Itinerary guide help - Choosing between Luang Prabang or Penang
Mar 17, 2019, 8:06 am
#16
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Location: Dalat, Vietnam
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I just booked Luang Prabang myself yesterday (3rd visit) - Vietnam Airlines has a great 1/2 price sale this week! God will it ever be HOT & WET in August! (Visa run)
Mar 17, 2019, 9:09 am
#17
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Georgetown was very disappointing; seems like half the town was closed. I was just sorry I went to Penang instead of Malacca. Honestly, the only place in Malaysia that was really interesting for me was Kuching (on Borneo). I must say Georgetown has excellent public transportation, but overall just no comparison to Luang Prabang or Dalat (Vietnam).
What's Dalat like? I've been to most of Vietnam on the coast but not inland.
Mar 17, 2019, 9:14 am
#18
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When is the sale for? I just checked and its still the same price in May. I usually get a sale fare link sent to me every week now but didn't get one this week.
Mar 18, 2019, 7:25 am
#19
Join Date: Nov 2006
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How about fly to KL and take a train up to Penang?
Mar 18, 2019, 7:28 am
#20
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I wouldn't say it's a disaster, but it will be much busier. When the train opens, a different option for the OP would be to take the train down to Vientiane and fly out of there, but at this moment there are still no good flight options out of VTE to Langkawi.
Last edited by CrazyInteg; Mar 18, 2019 at 7:59 am
Mar 18, 2019, 2:08 pm
#21
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Speaking about (several) thousands of mainland Chinese tourists in groups shouting and spitting, with their guide delivering explanations through a loud speaker, I call that a disaster everywhere, but particularly in Luang Prabang. Go to Angkor in January/February/march and you’ll know what I mean.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:45 pm
#22
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I have not been at Luang Prabang yet. Let me add couple of points about topics mentioned above:
1. Avoid scoot. No, should be this way - avoid Scoot at all costs. If you decide to fly Scoot, makes sure that you are OK if you get to your destination 60h later. That's their latest record. In Singapore people even have an expression - 'friends won't let friends fly Scoot'.
2. Penang - been there twice, as well as in Langkawi. The primary and I'd say probably only reason I'd go there would be food, if one is fan of Peranakan/Cantonese/Malay (and other cousines) food. While Penang has some share of history and art (in forms of street art), that can be done in max two days and there rest in the whole island is not much interesting. Plus, serious traffic problems and occasional flood - last one couple of years ago was a serious problem. In terms of beaches - you'd better go somewhere else.
3. Da Lat - my favorite place in Vietnam. Way better/cooler climate than coastal places, excellent food, nature and things to do for a week, well, at least for several days.
1. Avoid scoot. No, should be this way - avoid Scoot at all costs. If you decide to fly Scoot, makes sure that you are OK if you get to your destination 60h later. That's their latest record. In Singapore people even have an expression - 'friends won't let friends fly Scoot'.
2. Penang - been there twice, as well as in Langkawi. The primary and I'd say probably only reason I'd go there would be food, if one is fan of Peranakan/Cantonese/Malay (and other cousines) food. While Penang has some share of history and art (in forms of street art), that can be done in max two days and there rest in the whole island is not much interesting. Plus, serious traffic problems and occasional flood - last one couple of years ago was a serious problem. In terms of beaches - you'd better go somewhere else.
3. Da Lat - my favorite place in Vietnam. Way better/cooler climate than coastal places, excellent food, nature and things to do for a week, well, at least for several days.
Last edited by invisible; Mar 19, 2019 at 6:34 am
Mar 19, 2019, 5:49 am
#23
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Another down vote on Penang. There are far more interesting places to go in the region.
Last year we used Lao Airlines to hop around the area: xxx-SIN-(layover in VTN)-LPQ-REP. All one way coach tickets under $100US.
Then we took Bangkok Airways REP-(layover in BKK)-USM. That was a little more expensive...like $150US in coach.
Last year we used Lao Airlines to hop around the area: xxx-SIN-(layover in VTN)-LPQ-REP. All one way coach tickets under $100US.
Then we took Bangkok Airways REP-(layover in BKK)-USM. That was a little more expensive...like $150US in coach.
Mar 19, 2019, 7:38 am
#24
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Yeah, the problem is that you're trying to fly out of a place that does not have much air service to go to another place that does not have much air service. Something has gotta give somewhere. Either you have a long layover, or you skip one of those places. You can fly from Luang Prabang to Hanoi.
How about fly to KL and take a train up to Penang?
How about fly to KL and take a train up to Penang?
I tried to fly through Hanoi but its still a long way around to Langkawi, I don't think I will go to Penang now.
Mar 19, 2019, 7:47 am
#25
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I have not been at Luang Prabang yet. Let me add couple of points about topics mentioned above:
1. Avoid scoot. No, should be this way - avoid Scoot at all costs. If you decide to fly Scoot, makes sure that you are OK if you get to your destination 60h later. That's their latest record. In Singapore people even have an expression - 'friends won't let friends fly Scoot'.
2. Penang - been there twice, as well as in Langkawi. The primary and I'd say probably only reason I'd go there would be food, if one is fan of Peranakan/Cantonese/Malay (and other cousines) food. While Penang has some share of history and art (in forms of street art), that can be done in max two days and there rest in the whole island is not much interesting. Plus, serious traffic problems and occasional flood - last one couple of years ago was a serious problem. In terms of beaches - you'd better go somewhere else.
3. Da Lat - my favorite place in Vietnam. Way better/cooler climate than coastal places, excellent food, nature and things to do for a week, well, at least for several days.
1. Avoid scoot. No, should be this way - avoid Scoot at all costs. If you decide to fly Scoot, makes sure that you are OK if you get to your destination 60h later. That's their latest record. In Singapore people even have an expression - 'friends won't let friends fly Scoot'.
2. Penang - been there twice, as well as in Langkawi. The primary and I'd say probably only reason I'd go there would be food, if one is fan of Peranakan/Cantonese/Malay (and other cousines) food. While Penang has some share of history and art (in forms of street art), that can be done in max two days and there rest in the whole island is not much interesting. Plus, serious traffic problems and occasional flood - last one couple of years ago was a serious problem. In terms of beaches - you'd better go somewhere else.
3. Da Lat - my favorite place in Vietnam. Way better/cooler climate than coastal places, excellent food, nature and things to do for a week, well, at least for several days.
I'll have to put Da Lat on my place to go in Vietnam when I visit again
Mar 19, 2019, 8:06 am
#26
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Another down vote on Penang. There are far more interesting places to go in the region.
Last year we used Lao Airlines to hop around the area: xxx-SIN-(layover in VTN)-LPQ-REP. All one way coach tickets under $100US.
Then we took Bangkok Airways REP-(layover in BKK)-USM. That was a little more expensive...like $150US in coach.
Last year we used Lao Airlines to hop around the area: xxx-SIN-(layover in VTN)-LPQ-REP. All one way coach tickets under $100US.
Then we took Bangkok Airways REP-(layover in BKK)-USM. That was a little more expensive...like $150US in coach.
My route LPQ-BKK-KUL-LGK is around $430US all one-way economy but i'm going to book the flights on points. Bangkok Airways with Asia Miles and Malaysian Airlines with Qantas points which will get it down to about $80US
Mar 20, 2019, 2:45 am
#27
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My route LPQ-BKK-KUL-LGK is around $430US all one-way economy but i'm going to book the flights on points. Bangkok Airways with Asia Miles and Malaysian Airlines with Qantas points which will get it down to about $80US
Mar 26, 2019, 5:01 pm
#28
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Went to LP when it was just Lao Aviation flying there. It was and is a fragile kind of place and if I went back I'd say it's probably overdeveloped already thanks to Bangkok Airways and others, but in the future it will get only much more so (same argument for going to see Angkor, BTW). A big draw with LP back then, besides all the monks and the visuals, was the ease with which you could go only a short distance for a hilltribe experience that was less touristy than the ones near Chiang Mai.