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.
BUS RIDE FROM CAN THO TO CHAU DOC
The only reason to go to Chau Doc is if you want to enter Cambodia by boat.
If that is your case then you can get to Chau Doc from Can Tho by bus. Phuong Trang is one of the companies that runs this route. As always they will pick you up from your hotel, they will take you to the main bus station (Ben xe) and that's where you'll wait for the big bus that will take you to Chau Doc.
Buses are new and with extra legroom. During the trip you'll be offered a bottle of water and a fresh towel and you'll be able to enjoy some Vietnamese music videos.
The ride takes three and a half hours and it costs 70.000 VND.
Once in Chau Doc a shuttle will take you from the main station to your destination.
If that is your case then you can get to Chau Doc from Can Tho by bus. Phuong Trang is one of the companies that runs this route. As always they will pick you up from your hotel, they will take you to the main bus station (Ben xe) and that's where you'll wait for the big bus that will take you to Chau Doc.
Buses are new and with extra legroom. During the trip you'll be offered a bottle of water and a fresh towel and you'll be able to enjoy some Vietnamese music videos.
The ride takes three and a half hours and it costs 70.000 VND.
Once in Chau Doc a shuttle will take you from the main station to your destination.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
BUS RIDE FROM HO CHI MINH TO CAN THO
A bus ride from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho costs 75.000 VND and lasts approximately 4 hours with Mailinh bus company.
The company, like any other, will take you from their agency to the main bus station with their shuttle. They will do the same once they reach your destination. Shuttles will be waiting at the bus station to take you to your hotel or wherever it is you need to go.
Vans that run this route are more or less new and they show a film on the way. As every proper bus company in Vietnam they will provide a bottle of water and a wet towel to freshen up or wash your hands.
They will also stop along the way for you to stretch your legs, eat or go to the loo.
The company, like any other, will take you from their agency to the main bus station with their shuttle. They will do the same once they reach your destination. Shuttles will be waiting at the bus station to take you to your hotel or wherever it is you need to go.
Vans that run this route are more or less new and they show a film on the way. As every proper bus company in Vietnam they will provide a bottle of water and a wet towel to freshen up or wash your hands.
They will also stop along the way for you to stretch your legs, eat or go to the loo.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
DAY TOUR TO MY SON FROM HOI AN
A day tour to My Son holy land from Hoi An can be arranged with any travel agency.
The tour normally can be by bus (1 hour to go, 2 to visit, 1 to come back if by bus, 1 and a half coming back by boat) and it costs $5.
This price does not include the entrance fee to the site which will be another 60.000 VND.
If you return by boat you'll pay $8 and lunch will be included.
The bus will come pick you up at your hotel and will leave you at its agency on the way back. Given the driver won't speak English you'll have to find your way back to your destination by asking people.
The tour normally can be by bus (1 hour to go, 2 to visit, 1 to come back if by bus, 1 and a half coming back by boat) and it costs $5.
This price does not include the entrance fee to the site which will be another 60.000 VND.
If you return by boat you'll pay $8 and lunch will be included.
The bus will come pick you up at your hotel and will leave you at its agency on the way back. Given the driver won't speak English you'll have to find your way back to your destination by asking people.
TAXI FROM HO CHI MINH AIRPORT INTO TOWN
As always they'll try to scam you even though there is a chart with rates right at the taxi stand outside the main exit.
A good price for a taxi ride from Ho Chi Minh airport to the city centre is approximately 150.000 VND even though going by meter can sometime result cheaper depending on what part of town you need to reach.
According to the chart it is 10.000 VND every 700 meters. If you know how far your destination is you are all set.
A good price for a taxi ride from Ho Chi Minh airport to the city centre is approximately 150.000 VND even though going by meter can sometime result cheaper depending on what part of town you need to reach.
According to the chart it is 10.000 VND every 700 meters. If you know how far your destination is you are all set.
BARGAINING AT HOI AN
Bargaining is an art you learn by experience. We were probably scammed thousands of times in Vietnam just because everything seems so cheap that you can't think it can be cheaper.
But bargaining is vital in Hoi An.
This is how it works (especially in the market area): you ask for a price and after they tell you you just walk away. Then they will start following you with the calculator asking how much you want to offer. Whether you say something or not they will discount the price by 10.000 dongs at each step you take.
If you want to suggest a price start very low as they will expect you to raise your offer to meet their needs while they lower theirs to meet yours.
Depending on the item and the honesty of the dealer something that is offered at 250.000 VND can go down to 100.000.
Your turn to try!
But bargaining is vital in Hoi An.
This is how it works (especially in the market area): you ask for a price and after they tell you you just walk away. Then they will start following you with the calculator asking how much you want to offer. Whether you say something or not they will discount the price by 10.000 dongs at each step you take.
If you want to suggest a price start very low as they will expect you to raise your offer to meet their needs while they lower theirs to meet yours.
Depending on the item and the honesty of the dealer something that is offered at 250.000 VND can go down to 100.000.
Your turn to try!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
DAY TOUR KE BANG NATIONAL PARK FROM HUÉ
I've been looking on the internet for tours to Ke Bang National Park from Dong Hoi for ages and at the end I decided it was just easier to get down to Hué and book one from there. Though Hué is further away they are simply more organized for it cause they are used to a bigger stream of tourists.
A tour to the Ke Bang National Park including Phong Nha Cave costs $25 and includes the ride (4+4 hours back and forth), lunch in a creepy place but good food, boat and entrance fee to the cave.
It's always best to book tours once on place instead of doing that from the internet as they will charge you more. While in town there is so much more competition that prices necessarily lower.
A tour to the Ke Bang National Park including Phong Nha Cave costs $25 and includes the ride (4+4 hours back and forth), lunch in a creepy place but good food, boat and entrance fee to the cave.
It's always best to book tours once on place instead of doing that from the internet as they will charge you more. While in town there is so much more competition that prices necessarily lower.
Monday, February 27, 2012
BY TRAIN FROM HANOI TO HUÉ
If you are planning on traveling south to Hué you can either do that by bus or by train.
If you want to take the train you can either leave at 7.00pm or at 11pm.
You can get a seat or a bed (hard or soft).
The hard sleeper is comfy enough and you get a pillow and a blanket. Plus they wake you up in the morning just a few minutes before you get to destination.
The ride from Hanoi to Hué costs 1608 VDG for this particular option and if you take the 11.00pm train you'll be in Hué by 10.50 in the morning. Trains are punctual.
Here is a picture of the ticket.
Enjoy your ride!
If you want to take the train you can either leave at 7.00pm or at 11pm.
You can get a seat or a bed (hard or soft).
The hard sleeper is comfy enough and you get a pillow and a blanket. Plus they wake you up in the morning just a few minutes before you get to destination.
The ride from Hanoi to Hué costs 1608 VDG for this particular option and if you take the 11.00pm train you'll be in Hué by 10.50 in the morning. Trains are punctual.
Here is a picture of the ticket.
Enjoy your ride!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
HOTEL IN HANOI
I know I promised not to leave comments about my trip and therefore this won't be one.
But if you are looking for a central, friendly and very helpful stay in Hanoi this is your hotel: Hanoi Holiday Hotel, right in the busy old quarter.
Rooms are clean, have computer, TV, complementary water, fridge, all possible toiletry and air-con of course.
Breakfast is a good mix of Asian and western but most of all they'd do anything to make your stay more pleasant.
They keep your luggage two or three days while you happily go visit Halong Bay and when we came back the day after in the afternoon they offered us a room for free so we could shower and rest until the time we had to go to the station to catch our train.
This says it all!
Price is $30 per double room (breakfast included). I booked through www.agoda.com which has offered me all the best deal so far but otherwise you can probably get a cheaper price by going directly to their website www.hanoiholidayhotel.com
Friday, February 24, 2012
TAXI RIDE FROM HANOI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
How much is a taxi ride from Hanoi International Airport into Hanoi itself?
Taxi rides actually are regulated by an official fare which is signposted next to the taxi stand right outside the airport's exit.
The fare is 350.000 V Dongs ($16) for a 5 seat cab.
The problem is once you pass customs you'll be assaulted by a number of people trying to sell you their ride for at least $20.
And best of all if you ask at the tourist office booth they will tell you they can arrange a cab for you at $30.
So all you need to do is get out and make sure they apply the proper fare which is visibly signposted next to the taxi stand.
Taxi rides actually are regulated by an official fare which is signposted next to the taxi stand right outside the airport's exit.
The fare is 350.000 V Dongs ($16) for a 5 seat cab.
The problem is once you pass customs you'll be assaulted by a number of people trying to sell you their ride for at least $20.
And best of all if you ask at the tourist office booth they will tell you they can arrange a cab for you at $30.
So all you need to do is get out and make sure they apply the proper fare which is visibly signposted next to the taxi stand.
VIETNAM VISA ON ARRIVAL
So it is true, Vietnam's visa-on-arrival system does work.
For the ones who do not want to go through the process of having to send money and a passport photocopy to a Vietnam embassy near you, you have the option of applying online at one of the many agencies offering this service.
I used vietnam-visa and it worked just fine.
All you need to do is apply for an approval letter that they will send you within 4 days (or earlier if you are willing to pay a little more) and pay $21 by credit card.
This same approval letter is what you'll need to show at the specific "visa-on-arrival" office once you disembark before going through customs. There you will have to pay the extra $25 for the real visa (one entrance in the country, one month worth) and you are done.
This is what the visa-on-arrival looks like:
For the ones who do not want to go through the process of having to send money and a passport photocopy to a Vietnam embassy near you, you have the option of applying online at one of the many agencies offering this service.
I used vietnam-visa and it worked just fine.
All you need to do is apply for an approval letter that they will send you within 4 days (or earlier if you are willing to pay a little more) and pay $21 by credit card.
This same approval letter is what you'll need to show at the specific "visa-on-arrival" office once you disembark before going through customs. There you will have to pay the extra $25 for the real visa (one entrance in the country, one month worth) and you are done.
This is what the visa-on-arrival looks like:
Friday, February 17, 2012
CHEAP DOMESTIC FLIGHTS IN VIETNAM
If you are not interested or need to skip parts of Vietnam because you don't have enough time you might want to consider buying a cheap domestic flight through one of the few low-cost airlines that serve the country.
I bought a one-way ticket from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with JetStar for only €40 ($52).
There are several flights a day according to your needs.
Another useful low-cost company is Fly Vietnam
Pacific Airlines was taken over by Jetstar but this helpful website (www.jetcost.co.uk) will scan through any travel website you can think of (including edreams and lastminute) and will find you a low price solution to your travelling matter.
More expensive but serves the purpose is Vietnam Airlines
I bought a one-way ticket from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with JetStar for only €40 ($52).
There are several flights a day according to your needs.
Another useful low-cost company is Fly Vietnam
Pacific Airlines was taken over by Jetstar but this helpful website (www.jetcost.co.uk) will scan through any travel website you can think of (including edreams and lastminute) and will find you a low price solution to your travelling matter.
More expensive but serves the purpose is Vietnam Airlines
Friday, February 10, 2012
WHAT THIS BLOG IS FOR
As a contemporary traveller I realised how important it is to have updated information on the places you want to visit. The web offers uncountable possibilities of gathering news and tips on what you looking into. The problem is there are too many options and many of them are contradictory.
By the time I get back from travelling through South East Asia (Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand) I will post as briefly as possible all useful information to face this very common route among contemporary travellers.
The blog will try to avoid commentary and will only post that sort of technical information we are always searching for when we prepare for our trips wishing to answer these very few questions: how much? where? how? with what company?
See you in March 2012!
By the time I get back from travelling through South East Asia (Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand) I will post as briefly as possible all useful information to face this very common route among contemporary travellers.
The blog will try to avoid commentary and will only post that sort of technical information we are always searching for when we prepare for our trips wishing to answer these very few questions: how much? where? how? with what company?
See you in March 2012!
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