If you don't have enough money to fly to one of the islands of the Gulf of Thailand you can arrange for a cheaper bus+ferry combo that will take you down in a sleep time.
Best way to buy the ticket to go from Bangkok to Koh Tao (or any other island) is by any of the agencies at Kaosan Road or directly at Lomprayah Agency, still in the same area. They will sell you the ticket for a cheaper price than your hotel at only 950 baht.
The buses are new. They leave at 9 pm and reach Chumporn's harbor at 5 am. Once there you'll board the catamaran that will stop at all three main islands of the gulf.
The boat reaches Koh Tao at 8.45 am.
Monday, March 12, 2012
TUK-TUK OR TAXI IN BANGKOK
If you are planning to get around Bangkok and the skytrain does not cover your route you have three options: boat, taxi or tuk-tuk.
While the boat is definitely the cheapest way to run up an down the Chao Praya river (only 15 Baht with the orange flag boat, 30 with express tourist boat, faster with less stops) the taxi is your best option to move around the city.
Taxi drivers will run on metre (especially if politely asked) while tuk-tuk is always a matter of bargaining. And an expensive one. A tuk-tuk refused to take us to a shopping mall in town for less than 200 baht while the taxi covered the same distance (with a little detour) for only 77 baht.
But a tuk-tuk comes at handy during peak hours when no taxi will take you on board by the metre and rates fly high. That's when bargaining for a tuk-tuk is your best option and also your fastest one since the driver will be able to move in between cars and make your trip shorter.
Remember also that sometimes a taxi can be a better option than the skytrain if you are not traveling alone and your metro ticket costs around 40 baht (the cost of the ticket with skytrain depends on how far you need to go).
So have fun moving around this crazy city!
While the boat is definitely the cheapest way to run up an down the Chao Praya river (only 15 Baht with the orange flag boat, 30 with express tourist boat, faster with less stops) the taxi is your best option to move around the city.
Taxi drivers will run on metre (especially if politely asked) while tuk-tuk is always a matter of bargaining. And an expensive one. A tuk-tuk refused to take us to a shopping mall in town for less than 200 baht while the taxi covered the same distance (with a little detour) for only 77 baht.
But a tuk-tuk comes at handy during peak hours when no taxi will take you on board by the metre and rates fly high. That's when bargaining for a tuk-tuk is your best option and also your fastest one since the driver will be able to move in between cars and make your trip shorter.
Remember also that sometimes a taxi can be a better option than the skytrain if you are not traveling alone and your metro ticket costs around 40 baht (the cost of the ticket with skytrain depends on how far you need to go).
So have fun moving around this crazy city!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
BY BUS FROM HUÉ TO HOI AN
An easy way to get from Hué to Hoi An is by bus. Your hotel will be able to reserve a ride for you and the bus company will come pick you up at your hotel to take you to the bus station or to the travel agency the bus leaves from.
The ride on the bus from Hué to Hoi An costs $5 and it takes 4 and half hours. Despite the short distance old buses go very slowly and with a few stops on the way you easily make it that long
TUK-TUK AT ANGKOR WAT
Don't stress about finding a tuk-tuk driver for your Angkor Wat visit. He will find you. There are a few drivers waiting outside every hotel offering rides to anywhere you want. And if you don't see any at your location you will find many more on any street or your hotel will arrange one for you, no matter how late at night you get to Siem Reap and how worried you are no one will drive you to see the sunrise the next morning.
A day on a tuk-tuk goes from $12 to $15. At some point during the visit the driver will try and raise the price after he realizes you are a thorough visitor but with a few smiles and politeness you'll keep it on the joke level and pay as initially accorded.
If you aren't crazy about spending too many hours on one single temple and you just want to get a feel of Angkor it is doable to visit everything in one day.
The only thing that will put you off is the heat that will drain you energies and will want to make you go home and relax.
It goes without saying that going to Cambodia and not seeing Angkor makes no sense.
A day on a tuk-tuk goes from $12 to $15. At some point during the visit the driver will try and raise the price after he realizes you are a thorough visitor but with a few smiles and politeness you'll keep it on the joke level and pay as initially accorded.
If you aren't crazy about spending too many hours on one single temple and you just want to get a feel of Angkor it is doable to visit everything in one day.
The only thing that will put you off is the heat that will drain you energies and will want to make you go home and relax.
It goes without saying that going to Cambodia and not seeing Angkor makes no sense.
BUS FROM SIEM REAP TO BANGKOK
Apparently there are a few buses that run from Siem Reap to Bangkok daily with different companies.
Price can vary according to agency's offer but mainly is around $15. No matter what they tell you trust the ones who say the journey will last 9 to 10 hours.
Those who say it lasts 7 are lying just to sell you the ticket for a few bucks more.
With a delay on departure, with border procedures and with Bangkok's traffic you won't make it before 3pm if you managed to leave at 6.30am from Siem Reap.
This is if your driver (especially the one in Thailand, because yes, you will switch from a bus to a van once at the border) will drive crazy fast.
So have a nice ride!
Price can vary according to agency's offer but mainly is around $15. No matter what they tell you trust the ones who say the journey will last 9 to 10 hours.
Those who say it lasts 7 are lying just to sell you the ticket for a few bucks more.
With a delay on departure, with border procedures and with Bangkok's traffic you won't make it before 3pm if you managed to leave at 6.30am from Siem Reap.
This is if your driver (especially the one in Thailand, because yes, you will switch from a bus to a van once at the border) will drive crazy fast.
So have a nice ride!
Monday, March 5, 2012
BUS FROM PHNOM PENH TO SIEM REAP
Many many companies serve this route but if you are arriving from Chau Doc with a speedboat and you want to get the first possible bus to Siem Reap you are not left with many options.
Once you get off the boat you'll be assaulted by tuk-tuk drivers who will offer to take you to a bus station of their choice for one dollar for each person. The bus station might really be just a couple of blocks down the dock.
After a laugh and a drastic price reduction of the ride you will buy your ticket where they want you to. A ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap with Paramount Angkor Express bus company costs $10.
It takes an endless amount of hours because no matter how improved roads must be compared to the past they are nothing like Thai or Vietnam roads. So prepare for a 9 hour journey.
Once you get off the boat you'll be assaulted by tuk-tuk drivers who will offer to take you to a bus station of their choice for one dollar for each person. The bus station might really be just a couple of blocks down the dock.
After a laugh and a drastic price reduction of the ride you will buy your ticket where they want you to. A ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap with Paramount Angkor Express bus company costs $10.
It takes an endless amount of hours because no matter how improved roads must be compared to the past they are nothing like Thai or Vietnam roads. So prepare for a 9 hour journey.
FAST BOAT FROM CHAU DOC TO PHNOM PENH
Once in Chau Doc you can ask your hotel to arrange tickets for the boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh in Cambodia.
There are two types of boat: a fast one and a slow one.
Apparently duration of the two depends on what your seller is trying to push on you.
Let's say slow boats take 7 and a half hours and cost about $20 while the fast ones take about 6 hours and cost about $24.
The fast track does not require a change of boat once at the border with Cambodia.
On the boat personnel will hand out Cambodian application forms for visa on arrival and will collect them once filled, together with your passport, one passport photo and $23.
The visa is really only worth $20 but they charge extra for taking care of the whole application process. You can actually do it yourself but they don't really seem to want to give you that option.
There are two types of boat: a fast one and a slow one.
Apparently duration of the two depends on what your seller is trying to push on you.
Let's say slow boats take 7 and a half hours and cost about $20 while the fast ones take about 6 hours and cost about $24.
The fast track does not require a change of boat once at the border with Cambodia.
On the boat personnel will hand out Cambodian application forms for visa on arrival and will collect them once filled, together with your passport, one passport photo and $23.
The visa is really only worth $20 but they charge extra for taking care of the whole application process. You can actually do it yourself but they don't really seem to want to give you that option.
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