I’m not talking about drugs (drugs are bad, kids) but about the trip to Southeast Asia me, Patrick and other interested guys or gals are going to do in January. It’s basically like this – our final exams ends at the 16th of December. At the 28th of December my family will arrive here in Hong Kong and stay until the 4th of January 2006. So (*drumroll*) at the 5th of January we will fly to Singapore in a Boeing 747 and we will return to Hong Kong at the 28th of January. Yes, you read the right date – our spring semester doesn’t begin until the 1st of February (and the Chinese New Year’s Eve is on the 28th).
What will be the contents of our great trip then? We have no idea. I’m certainly not that guy planning everything ahead and probably Patrick isn’t one either. We’ll probably plan the trip as we go, but to get cheap tickets we have to order the flights somewhat in advance. However, our still vague plans have evolved around the following themes and places:
Singapore, Malaysia, jungles, Angkor Vat, landscapes, adventures, cheap, warm weather, paradise islands, coconuts, scuba diving, rest and history. And if I know us two good enough, we would also want a decent share of: good standards, comfort, good food, relative security and safety and minimized administration.
Singapore is a really cheap flight hub in the same way as Hong Kong, and from Singapore we can easily access all of Southeast Asia. So that’s why we go in and out of Singapore, and it will also be our base for transports. However, it’s also the most expensive place to stay at, so we will actually minimze the hotel nights there. Instead, we will head towards Malaysia, which supposedly has a lot to offer, and then maybe a trip to Cambodia and back.
We have also considered Indonesia, because it’s dirt cheap and very close to Singapore. However, people have warned us that it is not safe, and Indonesia also has the greatest army of viruses and diseases ready to attack us as soon as we arrive. And the worst part is that Indonesian government are strange and demand visas in advance from us (at least from me as a Swede). Currently I would vote for skipping Indonesia…
Feel free to share any travel tips or experiences, if any. Otherwise, just wish us good luck đ
In my impression going to both Malaysia and Indonesia would be like visiting both Xzech & Hungary… there ‘ll be some difference but not really big enough that you must visit both. When I plan my european trip in my uni days, I only visit Prague to get a taste of East Europe because we have to see many other great stuffs in Western Europe.
Angkor Wat is a must. Singapore is good for having yourself back to civilisation but it would not give you much of cultural experience compared to other SEAsian countries. You didn’t mention Thai – most westerners couldn’t wait to fly to Bangkok once they arrive in SEAsia! Actuall I’ve only been to Thailand in SEAsia (well stop-over in Singapore didn’t count I suppose), so my opinion may not be good. Vietnam got some French colonial influences but they have outbreak of bird flu right now….
Thanks for the tips. The reason why I’m skipping Thailand is because everybody else is going there. It’s too touristic in a sense, and I feel that I can get the same things in Malaysia or Cambodia. And as it seems now, I wont go to Indonesia either. So it’s Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore and maybe Vietnam or just a little Thailand…
Det var 11 Är sedan jag var i Malaysia, men mitt minne sÀger att det var ett bra stÀlle att semestra pÄ =) Mina bÀsta upplevelser dÀrifrÄn var frÄn regnskogen och frÄn en (paradis)ö. PÄ det sistnÀmnda rekomenderar jag ett lÄngt besök! Glöm inte cyklop =)
Min syster Äker jorden runt och Àr just nu i Thailand och har det trevligt. Jag tror att Àven Malaysia ingÄr i hennes planer. Du kan lÀsa om hennes resa hÀr:
http://www.resedagboken.se/Default.aspx?documentId=24§ion=journey&journeyId=39591&userId=-1
Hoppas lĂ€nken inte kommer förstöra din layout…
Awesome! (as Americans would put it ;-))
My knowledge about (South East) Asia is… limited, so I’ll can’t do much more than wish you good luck! And perhaps also say that I’m rather envious. đ