I am planning a trip in December for hopefully 3- up to 4 weeks long in SE Asia. I have read about really cheap fares out of BKK to other cities ex. HKG, SGN, KUL etc.. would it be cost efficient then to get a RT to Bangkok and while spending time there, use it as a hub to purchase tickets to a few other destinations?
If any one has any tips that may not be in travel books please email me or let me know. Is there areas (jakarta??) that you would avoid right now?? ANd in my time frame, what, say 5 or 6 countries incl HKG would you go to?? thanks tons.
oh yes, any cheap bali trips from asia??

[This message has been edited by dominick (edited 05-30-2001).]

You might want to look at CX's AsiaPass program if you're planning to visit 5 or 6 countries.

I don't think airfares from BKK to other SE Asian countries are any cheaper than the reverse. Nevertheless, hotels are much cheaper (and nicer) than any other countries in the region.

On one leg, from BKK you can fly to Phuket, then to Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore then back to BKK. Another leg might be Siem Reap in Cambodia (home of the famous Angkor Wat), Saigon and Hanoi. Still another leg might be HKG, Manila and Cebu.

Enjoy!

Yes, CX Asia Pass seems to be the best bet. But all flights to SE Asia destination have to be via HKG, though CX does have good connections most of the time. Also add up airport taxes.

Please note, however, that while Asia Pass by CX is a great deal moneywise, there are NO miles!

Flights from BKK are usually cheaper than the reverse. I don't know to all cities, but I know that to/from HKG, TPE, SIN, SYD, and AUK, it's always cheaper to originate in BKK than the other city.

I think it depends on which countries you choose and how many you plan to visit during your stay. Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore would be cheaper roundtrips from BKK, Philippines would be cheaper from HKG not just because of geography but because of competition and local demand. I would narrow down the places you want to visit and go to web sites of some BKK based travel agents to sample the fares. Click the Thailand tab from the link below to view BKK based fares from that web site. A few BKK agent links are also listed in the Star Alliance forum in a recent post. Add up your planned roundtrips (see if you can nest a few countries together) and compare it to the Cathay option.
www.tiss.com

dominick,

Was in Singapore recently, definitely a place to visit. Since most people are civilized and westernized, you're not likely to face any significant danger. Just don't spray-paint the cars or chew gum.

I got a chance to visit Jakarta too the other day. Despite the fact that most people told me it's going to be a war zone, I didn't think it's as different as going to another third world city like...Mexico City, New Delhi, etc. But definitely be a bit more vigilant; avoid protests/demonstrations that happens daily somewhere around town (i.e. hide your camera too) and act as if you're in New York City. I think they've learned their lessons from the 1998 riot to be extra-protective of foreigner-infested or well-to-do areas; they have portals and gates with 24-hour guards now. Your chance of getting shot is now a lot slimmer. (sorry, I guess that didn't come out too comforting?)

Cheap Bali tour can be had from Jakarta, if you want to deal with the local travel agencies. Hotels can recommend a good one.

Hope it helps!
Jamester

Miscellaneous/random comments:

1) CX operates a few routes within Asia that do not go through HKG-
SIN-CGK
SIN-BKK
TPE-NRT
TPE-SEL

2) In my experience, BKK-HKG-BKK is frequently half the cost of HKG-BKK-HKG. All other things being equal, BKK is usually the cheapest place to originate flights. Surprisingly, CGK doesn't offer any great deals on int'l fares.

3) In hitting multiple destinations economically, it may make sense to book roundtrips out of BKK with intermediate stops (i.e. BKK-HKG-MNL-SGN-BKK) that do not exceed the maximum permitted mileage rules.

4) In addition to its central location, BKK offers one of the best combinations of flight frequencies and destinations.

5) If you do decide to book a rt to BKK, you might be able to squeeze in one extra free (or virtually free) destination by actually making your finaly desination somewhere else in SE Asia w/ a stop in BKK. A good candidate for this extra stop would be somewhere that is not on the way to anywhere else you are planning on visiting-- for example, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Phuket.

6) I travel to CGK frequently and have never had any problems. However, most people I know that either live there (including locals) or have frequent business there make it a point to monitor the situation closely. Infrequently, the highway between the city and the airport can be closed by disturbances.

7) With one minor exception that I'm aware of, Bali hasn't been affected by the turmoil that has impacted the rest of Indonesia.

8) With only 3-4 weeks, don't try to pack in too many destinations, or you won't really get much of a feel for anywhere, and will end up spending too much time on planes, going to and from the airports, etc.

9) Personal SE Asia favorites: BKK, PEN, DPS, SGN, Ko Samui, KUL, SIN, HKG.

10) BKK might be a good origination point for DPS packages. Most times of the year, TG has a daily non-stop flight from BKK to DPS.

11) With respect to security, I would avoid rural areas of the Philippines and Indonesia (Bali excepted) and some areas of Jakarta. Also, although I have felt personally safe along the Thai borders with Myanmar and Laos, skirmishes erupt periodically and there is a heavy military presence (checkpoints, sporadically closed roads, etc.).

thanks alot guys! these tips are really helping out!

Dominick-

Are you really wanting to just get a taste of the countries or really "SEE" them. Maybe I'm just poky, but I don't think you could really enjoy 6 countries in 3 weeks. I spent 10 days in Vietnam and only saw half the country.(if you are looking for a wardrobe..spend a few days in Hoi An) I met a lot of people on that trip who absolutely raved about Lao, and Cambodia as well.

I think Cathays Asia pass is good for Bali, but I'm pretty sure theres a supplement for travel into Vietnam because they codeshare with Vietnam Air.

As for your tickets, find a travel agency where they specialize in asia travel, and you can get some great advice. If you were in Seattle, I'd recommend the place I use.

All that said, if it were My vacation, I'd do Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Southern Thailand. I love Bali, but I think southern Thailand would be just as nice if not nicer.

------------------
Have a great day!!
~~Missy~~

One of the people said "it is cheaper to start tickets in BKK".....absolutely true. Check Chawla travel on the web to see an example of fares. And there are others. One of the most frequent things you hear at an agent in BKK is "fly here one way..and buy rts based here." Very true. Talk about mileage runs..

One more thing about Southeast Asia...Americans don't know about it yet. Europeans and Aussies do...but not us. We keep stopping in Hawaii. If it suits you, going there is like eating Lays potato chips....you can't go just once. However, excepting Singapore (and perhaps HK), Asia (particlularly their captial cities) are not a place for "high maintenance" people. They have wonderful people, amazing food, natural beauty, exoticism..at prices you won't believe. But it is for people who relate to Lonely Planet more than Michelin. Otherwise, you will be stuck in your 5star hotel, looking out on streets you don't want to walk on, food stalls you don't want to try, pollution you don't want to breathe, etc. The Thais call the area around the premium hotels on the river "falang ghetto" (they call all westerners falangs, which unlike the terms used in other countries such as Japans gaijin, is not derrogatory). Manila, KL, BKK, Shanghai, etc are safe, exotic cities..but you better not be concerned about what you breathe (not alot of No Smoking areas in Asia), see on the street, makeup running, sweating, etc. If so, you'll turn into one those demanding, complaining Americans that drive the other Westerners crazy...the Asians themselves are too reserved to comment...

I really hesitated about posting this..but having seen the problem so often when I go I thought I would mention it...

well- its all set I'll be there from Dec 20- Jan 7.. 16 full days, flying into BKK, and out of SIN. My primary-projected intenerary... Bangkok for 3 full days, and then Chaing Mai (golden triangle area) for 4 days, then I'd like to do the beaches of Thai, and malaysia for a bout 4-5 days, Kuala Lumpur or 1-2 days, and Singapore for 1-2 days. This leaves possibly 2-3 extra days. With this I'd like to do some more or Malaysia OR I was thinking of doing a 2 day trip after my 1st 3 days in BKK to either: Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, or Vietnam. Can anyone help me with or w/o experience of costs for each possible trip. Or would I be better off staying in Malaysia. Other than BKK, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, what are other tourist hotspots in Thailand. Thanks tonnes!

I think the schedule you've planned is quite hectic as it is. To add Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam would have you spending way too much time to/from/at airports. You also run the risk of not enjoying the individual cities and turning your whole trip into one blurry experience. I suggest stay longer in each place, savor each cities unique character and enjoy the less harried pace of life.

It is a bit of a hectic schedule, but hey, we all have our own styles of travel. I've been making short 2-3 day weekend trips to countries bordering Thailand for years with no problems. Of course, I am a frequent and repeat visitor, so these quick trips do not shortchange me of much in terms of getting to know the area. If you are in Thailand, and have the time/desire to see more, I urge you to at least briefly explore a neighboring country.

Laos, one of my all-time favorites, is very accessible from Thailand. A round trip from Bangkok to Vientiane on TG is about US$150. A less expensive route would be to fly or even take a bus (from Chiang Mai, not Bangkok) to Udon Thani and then head up to Nong Khai (one hour north of Udon Thani), where you can cross over the Mekong River on the Friendship Bridge into Laos. Another reason that Laos should be considered is that you can get visa-on-arrival, so you do not have to waste time in BKK or back home. Of all the countries you mentioned, Laos is by far the most culturally similar to Thailand - if you can read/write/speak Thai, all it takes is a day or so and you find yourself getting by in Lao! - and far different than Cambodia and Vietnam, despite it being part of 'French Indochina'. Lodging in Vientiane runs the gamut from very cheap to a couple of 4* hotels.

A second choice, for me, would Phnom Penh. You can also get visa-on-arrival at the airport, and morning flights from BKK are easy to come by. If you could do two nights in the capital, you'd have plenty of time to see the city and countryside, including some famous and infamous landmarks. Flights on TG BKK<->PNH are surprisingly plentiful, with RTs going for about US$130.

Burma (I'm generally not politically correct, but I generally use the PC term for this country) would be my third choice, only because few people go there, and it is quite controversial, making it (for me) an interesting destination. The Burmese embassy in BKK will generally provide a visa either same day, or next day. Burma has to have the most impressive Buddhist temples (apologies to all my Thai friends) in all of SE Asia. Rangoon (more PC here) strikes me as a city frozen in time... it hasn't progressed much since the British left, and is fascinating in that regard. The only problem that most travelers to Burma come up against is the so-called 'mandatory' exchange of US$300/person for Burmese FEC (foreign exchange certificates), which cannot be changed back. There is a dark grey way around this, but I won't elaborate unless pressed

I go to Vietnam more than any of the aforementioned countries (except Laos), but would probably rank it last, only because it truly requires more than the allotted time for a decent first visit.

In regards to Thai �tourist hotspots� located at least two hours or more by car outside of Bangkok (so I won�t mention Ayuthaya, Kanchanaburi, Rayong, Chon Buri, etc.), Koh Samui (koh = island, and is pronounced �gaw� somewhat abruptly) has turned into a tourist/resort island in the Gulf of Thailand. It is accessible by ferry from the mainland, but I would suggest a low-cost direct Bangkok Airways flight (they own the airport, TG not allowed from Bangkok. For me, and even nicer and less hectic locale is Hua Hin, about three hours SW of BKK by car. The King has one of his palaces there, and the area has become quite popular with upscale Thais.

Good luck on your trip. If you are like most visitors, you will fall in love with this area.