Vietnam/Cambodia/Bali

[DallasGatr 216]

I probably should have clarified, but it’s the First Class Sakura JAL Lounge that I frequent. That said, I’ve been over to the peoples side of the lounge and I believe the food and drink menu was the same. Regardless, it’s a made to order menu delivered to your table. And the curry is outstanding! (Just insure you hit the boys room before the flight else you will destroy the airplane lav!)

[midtown 3344]

Back in Texas after two weeks wandering around SE Asia.   What a fantastic trip with a few hick ups.  Will add more in the coming days.   Also.  What a difference a few weeks makes at Narita.  it was JAMMMED today.
And obviously things are dirt fucking cheap.  Even had a store owner in Bangkok say "you American rich right now"
Visas and immigration were easy as can be.  Not a single customs check in any single country.   Just waved us on in to spend.   Everywhere took dollars in a bind except Thailand.  ATMS were plentiful everywhere but it was trial and error on which ones worked with our cards and which ones didn't.
As always everyone was so freaking nice.   Staff in the hotels bent over backwards.   The only place where I felt it was slightly off was Laos due to how we mistreated that wonderful country during the war.

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by midtown

[midtown 3344]

Ha Noi.  Always a great city to visit.   Unfortunately due to weather they canceled all boats out on Ha Long Bay.  We were in the van about to leave the city and they called and cxld.  What a huge disappointment so we did Ninh Binh aka Ha Long on land.  We got some bikes and peddled around with our guide down a bunch of tiny little country roads.  That was awesome.   Ninh Binh was nice but clearly not Ha Long.  Open Jeep tour and street food tour.  Fun to just walk around and eat/drink.  Beer corner is 10x the size it was on my last visit 8 year ago.   The women of Viet Nam have discovered implants, skin care, and fashion.  8 years ago hardly a woman worth looking at.  Now beautiful women everywhere.

Edited October 26, 2022 by midtown

[midtown 3344]

Ninh Binh

[midtown 3344]

Vientiane, Laos.  The capital and center of business etc.  Dusty and dirty.  We did happen onto the annual boat race which was kind of cool but not a whole lot going on but temples and Wats out the ass.  Beers are a dollar and quiet tasty. Buddha Park was nice but its 30 mins out of town and you can tour it in 45 mins.   One night max here.   The restaurant in the Crowne was damn good.  Must be where are the dignitaries and business people stay. 

Edited October 28, 2022 by midtown

[midtown 3344]

Luang Prabang, Laos.  Lived up to the reputation.   Really quaint town.  Lots of cafes and restaurants.  The night market was kind of overwhelming and made it hard to get to the other part of the town where some good eats and drinks were.   Tour up the Mekong (not the actual name btw) to the Pak Ou caves.  Then a bus ride to the Kuang Si waterfalls.  Yes I went in and yes it was fucking cold. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by midtown

[midtown 3344]

Siem Reap.  I can not speak highly enough about this town.  In fact the neighborhood of Wat Bo was just named like 3rd best neighborhood in the world.  Not seeing that but its getting chic with little cafes, restaurants etc.   The amount of construction is unbelievable and we saw at least 4 super cars.  McLaren's, lambos etc.  There are 4-5 star hotels everywhere.  Its like South Beach.  Great town to just walk around.  Excellent food.  Beer larvae ftw.  They are really odd with the currency.  They love $$ but will only take nice clean bills. Anything beat up.  Negative.  ATMs will actually disperse $100s.  Pub street was a nightmare with constant hounding about drugs and women.  NTTIAWWT

I knew the minute I first stepped foot in Viet Nam that I would return and I did.  Siem Reap and Cambodia is 100% a return spot for me.  I could do another day of Temples, another day of chilling in one of the many great hotels and then head down to their beaches which are supposed to be pretty amazing as well.

Edited October 26, 2022 by midtown

[midtown 3344]

Angkor.  No words to explain the magnitude and beauty of this place.   Just magical for me.  I think we hit six temples total. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by midtown

[midtown 3344]

Bangkok.  I won't do much on this as so many people have been.   Highlight was a bike tour around the city and then riding a motorbike taxi through rush hour traffic and not dying.  Also dinner at Sra Bua.  Michelin star 18 course meal with wine pairings for $250 per man.

[Matuka 1305]

@midtown  Thanks Midtown, awesome pics.  I was eagerly awaiting them.  I leave for VN 1/4, got my Visa today!

[midtown 3344]

6 minutes ago, Matuka said:

@midtown  Thanks Midtown, awesome pics.  I was eagerly awaiting them.  I leave for VN 1/4, got my Visa today!

If you don't have a hotel yet in Ha Noi (assuming you are even going to Ha Noi) I would HIGHLY recommend the La Siesta Premium Hang Be.  We stayed our last night.  Fantastic

[Matuka 1305]

I am starting in Hà Nội, staying at an Airbnb between  Cấu Gỗ St & Hàng Bạc.

Staying at the historic Hotel Saigon Morin in Huế and at an Airbnb in District 1, Saigon.

[Matuka 1305]

@midtown

Flight gets in at 10:30 pm on a Thursday night.  Airbnb host is offer transportation from airport which I will gladly take the offer up as I'm guessing I very well might have a hard time trying find my lodging tucked away, with no advertising/signage around midnight.

You know of any late-night eating spots?

[midtown 3344]

You are almost on top of beer corner.  That stays open pretty late and usually lots of street food in and around.  In the past I think they shut it down around 10 or 11 but we were there around 11 and it was going strong.   It will probably take you about an hour from landing to be at your airbnb.  I'd double check with you host.  He/she probably knows better than me.  But definitely make it over to Pho 10.  Its about a 10 min walk from your place. 

Edited October 27, 2022 by midtown

[Chopper 17174]

On 10/26/2022 at 3:39 PM, Matuka said:

@midtown

Flight gets in at 10:30 pm on a Thursday night.  Airbnb host is offer transportation from airport which I will gladly take the offer up as I'm guessing I very well might have a hard time trying find my lodging tucked away, with no advertising/signage around midnight.

You know of any late-night eating spots?

Don't forget it'll take about an hour upon receiving your luggage, loading it in your driver's car, until you then arrive at your airbnb in Old Town Hanoi. Also the line to get through customs is a bit of a crapshoot if they don't have enough agents working. The long drive to/from the airport caught me off-guard at our initial arrival because I had a driver pre-arranged so I didn't even bother checking. I'd definitely bring some snack bars just in case of a long delay but as midtown says, there should be some food stalls open for the late night crowd even though most of Hanoi does shut down surprisingly early. You might also ask that question of your airbnb host.

I think it's a good idea to have your airbnb host arrange a vehicle...that way you have someone who can troubleshoot. Our driver, for example, was clear at the other end of the terminal from where I would have expected and it took me probably 20 minutes to figure out where he was, with our agent's assistance...and he was a a supposed professional driver. We even gave a lift to 2 US college girls on a round-the-world excursion who had arrived from Australia, I think, but whose ride from the airport had fucked off for some reason.

Our travel agent had arranged for some sort of VIP service through customs that cost practically nothing and which enabled skipping a long line. Of course the time we saved there was lost looking for the dumbshit driver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by Chopper

[Matuka 1305]

In Hanoi, very cool place.  Traffic is crazy, but I hear worst is yet to come when I get to Saigon.

[Matuka 1305]

[Matuka 1305]

Train from Hà Nội to Huề…

 

[midtown 3344]

Great pictures. Glad you are enjoying

Hue is a great town.

[Chopper 17174]

On 1/7/2023 at 2:42 PM, Matuka said:

In Hanoi, very cool place.  Traffic is crazy, but I hear worst is yet to come when I get to Saigon.

 

Definitely.

This was the my favorite restaurant in Saigon... at least the most memorable. Definitely recommend tracking it down if you can.

 

 

[Matuka 1305]

Thanks Chopper!  Will keep that in mind.

[Matuka 1305]

Huề 

 

[Matuka 1305]

Sài Gòn be crazy…and

 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Matuka
Had pic of Huề in post…

[midtown 3344]

Damn. I was just in Viet Nam in October and these pictures make me want to go back like now.

[Matuka 1305]

Saigon…shit.  I’m still only in Saigon.

Well, I figured this might happen.  Mixed emotions about today.  Went to the former presidential palace, scene of the iconic last chopper out of Vietnam in ‘75.

today…

 

Now it’s called the Reunification Palace.  Fascinating visit, lots of interesting history of the events leading fall of South Vietnam.

Then I went to the War Remnants Museum. Pretty sobering and graphic, war truly is Hell.  Felt a little awkward being an American even though I wasn’t old enough to be a part of the conflict.  So I get outside and a double amputee (arms) comes up to me and asks me where I’m from.  He probably was old enough to fight but certainly could have been a child during the war.  After I tell him I’m from the US he invites me to shake his nub.  I do and then the sales pitch.  He wants me to buy two books from him, I don’t want to.  I offer to give him some Đóng (money you sick fuckers) but he says he doesn’t want my donation, he wants me to buy the books.  So I give him $20 US (he wanted $40).  
 

I need a beer at this point so I go to a craft beer joint about a six minute walk away and sip on a pale ale.

Time to go back to my Airbnb.  So I book a Grab scooter (Grab is Vietnamese Uber).  Now unless you’ve been to SE Asia, it’s hard to appreciate how insane the traffic is.  Most people travel by scooters and conventional traffic laws here in the US don’t mean shit in Năm.  Red lights?  Stopping is only a suggestion.  Driving on the sidewalk?  Sure, why not!  When I got to Hanoi last week and rode on the back of a scooter for the first time, I was scared shitless at first.  Driver said “Wait till you get to HCMC!”  He was right…

I get on the scooter, holding the books I didn’t want to buy in one hand, and grabbing the back of the seat with the other hand.  The helmet is too effing small and I can’t fasten it properly.  After two minutes of starting and stopping abruptly in Saigon traffic, my driver t-bones another scooter and I go flying off.  How I stayed on my two feet, I’ll never know.  Wasn’t injured, just a mild boo boo on my right knee.  My driver learned some English curse words at that point.  The two drivers just sat on their scooters, staring at each other for about 10 seconds, nary a word said.  Then we continued on.

I didn’t leave a tip…

[midtown 3344]

 

Every time I go to SE Asia I end up with a story like that.  Not thrown off a motorbike but lots of "how the hell did I get here"

Yeah the Imperial Palace/reunification is pretty cool.  Esp down in the basement where all the stuff was just left and sits as is today.

Also agreed on the American war museum.   It's really graphic and as an American you do kind of feel out of sorts

Edited January 12, 2023 by midtown

[Matuka 1305]

10 hours ago, midtown said:

Yeah the Imperial Palace/reunification is pretty cool.  Esp down in the basement where all the stuff was just left and sits as is today.

Yep, the bunker was pretty cool

 

[Matuka 1305]

@Chopper

well you mother fucker…

 

[Matuka 1305]

Just kidding Chopper, I appreciate the recommendation.  Traffic in District 1 can be a beat down and my Airbnb is close to District 4, so I chose this place.  It was good!  I was the only westerner around but the peeps were cool.

 

 

[Chopper 17174]

5 hours ago, Matuka said:

Just kidding Chopper, I appreciate the recommendation.  Traffic in District 1 can be a beat down and my Airbnb is close to District 4, so I chose this place.  It was good!  I was the only westerner around but the peeps were cool.

Damn...I was going to look up the location because I couldn't remember much about it...just that it was slightly off the beaten path, and a minimal amount of tourists, if any. And i was thinking it was near a popular food market for locals, and maybe the district for wholesale cigarettes (?). I was hoping to live vicariously through your visit there. Traffic must be better than normal because of the lunar new year? 

[Matuka 1305]

I can’t give a comparison, first time here.  Sure hope, the traffic can’t get any worse

That was the first and only time I got chumped on anything related to Tết.  Hanoi seemed to be more crowded because of Tết because there was massive, and I mean massive amount of Tết merch for sale.  But that was a week ago and Tết is on the 22nd.

At airport now, first trip to Asia was mind blowing.  Memories of a lifetime.

But my mind has turned to enchiladas and a cheeseburger.

[midtown 3344]

Enjoy hearing the sound of motorbikes in your head for weeks

You going SGN NRT DFW or
SGN NRT IAH?

[Matuka 1305]

7 hours ago, midtown said:

Enjoy hearing the sound of motorbikes in your head for weeks

You going SGN NRT DFW or
SGN NRT IAH?

 

SGN NRT SFO DFW

sucks I have to go thru SFO because I wanted to buy some Suntory World Whiskey at NRT but I didn’t check luggage so it’s a no go for that.

Edited January 14, 2023 by Matuka
And I’m a little disappointed no decent sushi options open in Terminal 2

[DallasGatr 216]

SGN NRT SFO DFW
sucks I have to go thru SFO because I wanted to buy some Suntory World Whiskey at NRT but I didn’t check luggage so it’s a no go for that.

Funny, I bought 2 bottles of that stuff in NRT yesterday. Spent about 10 minutes getting my carry-on to close.

I don’t think you can get World Five in the states. And it’s expensive outside of Japan. (Like 75 dollars in SIN.) Its around 35 dollars at the NRT duty free. One of the true deals at a duty free. (Like Jameson Crested in Dublin.)

[midtown 3344]

You could have checked your bag from SFO to DFW.

[Matuka 1305]

6 hours ago, midtown said:

You could have checked your bag from SFO to DFW.

Yeah, I’m an idiot.  I should have bought a cheap duffle bag in Saigon and checked it in at SFO 

[JGrayDBU 338]

Never been to Asia, saw somewhere Thailand is very beautiful and similar to Philippines in price.  Which country has cleaner air and water?  Thinking a tourist place like beach city Pattaya Thailand, which has about 350,000 people, comparing to Cebu City Philippines, population about 1,000,000. 

Thinking of a 10 day vacation in January in a year or two. 

 

[52-80 19128]

20 hours ago, JGrayDBU said:

Never been to Asia, saw somewhere Thailand is very beautiful and similar to Philippines in price.  Which country has cleaner air and water?  Thinking a tourist place like beach city Pattaya Thailand, which has about 350,000 people, comparing to Cebu City Philippines, population about 1,000,000. 

Thinking of a 10 day vacation in January in a year or two. 

Thailand all day everyday. Lovely people, lots of destinations, very well developed for tourism, great food, and again lovely people. 

Philippines there are some good destinations and I know people who had a good time. But I’ve seen 2 extremes of it and they both suck: the capital Manila which is absolute dogshit, and a sleepy island in Coron/Palawan where I did some diving but it was zzZzzZz boring. 

[Matuka 1305]

On 11/15/2024 at 7:00 PM, JGrayDBU said:

Never been to Asia, saw somewhere Thailand is very beautiful and similar to Philippines in price.  Which country has cleaner air and water?  Thinking a tourist place like beach city Pattaya Thailand, which has about 350,000 people, comparing to Cebu City Philippines, population about 1,000,000. 

Thinking of a 10 day vacation in January in a year or two. 

 

Are you looking for whores?  Then Pattaya has you covered.  If you are looking for a beautiful beach vacation in Thailand, then go elsewhere.