Vietnam/Cambodia/Bali

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

Anybody have experience doing this trip and some can’t miss recs?  I’m going to do a 3-4 week trip in June/July and right now this looks the most appealing.  The main downside looks to be the heat and risk of.monsoon season but our dates aren’t that flexible.  Thinking about spending more time in the southern part of Vietnam because of the weather.

[AUS-97HORN 12001]

[RayDog 682]

5 hours ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

Anybody have experience doing this trip and some can’t miss recs?  I’m going to do a 3-4 week trip in June/July and right now this looks the most appealing.  The main downside looks to be the heat and risk of.monsoon season but our dates aren’t that flexible.  Thinking about spending more time in the southern part of Vietnam because of the weather.

I was going to do this after the Philippines, but I never left the Philippines.

[Bone3421 716]

If you stay in just the southern part of vietnam you will be missing the craziness that is hanoi...plus halong bay

I cant give you any places by name but just eat everything that looks good in vietnam and you wont go wrong

Most of the meals i enjoyed best were the ones on the street in the little plastic chairs....had some bun cha on street and it blew away the place that is famous for bourdain/obama eating there 

[midtown 3353]

You could spend weeks in Vietnam alone.  Agreed with above Ha Noi is my favorite city.   I am going back for a second visit and will be doing more of what you are planning and adding Bali but I've already seen some of the central and northern part of Vietnam. 

[RiceOwl 74]

I liked Da Nang the best in Vietnam.

Easy side trips to Hoi An and Hue for a couple days each. 

There are cheap local hotels, slightly more expensive hotels that mostly cater to Chinese and Korean tourists, and then nice hotels right on the beach (we stayed at the Hyatt Regency). 

That said, Ha Noi is a cool city... Lots of good government propaganda to observe and some cool lakes right in the middle of things. Good side trips to Ha Long Bay and/or Tam Coc. 

Saigon is cool too. Probably the most prosperous area of Vietnam. That said, summertime is supposedly brutal there. I was there in January and it was upper 80’s then..

[Bone3421 716]

Yeah weather wont be the best in summer...i went in december and it was 85 to 90 in Saigon and 75 to 65 in hanoi

[6th Street 6659]

I visited Angkor Wat in Feb a few years ago and thought it was humid AF. I can't imagine what it's like in June/July. 

[Bateshorn 9989]

Hoi An is cool, but it's touristy as fuck, and a bit schlocky. I would do it as a day trip or 1 night max.

 

[TornACL 7792]

4 hours ago, Bateshorn said:

Hoi An is cool, but it's touristy as fuck, and a bit schlocky. I would do it as a day trip or 1 night max.

 

Agreed. In retrospect I had way too much time allotted to Hoi An. If you love crowded tiny streets full of nothing but shopping opportunities (or if your wife does) you'll love Hoi An.

If you do end up in Hoi An, I get the sense that every single one of the "nice" restaurants there are bullshit. The best food is in the little open market areas. The food in the markets is also about 10x cheaper, so you could try every single one of them for the same price as one sit down meal in those nice places.

Like someone said above, the best meals involve tiny plastic stools. Of the best meals I had during my trip to Vietnam, none of them cost more than $2. Com Hen in Hue for 25 cents for breakfast, might have been the most satisfying meal I ate during the trip. So good. Cured my hangover immediately.  

[Bateshorn 9989]

16 minutes ago, TornACL said:

Agreed. In retrospect I had way too much time allotted to Hoi An. If you love crowded tiny streets full of nothing but shopping opportunities (or if your wife does) you'll love Hoi An.

If you do end up in Hoi An, I get the sense that every single one of the "nice" restaurants there are bullshit. The best food is in the little open market areas. The food in the markets is also about 10x cheaper, so you could try every single one of them for the same price as one sit down meal in those nice places.

Like someone said above, the best meals involve tiny plastic stools. Of the best meals I had during my trip to Vietnam, none of them cost more than $2. Com Hen in Hue for 25 cents for breakfast, might have been the most satisfying meal I ate during the trip. So good. Cured my hangover immediately.  

Yeah.  The best banh mi we had was in Hanoi by the cathedral. from a cart made by a teen who couldn't have been a day over 15 while her grand parents were washing dishes in buckets behind in the alley.  I think we paid 2 dollars for both sandwiches.

[midtown 3353]

5 hours ago, Bateshorn said:

Hoi An is cool, but it's touristy as fuck, and a bit schlocky. I would do it as a day trip or 1 night max.

 

I'd say two nights.   

1. If you want clothes made, and you should you need a day or two.

2.  Depending on where you are in your trip it could be a good place to relax.   Beach, hotel pool, or just sit at one of those tables by the river and drink $1 beer and just people watch. 

[TornACL 7792]

20 minutes ago, midtown said:

I'd say two nights.   

1. If you want clothes made, and you should you need a day or two.

2.  Depending on where you are in your trip it could be a good place to relax.   Beach, hotel pool, or just sit at one of those tables by the river and drink $1 beer and just people watch. 

I was there over New Years. New Years Eve, even in the afternoon, it was a shitshow in the old town area. It was just too much. Next day I went to the other side of the river and went down to one end, and found a quiet place with right along the water a perfect patio seat. I think it was ~15 cents a beer for unnamed draft beer. A lot of places had signs advertising ridiculously cheap beer (even more than normal). I guess it was all the leftovers from the night before.

At one point I decided I needed some cigarettes. I ask the waiter if there is a store that sells cigarettes nearby. He says no but he gets his friend to jump on his moped and go buy me some. At the low low cost of what equates to 50 cents. Sounds good. Dude comes back with two packs, one for me...one for him. So he charged me double and bought himself a pack with the extra 25 cents, but whatever.

[BabaYaga 15554]

Was there about six years ago.  Stayed at the Caravelle Hotel in Saigon.  Really, really nice place.  Scooters.  So many scooters.  Everywhere.  4 and 5 at a time on them.  Entire families.  And there are no real traffic control processes.  You want to cross the street....you just go.  And they zip around you.  Just maintain a constant pace and they adjust.  Unsettling. 

Currency exchange for the Dong is roughly 22,800:1 USD.  Makes purchases a little unsettling when you buy a Tiger beer for 50K "Dong" or a decent meal for a million +

*the jokes do write themselves. 

Cuisine was fantastic.  Beyond the obvious French influence I also had great Italian (Ciao Bella).  One trip I'd recommend is going to the Cu Chi tunnels.  Such a famous place.  The B52 craters are worth seeing!  As is the Embassy.  Also went to Khu Ban Sung (National Defense Sports Shooting Range @ Cu Chi).  For roughly $1 a round, you can fire a full auto M-60 (bolted down with almost no traverse left or right), but still.  Emptied every dollar I had.  Quite a fun time.  Saw a guy do a shot of a still beating cobra heart.  Ate some deep fried cobra skin. 

*the heat.  While at the tunnels, in the think jungle, lady from London passed out.  Just dropped.  No warning.  Like a sniper in the bell tower.  Most of us from the South can handle, but still.  It's nothing to take lightly.

Edited April 30, 2018 by BabaYaga

[Bateshorn 9989]

Also:  Taking a tuk tuk ride in Phenom Penh is fucking insane.  We went through a 6 way intersection with no lights, everyone just navigates it.  At speed.  I thought the food in Vietnam was better than Cambodia, but Cambodians are hands down some of the nicest people I've ever met. 

If you're a beer guy and you've never been to Asia:  All the beer is water-y and cheap as fuck.  Just get right with it and you'll be fine.  Some are a bit better than others, but in general, they're all meant to be drunk quick with noodles on a boiling hot day.  Don't overthink it.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Bateshorn

[midtown 3353]

15 minutes ago, TornACL said:

Next day I went to the other side of the river and went down to one end, and found a quiet place with right along the water a perfect patio seat. I think it was ~15 cents a beer for unnamed draft beer. A lot of places had signs advertising ridiculously cheap beer (even more than normal). I guess it was all the leftovers from the night before.

I stayed all the way down at the end along the canal where it opens into the river and it was quiet.  My hotel had a nice little pool where I could get respite from the day time heat and a patio where I could drink and watch random people and livestock wander down the road.   The only tourists at this end were staying in the hotel. 

[Bone3421 716]

Acl...believe the cheap draft beer is called bia hoi and is regularly sold for like 5k dong

Drank quite a few in hanoi from ladies just setting up on street...they would make you get up off of stool if police came by so probably not legal for them

Saigon beer in green bottle i liked just fine and tiger beer was another popular one

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

Bali is cool & I'm glad I went, but it's not on any of my top 10 destination lists.

[midtown 3353]

Bia Sai Gon, Bia Ha Noi, Huda, Larue, 333.  That's just what I can remember. 

[TornACL 7792]

10 minutes ago, midtown said:

Bia Sai Gon, Bia Ha Noi, Huda, Larue, 333.  That's just what I can remember. 

I slammed Ha Noi and 333 watching Texas kick Missouri's ass on my tablet at 900 in the morning. Good times.

[midtown 3353]

Food, beer, and coffee.  That's what Vietnam does.

[RiceOwl 74]

We went to Hoi An for two nights...

Got there in the afternoon day one.. Went right to get our clothing measurements. Walked around old town, enjoyed the scene by the river...

Day two: Went to My Son ruins in the AM (kind of a poor man's Angkor Wat), was back by 2 PM. Went and tried on our new clothes and got adjustments made.. Went and rode bikes around the rice paddies. Back at 7 to pickup our clothes.

We then stayed over night and took an early morning flight up to Hanoi from DAD. Only about a 30 minute drive in the AM with no traffic.

Pro tip on Hoi An: There's a North Face factory nearby with that either has tons of leakage or employees ripping the stuff off and creating fakes. Either way, I bought a backpack and huge duffle there and they've now survived multiple trips... All for a total of about 30 USD.

[Bone3421 716]

Thats one thing i read before i went...tons of good quality knock offs

Got my "northface" hiking shoes for about 15$ and used them at big bend and some local walks with no problems

[6th Street 6659]

Still rocking my "North Face" backpack I bought in Bangkok 4 years ago. 

[travelingtexan 198]

Mate, just did 6 weeks on a motorcycle through Vietnam, spent about two weeks in Cambodia, and was in Bali (Gili T islands) for about three weeks as well. Would love to give you all my info just shoot me a private message.

[midtown 3353]

4 minutes ago, travelingtexan said:

Mate, just did 6 weeks on a motorcycle through Vietnam, spent about two weeks in Cambodia, and was in Bali (Gili T islands) for about three weeks as well. Would love to give you all my info just shoot me a private message.

Put it here for future travelers. 

[travelingtexan 198]

11 minutes ago, midtown said:

Put it here for future travelers. 

Alright then:

The two ways it works is you either land in Ho Chi (South) or Hanoi (North). I landed South from Sri Lanka and spent time in Hanoi (famous for its sky terraces, pub street, Vietnam Museum which is quite intense, and not much more than that. It is a busy city that lacks a distinct feel but that is strictly as a tourist. I went and drank snake wine and all that jazz but I used Hanoi as a jumping off point.

In the South you have:
Mekong Delta and river markets - pretty amazing I have an unbelievable picture on my instagram (preston__travels) that I can try to figure out how to upload but probably wont ever

Mu Ne - Beach town

Phu Quoc - Amazing island off the southern coast you can get too with a ferry, great beaches and tons of resorts hotels etc (VIETNAM IS NOT KNOWN FOR ITS BEACHES)

Central Vietnam:

Da Lat - heading north from Ho Chi you can drive, ride or take overnight bus (which come with sleeping beds and are a total experience in themselves, I have been shoved off at 3am because the maniac got us there 3 hours early and left us in a dark bus station in the mountains in the winter) AMAZING town that isnt too touristy at all...in the central highlands so it has beautiful mountains and there are all sorts of outdoor activities to do. Another great thing about Da Lat are the homestays where you can pay to stay with a local family and its well worth it. Da Lat Adventure tours was great and I have pictures on my instagram as well.

Ha Noi: Has been discussed, everything from the central food market to cheap goods and tailoring to decent beaches, rent a scooter and enjoy this quaint town HOWEVER IT IS EVERY TOURISTY

Da Nang: Just up the road 20-30 minutes from Ha Noi, the russian capital of Vietnam and landing place of american troops in Vietnam, has some of the best beaches in Vietnam and is more of a resort destination, tons of exclusive all inclisuive type deals, high rises, very modern. Cool bridges that go across the major rivers.

(High van Pass is inbetween these two locations and is a cool mountain pass you can google)

Hue: Imperial capital city and still has a giant fortress surrounding it. Not the best place but worth a stop or two.

National parks etc: As you head north you will come to some national parks that are worth the visit, cant remember the name

NORTH VIETNAMMMMMM

HANOI: preferable to Ho Chi imo, city is more fun and has that quintessential chaotic SE Asian vibe. People everyhwere as scooters and cars whiz by, some with an entire family of 5 and some with two ladders that appear as if the scooter is more of a jouster than a citizen going to work. The city feels older too as it has the old french quarter which is essentially the tourist area and has all the bars. Egg coffee is a must as is beer hoi, but dont waste too much time drinking it as it is about 2% beer but roughly .25-50 cents. I prefer more bang for buck. Tons of day tours to do but I found Hanoi to be more of a party city and boy did I have fun.

Ha Long Bay: The tourist necessity, Ha Long Bay is beautiful and if you have seen the most recent King Kong flick it was all filmed in Ha Long Bay. I prefer to do things the least touristy was as possible and instead of doing a tour, I chose to go down to Cat Ba Island (the main island in Ha Long Bay where you can actually stay), drove down, take a ferry, boom, on a very remote and undeveloped island (that is changing because of the tourists). It has one bar that faces a shitty port and plays karokee and its great. This was romantically my favorite place as I met a beautiful Dutch girl and she and I stayed together on some remote beach in the most basic hut ever, but man it was great but thats a different topic. You can go down to tthe port or arrange a tour with just about anyone, and its worth it. I did one that had kayaking and swimming which I believe is pretty common.

SAPA: PERHAPS MY FAVORITE PLACE IN VIETNAM. Ok so Sapa itself sucks, its a town that has turned into Disney world, I and many others use sapa as the capital of a region that is along the Chinese border comprised of mountains, valleys and most famously the rice paddies. I took a 45 minute drive from Sapa to stay with a family that lived in a community u in the mountains with no motor vehicles. They walked 25-30 Km a day to get work done and these are real old school people. I slept in the same room as their children and they cooked me food everyday. They would take me trekking up into the mountains everyday and was really a unique experience.

https://www.instagram.com/preston__travels/

direct link to my instagram page

[TornACL 7792]

If anybody needs a rec for a driver through the Hai Van Pass I have a guy. It turned out to be a 4 hour trip or so going from Hue to Da Nang/Hoi An. Makes a number of stops along the way for photos, etc. I talked him into skipping the tourist trap lunch place and told him I would buy his lunch if he picked a place he would want to eat. We ended up in a bad ass place in Da Nang for fish cake noodle soup. Lunch was ~$1 each.

[travelingtexan 198]

Bali

written as a stream of consciousness

As someone already mentioned I am glad I went to Bali but for me it is an alright destination. It is the equivalent to the Mexico for Aussies. It is cheaper for them to fly to Bali that it is for them to travel within their own country. A beer is a dollar or two in Bali compared to 10 in Oz. You get a lot of the "bogan" Aussies who are there to just get completely fucked up. The main spots are similar to the Cancun area where its just a lot of riff raff and people there to get smoked for cheap. The beaches of Bali (especially the western part of the island) are very meh, especially using the earlier comparison to Mexico. The jetstream carries a lot of pollution, trash, and whatever else it can wash up from Jakarta and the western islands to Bali. The best places are either very remote resorts on isolated beaches perfect for a honeymoon or expensive getaway. The Gili Islands are where everyone heads to that is looking for the relaxation of hanging on beautiful beaches.

Depensar:is the main city and has the only airport on the island is is pretty pointless staying here. Most people stay in the western suburbs along the coast which are Kuta, Seminyak, and Canggu

Kuta: In your face, typical Asian suburb where everything for sale is a knockoff and people are on their game to sell you anything and everything. Worth a visit but I would not stay here unless your idea of visiting a foreign place is staying at the hard rock hotel and thinking you're experiencing local culture. Good shopping area and spot to get western food if it has been awhile. Has meh beaches, but then again a lot of the main areas of Bali have terrible beaches. Lots of clubs and partying going on.

Seminyak: Similar to Kuta, a suburb to the north, this is not quite the shopping destination or party destination, but still extremely touristy. There are some nice places to stay but again, beaches are meh and its touristy.

Canggu, the newest suburb to the north of Seminyak, Canggu is my personal favorite. Rather than the riff raff of touristy shops and crowded city streets, Canggu is the newest beachfront suburb that is much more relaxed. Beach is still meh, but tons of cheap amazing villas are offered, tons of artsy and cute cafes and restaurants, independent artists and retailers, and just all around get food and relaxation. A bit more indy/trendy, less riff raff hard rock cafe crowd. This is where all the babes are, tons of health food, yoga, and gyms reside in this area as well as surfshops.

UBUD

Ubud: is the central city, at a higher elevation it is a more relaxed environment. Lots of outdoor activities. Opposite of the relax on the beach, this is more hikes and trekking, exploring, nature, animals like monkey preserves, etc.

Gili Islands

Gili T: This island is oriented towards the backpackers, nightlife, fun crowd. Tons of great hostels, pubcrawls, bars and beachfront bars, dont get me wrong it is great and there are tons of isolated options on the north side of the island. To walk around the island takes maybe an out, and to cross it 15 minutes, so while you may be on the north side at a cool hotel, you can be in the bar scene along the main strip within 10-15 minutes walking. There are no motor vehicles on the island. Horse drawn buggies which are not encouraged because of the way they treat the animals, I preferred bikes or walking. BEAUTIFUL beaches. You can plop down on a bean bag chair or sit down and get a seafood buffet on the beach.

Gili M: Smaller than Gili T, it is more of the couples, resort, quiet relaxation. No real town or main strip, 5 minute ferry ride from Gili T.

Gili Air: Even Smaller than M and more isolated than both, same thing, just quiet relaxation at private hotels.

 

OVERALL

Like I mentioned, I am happy I explored Bali and Gili T, but I also have the goal to go to every country in the world. 73 countries in, I have seen better islands and better beaches. The biggest pro is that it is cheap and you can party. I don't think I would recommend flying half way across the world just to see Bali, but if you are retired, have time, or are in the area, it is a good place to visit. Compared to many places in the area the culture in Indonesia is meh and the food is meh to alright. Beaches are meh, Gili has good ones, but it is inferior to lets say the Philippines.

[travelingtexan 198]

CAMBODIA

I personally loved Cambodia. It was cheap, tons to see and do, lots of exploring, lots of fun, hybrid of Thai food, temples, beaches, etc. Let the record show that I can see how this would be a place that would shock some. I am an adventurous traveler, I like home stays, I like culture, I like feeling out of my element. I once hitchhiked through the Sinai Peninsula and I have slept with Bedouins in the Sahara desert so keep that in mind when I say I love Cambodia. It is raw and real, probably more so than anywhere in SE Asia. BACKGROUND: For those who are not aware, in the 70s there was the dictator Pol Pot and he was a real asshole, he killed a couple million of his own people in an attempt to eliminate anyone with any sort of education to basically prevent any sort of uprising. He left the young and impressionable. As if the country wasnt already undeveloped at that point going to Cambodia today feels in many ways like stepping way back in time. Colonial buildings and dirt streets are still the main facade of many of the cities and towns with tons of unfinished buildings and undeveloped property. I think this gives Cambodia a unique culture, a fascinating history, a story that sets it apart from many other places.

Siem Reap: Must see. Main lodging city to get to Angkor Wat and the many amazing temples. Angkor Wat fun fact, largest religious building in the world and used to be the capital of an ancient city. They say in its hayday more than 1 million people lived there. Think about that for a minute. Its incredible that all of this is in Cambodia, a country that is often a forethough while people going to neighboring Thailand and Vietnam. The city is dirty with the dirt streets but it is fun and charming in its own way. The downtown has the big night market and pub street where you can eat for cheap, party if you want, have local Khmer (traditional name for Cambodian people) food. Cheap cheap cheap. Massages for $6, beer for .50 cents, street food and chaos.

Sihnaoukville: Pretty dirty city that isn't really worth visiting other than as a port to get to the beautiful islands off the coast. To the east of Sihnaoukville there is Otros Beach and Otros Beach 2.

Otros Beach 1 and 2: New and developing area with a various amount of lodging from hostels to Hotels. This is the nice beach in the area and is a better place to stay than Sihnaokville. It can be everything from a nice relaxing retreat to the beach, to a flat out wild party time. Lets just say there arent many rules in Cambodia and they have plenty of 24 hour parties themed in the jungle. I went to one that was called Kerfluffle and was set up as a post apocalyptic amusement park set with working rides etc.

Islands: Koh Rong and Koh Rong Saleom: Possibly the most "hidden" beauties in all of SE Asia, as cambodia is just becoming a place for tourists, it has been a spot for backpackers. These islands are undeveloped but ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Pure white amazing sand beaches with crystal clear waters. Dirt cheap. But when I say they are developing, Koh Rong is powered by two generators. I guess there are a couple different areas you can stay but 4K beach is the most beautiful, called 4k in reference to 4k definition. Stunning. Fun night life. Koh Rong Saleom is similar, except more underdeveloped and more relaxing juxtaposed to Koh Rong's nightlife and fun.

Kampot: Another fun city with enough to see and explore.

Phenom Penh: Capital, some museums, but typical chaotic capital, like a less developed Bangkok. Not a ton to do. Some Museums.

Battembong: Another popular spot near Siem Reap but I didn not check it out.

[travelingtexan 198]

@midtown see above comments for all three places. Dont judge the stream of consciousness writing, going off memory.

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

Your assessment of Bali is spot on.

[travelingtexan 198]

I am going back and rereading them, how the fuck do I edit posts, still getting use to the new site.

[52-80 19377]

Recs are comparative as I've repeated visits to these countries and cities.

Hue is the best city in VN.  Lots of historical stuff to see.  Little traffic and noise.  Very laid back.  Really enjoyed staying at Pilgrimage Village hotel.

Da Lat is good to escape the heat.  

In Ha Long Bay, Indochina Junk company is a good operator compared to any last-minute walk-ups.

Bali is always good fun, so long as you avoid Kuta.  Cheap.  Lively atmosphere.  You could even find Pork if you know where to look.  There are great beaches such as on Nusa Lembongan.

Besides Siem Riep Cambodia doesnt have much to offer and is also the worst of the 3 for food.

 

[Bone3421 716]

^^^ i dont want the little traffic and noise

Give me the crazy scooters and constant energy i love it...term i use when describing vietnam to friends is gloriously chaotic

[52-80 19377]

5 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

^^^ i dont want the little traffic and noise

Give me the crazy scooters and constant energy i love it...term i use when describing vietnam to friends is gloriously chaotic

Saigon, Hanoi, or any major cities in South and S.E. Asia then

[Fastbreak 4023]

I spent the past weekend+ in Bali and loved it. I needed the peace and relaxation after a crazy start of the year. I stayed strictly on the resort which was near Seminyak. We had a private pool villa and did a massage every day.

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

5 hours ago, Fastbreak said:

I spent the past weekend+ in Bali and loved it. I needed the peace and relaxation after a crazy start of the year. I stayed strictly on the resort which was near Seminyak. We had a private pool villa and did a massage every day.

Which could have been done at 3,000 places in the world.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Bali too. I just think their are plenty of nice beaches without flying half way around the world

[Bateshorn 9989]

1 hour ago, Cheeseweasel said:

Which could have been done at 3,000 places in the world.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Bali too. I just think their are plenty of nice beaches without flying half way around the world

This was my take.  It's a hella long flight to get a massage, catch a wave, and lay on a beach.  I didn't get a super unique cultural experience from it.  Why the Australians get such a boner for it when they literally have all the same stuff in their own country, I don't get.

I'm not sure what Bali offers that you can't get in say Costa Rica or Belize.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Bateshorn

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

2 minutes ago, Bateshorn said:

This was my take.  It's a hella long flight to get a massage, catch a wave, and lay on a beach.  I didn't get a super unique cultural experience from it.  Why the Australians get such a boner for it when they literally have all the same stuff in their own country, I don't get.

It's cheaper/exotic. That's the only reason. The beaches in Aus are 10X better than the beaches in Bali.

[Bateshorn 9989]

1 minute ago, Cheeseweasel said:

It's cheaper/exotic. That's the only reason. The beaches in Aus are 10X better than the beaches in Bali.

Yup.  The entire country of OZ is the most amazing beach you've ever seen, and you can get world class rain-forest in Queensland, and mountain hiking in the Blue Mountains.

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

And don't get me started on the Aus women vs. the Bali women...

[travelingtexan 198]

Aussies broads are the tits. They pick you up in the bar, made me feel like a piece of meet. Banged another one in an apartment fourier in Hvar, Croatia...

[travelingtexan 198]

On 5/2/2018 at 10:23 AM, Bateshorn said:

This was my take.  It's a hella long flight to get a massage, catch a wave, and lay on a beach.  I didn't get a super unique cultural experience from it.  Why the Australians get such a boner for it when they literally have all the same stuff in their own country, I don't get.

I'm not sure what Bali offers that you can't get in say Costa Rica or Belize.

Oz is crazy expensive man. Like breakfast is 24 bucks at a cafe expensive. A beer is 10 bucks. You can fly RT to Bali for 100 bucks and get loose for a long weekend for another 300/400 bucks. Cheap.

[midtown 3353]

On 5/1/2018 at 9:49 PM, Bone3421 said:

Give me the crazy scooters and constant energy i love it...term i use when describing vietnam to friends is gloriously chaotic

This is something that anyone who has been there instantly understands and in my case that motorbike noise starts playing in my head. 

[TornACL 7792]

I got into Saigon on my first day in Vietnam at about 2:00am. Relatively quiet drive from the airport to my hotel. I woke up early, walk outside to get ready to go grab a coffee and I was like "Holy shit!" when I saw the volume of bikes and the general craziness at a major roundabout.

I think I mentioned this on  the old site....my last day of vacation was actually a one day stop off in Hong Kong before flying home. It cracked me up how calm and organized Hong Kong -- one of the most densely populated places in the world -- seemed relative to basically anywhere I went in Vietnam.

It's also interesting how quickly you get used to it. Similarly, I watched a video I took on my phone from Thailand a few years ago. JFC that video almost gave me a heart attack, rolling around in a tuk tuk while cars and bikes and shit are just flying all around. But at the time I remember thinking how relaxing and cool it was. The human mind adapts pretty quickly, and it's part of the fun of travel.

[Bateshorn 9989]

9 hours ago, travelingtexan said:

Oz is crazy expensive man. Like breakfast is 24 bucks at a cafe expensive. A beer is 10 bucks. You can fly RT to Bali for 100 bucks and get loose for a long weekend for another 300/400 bucks. Cheap.

I mean, sure, if you want to eat in downtown Sidney everyday, it’s pricey. Alice Springs, Darwin, Cairns? Not so much, and you don’t have to brush your teeth with bottled water.

Edited May 4, 2018 by Bateshorn

[travelingtexan 198]

19 hours ago, Bateshorn said:

I mean, sure, if you want to eat in downtown Sidney everyday, it’s pricey. Alice Springs, Darwin, Cairns? Not so much, and you don’t have to brush your teeth with bottled water.

I did the whole east coast from Cairns down to Melbourne. 2 months. Its not like Cairns is cheap. Alice Springs, yea thats like recommending someone go to Omaha for vacation. Sure, Ayers rock or Ularu is near but whatever. Also, its funny, meeting so many aussies, I had no idea how liberal they were until I actually went. The entire country is like the state of California with the liberal parts feeling like Sweden.

[Bateshorn 9989]

On 5/4/2018 at 6:42 PM, travelingtexan said:

I did the whole east coast from Cairns down to Melbourne. 2 months. Its not like Cairns is cheap. Alice Springs, yea thats like recommending someone go to Omaha for vacation. Sure, Ayers rock or Ularu is near but whatever. Also, its funny, meeting so many aussies, I had no idea how liberal they were until I actually went. The entire country is like the state of California with the liberal parts feeling like Sweden.

 

It’s pretty normal for a developed nation. 

In most westernized nations, the Liberal (I.e. “Conservative”) party is about where the Democrats are in America.  Labor is usually left of Bernie Sanders. 

Americans tend to think that Australians have the same political views, because they are a far away ex English colony.  They don’t, except on Race, to some degree.

 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Bateshorn

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6 hours ago, Bateshorn said:

Americans tend to think that Australians have the same political views, because they are a far away ex English colony.  They don’t, except on Race, to some degree.

 

Race relations are simpler for them because they've only got 3: good cunts, bad cunts, and bogans