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South & Southeast Asia Comments
Mount Abu is a very good place. Its nature is wonderful. I got a lot of experience of different things from this place.
I went to school in Mussoorie when I was in grade school, it's a great place to be at and the wheather is awesome, people are nice and friendly. Everyone speaks English so as long as you can speak English you'll have a great time. It's a place for people who want to go visit hill stations and be able to see the himalayas. It's great, words can explain.
Huế A word of warning: if you have to do a boat trip from Hue (we heard the motorbike tour is better) then make sure you pay no more than 20,000 VND RETURN for a motorbike taxi. We were told by the girl on the boat that this is the price each way, but this turned out to be false. Also, don't pay the motorbike taxi driver; you pay the cashier at the end of the journey.
Palawan is one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines. I've been to LOTS, and this is the one! There are so many different places to see on this island it's maddening. The Philippines is the NGO capital of the world, just to further build up Palawan's reputation, these NGOs do a good job on trying to keep nature intact, and help the locals with tourism. There are sooooo many cheap places to stay, as low as 200 pesos (4 US dollars) a night. For restaurants, eat at Ka'luis because they have the food, price, and ambiance down to a 't'. Then there's the Vietnamese vegetarian place (holy cheap & good), various chicken barbeque spots and of course, the restaurants that cater to foreigners. Come visit the Philippines, especially Palawan. You will not regret it!
For getting around air-con taxis are a far better option than the (initially fun) tuk tuks. Metered taxis deliver a much cheaper fare (tuk tuks will extract as much money as they think youre good for), and you avoid the thick exhaust fumes. However by night a tuk tuk will take you around Bangkok for an hour sightseeing and it's great (less traffic and smog by night). Pay no more than 150 baht (despite the fact they may ask for 500!).
When I visited Kota Belud, we were welcomed by the locals. The locals were so friendly, and yet they'd never met us before. I'd definitely recommend it to others -- experience a whole new culture and lifestyle. You'd never want to leave. It's a great place for shopping, from clothes to electronics, food, and the markets.
Hua Hin is a nice town and beach. It is a good place to stop over if you are going between Bangkok and the South or going back North. You can get between North and South Thailand avoiding Bangkok going through Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin.
Patna is a good place. I have been there for quite a long time, so my experience in patna is good.
Bontoc is a great travelers' destination -- amazing rice terraces and the Cordillera Mountains are nearby.
I love Goa. It is so beautiful and relaxing being there. Do carry a swimsuit -- it's impossible to get a decent one in Indian stores.
Iloilo City is a wonderful place. See and experience their Dinagyang festival, really wondrous and fun. Iloilo City is a nice place with so many beaches... when you go northern part try to visit the Marbuena beach, you will really appreciate the wonders God made.
We were in Kanchanaburi in May of '08. We had a wonderful time with the wonderful people. Have fun! We did.
Staying for a night in Kota Kinabalu made me feel like I'm in a place surrounded by odd people. They seem friendly at first, but after a while they become scary -- the way they stare, the way they move. It's like they want you drawn into their world and then cast spells on you that would make you stay there for the entirety of your life.
Manila gets a bum rap from a lot of travelers but I have found it to be a great place. Music bars and cafes are open 'till morning in the Malate/Ermita area.
It took us nineteen hours from Bangkok to get to Siem Reap because the so-called roads became rivers! We were taken in a minibus luckily (some group's minibus had broken down, so they had to go in the back of a pick-up truck). The next morning we decided to visit Angkor wat and the minibus driver and his friends took us on mopeds, he said it would be $20 to get in and $5 each for them. We had a great day but when we came to pay it turned out to be $25 for them each! Our friends that were staying at the hostel wanted to do the tour the next day but got taken round to completely the wrong place for $8 and when they wanted to get a tut tut to the temples, all of the guys who worked there and slept on the lobby floor started ripping into them and said they could cause a lot of trouble for them and scared the tut tut driver away. We left catching a bus to Phnom Pehn and paid $8 instead of $4! Basically be careful how much you get charged. A government official gets paid $20 a month and we
Angeles is the biggest go-go district in the Philippines. It is not a common destination for twenty-somethings.
I had the best time of my life in Chiang Khong! Don't miss it! Go to the Bamboo Riverside Guesthouse for AMAZING quesaldillas and then on to the Tee Pee Bar ("like a rat hole - you can't miss it.") For music and entertainment all night on guitar. Sing along and bring a guitar if you have one! Just watch out for the dogs on your way back to your hostel!
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