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Post: #2

(01-13-2012 11:00 AM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  Ticket out there and back aren't included in my math.
~7G's for my time out there

Bangkok is stop #1. Prolly hit the beaches as well. Would like to do the Muay Thai training camp for a month as well.

Where would you go after BKK?

I'm considering the following
- Laos
- Cambodia
- Vietnam
- Indonesia - Bali or Ubud
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Philippines

I just don't know if this is too ambitious for the time frame or the cash on hand.

7G's (USD?) can get you all this? Damn. Either you are an expert financial advisor, or just plain cheap, 'cuz I burn through 7Gs in about 2 weeks when on vacation of course. And that's mostly spent on ME, ME, and ME - no hookers, or VIP bottle service, or expensive dinner dates.


Mixx

Post: #3

Haha $7000 USD is well enough for three months, unless your banging hookers every night

If you're looking for a factory, Indonesia and Vietnam are worth scoping out

Post: #4

7g's is plenty for SEA, $1000 a month is thrown around as comfortable in those countries.

You might get stretched thin with the trip to japan/china/S.K though, travel alone will probably be pushing $500 to S.K or Japan

Post: #5

Would recommend Cambodia, Vietnam and either Indonesia or Philippines for the time scale you have (only 2 months after Thailand)

You don't have time for both Indonesia AND Philippines as one is a country of 14,000 different islands and the other a country of 7,000 different islands and both deserve several months to see properly.

Cambodia and Vietnam are relatively easy to see in 2-3 weeks however. You will probably need a visa for Vietnam but don't let discourage you - it's awesome and the chicks are smoking hot.

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This is the rough itinerary I'd follow:

BKK .... Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao or Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi (I'd pick 1st option).... Chaing Mai.... Pai... back to Chaing Mai... Laos (Luang Prabang, Vang Vien)... Cambodia (Siem Reap)... Koh Chang (Thailand).... back to BKK...

Fly from BKK to Bali on Air Asia... spend last 3/4 weeks traveling around Bali & Lombok islands...

Post: #10

Mixx, not sure where you travel but it would be hard to blow 7k in 2 weeks in SE Asia even if you tried. You can get a super nice single room with bath in Laos, Vietnam, and usually Thailand for around $10. Once I lived like a king in a brand new guesthouse in Laos for $6 a night with a King size brand new bed, balcony, sat TV, wifi, and huge bathroom.

Indonesia and the Philippines are slightly more expensive, and its harder to find nice places, but they still are cheap as fuck. $15-20 gets you a nice single room with bath.

I'm on a RTW trip and my ANNUAL budget for travelling all inclusive is 20k a year. SE is by far the most affordable place on Earth I've ever been. Not only is it cheap, but you get quality food, accommodation, and of course partying. 7k for three months is more than enough, in fact you can live like a King everywhere but Singapore, and possibly Malaysia. Even if you got a ho a night you should stay under budget.

Post: #11

(01-13-2012 03:25 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  This is the rough itinerary I'd follow:

BKK .... Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao or Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi (I'd pick 1st option).... Chaing Mai.... Pai... back to Chaing Mai... Laos (Luang Prabang, Vang Vien)... Cambodia (Siem Reap)... Koh Chang (Thailand).... back to BKK...

Fly from BKK to Bali on Air Asia... spend last 3/4 weeks traveling around Bali & Lombok islands...

Yes, this.

Post: #12

(01-13-2012 06:13 PM)nomadicdude Wrote:  Mixx, not sure where you travel but it would be hard to blow 7k in 2 weeks in SE Asia even if you tried.

LOL it can and has been done, mon ami.

Post: #13

I spent 3 months in Thailand last summer...spent close to 10k, but was doing a lot of traveling and partying. I would recommend what others have said and travel around Thailand...it's cheap and easy..and then take 1-2 week jaunts to Cambodia, and Vietnam....Air Asia is inexpensive and it gives you a good view on how each country differs....enjoy....your addiction to SEA and Thailand is about to begin.

Post: #14

Addiction is a good word to use, Tully. I don't think I'm ever going to leave this corner of the world.

Post: #15

7K in SEA, it can be done but the most important question is whether you want to have a good time or an awesome one. If you stay at decent/cheap place around Ekamai or On Nut, don't go to crazy going out every night, you could do it, but it wouldn't be as fun because what makes BKK so fun is the tremendous options 7 nights/week and for that, you'd need more than 2.3k. If you can make it to 3-3.5k/month, you would be having a ball.

Now, if you want to live as a king, then head to the Philippines. Avoid Manila like the plague as it's nothing but a huge shit hole and instead head to Cebu. Have a ball there, find yourself, 1, 2 or even 3 hot girls and take them with you to a heavenly beach nearby in Bohol and you'd think you've died and gone to heaven. For your budget, I'd recommend skipping Japan, Singapore, HK as these are expensive places, specially Japan. while you could do Japan on the cheap, it wouldn't be as fun. Trust me, you want to be be able to do what you want otherwise, you'd feel like crap knowing that there are awesome things to do, amazing places to see but you can't afford them. The worst feeling is to be on holiday and with a limited budget. So save those places for when you'll have a bigger budget and instead go to Thailand or Philippines and have a blast. But be warned, you'll be hooked for life. Prior to my first mini retirement there last year, I had absolutely zero interest in Asia and Asian girls, now, I'm totally hooked and have the yellow fever big time...

Oh and I agree with YMG that 7K can be a lot just as it can be nothing. When I was in Tokyo, I spent about 5k in just a week and I thought I was on a budget...LOL

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(01-13-2012 03:25 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  This is the rough itinerary I'd follow:

BKK .... Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao or Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi (I'd pick 1st option).... Chaing Mai.... Pai... back to Chaing Mai... Laos (Luang Prabang, Vang Vien)... Cambodia (Siem Reap)... Koh Chang (Thailand).... back to BKK...

Fly from BKK to Bali on Air Asia... spend last 3/4 weeks traveling around Bali & Lombok islands...

Something like the above would be the best and economical route. I would recommend:

South Thailand beaches to
BKK to
Siem Reap through cambodia to
Saigon north through Vietnam to
Hanoi West to laos
move south back into Thailand
Chiang mai Pai circle
Fly out BKK
$7k should be plenty for someone who is a little bit stingy.

Might as well drop this info here:

For overland crossing from thailand into cambodia:

Save some money and take the public bus from Ekamai BTS stop to Aranyaprathet. it will be just as fast as through a tour company, less crowded and much cheaper.
Walk across the border to poipet(World Class shithole). This can be very confusing. Be vigilant about not getting scammed. I found a guy that could walk back and forth and he guided us through for a few bucks. Have some dollars (Clean & Crisp) for this border crossing. Now that the road to Siem Reap has been modernized, I would recommend taking a private car if there are a few of you. Its a pleasant ride and should run you about $50. For three people its worth it.
Bear in mind if you do a land crossing back into thailand, I believe your visa will be good for only 14 days, but the rules are always changing.

Post: #18

I am living in Singapore. There's no way you can survive on 7Gs in 3 months unless you want to cook everyday and live far away from the clubbing scene. I don't think you'd want to do that, wouldn't you?

A studio apartment near the clubbing scene costs SGD 5000 per month, and they have minimum contract of at least 6 months. On top of that you need to pay 1 month deposit in advance.

Three months is very short, and the landlords here won't give you good rates unless you are willing to stay for at least 6 months.

If you want decent accommodation for short term, the best place I can recommend is either Hotel 81 or Fragrance Hotel. Both are at Geylang Road which is quite near to the clubbing scene (only 7 dollars worth of taxi fare to the city). That will set you back about SGD 2000 per month.

Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, you can definitely survive on 7G for 3 months. Malaysia will be tougher because 7G is just about enough for 3 months, so I wouldn't do it if I were you.

As for Indonesia, it depends. If you have local friends there, then you can survive on 7Gs for 3 months because they know places where you don't have to pay premium price. If you don't have friends there, you will get screwed by the locals. They like to take advantage of you because they always think white people are rich. Well, of course, they only make like 200 dollars a month. What do you expect?

(01-13-2012 11:00 AM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  Ticket out there and back aren't included in my math.
~7G's for my time out there

Bangkok is stop #1. Prolly hit the beaches as well. Would like to do the Muay Thai training camp for a month as well.

Where would you go after BKK?

I'm considering the following
- Laos
- Cambodia
- Vietnam
- Indonesia - Bali or Ubud
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Philippines

I just don't know if this is too ambitious for the time frame or the cash on hand.

And if funds permit
- Macau
- Hong Kong
- Shenzen/Guangzho - looking for a factory
- Shanghai
- Seoul
- Osaka - been here already, expensive
- Tokyo - been here, also expensive

Vets, lemme know. I'm not particularly looking for easy chicks, but that's a cool side benefit.

Standard disclaimer, look like one of the Marley boys. Don't speak any asian languages yet. Although if I could learn to read and write Korean/Japanese in 3 months, I'd be on that like white on rice.

Thx,
WIA

Post: #19

OP: I'm currently on a similar trip. The more information you give us, the better our advice will be.

Do you have any goals for the trip? Whats kinds of stuff do you like to do (beaches, museums, jungle, nightlife, etc)? Are you trying to see as much as possible? Or spend some time in fewer places to get to know the culture and get some short-term girlfriends? Prefer one-night stands or develop more of a connection? Are you into P4P? Against it? What about shoring? What time of year are you going?

Post: #20

I have been in the Philippines since Dec 10 and have spent 4k basically 2k a month.. but i'm partying and eating without caring about menu prices..will be going to thailand for 1 month of muay thai to get myself back to normal and then i will be back in the land of happiness the philippines.

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