Hong Kong/Macau

[Dog]

Your ear pierced?

[vonbonds]

He meant shot off in a Nashville church

[PredsFan77]

Your ear pierced?

Among sailors, a pierced earlobe was a symbol that the wearer had sailed around the world or had crossed the equator.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earring

[MP]

I thought it just meant they were gay?

[PredsFan77]

well now you know

[Boring Choice #2]

I thought it just meant they were gay?

I think that is implied just by them being sailors.

[PredsFan77]

ok so might end up here again in a week or so, where's another good side trip for 3-4 days? Thailand sketchy?

[habfan4]

ok so might end up here again in a week or so, where's another good side trip for 3-4 days? Thailand sketchy?

Where in Thailand? Bangkok? Chiang Mai? Koh Samui? Phuket?

If you're looking for other suggestions - Siem Reap, Cambodia. Which assumes you have some interest in Khmer temples.

[Dog]

Have you been to Siem Reap, 4? That’s on my bucket list, it just seems so remote from everything though.

[habfan4]

Have you been to Siem Reap, 4? That’s on my bucket list, it just seems so remote from everything though.

Was there in July of 2012, combined with a trip to Thailand. At that time it was a pain to get to Siem Reap you had to fly from Bangkok or Hoi Chi Minh (couldn't even fly from Phnom Penh). There appear to many more options now.

It's a remarkable place. We went to Angkor Wat, the Angkor Tom complex (Elephant terrace, Bayon), Preah Khan, Banteay Srei (which is further out). As well as to Kbal Spean - where the river bed has carvings of linga/yoni & shiva etc. Didn't get to the Tongle Sap (fresh water lake & floating village).

We hired a driver/guide which is pretty much a requirement. We gave our guide a list of places we wanted to visit and let him sort out the order. He basically knew the schedule of the all the massive bus tours so we avoided them. We'd get up early hit the temples and then head back to the hotel between 12 - 2 for lunch when it was too hot to be out and about.

[Dog]

That’s fantastic!

[PredsFan77]

been advised by others that Chiang Mai and Siem Reap are both quality choices. Might have trouble with flights to those two places tho. Was looking at Ho Chi/Saigon as plan C. Anywhere else I'm missing? Looks like the Bali volcano has subsided too.

[habfan4]

been advised by others that Chiang Mai and Siem Reap are both quality choices. Might have trouble with flights to those two places tho. Was looking at Ho Chi/Saigon as plan C. Anywhere else I'm missing? Looks like the Bali volcano has subsided too.

Checked ITA Matrix - https://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and it looks like there are direct flights from Hong Kong to Siem Reap and Chiang Mai available via Hong Kong Express.

Spent 4 nights in Chiang Mai and its definitely worth a visit. There are a number of Wats in the old town, easily walkable depending on where you're staying. The temple on the top of Doi Suthep is a must seen. Doi Inthanon National Park is nearby. There's also the "famous" night market - basically a massive flea market - but apparently that appeals to some.

We had our hotel arrange transportation for a couple of days. The trip to Doi Inthanon was a group trip but still worth, waterfalls, a pair of temples (one dedicated to the Queen the other the King - a little tacky) then a visit to the highest point in Thailand - full day trip. The next day we asked the hotel to arrange a car, which turned out to be a Mercedes van with a flat screen TV - all for the princely sum of 2000 baht (approx. - $60 bucks Canadian). We gave the driver a list of sites we wanted to visit (Doi Suthep & the botanical gardens) and off we went.

I wouldn't count out Bangkok. It's not an aesthetically pleasing city and its certainly seedy in certain spots (Soi Nana, Soi Cowboy etc...) But there's still plenty worth while to see. Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), the Grand Palace, Temple of the reclining Buddha (Wat Pho). Fuck load of great restaurants.

[PredsFan77]

yeah problem is I need to fly Cathay tho $100 isnt bad on HK EX

[WTF]

I've got family in Hong Kong and Macau so I made the trip a few years back and took an extended vacation to spend a bit more time in Asia.

Siem Reap was fun (I also toured the temple grounds) but hot as hell, even in November. Hiring a tour guide with a nice air-conditioned vehicle (and those nice, cold eucalyptus-scented towels) made it a lot more tolerable. Still, be prepared to do a lot of walking and climbing up and down stairs. Also, be prepared to get up very early to watch a sunrise at Angkor Wat (around 5 AM?). The people I met there were very polite and helpful. The toughest part if there's even a shred of compassion in any of you who may visit there is not handing out at least some money to kids who may be begging (when you go to get your visa, it's one of the things the government there tells you not to do as they want to encourage the children there to further their education rather than turning to pan-handling). If they're selling things like postcards or books in order to make money for school, that's apparently fine though.

Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam was interesting too and very inexpensive. I'm normally not the biggest seafood fan but it was good and it was very affordable (about the equivalent of $80 USD to feed a table of ten people with a good variety of fresh seafood) The tough part was keeping track of the denominations and performing currency conversions in my head. I just know it worked out to the equivalent of a little over $1 USD (it was around $1.50 CAD at the time) for a great banh mi and a bottle of water. Fresh coconut water was around 20 cents.

Also, pro-tip for anyone visiting Hong Kong: buy or bring your own packets of paper napkins as many restaurants do not provide them. Many restaurants will also bring out a large basin of hot water before your meals or a large bowl and a kettle of hot water. It's there for diners to sterilize their utensils and cups, bowls, and plates.

[PredsFan77]

sadly, i've been outvoted over Saigon. Going to Bangkok.

[habfan4]

sadly, i've been outvoted over Saigon. Going to Bangkok.

There are worse fates. Check into the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental on the river. It’ll be less than a third of the cost of those same hotels in Hong Kong.

[PredsFan77]

Holy cow it's hot here

[vonbonds]

Holy Cao it's hot here

[PredsFan77]

Bangkok isn't bad. Similar, yet different vibe from Vietnam. Think still partial to Ha Noi. Even though I was amazed the small amount of hawkers trying to sell me stuff here versus every single person in Vietnam