up a bit of Bahasa) and maybe some tips that I won't find on basic websites and all that.

All your advice is welcome.

>>1124197
which city are you leaning towards?

>>1125646
Not OP, but considering going to Da Nang sometime next year to try and get a teaching job. Do you have any knowledge on availability of teaching jobs there at the moment/general living there? Will have bachelors degree and CELTA

>>1125404
> get locals friendly with you
> Bali and Lombok
The best way is to go to the airport and fly somewhere else. Flights in Indonesia are pretty cheap.

Does anyone know what Kuala Lumpur hotels are like for bringing back girls and ladyboys to my room? I'm staying in a decent 3 star hotel in Bukit Bintang if that makes any difference

>>1113523
Leaf here, how long does it usually take to get the visa application processed?

I'm going to south east asia, I want to live cheaply but be able to take a lot of drugs and hopefully sleep with other travellers, I start in Bangkok where should I go next?

>>1126584
Laos, Cambodia or Southern Thailand.

I'm going to SEA for the first time later this year; I am planning on flying to Singapore from England, I plan to stay there for 4-5 days and then cross the border to Malaysia and then finally fly home from Kuala Lumpur

Will I have any issues with this plan?

I've got a couple of questions. I'll be backpacking with my girlfriend in SEA for about 1-1.5 months next summer, probably moving around a lot.

How much does a long-lasting, good quality 30L backpack go for in Europe? What are some good brands I should look out for?

What is the minimum I should set apart if I want to spend 1-1.5 months backpacking in SEA?

What are some essential things to buy/fix before I go (things like vaccinations, scooter license, etc)?

Any tips for a first time backpacker? It's gonna be the first time I'll be gone for so long, but I'm looking forward to it.

Any must-see countries? We haven't decided yet where exactly we wanna go.

>>1126788
I've been told when renting bikes etc all you need is a passport they literally dont give a fuck about licenses

>>1126873
Would it be a good idea to practice riding a scooter first? Ducthfag, so I have experience with bycicles.

>>1116503
>Indone

>>1117145
>Indone

>>1123586
>indone

I hope i tagged u guys right, anyway im headed to jakarta in about 7 hours time as im stationed there for work. 4chan is blocked there, so ill check here if you guys have any questions and try n answer em quickly.

Z

>>1126788

What are some essential things to buy/fix before I go (things like vaccinations, scooter license, etc)?

if you are not from SEA, immodium or something to calm your stomach.
get your meds and any specific ones you may not find in SEA.

>>1126785
anything more specific?
the bus ride from sg to kl is nice, get the better ones. alternatively the train ride, while longer, is quite ok. if you head to thailand via train, take the overnight one.

>>1126584
jakarta. north jakarta specifically. not sure about sleeping with travellers, but sleeping with locals, yes.

>>1126535
theres a wiki travel online that lists out girl friendly hotels if u wanna find out without asking.

>>1125404
I WANNA GO LOMBOKKKK!!!!
dont drown.

>>1124195
use your atm.
also you wouldnt trust their money if ur a money changer overseas if its not 99% in good condition. its normal.

z

>>1126936
>get your meds and any specific ones you may not find in SEA
Any in particular? Any basic medicine they don't have?

>>1126947
hard to say, i dont personally take any meds.
i have a friend who takes only a certain brand of paracetamol (known as panadol) cos the others have some side effect. hes the only person i know and i think its weird, but he buys it and brings it all over the world.
if say you have migraines and asprin or the usual stuff doesnt work as effectively, bring whatever it is you have at home that works.

on the side note, dont get busted for suspicion of drug smuggling if you bring too much. death penalty.

>>1126955
thanks m8. How much is generally considered 'too much'?

No love for Brunei lol

>>1126873
Depends on the country. For example, in Indonesia you must have a license, but if you are caught, you can pay 50000 rupiah ($4) bribe and continue on. If you get in an accident, though, you will pay for everything even if it's not your fault at all.
In Thailand recently the fine for not having a license increased dramatically to a couple of thousand baht, so I wouldn't risk it.
In Cambodia nobody cares apparently.

>>1126955
your friend experiences the placebo effect

>>1126992
Been told it's pretty boring; it's box architecture and has shitty, expensive transport. Public transport stops at 6pm and taxis are rare and expensive

Lived in indonesia, dont go there. Cheap, dirty, bad food, scam artists everywhere, did I mention dirty?. Thailand is vastly superior, any other country really. Just dont waste your time, go somewhere else.

>>1126993
prices has raised, its 100k now

>>1127028
probably.

>>1127048
and that theres only one mcD. XP

>>1127061
I lived in both, while not as clean as singapore and malaysia, both are not "dirty" in that sense as compared to... less well off countries.
Also, both are known internationally for their very strong food culture.

z

Planning a trip to SEA. Was thinking since I'm flying in the general area, I should try to go to another country on my list for the first leg of the trip in September, then flying to Indonesia in October/November

Which nearby country do you think would go well with a trip to SEA the most? India, China, Taiwan, Nepal? Tell me your suggestions. Probably for 1-2 month with a budget of 1k US a month.

>>1110361
i wanted to go to cambodia in september but i read now that ist the peak of rain season...

how bad is it?

How plausible is it to buy a scooter and drive around all of SEA? What about a car?

>>1127842
>>1127061
I was under the impression that for such a large country it would have some decent off the beaten path areas

>>1127851
I was talking about traveling, your negative points about scams, filth could apply to that.

>when do you get to go off the beaten path when you're working?
the weekends

Why are hotels so damn expensive in Indonesia? Looking at prices online there seem to be almost none as cheap as they are in the rest of south east asia with prices generally starting around $20 a night and an odd exception cheaper.

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Sup guys, I leave at the end of the month and have nothing but a flight out booked, will be arranging things soon, but does this seem a feasible route for up to 2 months?

>>1128183
Well those waypoints are just the most prominent parts, I'll be down in Koh Tao doing some diving for a while and hopefully riding a bike through Vietnam and likely just take it easy in Cambodia.
I was in Thailand last year, mostly the South and touristy so I have at least a vague idea.

>>1128175
Check out seat61.com

>>1126473
Nah, I plan on going to hanoi or saigon and I've done a lot of research on where the good places are to live, but I don't know anything about da nang

i have booked flights to asia this december and will be in bangkok for 1 week. i dont know where to stay..how big is the city? if i stay in one part is it just as easy to go to night clubs an stuff on the other side? also general tips on what to do in bangkok for a week

need a recommendation for a travel credit card

>>1128175
I have done nearly close to exactly this route and spent a bit under 3 months doing it and still felt a bit rushed. Are you actually planning on staying in Laos? It really depends on how you like travelling. If you're happy to be on the move every 2-3 days then that route would be fine for 2 months, but if you like have the flexibility to stay for a week or so in places that you end up really enjoying then I would say 2 months would be pushing it.

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>>1129407

>>1127470
Possible to buy a motorcycle in Vietnam and take it through at least Cambodia and Laos, not sure if you can get it into Thailand too.

>>1111472
Theres probably somewhere in Bangkok that sells what you need. I refilled in Kuala Lumpur as they had a decent community from all around the world there.

>>1129680
Confirmed for little dick

>>1111472

One of the biggest exports in Thailand is rubber. Most condoms produced in Asia, even for American companies like Durex and Lifestyles, are produced in Thailand. Bring your condoms with you, unless you are lucky enough to have access to overseas American posts or medical facilities, where you can get "real" comdoms

>>1124938
Chocolate hills, the tiny monkey reserve, boat trip down the river (floating restaurant), and tons of stuff on Alona beach (island visits, scuba diving). Get a hostel on Alona beach and then rent a scooter to explore the island with. IMO the actual attractions aren't that exciting but it's a fun scooter ride to there.

>>1111484
Pyin Oo Lwin, all I'll say is that you can find your way to the place via the Triposo app. It was with a condom but you could probably negotiate that with the girl directly.

>>1111186

Bali isnt a country bruh, its a province within Indonesia

>>1115757

Indonesia is huge bruh, lotsa changed after your last visit i suppose. it has numoerous diving spots, mountains and beautiful beaches. Not to mention the diverse cultural attractions among the archipelago.

Suggestions apart from Bali : Derawan, Yogyakarta, Bunaken, Raja Ampat, Krakatoa, Kawah Ijen to mention a few

>>1115979

Indonesia doesnt have Sharia Law, only in Aceh Province. But still common decency applied althou it still have red light district in the capital

>>1123820

>two weeks enough to explore the island?
definitely

Bali island aint too big to explore.

>>1128183
Fair enough thanks, makes sense actually. I didn't realise Indonesia was noticeably poorer than Vietnam and Thailand though, the more you know I guess.

So what would you guys do, if you had one month to spend in Malaysia?

I'm interested in photography, nature (especially rainforests), culture. I thought about also going to Borneo and Palau. Are these places worth it or even more interesting than the Malay peninsula? Which are the best diving spots?

>>1130270
Malacca, Jungle Line Train, Taman Negara National Park, Perhentians

>>1128183
So is Indonesia cheap or expensive?

>>1131280
Compare costs to Thailand, please, which is most people's beginnervous SEA country and most popular

>>1110361
Going to Bali. Can I get recs on:
Dive sites
Great restaurants
"Unique" things to do
Price isn't much of an issue

>>1111481
nothing is wrong with it anon, its your fun and your money

Are fake degrees in Thailand or the Philippines worth a try?

I don't want to claim I have a specific skill I don't have, just a symbolic humanities degree so I can get my foot in the door for a simple office job.

>>1131282
Food is much cheaper.
Accomodation in Kuta is cheap, like in non-touristy inland Thailand. Elsewhere it's expensive as on Thai resorts.
Transport is Bali is very expensive because public transpirt is dead. But taxi is still much cheaper than on Koh Samui or Phuket. Renting a motorbike is cheaper ($4/day if renting for a short time).
Sightseeing is very expensive, Balinese rip you off royally.
Beer is expensive in both countries, better go to Cambodia or Germany for beer.

>>1132089
Thank you

>>1132701
You're welcome

Anyone have any experience with prostitution in Singapore? Staying right next to orchid road and wondering if it's worth going.

>>1134140
>go to ipanema bar (or crazy horse if you are into ladyboys)
>be white
>pick your favorite from the hordes of prostitutes vying for your attention and take her back to your hotel

>>1134153
Damn, what if your not white? Got any tips for an asain fellow?

I live in SEA. Bangkok, right now. I lived in Singapore before. Obviously been around the region a ton.
If anyone has questions, I'd be happy to help.

>>1134167
Cheapest and safest hookers, where?

>>1134167
What do you do for a living? I did an exchange to Singapore a while back and I'm interested in moving there in the next few years.

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I have $15,000 to spend on a 6-8 month trip, including airfare. I will likely be traveling with 1 or 2 friends for about 3 months. Where should we go to get the best value for our $? I am looking for nature, (mountains, forests, beaches) culture/history, some city time as well but not nearly as much. I'm comfortable staying in lower quality accommodations like hostels for the majority of the trip, with some days at nicer hotels once in a while.

I'm considering doing a tour of SEA but am open to anywhere.

Pic is from my recent Costa Rica trip

Planning to go to Angkor Wat

I don't see any info. online about booking a visit or reservation or any of that.

Despite being immensely popular you just show up the day of, buy at the entrance and go in, or am I missing something?

>>1134278
I don't care for prostitution, so I wouldn't know.

>>1134281
In SG I did ad hoc stuff, here in Thailand I work as an English teacher. Do keep in mind that SG is terribly expensive and your salary most likely won't outweigh your cost of living.

>>1134422
It's like a big area, with several different temples inside. You pay a fee, something like $10 to get in..They'll take apicture, too.

>>1134385
Well in SEA there's a ton of nature. North of Thailand, Chiang Mai, for example, is gorgeous. Cameron Highlands and Borneo in Malaysia is amazing. Not to mention Indonesia which has a ton of cool stuff,. As far as city life goes Bangkok is the shit, so if you want some of that there's plenty to go around. Your money will last you a really long time here if you're smart.

>>1134424
I'll take that as a "no you dont need to book in advance"

I've been reading about how big it is, and they have 3 and 7 passes as well.

Is one day not enough to see it?

I'm having trouble imagining how big some ancient ruins can possibly be

>>1134436
No, you don't need to book in advance.
One day is enough if you devote the whole day to it, but because Seam Reap is so small there's not really anything else to do anyway. Place is huge, though. I'd post pictures but I don't wanna spoil your initial experience.

Going to spend 3 days in bangkok, 2 in chiang mai, 2 in siem reap.

Is $500-600 enough?
I dont plan on clubbing, drinking, getting hookers or anything. Just wandering the sites and eating twice a day.

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>>1134422
You have to buy a pass first.
I suggest get a 3 day pass and do a different temple each day (in the morning for example and then do something else in the arvo). You could probably do it all in one day but i reckon it's best to break it up a bit.
Siem Reap is a cool place to visit, could easily spend a week their. Landmine museum is pretty cool and I recommend getting a boat out the the Tonle Sap not much too see once your actually out their just water, but on the boat out you get to see all the houses along and on top of the water.

-Floating Village

>>1134756
Yup.

>>1134827
I appreciate the suggestions and they are thinking I'm considering.

I'm just curious if at the worst $500 would be enough for a total of 7 days in those cities to see such sights and eat.

no shopping, no clubs/bars/drinking.

just purely sightseeing and food and walking aimlessly

Going to the Philippines in two months. I'm a /p/hotofag. How do I go about photographing bar girls, strippers and prostitutes? Are professional cameras even allowed in those kinds of bars and clubs? Will I get stabbed by a pimp for taking pictures of prostitues in the street?

>>1134856
He sausage yes. Think about it. A hostel us $20 or less. Soo $140 tops for 7 seven days. Round trip to Chiang Mai, $100 or far less. So that leaves you over have your budget for food, at more than $35 a day. That's plenty. And you can get by on a far lower food budget.

>>1134860
well i already have flights and accommodation taken care of

so i guess that makes it better

I'm saving up to go to s/e Asia, starting with Bali in January (minwage uk so saving is hard). It'll be my first real adventure on my own apart from moving from London to Cardiff a few months ago, got a few Q's for you guys...

>Is going for 2 weeks going to be worth it or should I knock it up to 3?

>I'm aiming to be travelling around a little bit, how easy is it to just find hotels while going from one place to another, and the average cost of an average hostel/hotel?

>I'm used to being a solitary person, but also love socialising, is south east asia full of arrogant hipsters or in your experience have you met a lot of pleasant and/or decent down to earth people?

>How is the alcohol price/stigma there? (Not a typical English "lads on tour" dickhead, I just need alcohol to overcome terrible social anxieties.

Just got back from an 8 day trip to Indonesia. Stayed in Jakarta but went to Yogyakarta. Everything is dirty, but everyone is so friendly. I went during Ramadhan so everything was on sale and people had huge dinners for breaking fast.

In Bali (or Indonesia in general), where is the best place to:
1. See gamelan orchestras perform (and perhaps obtain weed or psychedelic drugs)
2. Avoid Australians

>>1116503
lol im going to indonesia to meet my gf as well. not for marrying but we gonna marry eventually. not some yeahhhh SEA fuckgirl. any advice guys ? girls father is rich af btw. but her parents divorced. now girl is poor af. i gotto pay all the shit.

>>1134976
rich is relative in indonesia. a rich family is probably poorer than an upper middle class western family. it's not like in some countries, e.g. china where the rich are legitimately rich, and will remain so for generations.

don't be an idiot. that's my only advice for you. indonesian girls marry early. they mostly do it for money. they're a little crazy. they also tend to get fat.

jakarta sucks ass. I would never, under any circumstances, make plans to remain in indonesia.

my guess is you met her online. there are some legitimately good indonesian girls, but this is already a warning sign: poor+met online. don't be a fucking idiot beta and marry her just for sme puss.

if you do marry her, the future depends on what you plan on doing. are you moving back home, or staying in asia?

man, don't fuck up anon don't fuck up.

>>1134957
>Avoiding Australians in Bali

Good luck with that one. But avoid Kuta and Seminyak like the plague as these are the typical party spots so they're backed to the brim with drunk Aussies.

>>1134993
thanks for the long answer anon. i dont think you understand what kinda richness im talking about.teri makasih for advice anyway. her dad has a really big company. guy bought a lamborghini for god sakes. he has an island and stuff.i would drive it too but fuck my luck. yeah met her online. i know her for so long years. i know jakarta is a shithole pardon if you are indonesian anon. i wouldnt wanna stay too but got bored of my country also. and i freaking love her man. its not just about the pussy.i think we will live there eventually. btw i like fat so i dont see thats a problem. i know what im doing seems like stupid but what can i do.also i need advise on renting a car in jakarta. i just got my licence 1 year ago. is that make a problem ?

>>1135058
lamborghinis aren't that expensive. how much do you wanna bet he spent all his money on that, and that's why he can't support his daughter?

I don't want to say indonesians are notorious for abandoning their children, but it's common enough that I'm not so surprised by it. even so, an actually rich man would be at least sending his daughter to australia. the fact he hasn't leads me to doubt his actual level of wealth. indonesian wealth has a habit of drying up, because nothing in the country works, or is remotely predictable. it's why indonesian doctors leave the country to become janitors in australia.

I'm not indo, don't worry. no offense taken.

if you insist on doing it, why not just take her to malaysia, anon. the language is basically the same, and it's infinitely safer.

marrying a fat, poor girl, and being in a place with open sewers and guns, where I ALSO cannot make much money, isn't my idea of a decent life, but more power to you.

they're a little crazy, but pretty loyal. can't help you with a car. I just take blue birds everywhere. if you're gonna do it, at least choose someplace by the beach with decent waves. I'd shoot mself in the head if I was stuck somewhere in java surrounded by plaster buildings surrounded by dangdut music every night. jesus christ

I really do like visiting indonesia, but maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan tink about this carefully

How bad is China Southern Airlines?

I have to do two connection flights with both being a 2 hour connection time; is this enough time? I heard China Southern is terrible

>>1134160
Shouldn't matter unless your English is shit. I'm Asian and did great in Cambodia.

>>1134160

In Thailand, if you have that Korean idol look, you'll do better than a white guy

Whats the appeal of vietnam and why do so many people go there? Theres no interesting dites, the "nature" seems average or at least par for the course in asia, the big cities are hellholes, and its poor

Why go there and not Burma or Laos or more obviously Thailand or Cambodia?


Are people just excited because theyve heard of the vietnam war?

>>1135110
I flew on China Southern from Guangzhou to Cambodia. It was a little grungy but fine.

>>1135226
Vietnam is also difficult to get some local poon to your room too

I'm looking to travel to SE Asia from the UK for the first time and have a few pleb questions

I'm planning on flying to Bangkok and staying there for 6 days; I then plan to fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia and stay in Cambodia for 8 days and then fly back to Bangkok from Phnom Penh. I'll stay in Bangkok for a few more days and then fly home to the UK.

Will I encounter any issues with this plan? Is it ok to fly Cambodia and get a visa there flying from Thailand? Will I encounter any issues back to Thailand from Cambodia?

>>1134976

I was the one you linked to. Got back a week ago.

Vet the shit out of her. The girl I met was real, but I asked so many manipulative questions. They're not as smart as you (if you're from the west) so don't even feel bad to ask manipulative questions.

Is she Muslim? The girl I met is and so am I. I recommend a Muslim girl.

>>1135058

It's just 'makasih' formal thank you is 'terima kasih'

>>1135070
>lamborghinis arent that expensive
kek anon. yeah making money is a big issue so i will make money in my country and spend it there things are fairly cheaper there then my also tax shithole country.
i dont know how living in malaysia would work. how to get a living visa and stuff.
also im a car lover and my countries laws are making it impossible to live in it.
i see indo is cheaper on it. cheap gas also.
and loyalty is my top to look for so thats little bit why. yeah the guy was gonna send her aus. but i didnt want it she didnt want it. yahh. shes poor but lol she gonna make more money than me anyway.
thanks for the good wishes anon i hope things will go well for me. going in to indonesian life style aww yeah.
btw do you know any place good for couples to visit ? like it would be fun or just nice to take pictures with ? around jakarta would be nice.
and where are you from ?

>>1135334
holly shit man. you accually gone there. tell me what did you guys do ? where did you go ? i really wanna hear.
and i wanna know what they ask when you buy the visa ? like getting out of airport ? i heard its enough to just show them your plane tickets.pay 25 usd. what else is needed ?

>>1135334
also yes she is muslim

>>1135226
these are just images in your head. there are probably more chinese temples in vietnam than china. the food is amazing, it's a good place to motorbike because the roads are actually paved. it might seem less exotic than thailand (if you consider sinitic culture boring) but is basically a mix between thailand and china in most respects.

the laotians and burmese are a mixture of ethnic thai and khmer, both of which exist in spades in vietnam.

vietnam has, imo, cooler floating markets, more interesting architechture, etc.

>>1135454
unless you're from south america, africa, or the middle east I extremely doubt indonesia will be an improvement. if she's gonna make ore money than you, you might very well be, though. they make like, 6 dollars a day if they're lucky.

there's nothing nice in jakarta. people just go to malls. I hate that city.

>>1135456
if you're from a 1st world country, you buy the visa at a counter as you leave the airport. bring a pen.

>>1135454
YOu laught a this lamborghini comment, but I did notice luxury cars were markedly cheaper in the Gulf than the west. And anon mentioned he was from the Middle East. Not sure why cars are cheaper there. Out right cheap once you factor in the conversion rate,

>>1136310
I wasn't the ME anon. lamborghinis are idiot bait. no one who buys them stays rich.

I guarantee you legitimately wealthy people don't buy lamborghinis, because they built their wealth from intelligence. lamborghinis are a status competition among idiots. legitimately wealthy people don't care about cars. they compete in other ways.

the only lamborghinis I see where I live are driven by arabs (on lease) with borrowed money.

I'm not impressed by gold chains either, fwiw. neither should you.

>>1136313
Maybe people buy things because they like things.

Not just your pseudointellectual bullshit

>>1136321
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n0iNZ4_jlA

yeah, I'M the idiot

How common is free/unlocked wifi in Singapore?
I'm going there for 6 months and thought I could just buy a sim card and be done with it, but I just checked and their carriers won't work with my phone. This means I either have to buy a new phone ($100+) and sim cards every month or just suck it up and only get on when there is free wifi
What are y'alls recommendations/experiences

>>1138229
You have Verizon or Sprint, don't you?

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Anybody have experience teaching English in SE Asia?
Would you do it again?
Where is the easiest place to get started?
(I hear Cambodia is easy)
How did you find a school?

It's such a traveler's trope but I'd to do it.

>>1139277
Ajarn.com

>>1111147
can you please tell me how you started that journey? i want to move there and hear everyone say they love living in southeast asia.

Welp, I'm a Dutchie in a run-down hostel in Jalan Besar, Singapore.

In a room with 9 other men, valuables in a locker, but my suitcase unable to fit in, so keeping that by my bed.

Staying here for four days, what are the odds I get robbed, murdered, beaten, etc?

>>1139342
In Singapore? Low

>>1114988
Dude that's sick af

>>1139342
Zero. Well, actually a Canadian just robbed a bank in Holland Village for SGD $30,000, which was the first bank robbery since forever.

Ang mo are getting more ballsy over there, so 80% chance you will lose everything and end up in a hospital.

How do I just pack up and move? Sick of the cold here, and have stayed in both Bali and the Philippines for months, so I'm looking at moving there.

At the moment I've got a return ticket to Manila in two months time, and I'm thinking I'll just sell off my shit and spend those two months looking for work. If I haven't found anything, I'll come home with my tail between my legs. If I find something, I'll stay on and get the proper visas

>>1140392
marry someone

>>1140395
Already tried the women, but they're bat shit crazy. Not going down that road again.

I want to spend 3 months in SEA just after the new year. I've got $10k + but don't want to spend anywhere near that.

Where can I go for nice landscapes, weather, food and nightlife without breaking the bank?

>>1140396
True. How old are you? Retirement Visa may be an option. What is country of origin? I have more options if USA.

>>1140397
Anywhere

>>1140398
22 from Aus, so retirement is a bit far away I'm afraid

I'm in Singapore for the next 6 months

Is there anywhere worth visiting besides Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur?
I'm probably also going to go to the Full Moon Party

>>1140441
Lots of places in Indonesia are cool to check out. I'd recommend Yogyakarta.

Depending on how long you have in Thailand while you're there for Full Moon, spend some time in Khao Sok as it's not horribly far from where you catch the ferry to Koh Phangan/Samui.

Also book your hostel for Full Moon in advance (don't wait until the last minute) as prices shoot up the closer it gets and many places will force you to book 3-5 days minimum. You might still be able to find a place decently close to the beach once you get there should you forget, but it's just a lot easier to do it a while beforehand.

>>1111148
How much do you make as a teacher in sea?

I am going to thailand soon. What are some scams that i should be aware of? Is it ok to take taxis there? I have only heard bad things. I feel like they will try to charge me 1000 baht for a two mile ride

>>1140663
It's a safe country, you might get caught out and overpay on something but that's usually the worst of it

Insist they turn the meter on. There's always more taxis so just try the next one if they don't budge on price

If you get in a tuk tuk they might try to bring you to a sponsor ie. a tailor that's giving them commission politely decline if you want to be nice just go into the place and don't buy.

If you're at a temple and someone tries to tell you a story about a special holiday/king's birthday it's likely a scam.

Don't fall for the story about cheap jewellery that can be sold on for a profit back home

Realise that whatever you pay is going to be more than the locals and the amount that you're bartering over probably isn't worth all that much after you convert it anyway

>>1141423
Thank you for the advice

Attention travelers,

If I have around $3000 to my name, is it worthwhile to go on a trip to SEA (Philippines, Indo, Thailand, maybe Cambodia) and use all my savings?

I'm really wanting to go, however i feel that it isn't the "responsible" thing to do. Am i overthinking it?

>>1141732
Fuck responsible, if travelling makes you happy, do it. I've been doing the same shit every few months for the last three years, fucking off to the Philippines. Just sold my car to go back in 6 weeks time.

>>1141732
>I'm really wanting to go, however i feel that it isn't the "responsible" thing to do. Am i overthinking it?

Yes, but no need to be as extreme as this guy: >>1141760

>>1128175
So I'm back, didn't think this thread would last so long. I'm currently in Ho Chi Minh hoping to leave with my bike to head North tomorrow, any anons want to meet up along the way?

>>1110361

I have 30k in savings is it possible to do SEA after India/Nepal/Sri Lanka? Probably will spend 10-15 in those countries.

Wrote about things to do in Brunei. Check it out. http://www.natal.space/brunei/

>>1141760

What do you do there?

>>1116490
>Even with the amount of time I'd spend studying for the MA and practising my language skills, nothing beats the ability to go to a bar and mingle when you wanna unwind
pleb motherfucker and someone my friends would mug.

>>1116539

Fuckin allahu ackbar ass scum...please reform your fuckin horrible backwards ass religion. FUCK YOU!

>>1143051
Bum around a hang out with the locals. Beats sitting at home in my 5C weather, where everything is shut by 5pm. Plus it's a lot cheaper to live. This time some friends and I are heading over to Boracay for a few days though.

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For anyone that's already been, could you give a rough estimate of how much the whole journey cost - along with the route that you took? Thanks!

>>1143076
BKK > Chiang Mai > BKK
2 weeks
US$600

>>1143643
Not including a flight from O'hare of course

>So i have looked around and not really found an answer to this.
Me and a friend are planning a trip to SEA, we want to visit pretty much every country and do all the touristy shit they all have to offer, aswell if theres time just sit and relax for a week after if possible.
>2-3 Months, 5k budget, thats not the problem
What we need to know is if its better to buy a One way ticket there, then purchase all the rest of our flights as needed and figure out when and where we wanna leave(which is what we plan). The trip would essentially would be a big zig

or

Fly into and out of the same airport with a round trip ticket and make a big loop in our trip back to where we started. Seems counter productive to do this to me unless we knew forsure we liked that country, i dont wanna be "stuck" there.

>If you have some experience doing this or know any tricks let me know, also advice on which airports may work best for this

We on stopping at South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thialand, Cambodia, China. Anything else i dont think we will have time for but I may just be wrong... thanks

>>1143918
Cost wise, my suggestion would be to do a round trip flight, and then use regional carriers. Whether you liked the country of arrival/departure is irrelevant as you can always return a day before the flight. Regional airlines are cheap as hell, as well.

>>1143918
>>1143922

If it was exclusively SEA, I'd say Bangkok, easy, but with your East Asia destinations, wherever tickets are cheapest. Probably Japan, Korea or China, coming from the USA.

>>1143922
>>1143925
Thanks for the answers. Fortunately Korea air is a partner of Alaska qnd out miles workcfoe them, so we will probably just use them for a round trip and call it good. That's the one I've been looking forward to most anyways

>>1143918
Itamatrix is your friend. Even though logic dictates that you get a return to a hub in the region, a multi-city search on ITAmatrix could find you some gem of a ticket.

I am usually getting 500 dollar return tickets from Europe to SEA, so I really love ITAmatrix.

I'm planning on going to SEA around November/December and will stay for quite a while, probably 6+ months. I would like to see a vast majority of that region, though I am thinking thailand would be the bulk of it. What would be the best place to fly into to start my trip? I'm looking for two things regarding my decision:
1. Price
I would like to save money where I can. Flying from the US to SEA as cheaply as possible would be nice, as I imagine getting around the different countries once I'm there will be fairly standardized

2. Accesability for first time solo travelers.
I don't want to be thrust into something unfavorable for the sake of saving a few bucks. I'm looking to start off with an area fairly westernized and get more remote/adventurous as I become acclimated

With my limited research I am thinking Bangkok. Around this time I can get a one way for about $500. Are there better places to start my year in this part of the world?

>>1144313
>With my limited research I am thinking Bangkok. Around this time I can get a one way for about $500. Are there better places to start my year in this part of the world?


No, Bangkok is the best. It's basically the regional hub. If your trip included East Asia the answer may have changed, but for SEA, Bangkok is best

>>1144313

Start with Thailand. Don't eat in restaurants, get street food and food courts. Always ask for meter when getting in a taxi. Don't get into a tuktuk excepted once for the experience.
Always ask for the price or something, be ready to fiercely negotiate (but remain polite and smily).
You can have good rooms by yourself from 10$ a night. Use the BTS and mrt in Bangkok, they're super cheap.
Enjoy Thailand, it's a wonderful country. Just don't act like the basic retarded tourist and everything will be fine.

Travel around by bus if you wanna save money, but be careful on night buses not to get robbed. And expect corruption at borders.
If you plan on going to Malaysia after Thailand, use the plane. Border there is in permanent conflict.

Laos is a little gem to discover once you're used to SEA.

>>1145545
>Laos is a little gem to discover once you're used to SEA.

Tell me more

>>1146586
Its very similar to Thailand in a lot of ways but about 100x smaller in terms of pretty much everything. It hasn't been developed as a tourist area properly yet, so apart from the tuk-tuk drivers hassling you, you'll get a more authentic experience then you will in other places. That said, there's no shortage of farang around which can break the illusion. In terms of prices, its comparable to Thailand but the currency is much more inflated in Laos.

>>1145545
>And expect corruption at borders.
Any stories?
I crossed in and out of Thailand by walking over the border in both the dodgiest part of the South and a rural part of the North and actually had a very pleasant experience.

>>1145545
>If you plan on going to Malaysia after Thailand, use the plane. Border there is in permanent conflict.
Pro tip: Malaysia is much more dodgy then Southern Thailand, unless you're a teacher or something...

>>1142956
Take a shit in the Ganges for me.

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>>1146586
Stay the fuck out stupid redneck!

>>1146605
I did it for Laos/ Cambodia. The military on both sides of the border sees you as a walking wallet. Had to pay 2 us$ for the stamp out of Laos, and on arrival visa was 35$ for everyone once in Cambodia, while as a French I'd have been supposed to pay 30.
A British got mad, and the Cambodian police prevented him from crossing the border unless he hand wrote excuses for them.

Also, I was traveling with another French 20 years older than I that told me he had already witnessed one of the military pointing his gun at a tourist who threw a tantrum because of the corruption.

I mean now it's a funny memory that I have in overall, but from pakse to Phnom Penh it's 14 hours of buses, and when you're in the line under 40° (Celsius obviously) it can be a little stressful. But boy, this traveling change people for the best.

>>1146586

As mentioned, an authentic experience overall. When I see people from my parent's generation talking about how Thailand was better in the 70-80s, I believe we have today the opportunity to witness the same with Laos. It is virtually untouched by tourism, and even touristy spots are chill, everyone is pretty easy going, and the landscapes are wonderful. Get to the north, close to Chinese border, rent a scooter on Bolovens plateau, etc.

>>1146960
Can you organise your visa in advance? And yeah, after those bus rides, you wouldn't tolerate a paraplegic toddler walking slowly in front of you let alone full scale corruption.
Also, I would make note on bus rides in that part of the world to double check claims made by the local travel company selling the tickets on behalf of bus companies. They may exaggerate the quality of the bus and how quickly it will arrive at your destination. Might suck if you have to catch a connecting bus or something.

>>1147100
Yes, you can get your visa beforehand, in any embassy of the desired country.
But this takes out the fun of on arrival, corrupted border.
Don't bother finding the greatest bus, you either get cheap tickets, or you get what they call "VIP bus" with a little more room for your legs and a bottle of water.
But no matter which kind you get, from 7 am to 11pm (with few rides to eat & pee) in a bus is exhausting. I was falling apart when I arrived in Phnom Penh.
But once again, it's one of my best memories

>>1145545
I thought about spending 4-5 weeks in SE Asia in Feb. Probably do a couple days in Hong Kong/Macau first to take advantage of the stopover I get when I use airline miles. Would HK>Chiang Mai>Luanrg Prbang> Phonsavan>Vang Vieng>Vientiane>Udon Thani>Bangkok be too much.

I don't know how to balance doing too much versus doing too little. This would be my first trip overseas.