10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI)
Jan 27, 2018, 9:51 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI)
Background:
I recently set for myself the long term goal of visiting every country in the world. To begin, I decided to start 2018 off with a short trip to a number of countries in SE Asia. It took some time to figure out an efficient routing that would minimize backtracking and maximize the number of new countries visited. Of the countries visited, HKG is the only repeat. All other countries are new (to me). For the purposes of counting, I count every country I set foot in (regardless of whether or not I pass through immigration). Though I typically try to go through immigration and actually see something of each country.
Over the course of 9 days, I would visit 10 countries, fly nearly 25,000 miles (on all three alliances), fly two fifth freedom routes and add 9 new countries to my list. The routing I finally decided on is as follows:
BOS-HKG-TPE (CX Paid Fare - Black Friday Sale)
TPE-ICN-PNH (KE Award)
PNH-SGN (QR Paid Fare)
SGN-BKK//BKK-CGK (TG Paid Fare via Chase UR Portal)
CGK-KUL (KL Paid Fare)
KUL-BWN//BWN-MNL (BI Paid Fare)
MNL-HKG-BOS (CX Paid Fare - Black Friday Sale)
In this report:
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Boston - Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Hong Kong - Taipei
Grand Hyatt Taipei
Korean Air First Class: Taipei - Seoul
Korean Air First Class Lounge: T2 Seoul
Korean Air First Class: Seoul - Phnom Penh
Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Qatar Air Business Class: Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh City
Park Hyatt Saigon
Thai Airways Business Class: Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok
Okura Prestige Bangkok
Bangkok
Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge: Bangkok
Thai Airways Business Class: Bangkok - Jakarta
FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta
KLM Royal Dutch Business Class: Jakarta - Kuala Lumpur
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Royal Brunei Economy Class: Kuala Lumpur - Bandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan
Royal Brunei Economy Class: Bandar Seri Begawan - Manila
Manila Marriott Hotel
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Manila - Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Hong Kong - Boston
My Trip Reports:
10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI)
Former SSRs: the Baltics, Belarus and Back
Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo)
A Passage to India with stops in Qatar, Sri Lanka and Scandinavia (AA, QR, UL in J)
I recently set for myself the long term goal of visiting every country in the world. To begin, I decided to start 2018 off with a short trip to a number of countries in SE Asia. It took some time to figure out an efficient routing that would minimize backtracking and maximize the number of new countries visited. Of the countries visited, HKG is the only repeat. All other countries are new (to me). For the purposes of counting, I count every country I set foot in (regardless of whether or not I pass through immigration). Though I typically try to go through immigration and actually see something of each country.
Over the course of 9 days, I would visit 10 countries, fly nearly 25,000 miles (on all three alliances), fly two fifth freedom routes and add 9 new countries to my list. The routing I finally decided on is as follows:
BOS-HKG-TPE (CX Paid Fare - Black Friday Sale)
TPE-ICN-PNH (KE Award)
PNH-SGN (QR Paid Fare)
SGN-BKK//BKK-CGK (TG Paid Fare via Chase UR Portal)
CGK-KUL (KL Paid Fare)
KUL-BWN//BWN-MNL (BI Paid Fare)
MNL-HKG-BOS (CX Paid Fare - Black Friday Sale)
In this report:
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Boston - Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Hong Kong - Taipei
Grand Hyatt Taipei
Korean Air First Class: Taipei - Seoul
Korean Air First Class Lounge: T2 Seoul
Korean Air First Class: Seoul - Phnom Penh
Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Qatar Air Business Class: Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh City
Park Hyatt Saigon
Thai Airways Business Class: Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok
Okura Prestige Bangkok
Bangkok
Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge: Bangkok
Thai Airways Business Class: Bangkok - Jakarta
FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta
KLM Royal Dutch Business Class: Jakarta - Kuala Lumpur
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Royal Brunei Economy Class: Kuala Lumpur - Bandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan
Royal Brunei Economy Class: Bandar Seri Begawan - Manila
Manila Marriott Hotel
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Manila - Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Hong Kong - Boston
My Trip Reports:
10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI)
Former SSRs: the Baltics, Belarus and Back
Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo)
A Passage to India with stops in Qatar, Sri Lanka and Scandinavia (AA, QR, UL in J)
Last edited by swingaling; Jan 7, 2019 at 11:05 am
Jan 27, 2018, 10:20 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
CX 811: BOS-HKG in J
Cathay Pacific
Premium Economy Class (E)
Upgraded to Business Class at T-45
CX811: BOS-HKG (Boston to Hong Kong)
18 January 2018
Boeing 777-300ER (77W Four Class Configuration)
B-KPO
Seat 12G
Departure: 01:21AM
Arrival: 06:14AM +1
I originally booked my ticket with CX in PE class. At T-45 minutes, I was sitting in the BA lounge at BOS and I was paged to the front desk. I had gotten an op-up from PE to J! Obviously, this is always good news. This is the second time I've gotten an op-up on this route; the first time was in late November 2017 when both me and my no status wife got an op-up as well.
I was greeted warmly on board by the ISM and purser. Service overall was excellent. My only complaint was that they were still serving the same menu they served in November. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but it's a good day if that's my biggest complaint.
As always, I had a very good flight with Cathay. Even though I'm not a CX elite (though I am OWE via AA), they always make me feel much more special than AA does. Though I do prefer the hard product on the AA 788 to the CX 77W.
The Supper Menu:
My usual Oriental Breeze. Very refreshing. And it's pretty too.
Fruit dish and dips. The fruit was excellent and the dips were ok. The garlic bread was top notch, as usual.
This time around I ordered the chicken entree, which was good. Not overly memorable, but it did the trick.
After the meal, I proceeded to watch a movie and got 7-8 hours of solid sleep. I always sleep well on this flight because it leaves BOS at 01:30AM. The bed and bedding were quite comfortable and I slept well. I woke up with 6 hours remaining and decided I wanted a snack. So I ordered a burger.
As usual, CX served this. It was excellent. They really do a very good job with hamburgers in J. The didn't have my usual Diet Coke, but Coke Zero works in a pinch.
After the snack, I watched some Netflix shows I'd pre-loaded for the trip and relaxed and enjoyed the ride. Before I knew it, breakfast was upon here. Here's the menu:
First I had the fruit and croissant with Bon Maman preserves. A very good croissant for airplane food, though obviously not on par with a croissant in Paris.
Next up was some Raisin Bran.
Finally, the beef and noodle dish. It was quite tasty and I love the chili sauce they serve with it.
It was finally time to land at HKG, where I made my way through transit security and onward to the Pier F lounge. I didn't take any photos in Pier F, but I had an English breakfast at their a la carte restaurant. The food was excellent and the portions were just the right size (not too big).
I met up with a FT member at the lounge and chatted for a bit while he enjoyed a plate of eggs Benedict. After that, it was time for the next flight.
Premium Economy Class (E)
Upgraded to Business Class at T-45
CX811: BOS-HKG (Boston to Hong Kong)
18 January 2018
Boeing 777-300ER (77W Four Class Configuration)
B-KPO
Seat 12G
Departure: 01:21AM
Arrival: 06:14AM +1
I originally booked my ticket with CX in PE class. At T-45 minutes, I was sitting in the BA lounge at BOS and I was paged to the front desk. I had gotten an op-up from PE to J! Obviously, this is always good news. This is the second time I've gotten an op-up on this route; the first time was in late November 2017 when both me and my no status wife got an op-up as well.
I was greeted warmly on board by the ISM and purser. Service overall was excellent. My only complaint was that they were still serving the same menu they served in November. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but it's a good day if that's my biggest complaint.
As always, I had a very good flight with Cathay. Even though I'm not a CX elite (though I am OWE via AA), they always make me feel much more special than AA does. Though I do prefer the hard product on the AA 788 to the CX 77W.
The Supper Menu:
My usual Oriental Breeze. Very refreshing. And it's pretty too.
Fruit dish and dips. The fruit was excellent and the dips were ok. The garlic bread was top notch, as usual.
This time around I ordered the chicken entree, which was good. Not overly memorable, but it did the trick.
After the meal, I proceeded to watch a movie and got 7-8 hours of solid sleep. I always sleep well on this flight because it leaves BOS at 01:30AM. The bed and bedding were quite comfortable and I slept well. I woke up with 6 hours remaining and decided I wanted a snack. So I ordered a burger.
As usual, CX served this. It was excellent. They really do a very good job with hamburgers in J. The didn't have my usual Diet Coke, but Coke Zero works in a pinch.
After the snack, I watched some Netflix shows I'd pre-loaded for the trip and relaxed and enjoyed the ride. Before I knew it, breakfast was upon here. Here's the menu:
First I had the fruit and croissant with Bon Maman preserves. A very good croissant for airplane food, though obviously not on par with a croissant in Paris.
Next up was some Raisin Bran.
Finally, the beef and noodle dish. It was quite tasty and I love the chili sauce they serve with it.
It was finally time to land at HKG, where I made my way through transit security and onward to the Pier F lounge. I didn't take any photos in Pier F, but I had an English breakfast at their a la carte restaurant. The food was excellent and the portions were just the right size (not too big).
I met up with a FT member at the lounge and chatted for a bit while he enjoyed a plate of eggs Benedict. After that, it was time for the next flight.
Last edited by swingaling; Jan 31, 2018 at 1:05 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 11:59 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Visiting every country is a great goal, and very popular around here! I'm looking forward to this TR, and following along for many countries to come. Thanks for sharing ^
Jan 27, 2018, 1:03 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Cx406: Hkg-tpe
Cathay Pacific
Premium Economy Class (E)
CX406: HKG-TPE (Hong Kong to Taipei Taoyuan)
19 January 2018
Airbus A350-900
B-LRP
Seat 32A
Departure: 12:14PM
Arrival: 02:19PM
This was by far the shortest flight I'd ever flown on CX. The plane was maybe 50% full and the PE section was even emptier than that. I was sitting by the window and I had two seats all to myself, which isn't overly useful given the placement of the seat dividers.
Being such a short flight, there was no menu in PE and a single choice of entree. The drink service was abbreviated with limited choices, so I skipped a drink altogether. The entree served to PE was the same as what was served to Y. I didn't mind so much since it was a short flight, but I would've minded had it been a longhaul route. As always, the hard product was quite nice.
The meal for this flight was char siu (roast pork) with kai lan (Chinese broccoli) and rice. It was quite tasty, if fairly simple.
The flight was otherwise uneventful, but just long enough for me to watch Looper on the IFE.
Premium Economy Class (E)
CX406: HKG-TPE (Hong Kong to Taipei Taoyuan)
19 January 2018
Airbus A350-900
B-LRP
Seat 32A
Departure: 12:14PM
Arrival: 02:19PM
This was by far the shortest flight I'd ever flown on CX. The plane was maybe 50% full and the PE section was even emptier than that. I was sitting by the window and I had two seats all to myself, which isn't overly useful given the placement of the seat dividers.
Being such a short flight, there was no menu in PE and a single choice of entree. The drink service was abbreviated with limited choices, so I skipped a drink altogether. The entree served to PE was the same as what was served to Y. I didn't mind so much since it was a short flight, but I would've minded had it been a longhaul route. As always, the hard product was quite nice.
The meal for this flight was char siu (roast pork) with kai lan (Chinese broccoli) and rice. It was quite tasty, if fairly simple.
The flight was otherwise uneventful, but just long enough for me to watch Looper on the IFE.
Last edited by swingaling; Jan 27, 2018 at 7:52 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 1:31 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Grand Hyatt Taipei
Grand Hyatt Taipei
Standard Room -- King Bed
I originally tried to book a ridiculously cheap room through Cancelon at the W Taipei, but the deal was gone before I pulled the trigger. Instead, I ended up going with the Grand Hyatt. First off, the location is excellent. It's close to the 101 and other sights. The hotel itself is very nice, if a bit pricey. Though things in Taiwan were generally pricey. Similar to Hong Kong, though not quite THAT expensive.
I booked a standard room and it was quite nice. The view was nothing to write home about, but the bed and bathroom were both perfectly acceptable.
Room Entry
Spacious Bathroom
Mini-bar
Bedroom
It was a rainy day in Taipei, but I was determined to go to the top of the 101 regardless. I always make a point of going to the top of noteworthy tall buildings, so the 101 was certainly on my list. It really is a beautiful building and is right next door to the Grand Hyatt.
Taipei 101
Inside the Taipei 101 Mall -- Simply stunning ceiling.
Taipei 101 Mass Damper -- It really is massive. Sorry, couldn't resist.
View from the top - Sun Yat-sen Memorial
As with many tall buildings, you had to walk through several gift shops on the way out. At this one, the shop girls were hawking coral jewelry. The (majority) Chinese tourists seemed interested in shopping, though it was of no interest to me. Of all the people I saw here, I was one of very few who was not Asian (mainland Chinese primarily). Not that I cared either way, I just expected to see more than a handful of American, European and Aussie tourists. Admittedly, the guest population at my hotel was heavily caucasian.
Anyway, I ended up going back to my room around 5PM because I was exhausted. I'd wanted to hit a night market nearby, but I just couldn't rally. So I ordered some Taiwanese beef noodle soup from room service and passed out around 8PM. The soup was pretty good and the brisket was exceptionally tender. Sorry, I didn't get a photo.
I had a flight the next morning, so I had to be up by 7AM to get ready, have breakfast and go to the airport. I hit the breakfast buffet at the Grand Hyatt before I left because it was included in the room rate. The selection was huge and the food was very good. Not quite as good ad the buffet at the Island Shangri La in Hong Kong, but pretty darn close.
Overall, I really liked the hotel and would gladly stay there again.
Standard Room -- King Bed
I originally tried to book a ridiculously cheap room through Cancelon at the W Taipei, but the deal was gone before I pulled the trigger. Instead, I ended up going with the Grand Hyatt. First off, the location is excellent. It's close to the 101 and other sights. The hotel itself is very nice, if a bit pricey. Though things in Taiwan were generally pricey. Similar to Hong Kong, though not quite THAT expensive.
I booked a standard room and it was quite nice. The view was nothing to write home about, but the bed and bathroom were both perfectly acceptable.
Room Entry
Spacious Bathroom
Mini-bar
Bedroom
It was a rainy day in Taipei, but I was determined to go to the top of the 101 regardless. I always make a point of going to the top of noteworthy tall buildings, so the 101 was certainly on my list. It really is a beautiful building and is right next door to the Grand Hyatt.
Taipei 101
Inside the Taipei 101 Mall -- Simply stunning ceiling.
Taipei 101 Mass Damper -- It really is massive. Sorry, couldn't resist.
View from the top - Sun Yat-sen Memorial
As with many tall buildings, you had to walk through several gift shops on the way out. At this one, the shop girls were hawking coral jewelry. The (majority) Chinese tourists seemed interested in shopping, though it was of no interest to me. Of all the people I saw here, I was one of very few who was not Asian (mainland Chinese primarily). Not that I cared either way, I just expected to see more than a handful of American, European and Aussie tourists. Admittedly, the guest population at my hotel was heavily caucasian.
Anyway, I ended up going back to my room around 5PM because I was exhausted. I'd wanted to hit a night market nearby, but I just couldn't rally. So I ordered some Taiwanese beef noodle soup from room service and passed out around 8PM. The soup was pretty good and the brisket was exceptionally tender. Sorry, I didn't get a photo.
I had a flight the next morning, so I had to be up by 7AM to get ready, have breakfast and go to the airport. I hit the breakfast buffet at the Grand Hyatt before I left because it was included in the room rate. The selection was huge and the food was very good. Not quite as good ad the buffet at the Island Shangri La in Hong Kong, but pretty darn close.
Overall, I really liked the hotel and would gladly stay there again.
Jan 27, 2018, 2:04 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Ke692: Tpe-icn
Korean Air
First Class (A)
KE692: TPE - ICN (Taipei Taoyuan to Seoul Incheon)
20 January 2018
Airbus A380-800
HL7611
Seat 1A
Departure: 12:24PM
Arrival: 03:45PM
I looked into direct flights from TPE-PNH, but the prices for a one way direct economy ticket were silly expensive (around $500). Instead, I decided to use up some KE miles I had sitting around, cross Korea off the list and do it in style.
It was a dreary day, but I snapped a few pics on the way to the airport.
After checking in at T1, which is a beautiful building, I made my way to the China Airlines (CI) Lounge. As a first class passenger on KE, I was able to access the Paragon/Emerald Exclusive Area. It was decent. Not very big, but a decent food selection and it was quiet and not crowded. The staff were very friendly and the service was very good. I didn't take many pics and I didn't stay there too long.
Entry
Seating Area (with obligatory Coke Zero)
After that, I made my way to the (quite distant) gate so I could call my wife before taking off. I also took the opportunity to take some photos of the big bird I'd be flying in. It is really a beautiful plane.
HL7611
Seat 1A, naturally. Enormous leg room and a very wide seat. Very comfortable seat and it went fully flat.
Lunch Menu
Appetizer
I'm not a big seafood fan, so I skipped the salmon. The cucumber was good, though.
Main Course
Naturally, I went with the chicken soup. It was fabulous. I'd absolutely have it again and I'd order it in a restaurant. That's basically the highest praise I can give for an airline meal.
Dessert
Very good and refreshing. The pear was especially good.
Very nice bathroom, with a view. Because who doesn't love some nice scenery when taking care of business?
No amenities on this flight, aside from some slippers. I'd gladly fly this aircraft again. IFE selection was decent and the service was excellent.
The service was actually a bit over the top, in my opinion. Just very effusive and overly solicitous. That's not a huge negative in my book, but I don't really like being treated so deferentially. At the end of the flight, the FAs and purser came by to each passenger in F, bowed and thanked us each individually. Maybe I'm just too accustomed to being treated like crap by FAs in the US. Haha!
First Class (A)
KE692: TPE - ICN (Taipei Taoyuan to Seoul Incheon)
20 January 2018
Airbus A380-800
HL7611
Seat 1A
Departure: 12:24PM
Arrival: 03:45PM
I looked into direct flights from TPE-PNH, but the prices for a one way direct economy ticket were silly expensive (around $500). Instead, I decided to use up some KE miles I had sitting around, cross Korea off the list and do it in style.
It was a dreary day, but I snapped a few pics on the way to the airport.
After checking in at T1, which is a beautiful building, I made my way to the China Airlines (CI) Lounge. As a first class passenger on KE, I was able to access the Paragon/Emerald Exclusive Area. It was decent. Not very big, but a decent food selection and it was quiet and not crowded. The staff were very friendly and the service was very good. I didn't take many pics and I didn't stay there too long.
Entry
Seating Area (with obligatory Coke Zero)
After that, I made my way to the (quite distant) gate so I could call my wife before taking off. I also took the opportunity to take some photos of the big bird I'd be flying in. It is really a beautiful plane.
HL7611
Seat 1A, naturally. Enormous leg room and a very wide seat. Very comfortable seat and it went fully flat.
Lunch Menu
Appetizer
I'm not a big seafood fan, so I skipped the salmon. The cucumber was good, though.
Main Course
Naturally, I went with the chicken soup. It was fabulous. I'd absolutely have it again and I'd order it in a restaurant. That's basically the highest praise I can give for an airline meal.
Dessert
Very good and refreshing. The pear was especially good.
Very nice bathroom, with a view. Because who doesn't love some nice scenery when taking care of business?
No amenities on this flight, aside from some slippers. I'd gladly fly this aircraft again. IFE selection was decent and the service was excellent.
The service was actually a bit over the top, in my opinion. Just very effusive and overly solicitous. That's not a huge negative in my book, but I don't really like being treated so deferentially. At the end of the flight, the FAs and purser came by to each passenger in F, bowed and thanked us each individually. Maybe I'm just too accustomed to being treated like crap by FAs in the US. Haha!
Last edited by swingaling; Jan 27, 2018 at 7:52 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 2:45 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Korean Air First Class Lounge - ICN T2
Korean Air First Class Lounge
Seoul Incheon (ICN) Terminal 2
I was lucky enough to visit ICN T2 only a couple days after opening. I wasn't aware at the time I planned the trip, but I was definitely glad to experience T2. It's huge and beautifully designed. After clearing transit security, I popped up into the terminal and found a string quartet playing in a landscaped area. The ambiance was wonderfully unexpected.
Indoor landscaping
Plenty of KE metal around
I don't often see a 747-8 and an A380 parked right next to each other.
Lounge Entryway
Seating Area
Lost of private seating options
Views of the terminal from the lounge
Enormous private bathrooms
Super clean
Showers
Dining Area
I didn't get any photos of the food offerings, but they weren't overly impressive. Not a huge number of options and what they did have was somewhat basic. One of the lounge attendants did come around at one point and offer me a selection of dishes from an a la carte menu, but I declined. The menu had only 4 items on it, and non was overly appealing to me.
Thoughts on the Lounge
While it was certainly a nice lounge, it really does not hold a candle to The Pier First Class Lounge in HKG. Only ticketed F pax can get into this lounge, whereas many Y/J pax can get into the Pier F with status. Accordingly, this lounge is much smaller than Pier F. That said, this is KE's flagship lounge and its offerings are just not competitive with other airlines. Heck, I'd take Pier J any day over this KE lounge.
ICN Terminal 2
Since the lounge's food options were a bit mediocre, I decided to explore the other food offerings in the terminal. I made my way to the food court on the second floor and had an excellent katsudon for about $8.
Overall, the new T2 has a decent amount of stuff to do and it's easy to kill several hours here.
Seoul Incheon (ICN) Terminal 2
I was lucky enough to visit ICN T2 only a couple days after opening. I wasn't aware at the time I planned the trip, but I was definitely glad to experience T2. It's huge and beautifully designed. After clearing transit security, I popped up into the terminal and found a string quartet playing in a landscaped area. The ambiance was wonderfully unexpected.
Indoor landscaping
Plenty of KE metal around
I don't often see a 747-8 and an A380 parked right next to each other.
Lounge Entryway
Seating Area
Lost of private seating options
Views of the terminal from the lounge
Enormous private bathrooms
Super clean
Showers
Dining Area
I didn't get any photos of the food offerings, but they weren't overly impressive. Not a huge number of options and what they did have was somewhat basic. One of the lounge attendants did come around at one point and offer me a selection of dishes from an a la carte menu, but I declined. The menu had only 4 items on it, and non was overly appealing to me.
Thoughts on the Lounge
While it was certainly a nice lounge, it really does not hold a candle to The Pier First Class Lounge in HKG. Only ticketed F pax can get into this lounge, whereas many Y/J pax can get into the Pier F with status. Accordingly, this lounge is much smaller than Pier F. That said, this is KE's flagship lounge and its offerings are just not competitive with other airlines. Heck, I'd take Pier J any day over this KE lounge.
ICN Terminal 2
Since the lounge's food options were a bit mediocre, I decided to explore the other food offerings in the terminal. I made my way to the food court on the second floor and had an excellent katsudon for about $8.
Overall, the new T2 has a decent amount of stuff to do and it's easy to kill several hours here.
Jan 27, 2018, 3:26 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Ke689: Icn-pnh
Korean Air
First Class (A)
KE689: ICN - PNH (Seoul Incheon to Phnom Penh)
20 January 2018
Airbus A330-200
HL8227
Seat 1A
Departure: 06:37PM
Arrival: 10:16PM
On this flight, I had the entire F cabin to myself. So, I had two FAs dedicated to taking care of me, which was pretty cool. They were very friendly and provided generally excellent service. The hard product was very good, though quite similar to the J hard product on this plane. The 2+2+2 configuration is a bit dense for a true F product, especially since the window seats did not have dedicated aisle access. This was a non issue since I had the cabin to myself, but I believe the typical F pax expects better these days.
That said, the soft product and service were both excellent.
Cabin
Menu
Pre-Departure Beverage
Obligatory Diet Coke with macadamia nuts
Hot Savory
Amuse bouche
This was a little strange, though it tasted fine.
Appetizer
I skipped the salmon, but the mango apple terrine was nice. The olive oil bun was good too.
Soup
Very tasty cauliflower soup. Excellent.
Salad
The salad was very good too. No complaints here. The second bun was also an olive oil bun. I would've gotten a Chinese bao, but they'd just run out. Probably served them to the flight crew.
Main Course
I went with the chicken soup. It was ok, but nowhere near as good as the soup I had for lunch on the previous flight. I ordered it because I wasn't too hungry at that point, since I'd just eaten a katsudon at the airport. In retrospect, the grilled beef tenderloin probably would've been the better choice.
Dessert
I was thankful to have a light option for dessert, so I went with the fruit. The ice cream was vanilla and matcha flavors, so I didn't feel like I was really missing out on anything special on that front.
Aside from the meal service, I was able to finish two movies on the flight: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Crooked House. I enjoyed both films. Near the end of the flight, the cabin crew again thanked me personally for flying with them. This despite the fact that I have no status with KE or SkyTeam.
At the end of the flight, they had passengers disembark through 2L. In order to ensure that I was first off the plane, my FA escorted me to the front of the line at 2L. It wasn't a huge deal, but I definitely appreciated the gesture. Little touches like that really set the service apart on Korean Air.
First Class (A)
KE689: ICN - PNH (Seoul Incheon to Phnom Penh)
20 January 2018
Airbus A330-200
HL8227
Seat 1A
Departure: 06:37PM
Arrival: 10:16PM
On this flight, I had the entire F cabin to myself. So, I had two FAs dedicated to taking care of me, which was pretty cool. They were very friendly and provided generally excellent service. The hard product was very good, though quite similar to the J hard product on this plane. The 2+2+2 configuration is a bit dense for a true F product, especially since the window seats did not have dedicated aisle access. This was a non issue since I had the cabin to myself, but I believe the typical F pax expects better these days.
That said, the soft product and service were both excellent.
Cabin
Menu
Pre-Departure Beverage
Obligatory Diet Coke with macadamia nuts
Hot Savory
Amuse bouche
This was a little strange, though it tasted fine.
Appetizer
I skipped the salmon, but the mango apple terrine was nice. The olive oil bun was good too.
Soup
Very tasty cauliflower soup. Excellent.
Salad
The salad was very good too. No complaints here. The second bun was also an olive oil bun. I would've gotten a Chinese bao, but they'd just run out. Probably served them to the flight crew.
Main Course
I went with the chicken soup. It was ok, but nowhere near as good as the soup I had for lunch on the previous flight. I ordered it because I wasn't too hungry at that point, since I'd just eaten a katsudon at the airport. In retrospect, the grilled beef tenderloin probably would've been the better choice.
Dessert
I was thankful to have a light option for dessert, so I went with the fruit. The ice cream was vanilla and matcha flavors, so I didn't feel like I was really missing out on anything special on that front.
Aside from the meal service, I was able to finish two movies on the flight: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Crooked House. I enjoyed both films. Near the end of the flight, the cabin crew again thanked me personally for flying with them. This despite the fact that I have no status with KE or SkyTeam.
At the end of the flight, they had passengers disembark through 2L. In order to ensure that I was first off the plane, my FA escorted me to the front of the line at 2L. It wasn't a huge deal, but I definitely appreciated the gesture. Little touches like that really set the service apart on Korean Air.
Last edited by swingaling; Jan 27, 2018 at 7:52 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 5:09 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Raffles Hotel Le Royal
Raffles Hotel Le Royal
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
I booked a tour for the following day in Phnom Penh and as part of that, I had them arrange a car from the airport to my hotel. The airport itself was small, but a lot nicer than I expected it to be. It had clearly been renovated recently and was quite nice. The arrivals hall was outdoors and very disorganized (and extremely crowded), but it was easy enough to find my driver after a few minutes. My plane arrived late in the day, so immigration was fast and traffic was nonexistent. It helped that I applied for an e-visa in advance of my trip; it definitely saved time on arrival.
Upon arrival, I was checked into my room quickly and I went to bed straight away. The hotel building is charming and has a ton of character. It has a long, rich history and walking the halls you can really tell. It has a very different feel to the other hotels I stayed in on this trip.
Entryway
Bathroom
Bedroom
Beware of Monkeys
Hotel Grounds
Breakfast
The breakfast buffet was quite good. They had a very large selection of foods, mainly a mix of western, Cambodian and Malay options. The breads were quite good and they also had eggs on order (any way you wanted). I also had a bowl of pho, which was quite nice. Overall, a very impressive breakfast spread. Certainly on par with the offerings at the Grand Hyatt Taipei.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
I booked a tour for the following day in Phnom Penh and as part of that, I had them arrange a car from the airport to my hotel. The airport itself was small, but a lot nicer than I expected it to be. It had clearly been renovated recently and was quite nice. The arrivals hall was outdoors and very disorganized (and extremely crowded), but it was easy enough to find my driver after a few minutes. My plane arrived late in the day, so immigration was fast and traffic was nonexistent. It helped that I applied for an e-visa in advance of my trip; it definitely saved time on arrival.
Upon arrival, I was checked into my room quickly and I went to bed straight away. The hotel building is charming and has a ton of character. It has a long, rich history and walking the halls you can really tell. It has a very different feel to the other hotels I stayed in on this trip.
Entryway
Bathroom
Bedroom
Beware of Monkeys
Hotel Grounds
Breakfast
The breakfast buffet was quite good. They had a very large selection of foods, mainly a mix of western, Cambodian and Malay options. The breads were quite good and they also had eggs on order (any way you wanted). I also had a bowl of pho, which was quite nice. Overall, a very impressive breakfast spread. Certainly on par with the offerings at the Grand Hyatt Taipei.
Jan 27, 2018, 6:33 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh Tour
I booked a private tour in Phnom Penh through Viatour. The tour guide picked me up at the hotel first thing in the morning and dropped me at the airport a couple hours prior to my flight. He showed me the sights for the day and did a good job explaining everything.
The first stop was the Royal Temple and Silver Pagoda Complex. The buildings here are beautiful and in very good condition. You can see for yourself. I couldn't take any interior photos because it's not allowed.
Throne Hall
Chanchhaya Pavilion
Hor Samran Phirun
Khemarin Palace
Palace Complex
Stupa and Statue of HM King Norodom
Phochani Pavilion (seen from Silver Pagoda)
Stupas at Silver Pagoda Complex
Regalia
Next we did a quick stop at Wat Ounalom, which was closed so we couldn't go inside.
Wat Ounalom
Free-Range Rooster
After that, we went to the Genocide Museum. I toured the entire facility, but only took the single photo. It was a somber affair, but certainly worth a visit.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
After lunch, we went to Wat Phnom to see the stupa and temple. The stupa is beautiful, though definitely in need of some paint. The temple is used regularly by locals who make offerings daily. We witnessed some of their preparations on our visit.
Wat Phnom
We headed to the airport after that. The photos pretty much speak for themselves. Overall, it was a good tour and definitely worth seeing. I'm sorry I wasn't able to see Angkor on my visit, but I just couldn't work it into my schedule. Next time....
I booked a private tour in Phnom Penh through Viatour. The tour guide picked me up at the hotel first thing in the morning and dropped me at the airport a couple hours prior to my flight. He showed me the sights for the day and did a good job explaining everything.
The first stop was the Royal Temple and Silver Pagoda Complex. The buildings here are beautiful and in very good condition. You can see for yourself. I couldn't take any interior photos because it's not allowed.
Throne Hall
Chanchhaya Pavilion
Hor Samran Phirun
Khemarin Palace
Palace Complex
Stupa and Statue of HM King Norodom
Phochani Pavilion (seen from Silver Pagoda)
Stupas at Silver Pagoda Complex
Regalia
Next we did a quick stop at Wat Ounalom, which was closed so we couldn't go inside.
Wat Ounalom
Free-Range Rooster
After that, we went to the Genocide Museum. I toured the entire facility, but only took the single photo. It was a somber affair, but certainly worth a visit.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
After lunch, we went to Wat Phnom to see the stupa and temple. The stupa is beautiful, though definitely in need of some paint. The temple is used regularly by locals who make offerings daily. We witnessed some of their preparations on our visit.
Wat Phnom
We headed to the airport after that. The photos pretty much speak for themselves. Overall, it was a good tour and definitely worth seeing. I'm sorry I wasn't able to see Angkor on my visit, but I just couldn't work it into my schedule. Next time....
Jan 27, 2018, 6:59 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Qatar Airways
Business Class (J)
QR971: PNH - SGN (Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City)
21 January 2018
Airbus A330-300
A7-AEJ
Seat 2A
Departure: 05:06PM
Arrival: 06:10PM
I booked this flight because it was the shortest option with an OW carrier and it gave me the opportunity to try out QR for the first time. The timing also worked very well and I knew it would be a very light load. There's also just something about fifth freedom flights that I really like.
The flight was a short one at only 133 miles; the shortest flight I've flown to date, in fact. The descent began as soon as we were at altitude.
Since I was flying in J, I had access to the Plaza Premium Lounge at PNH. It's a nice, spacious and modern lounge with a decent variety of food options. Better than the CI lounge in TPE, but not particularly noteworthy in any way.
A7-AEJ
Seat 2A
1A was not occupied, but QR routinely blocks row 1 on all their flights. So I was unable to select 1A when doing the online seat change, but I was too lazy to ask the airport staff to switch it for me.
Empty Cabin
The cabin was nearly empty on this leg. There were only 4-5 other pax in the J cabin. The Y cabin was similarly occupied. I'd be surprised if the plane were even half full overall.
IFE System & Hard Product
The plane had QR's excellent IFE system, which was packed full of good content. The flight was too short to finish anything, but it was all available for watching.
The seat was very comfortable, despite aisle access for window seats. I'd imagine this would be a very comfortable plane for a long haul flight, especially if traveling as a couple.
Service
The service was attentive and courteous. I received no special greeting, despite the fact that I'm OWE. The FAs came by several times to offer drinks. I had three espressos, but there was no food on offer. That was a bit disappointing. The flight wasn't long enough for a full-blown meal service, but I did expect at least a small snack at a minimum. Even a bag of peanuts would have been appreciated.
Goodbye Cambodia
Business Class (J)
QR971: PNH - SGN (Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City)
21 January 2018
Airbus A330-300
A7-AEJ
Seat 2A
Departure: 05:06PM
Arrival: 06:10PM
I booked this flight because it was the shortest option with an OW carrier and it gave me the opportunity to try out QR for the first time. The timing also worked very well and I knew it would be a very light load. There's also just something about fifth freedom flights that I really like.
The flight was a short one at only 133 miles; the shortest flight I've flown to date, in fact. The descent began as soon as we were at altitude.
Since I was flying in J, I had access to the Plaza Premium Lounge at PNH. It's a nice, spacious and modern lounge with a decent variety of food options. Better than the CI lounge in TPE, but not particularly noteworthy in any way.
A7-AEJ
Seat 2A
1A was not occupied, but QR routinely blocks row 1 on all their flights. So I was unable to select 1A when doing the online seat change, but I was too lazy to ask the airport staff to switch it for me.
Empty Cabin
The cabin was nearly empty on this leg. There were only 4-5 other pax in the J cabin. The Y cabin was similarly occupied. I'd be surprised if the plane were even half full overall.
IFE System & Hard Product
The plane had QR's excellent IFE system, which was packed full of good content. The flight was too short to finish anything, but it was all available for watching.
The seat was very comfortable, despite aisle access for window seats. I'd imagine this would be a very comfortable plane for a long haul flight, especially if traveling as a couple.
Service
The service was attentive and courteous. I received no special greeting, despite the fact that I'm OWE. The FAs came by several times to offer drinks. I had three espressos, but there was no food on offer. That was a bit disappointing. The flight wasn't long enough for a full-blown meal service, but I did expect at least a small snack at a minimum. Even a bag of peanuts would have been appreciated.
Goodbye Cambodia
Last edited by swingaling; Jan 27, 2018 at 7:53 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 7:34 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Park Hyatt Saigon
Park Hyatt Saigon
Park King Room
I was pleasantly surprised by the Park Hyatt. It felt more like a Grand Hyatt, honestly. It is significantly less expensive than the GH Taipei, but the room was better and bigger. Buffets at both properties were comparable. Admittedly, the GH Taipei was probably a better location than the PH Saigon.
By the time I got to the hotel, it was after 7pm and it had been a long day already. I also had to be up very early the following morning to catch my next flight. Instead of venturing out to hunt down some dinner, I decided to stay in and get some room service. I ordered some chicken pho, and it was truly excellent. Very good quality ingredients and a simply delicious broth. Probably the best bowl of pho I've had thus far.
Entryway
Bathroom
Bedroom
Welcome Amenity
Dragonfruit isn't really my thing, but the dried strawberries were excellent.
View from room
Not the greatest (or most interesting) view, but it was totally fine for a single night.
Breakfast
Hands down the best croissant I've had outside of Paris. And frankly, basically as good as any croissant one would get at a Paris boulangerie. The buffet was very good overall. Certainly on par with the buffet at the Grand Hyatt Taipei. The prices here were much more reasonable, though.
Saigon Traffic
The next morning the traffic was somewhat chaotic. Typical Saigon.
Park King Room
I was pleasantly surprised by the Park Hyatt. It felt more like a Grand Hyatt, honestly. It is significantly less expensive than the GH Taipei, but the room was better and bigger. Buffets at both properties were comparable. Admittedly, the GH Taipei was probably a better location than the PH Saigon.
By the time I got to the hotel, it was after 7pm and it had been a long day already. I also had to be up very early the following morning to catch my next flight. Instead of venturing out to hunt down some dinner, I decided to stay in and get some room service. I ordered some chicken pho, and it was truly excellent. Very good quality ingredients and a simply delicious broth. Probably the best bowl of pho I've had thus far.
Entryway
Bathroom
Bedroom
Welcome Amenity
Dragonfruit isn't really my thing, but the dried strawberries were excellent.
View from room
Not the greatest (or most interesting) view, but it was totally fine for a single night.
Breakfast
Hands down the best croissant I've had outside of Paris. And frankly, basically as good as any croissant one would get at a Paris boulangerie. The buffet was very good overall. Certainly on par with the buffet at the Grand Hyatt Taipei. The prices here were much more reasonable, though.
Saigon Traffic
The next morning the traffic was somewhat chaotic. Typical Saigon.
Jan 27, 2018, 8:17 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Tg551: Sgn-bkk
Thai Airways
Business Class (C)
TG551: SGN-BKK (Saigon to Bangkok)
22 January 2018
Airbus A330-300
HS-TBA
Seat 15A
Departure: 10:20AM
Arrival: 12:00PM
I made it to the airport a bit sooner than I anticipated due to light traffic. As a result, I had to hang around the check-in desks to get my boarding pass. Since I was not flying a round trip, Thai Airways wanted to see my onward ticket from Jakarta (booked on KL). As a result, I was able to check-in online, but they would not issue a mobile boarding pass.
On the plus side, Saigon has priority immigration and security channels for J class passengers, so I was through in no time. Unfortunately, that's the best thing I can say about SGN. The airport itself was extremely warm. The air conditioning seemed not to work at all. The situation in the lounge was no better and it was sweltering in there.
The lounge itself was quite basic with bad food. The bathrooms were pretty gross and not super clean. Overall, the lounge was better than sitting at the gate, but not by much. The only saving grace was the good view of the runway from the lounge.
Rose CIP lounge at Saigon airport
The salty lemonade was strange.
Good runway views, though.
HS-TBA
Seats
The seats are pretty bad with an outdated design. The flight was pretty empty in J, so I had the entire row to myself. But the seats were not comfortable and my seat in particular had a malfunctioning lumbar support that inflated and deflated constantly of its own accord throughout the flight. I had to switch to the adjacent seat because it was supremely annoying. These didn't seem to be fully lie flat and I doubt they'd have been very comfortable on a long haul route.
IFE
In addition to the crappy hard product, the IFE system was locked on the route map for the entire flight. The FA gave some nonsense excuse about movies not being loaded for such a short flight, but it would've been nice to have access to the games in the IFE at the least. Really bad form for J class. Heck, I had full IFE access on my much shorter QR flight to SGN...
Menu
The crappiness of the soft product was a good match to the crappiness of the hard product.
Food
I got the fish, as there was no choice. The rice and vegetables were fine, though I skipped the fish entirely. The first course was strange and not very tasty. The dessert was pretty good, however.
Arrival at BKK
There was an Aeroflot 777 parked next to us, which was cool. I don't see those all that often.
Summary
Overall, this was a very mediocre and lackluster J class experience. The basic lounge, tired and dated seats, mediocre food and non-existent IFE added up to a pretty poor experience overall. The service from the FAs was fine, but really couldn't make up for everything else. I was dreading my next flight on TG the following day.
Business Class (C)
TG551: SGN-BKK (Saigon to Bangkok)
22 January 2018
Airbus A330-300
HS-TBA
Seat 15A
Departure: 10:20AM
Arrival: 12:00PM
I made it to the airport a bit sooner than I anticipated due to light traffic. As a result, I had to hang around the check-in desks to get my boarding pass. Since I was not flying a round trip, Thai Airways wanted to see my onward ticket from Jakarta (booked on KL). As a result, I was able to check-in online, but they would not issue a mobile boarding pass.
On the plus side, Saigon has priority immigration and security channels for J class passengers, so I was through in no time. Unfortunately, that's the best thing I can say about SGN. The airport itself was extremely warm. The air conditioning seemed not to work at all. The situation in the lounge was no better and it was sweltering in there.
The lounge itself was quite basic with bad food. The bathrooms were pretty gross and not super clean. Overall, the lounge was better than sitting at the gate, but not by much. The only saving grace was the good view of the runway from the lounge.
Rose CIP lounge at Saigon airport
The salty lemonade was strange.
Good runway views, though.
HS-TBA
Seats
The seats are pretty bad with an outdated design. The flight was pretty empty in J, so I had the entire row to myself. But the seats were not comfortable and my seat in particular had a malfunctioning lumbar support that inflated and deflated constantly of its own accord throughout the flight. I had to switch to the adjacent seat because it was supremely annoying. These didn't seem to be fully lie flat and I doubt they'd have been very comfortable on a long haul route.
IFE
In addition to the crappy hard product, the IFE system was locked on the route map for the entire flight. The FA gave some nonsense excuse about movies not being loaded for such a short flight, but it would've been nice to have access to the games in the IFE at the least. Really bad form for J class. Heck, I had full IFE access on my much shorter QR flight to SGN...
Menu
The crappiness of the soft product was a good match to the crappiness of the hard product.
Food
I got the fish, as there was no choice. The rice and vegetables were fine, though I skipped the fish entirely. The first course was strange and not very tasty. The dessert was pretty good, however.
Arrival at BKK
There was an Aeroflot 777 parked next to us, which was cool. I don't see those all that often.
Summary
Overall, this was a very mediocre and lackluster J class experience. The basic lounge, tired and dated seats, mediocre food and non-existent IFE added up to a pretty poor experience overall. The service from the FAs was fine, but really couldn't make up for everything else. I was dreading my next flight on TG the following day.
! You'll be able to visit the whole world by July if you keep this up
!