South East Asia Travel

I’ll just come back from travelling and I’ve had a couple of friends email me asking how to get around China and South East Asia so just in case anyone else wants to know below is the info:

Hi,

If I was you I would head down to Yangshuo then to Nanning cross the border into Vietnam (try and get a bus/tour bus that takes you all the way from Nanning to Hanoi).

Otherwise take the train to a village on the border, a tuktuk to the actual border, then on the other side a taxi from the border to the nearest town then a train or minibus to Hanoi. Make sure you book ahead and stay in the Hanoi Backpackers Hostel and make sure you tell the minibus you have reservations etc otherwise they will try and take you elsewhere.

The go on the 3 day halong bay trip with the Hanoi Backpackers. On return do touristy stuff in Hanoi (war museum) then head south to hoian drink and bit, you can hire a scooter off a local and go look at the marble mountain, you can also surf there which where the GI sturfed in the Vietnam War, there is also an accient temple which is worth going to (make sure you have a guide as they are mines in that area) girls can get stuff tailored there however the quality isn’t as good as in Thailand.

Then head all the way down to Siagon, read guide books to find out where to stay there however do the Cucci Tunnels. Cross the border to Cambodia, Phom Phen via a 2 day tour see some stuff on the way (we used smiles tour company). The mountain on the border between Vietnam and Cambodia is amazing.

Phom Phen is a bit of average however go to the killing fields, S21 and the Russian Market, we stayed in Yellow Hostel I think.

You then have two choices:
1. Head south to Sihanoukville, lovely beach, quite and vice very cool, we stayed there for 3 days however didn’t feel like this was enough, it’s about 3 hours south of Phom Phen. Then head back up to Phom Phen and then do option 2.

2. Head north to Siem Reip and Ankor Wat, spend a few days there its really chilled out but a bit touristy. Hire a Tuk Tuk for a day to take you around Ankor, I paid about $14 however it may have gone up a little, you also have to pay $20 entrance for a day pass which both time I’ve been was more than enough time. I have also heard there is an awesome floating village somewhere in that area however I didn’t hear about it till afterwards, but apparently well worth looking at.

THIS BIT IS IMPORTANT!!!
When heading over from Siem Reip to Thailand, Bangkok make sure you get a taxi, do NOT catch a bus. The road it shocking bad only a few buses actually make it, none if it rains. Despite what they say you can fit a max of 4 people in a taxi.

Once in Bangkok, do Phi-Phi (West Coast), Koh Tao (East Coast: driving PADI if you have time) and get a full moon party in at Ko Phangan (East Coast).If you have time head up to Chiang Mai and Pi, and then over the border into Laos via the slow boat (2 days). Otherwise fly from Bangkok to Luang Prabang.

In Laos make sure you do: Luang Prabang (loads of out door stuff), Van Vieng and if you have time Paske (4000 Islands), Phonsavanh (pain of Jars) and Bokeo Nature Reserve (gibbon experience book early, like 2 months early).

Laos is awesome if you want more info let me know, also if you want to do diving in Koh Tao use the drive company Coral Grand.

Anything else just email.

Leonard