I'll be traveling to Asia in March or May (vacation) on a NH 1st award ticket. More than likely I'll fly into SIN because BKK and KUL require overnights in Japan. I'll probably be traveling by myself.

Question 1: Will arranging travel for other Asian destinations (including airline tix., hotel, etc.) in SIN or BKK cost less? I'm not a coach flyer, and never will be, and I usually stay at better hotels. I'm willing to hold off on final plans until I get to SIN or BKK if I can save substantial $'s. E.g., in November a friend found a $180/night rate at the Oriental in BKK; now all I'm seeing there is $280/night. Can I do better with a local agent?

Question 2: If substantial savings can be had by booking in SIN or BKK, does anyone have any recommendations for reputable agents who can get decent rates in either BKK or SIN?

Question 3: Does anyone have any experience with Chiva-Som in Thailand? I'm considering it over Langkawi or another tropical destination.

Question 4: Does anyone have any experience with the Road to Mandalay boat trip from Orient Express? Is it recommended? Does it suck? It looks like they have a large number of solo pax., because they have a large # of single cabins. Does anyone have any experience/ recommendations for travel to/in Burma in general? Are there specialty agents in SIN/BKK that can arrange interesting travel there (say, 5 days or so) that anyone can recommend?

Question 5: If it's Burma vs. Cambodia or Burma vs. Vietnam, what would anyone with experience recommend?

Thank you for any advice!!

Will

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TravelinWilly:
Question 1: Will arranging travel for other Asian destinations (including airline tix., hotel, etc.) in SIN or BKK cost less?</font>
BKK will be the cheapest. Airfares ex-BKK (did I use this phrase correctly?) are the cheapest in the world. May people use BKK as their "home base" when touring the SE Asian region.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I'm not a coach flyer, and never will be, and I usually stay at better hotels.</font>
Well, I'm headed towards not being a coach flyer; but definitely not an international first class traveler. I'd like to say that I stay at "better" hotels. But, I really brag that this is all achieved through hours of net-surfing for hotel/business class consolidators (including FT) and careful use of mileage. Domestic tickets still get booked in coach, relying on the magic of elite status for the upgrade.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I'm willing to hold off on final plans until I get to SIN or BKK if I can save substantial $'s. E.g., in November a friend found a $180/night rate at the Oriental in BKK; now all I'm seeing there is $280/night. Can I do better with a local agent?</font>
Yes. But, why not just buy a few phonecards and call Thailand yourself? I've used www.thaitel.com (http://www.thaitel.com) for a few years.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Question 2: If substantial savings can be had by booking in SIN or BKK, does anyone have any recommendations for reputable agents who can get decent rates in either BKK or SIN?</font>
www.asiatravel.com (http://www.asiatravel.com)
www.chawlatravel.com (http://www.chawlatravel.com)
If you're one for tour packages, check the local website of the airline that any Thai travel agency books you on; sometimes, the travel agency gives you the same package as shown on the airline websites.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Question 3: Does anyone have any experience with Chiva-Som in Thailand? I'm considering it over Langkawi or another tropical destination.</font>
I can recommend Phuket. Someday, I would like to go to Ko Samui ("Island Samui", as mentioned in Meet the Parents.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Question 5: If it's Burma vs. Cambodia or Burma vs. Vietnam, what would anyone with experience recommend?</font>
Travel to Burma at your own risk.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Thank you for any advice!!</font>
You're welcome.

- Pat

[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 01-30-2002).]

I would use a local agent. I have used a few in Singapore an easy one to access is Misa Travel at www.airfare.com.sg (http://www.airfare.com.sg)

Also go to the Singapore Yahoo and you will find many agents with websites.

For rooms in SIN and BKK I have used Planetholiday.com with great success.

Get some UA Hotel certs thru the Coupon Connection. Book the Siam Inter-Continental in BKK via their 800 number. Get a suite for US$125.

Or splurge a bit more on the Peninsula BKK. Not as convenient but among the world's finest.

Will,

In BKK there are reputable agents that won't work that good a deal, and less reputable ones who will. Which do you prefer? (Remember the old 'Good-Cheap-Fast' axiom? You can have any two, but not three).

You might want to consider spending a night or two in the slightly more touristy area of town, where there are a huge number of travel agents, brokers, discounters, and the like. For example, Sukhumvit from the Sheriton Grande to the JW Marriot (about 3-4 blocks) has perhaps the largest number of competing agents in town (outside of Khao San road, which I would only recommend to a backpacker). There a number of very nice and quite reasonable hotels in this area. I can provide a few recs if you are interested.

In regard to Burma, etc.,... been there, done that. Burma is fine and quite safe. Even when a few radicals sort of took hostages over at the Burmese embassy just off Sathorn (where you will most likely get your visa) a couple of years ago, it really was not all that big a deal. There is not all that much to do in Rangoon... perhaps one day's worth of sightseeing, but you can hire a car and guide, and set out for upcountry, and have some wonderful adventures.

Since I prefer more challenging destinations, if I had only one opportunity to come to SE Asia, and could only visit one country outside of Thailand, I would probably pick Burma over Cambodia or Vietnam. The latter two are becoming quite touristy. However, if Laos was on the list, that would be my top choice, given that it is so peaceful, unspoiled, friendly and stable. It is a wonderful place to just relax.

This is what you could do -- Check out SQ's stop-over holiday. As others have mentioned, BKK offers better discounts. There are also many T/As in US that specialize in SEAsia that could give you fairely decent packages. It is best to find one locally -- i.e in DC.

The reason for it is face-to-face Q&A http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

Definitely book in Bangkok.

I've had good luck with,

Charlie Connection Travel & Tour Ltd.
Tel: +66 2 629 4260-2
Fax: +66 2 629 4261
E-Mail: info@travelconnecxion.com
49 Tanao Road Pranakorn
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
www.travelconnecxion.com (http://www.travelconnecxion.com)
Mobile Phone:
Mr. Prasert Chanalert (Charlie) : 66 1 6848614 or 66 1 3390713

I've purchased a few first class rtw tickets and booked a very good rate at the Sheraton Grande Sukhimvit. His service and English language skills are excellent and he replies promptly to email. I wouldn't hesitate to ask him for general travel advice in Thailand.

Just to be sure, I'd always double check against other sources. Another agent I've found who is also pretty good is Naga Travel, speak to Sanit siam@inet.co.th