Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo)
May 27, 2018, 11:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo)
Background:
Continuing on my long term goal of visiting every country in the world, my goal for this trip was to finish off East Asia. I nearly accomplished the goal, but I didn't quite make it due to unforeseen circumstances. After my last trip to Asia, I only had two countries in East Asia remaining on my list (namely Burma and Laos). I purchased my positioning tickets to Asia during the Black Friday sale last year and the rest of the trip came together a few months ago.
Initially, the plan was to visit Laos, Burma, Beijing, and Mongolia. Then I figured I could add Bangladesh to the plan without much effort, so I did. I further decided to cut down Laos to a layover and add a night in Singapore instead. I went through several iterations of this trip, and I'd finally worked out the below route (leaving off the BOS-HKG-BOS flights for clarity).
Original Routing:
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to cut out the visit to Mongolia. Instead, I added a short side trip to Tokyo. In the end the below routing is what I did.
Final Routing:
Over the course of 9 days, I would:
BOS-HKG (CX PE Fare - Black Friday Sale)
HKG-BKK-DAC (TG J Award via UA)
DAC-SIN-RGN (SQ J Award via UA)
RGN-BKK-VTE (PG Discount Y Fare)
VTE-SIN (MI J Award via SQ)
SIN-PEK (SQ F Award)
PEK-ULN-PEK (CA J Award via UA) --- CANCELLED
PEK-HND (JL J Award via BA)
HND-HKG (CX J Award via Asia Miles)
HKG-BOS (CX PE Fare - Black Friday Sale)
In this report:
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Boston - Hong Kong
Thai Airways Business Class: Hong Kong - Bangkok
Thai Airways Business Class: Bangkok - Dhaka
Best Western Maple Leaf Hotel Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Singapore Airlines Business Class: Dhaka - Singapore
Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore - Yangon
Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma)
Savoy Hotel Yangon
Bangkok Airways Economy Class: Yangon - Bangkok
Bangkok Airways Economy Class: Bangkok - Vientiane
Vientiane, Laos
SilkAir Business Class: Vientiane - Singapore
Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel
Singapore (Day 1)
Singapore (Day 2)
Singapore Airlines First Class: Singapore - Beijing
Hilton Beijing Capital Airport Hotel
Air China Business Class: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar (CANCELLED)
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Beijing, China (Day 1)
Beijing, China (Day 2) -- Part 1
Beijing, China (Day 2) -- Part 2
Japan Airlines Business Class: Beijing - Tokyo
Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Tokyo - 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)
Continuing on my long term goal of visiting every country in the world, my goal for this trip was to finish off East Asia. I nearly accomplished the goal, but I didn't quite make it due to unforeseen circumstances. After my last trip to Asia, I only had two countries in East Asia remaining on my list (namely Burma and Laos). I purchased my positioning tickets to Asia during the Black Friday sale last year and the rest of the trip came together a few months ago.
Initially, the plan was to visit Laos, Burma, Beijing, and Mongolia. Then I figured I could add Bangladesh to the plan without much effort, so I did. I further decided to cut down Laos to a layover and add a night in Singapore instead. I went through several iterations of this trip, and I'd finally worked out the below route (leaving off the BOS-HKG-BOS flights for clarity).
Original Routing:
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to cut out the visit to Mongolia. Instead, I added a short side trip to Tokyo. In the end the below routing is what I did.
Final Routing:
Over the course of 9 days, I would:
- Visit 8 countries
- Fly roughly 28,700 miles
- Fly in Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class
- Add 4 new countries to my list (now at 40)
BOS-HKG (CX PE Fare - Black Friday Sale)
HKG-BKK-DAC (TG J Award via UA)
DAC-SIN-RGN (SQ J Award via UA)
RGN-BKK-VTE (PG Discount Y Fare)
VTE-SIN (MI J Award via SQ)
SIN-PEK (SQ F Award)
PEK-HND (JL J Award via BA)
HND-HKG (CX J Award via Asia Miles)
HKG-BOS (CX PE Fare - Black Friday Sale)
In this report:
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Boston - Hong Kong
Thai Airways Business Class: Hong Kong - Bangkok
Thai Airways Business Class: Bangkok - Dhaka
Best Western Maple Leaf Hotel Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Singapore Airlines Business Class: Dhaka - Singapore
Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore - Yangon
Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma)
Savoy Hotel Yangon
Bangkok Airways Economy Class: Yangon - Bangkok
Bangkok Airways Economy Class: Bangkok - Vientiane
Vientiane, Laos
SilkAir Business Class: Vientiane - Singapore
Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel
Singapore (Day 1)
Singapore (Day 2)
Singapore Airlines First Class: Singapore - Beijing
Hilton Beijing Capital Airport Hotel
Air China Business Class: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar (CANCELLED)
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Beijing, China (Day 1)
Beijing, China (Day 2) -- Part 1
Beijing, China (Day 2) -- Part 2
Japan Airlines Business Class: Beijing - Tokyo
Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Tokyo - 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
May 27, 2018, 12:12 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy: Boston - Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific
Premium Economy Class (E)
CX811: BOS-HKG (Boston to Hong Kong)
18 May 2018
Boeing 777-300ER (77W Four Class Configuration)
B-KPN
Seat 33K
Departure: 01:45AM
Arrival: 05:10AM +1
I purchased this ticket last November during the CX Black Friday Sale for a ridiculously reduced price. I believe it cost roughly 50% of the typical going rate. At the time, I had no idea what I'd use it for, but I eventually formulated a plan in the months leading up to the flight.
This was my third BOS-HKG non-stop with CX, so it's become a bit routine by now. I turned up at the airport (via Uber) a few hours prior to departure. Despite the late hour, Logan Terminal E was a lot busier than usual. Emirates, British Airways and Lufthansa all had later night departures that night, so we had some company in the terminal.
As usual, I made my way to the adequate British Airways Galleries Lounge.
Espresso at 11PM is always a good idea.
Emirates B777 loading up with transit pax to India (via DXB, of course)
Unfortunately, I did not get an op-up this time around. I thought my chances were good, as Y and PE were both very full in the days leading up to the flight. But the op-up gods did not smile upon me this time around. There's always next time.
I did manage to be the first to board the plane, which is always nice.
Settling in for a long flight. There was a bit of turbulence early in the flight, but it smoothed out after dinner.
Dinner menu
I chose the steak for dinner, which isn't always a good idea. In this case, it worked out; the steak was pretty good. The starter, as aways with CX, was execrable. I don't understand why they insist on putting either fish or game in their PE starters.
I slept for 6-7 hours (aided by the wonder drug Unisom) and woke up about two hours before landing. Breakfast was served shortly thereafter and I chose the noodles. I'd had a similar dish in CX J on this route, and the PE version was quite good. They don't serve Guilin Chili Sauce with it in PE, and its absence was sorely missed. Overall, a tasty breakfast, though.
Sunrise over Hong Kong
Overall, it was an uneventful flight and I got a decent amount of rest, so well done once again for Cathay. We landed in HKG on time and I had to hunt down the boarding pass for my onward flight (separate tickets).
Premium Economy Class (E)
CX811: BOS-HKG (Boston to Hong Kong)
18 May 2018
Boeing 777-300ER (77W Four Class Configuration)
B-KPN
Seat 33K
Departure: 01:45AM
Arrival: 05:10AM +1
I purchased this ticket last November during the CX Black Friday Sale for a ridiculously reduced price. I believe it cost roughly 50% of the typical going rate. At the time, I had no idea what I'd use it for, but I eventually formulated a plan in the months leading up to the flight.
This was my third BOS-HKG non-stop with CX, so it's become a bit routine by now. I turned up at the airport (via Uber) a few hours prior to departure. Despite the late hour, Logan Terminal E was a lot busier than usual. Emirates, British Airways and Lufthansa all had later night departures that night, so we had some company in the terminal.
As usual, I made my way to the adequate British Airways Galleries Lounge.
Espresso at 11PM is always a good idea.
Emirates B777 loading up with transit pax to India (via DXB, of course)
Unfortunately, I did not get an op-up this time around. I thought my chances were good, as Y and PE were both very full in the days leading up to the flight. But the op-up gods did not smile upon me this time around. There's always next time.
I did manage to be the first to board the plane, which is always nice.
Settling in for a long flight. There was a bit of turbulence early in the flight, but it smoothed out after dinner.
Dinner menu
I chose the steak for dinner, which isn't always a good idea. In this case, it worked out; the steak was pretty good. The starter, as aways with CX, was execrable. I don't understand why they insist on putting either fish or game in their PE starters.
I slept for 6-7 hours (aided by the wonder drug Unisom) and woke up about two hours before landing. Breakfast was served shortly thereafter and I chose the noodles. I'd had a similar dish in CX J on this route, and the PE version was quite good. They don't serve Guilin Chili Sauce with it in PE, and its absence was sorely missed. Overall, a tasty breakfast, though.
Sunrise over Hong Kong
Overall, it was an uneventful flight and I got a decent amount of rest, so well done once again for Cathay. We landed in HKG on time and I had to hunt down the boarding pass for my onward flight (separate tickets).
May 27, 2018, 12:55 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Thai Airways Business Class: Hong Kong - Bangkok
Thai Airways
Business Class (C)
TG603: HKG-BKK (Hong Kong to Bangkok)
19 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
HS-TBG
Seat 11E
Departure: 07:45AM
Arrival: 09:25AM
We arrived in HKG around 5:15AM and I was in the arrival area shortly thereafter. I proceeded to the TG transfer desk located at W1 (below gate 40, roughly). Unfortunately, the TG transfer desk was unstaffed when I arrived. I asked the Emirates transfer agent seated nearby (who appeared to be suffering from ebola or plague) when the TG desk would open. She simply grunted at me and shrugged. I love it when folks are helpful. Not wanting to waste time on the off chance that the TG transfer desk would open in time, I hoofed it down the the E1/E2 transfer desks at the opposite end of the terminal. For those who are unaware, that's about a half mile trip one way.
Well, when I got to E1, I figured I'd ask a transfer agent at another SkyTeam carrier if they could issue my boarding pass; in this case it was EVA Air, I believe. As expected, they could not. So I went to the information desk to inquire when the TG transfer desk would open. The helpful info agent told me the TG desk opens at 6AM. This would work well for my purposes. My only other option would be to clear immigration and then go to Terminal 2 to check-in. Immigration typically takes 45min at that time of day, so I wasn't sure I had enough time to do that.
So, I made my way back to the TG transfer desks at W1, another half mile of fast walking away. Unfortunately, the people movers only run in the opposite direction, so it was a long walk. I was a bit sweaty when I arrived at W1 a few minutes before 6AM. The TG transfer agent arrived a few minutes after 6AM, issued my BP. I was through security minutes later and I made my way to the United Club Lounge.
Since I knew United had not flights at this time of day, I was betting on it being rather deserted (in contrast to the Thai Lounge). I was right. The lounge was nearly empty. The first order of business was to grab a quick shower. It wasn't the best shower suite I've used, but it was nice enough and did the trick.
After the shower, I went into the lounge proper to survey the food situation and get a quick snack and caffeine. I never pass up free food when traveling because you never know when the next opportunity will present itself. I had a small bowl of congee, a Diet Coke and a mini muffin. It was better than I expected.
Who needs espresso, anyway?
Good assortment of breakfast pastries
Baked beans and stir fried noodles. Quite the combo.
HS-TBG in all her glory.
Another angle. Despite the photo, I have it on good authority the plane does in fact have a port wing.
Once aboard, a menu was waiting at my seat.
Good leg room for a quick regional flight. The seat is quite outdated, but perfectly fine for a short hop.
TG does not have a good IFE system, unfortunately.
Noodles for breakfast. Not bad, though I think the fried shallots were a mistake. I definitely noticed the absence of the dark soy. I didn't try the dumplings, but everything else was tasty.
It was a quick flight and we were in Bangkok before long. Luckily, we arrived on time. This flight doesn't have a great record for on-time arrivals, so I was a bit concerned. My connecting flight to Dhaka was only 70min after my arrival in BKK and the next flight was 10hrs later. A missed connection here would have caused me to miss Bangladesh altogether. But it all turned out well this time.
Business Class (C)
TG603: HKG-BKK (Hong Kong to Bangkok)
19 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
HS-TBG
Seat 11E
Departure: 07:45AM
Arrival: 09:25AM
We arrived in HKG around 5:15AM and I was in the arrival area shortly thereafter. I proceeded to the TG transfer desk located at W1 (below gate 40, roughly). Unfortunately, the TG transfer desk was unstaffed when I arrived. I asked the Emirates transfer agent seated nearby (who appeared to be suffering from ebola or plague) when the TG desk would open. She simply grunted at me and shrugged. I love it when folks are helpful. Not wanting to waste time on the off chance that the TG transfer desk would open in time, I hoofed it down the the E1/E2 transfer desks at the opposite end of the terminal. For those who are unaware, that's about a half mile trip one way.
Well, when I got to E1, I figured I'd ask a transfer agent at another SkyTeam carrier if they could issue my boarding pass; in this case it was EVA Air, I believe. As expected, they could not. So I went to the information desk to inquire when the TG transfer desk would open. The helpful info agent told me the TG desk opens at 6AM. This would work well for my purposes. My only other option would be to clear immigration and then go to Terminal 2 to check-in. Immigration typically takes 45min at that time of day, so I wasn't sure I had enough time to do that.
So, I made my way back to the TG transfer desks at W1, another half mile of fast walking away. Unfortunately, the people movers only run in the opposite direction, so it was a long walk. I was a bit sweaty when I arrived at W1 a few minutes before 6AM. The TG transfer agent arrived a few minutes after 6AM, issued my BP. I was through security minutes later and I made my way to the United Club Lounge.
Since I knew United had not flights at this time of day, I was betting on it being rather deserted (in contrast to the Thai Lounge). I was right. The lounge was nearly empty. The first order of business was to grab a quick shower. It wasn't the best shower suite I've used, but it was nice enough and did the trick.
After the shower, I went into the lounge proper to survey the food situation and get a quick snack and caffeine. I never pass up free food when traveling because you never know when the next opportunity will present itself. I had a small bowl of congee, a Diet Coke and a mini muffin. It was better than I expected.
Who needs espresso, anyway?
Good assortment of breakfast pastries
Baked beans and stir fried noodles. Quite the combo.
HS-TBG in all her glory.
Another angle. Despite the photo, I have it on good authority the plane does in fact have a port wing.
Once aboard, a menu was waiting at my seat.
Good leg room for a quick regional flight. The seat is quite outdated, but perfectly fine for a short hop.
TG does not have a good IFE system, unfortunately.
Noodles for breakfast. Not bad, though I think the fried shallots were a mistake. I definitely noticed the absence of the dark soy. I didn't try the dumplings, but everything else was tasty.
It was a quick flight and we were in Bangkok before long. Luckily, we arrived on time. This flight doesn't have a great record for on-time arrivals, so I was a bit concerned. My connecting flight to Dhaka was only 70min after my arrival in BKK and the next flight was 10hrs later. A missed connection here would have caused me to miss Bangladesh altogether. But it all turned out well this time.
May 27, 2018, 1:12 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Thai Airways Business Class: Bangkok - Dhaka
Thai Airways
Business Class (C)
TG321: BKK-DAC (Bangkok to Dhaka)
19 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
HS-TET
Seat 12J
Departure: 10:35AM
Arrival: 12:10PM
Luckily, my incoming flight from HKG was on time, but I had little time to linger before my onward flight to Dhaka. So, I quickly made my way through transit security and paid a quick visit to the Royal Thai Lounge. I grabbed a Diet Coke from the busy lounge and surveyed the food offerings. As usual, the food offerings in the TG lounge were entirely unappealing, so I skipped the food this time. I also wasn't terribly hungry anyhow.
After a few minutes, I went to my nearby departure gate for Dhaka. My plane was ready and waiting.
HS-TET
The departure process was a bit of a mess, as my fellow passengers seemed generally unaccustomed to queueing and the TG ground staff did not give clear instructions about the boarding process. So, I did what I normally do in these situations. Elbowed my way through to the front to avoid being trampled in the boarding stampede.
Menu
Menu and ridiculously outdated hard product all in one shot.
Reasonably tasty. I got the Thai option.
What's with the weird colors on Thai desserts?
Overall, the flight was uneventful and we were on the ground in Dhaka in no time.
Business Class (C)
TG321: BKK-DAC (Bangkok to Dhaka)
19 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
HS-TET
Seat 12J
Departure: 10:35AM
Arrival: 12:10PM
Luckily, my incoming flight from HKG was on time, but I had little time to linger before my onward flight to Dhaka. So, I quickly made my way through transit security and paid a quick visit to the Royal Thai Lounge. I grabbed a Diet Coke from the busy lounge and surveyed the food offerings. As usual, the food offerings in the TG lounge were entirely unappealing, so I skipped the food this time. I also wasn't terribly hungry anyhow.
After a few minutes, I went to my nearby departure gate for Dhaka. My plane was ready and waiting.
HS-TET
The departure process was a bit of a mess, as my fellow passengers seemed generally unaccustomed to queueing and the TG ground staff did not give clear instructions about the boarding process. So, I did what I normally do in these situations. Elbowed my way through to the front to avoid being trampled in the boarding stampede.
Menu
Menu and ridiculously outdated hard product all in one shot.
Reasonably tasty. I got the Thai option.
What's with the weird colors on Thai desserts?
Overall, the flight was uneventful and we were on the ground in Dhaka in no time.
May 27, 2018, 1:16 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
May 27, 2018, 1:25 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Best Western Maple Leaf Hotel, Dhaka
Best Western Maple Leaf Hotel
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Standard King Room
Arrival formalities took a bit longer than I expected. Securing the visa on arrival wasn't too bad, though the process was a bit disorganized. Took roughly 10-15 minutes in total.
Then I went to wait in line at immigration, which took at least 20 minutes. When it was my turn, the officer looked at my visa and told me I hadn't needed to wait in line and simply waved me through. Ugh. Lesson learned, I guess.
After that, I changed some dollars to Taka and bought a SIM card for my phone for roughly $5 US. Then through Customs and I met the hotel shuttle in the airport arrivals area. A short wait for the driver to turn up and we were off to the hotel. It was a 5 minute drive to the hotel, so very convenient. I usually use cabs in these situations, but the hotel only charged $12 US for a round trip shuttle ride. Perhaps a cab would have been cheaper, but I wasn't going to quibble over a few dollars.
Check-in at the hotel was painless and I went to my room to drop off my bags before touring the city. The tour guide met me in the hotel lobby a few minutes later and we were off to see the city.
Before that, some photos of the hotel room. The room was clean and modern. The armed guards at the front entrance to the hotel were a bit off-putting, but probably good to have given the security situation.
Yes, that's my only piece of luggage for this trip. Worked out really well, too!
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Standard King Room
Arrival formalities took a bit longer than I expected. Securing the visa on arrival wasn't too bad, though the process was a bit disorganized. Took roughly 10-15 minutes in total.
Then I went to wait in line at immigration, which took at least 20 minutes. When it was my turn, the officer looked at my visa and told me I hadn't needed to wait in line and simply waved me through. Ugh. Lesson learned, I guess.
After that, I changed some dollars to Taka and bought a SIM card for my phone for roughly $5 US. Then through Customs and I met the hotel shuttle in the airport arrivals area. A short wait for the driver to turn up and we were off to the hotel. It was a 5 minute drive to the hotel, so very convenient. I usually use cabs in these situations, but the hotel only charged $12 US for a round trip shuttle ride. Perhaps a cab would have been cheaper, but I wasn't going to quibble over a few dollars.
Check-in at the hotel was painless and I went to my room to drop off my bags before touring the city. The tour guide met me in the hotel lobby a few minutes later and we were off to see the city.
Before that, some photos of the hotel room. The room was clean and modern. The armed guards at the front entrance to the hotel were a bit off-putting, but probably good to have given the security situation.
Yes, that's my only piece of luggage for this trip. Worked out really well, too!
May 27, 2018, 2:23 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh
City Tour from ToursByLocals.com
I booked a tour guide and private car to take me around Dhaka for the afternoon. We'd planned to see the Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil (Pink Palace) and the Parliament building. What I hadn't taken into consideration was that I was arriving in Dhaka on the second day of Ramadan. Unfortunately, that threw a wrench in the works, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
We set off from the hotel shortly after 1PM. Our first stop was Ahsan Manzil, the Pink Palace. Located in the Old City, it was roughly 20km from my hotel to the palace. Being a Saturday, traffic was lighter than usual, but it still took a bit over two hours to get to the palace. The traffic was simply horrible.
There were all manner of vehicle sharing the roads: cars, enormous buses, rickshaws, bicycles, mopeds, horse-drawn carriages, and two-wheeled carts pulled by men were all common sights. On top of that, the vast majority of traffic lights did not work whatsoever, and the police directing traffic were generally ineffective and inefficient. It was a disorganized mess.
Lots of abandoned, partially built structures filled with squatters.
Monument to harpists, probably.
Air Force Monument to birds and MiGs
A tree and a building
Colorful rickshaw
One of many stray dogs
Typical roadside garbage monument
Guys playing hopscotch in the street
Typical road scene in Dhaka. Traffic at a standstill, people walking every which way. Man in blue is sleepwalking.
Pineapple vending in the street
These buses are a menace and are absolutely scratched beyond belief. On closer inspection, they are completely covered in bondo.
This street was (allegedly) under construction and was very difficult to get through.
A typical intersection.
Tourists admiring the insanity.
See the traffic light? It's just for show. It doesn't actually work.
I think these buses are completely made from Bondo.
How many different means of transport can you spot in this photo?
Huge dumpsters placed right on the street. At least the strays get something out of it?
After much ado, we finally made it to the Pink Palace at 3:30PM. Unfortunately, they decided to close at 3:30, with the last admission at 3:00. Their posted hours show a 5PM closing time, but they simply decided to close early without giving anyone prior notice about it. Presumably the early closing was due to the fact that it was the second day of Ramadan. However, they didn't close early on the first day of Ramadan.
It's a lovely building and I would have loved to see the inside. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be this time around.
Walking back to the car from the Pink Palace. Typical scene in Old Town Dhaka.
Riverfront
Back in the car, more traffic on the way to Lalbagh Fort.
Naturally, the Lalbagh Fort was also closed. It closed 30min before we arrived. Its new Ramadan schedule unannounced, of course.
The grounds were beautifully maintained.
Heading to the Parliament Building. More roadside dumpsters.
Parliament Building. While it's possible for tourists to gain entry to the building, the entry fee is nearly $100 US, which hardly seems worth it. In any event, I believe it needed to be arranged in advance and I had not burning desire to go inside.
Presidential Palace on the way back to the hotel.
The ride back to the hotel was much quicker and I was back in my room in no time. I had some dinner at the rooftop hotel restaurant and then napped for a couple hours. Dinner was quite tasty and pricing was reasonable, by international standards (certainly not by Dhaka standards). I got up around 9PM, showered and then caught the hotel shuttle back to the airport for my red-eye to Singapore.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in Bangladesh, and definitely would like to see more of the country in the future. Everyone I met was very nice and they clearly wanted more tourists to visit. The infrastructure for tourism is there (somewhat), but it's not the easiest place to travel. Not difficult, but everything takes a lot of time.
City Tour from ToursByLocals.com
I booked a tour guide and private car to take me around Dhaka for the afternoon. We'd planned to see the Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil (Pink Palace) and the Parliament building. What I hadn't taken into consideration was that I was arriving in Dhaka on the second day of Ramadan. Unfortunately, that threw a wrench in the works, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
We set off from the hotel shortly after 1PM. Our first stop was Ahsan Manzil, the Pink Palace. Located in the Old City, it was roughly 20km from my hotel to the palace. Being a Saturday, traffic was lighter than usual, but it still took a bit over two hours to get to the palace. The traffic was simply horrible.
There were all manner of vehicle sharing the roads: cars, enormous buses, rickshaws, bicycles, mopeds, horse-drawn carriages, and two-wheeled carts pulled by men were all common sights. On top of that, the vast majority of traffic lights did not work whatsoever, and the police directing traffic were generally ineffective and inefficient. It was a disorganized mess.
Lots of abandoned, partially built structures filled with squatters.
Monument to harpists, probably.
Air Force Monument to birds and MiGs
A tree and a building
Colorful rickshaw
One of many stray dogs
Typical roadside garbage monument
Guys playing hopscotch in the street
Typical road scene in Dhaka. Traffic at a standstill, people walking every which way. Man in blue is sleepwalking.
Pineapple vending in the street
These buses are a menace and are absolutely scratched beyond belief. On closer inspection, they are completely covered in bondo.
This street was (allegedly) under construction and was very difficult to get through.
A typical intersection.
Tourists admiring the insanity.
See the traffic light? It's just for show. It doesn't actually work.
I think these buses are completely made from Bondo.
How many different means of transport can you spot in this photo?
Huge dumpsters placed right on the street. At least the strays get something out of it?
After much ado, we finally made it to the Pink Palace at 3:30PM. Unfortunately, they decided to close at 3:30, with the last admission at 3:00. Their posted hours show a 5PM closing time, but they simply decided to close early without giving anyone prior notice about it. Presumably the early closing was due to the fact that it was the second day of Ramadan. However, they didn't close early on the first day of Ramadan.
It's a lovely building and I would have loved to see the inside. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be this time around.
Walking back to the car from the Pink Palace. Typical scene in Old Town Dhaka.
Riverfront
Back in the car, more traffic on the way to Lalbagh Fort.
Naturally, the Lalbagh Fort was also closed. It closed 30min before we arrived. Its new Ramadan schedule unannounced, of course.
The grounds were beautifully maintained.
Heading to the Parliament Building. More roadside dumpsters.
Parliament Building. While it's possible for tourists to gain entry to the building, the entry fee is nearly $100 US, which hardly seems worth it. In any event, I believe it needed to be arranged in advance and I had not burning desire to go inside.
Presidential Palace on the way back to the hotel.
The ride back to the hotel was much quicker and I was back in my room in no time. I had some dinner at the rooftop hotel restaurant and then napped for a couple hours. Dinner was quite tasty and pricing was reasonable, by international standards (certainly not by Dhaka standards). I got up around 9PM, showered and then caught the hotel shuttle back to the airport for my red-eye to Singapore.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in Bangladesh, and definitely would like to see more of the country in the future. Everyone I met was very nice and they clearly wanted more tourists to visit. The infrastructure for tourism is there (somewhat), but it's not the easiest place to travel. Not difficult, but everything takes a lot of time.
Last edited by swingaling; May 27, 2018 at 2:35 pm
May 27, 2018, 2:57 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Singapore Airlines Business Class: Dhaka - Singapore
Singapore Airlines
Business Class (C)
SQ447: DAC-SIN (Dhaka to Singapore)
19 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
9V-SSI
Seat 14A
Departure: 11:55PM
Arrival: 06:05AM +1
After a quick ride to the airport, I checked in and made it through immigration pretty quickly. I had about an hour to kill in the lounge before my onward flight, so I had some water a relaxed. The lounge was pretty basic and I didn't look at the food on offer, as I'd just had dinner. I then went for a stroll around the airport and finally turned up at my gate a few minutes prior to boarding.
The Dhaka airport reminded me a bit of the Manila airport (T3), in terms of its old-fashioned layout. The main difference was the air conditioning actually works in Dhaka, whereas MNL still can't get their act together on that front.
I'd booked this flight for the express purpose of sleeping, so I was sure to take a Unisom before take-off.
That night's menu looked pretty good, but I declined the meal service so I could maximize my sleep.
Pretty comfortable seat for sleeping, despite the fact that it's angle-flat. I ended up sleeping very well for about 3.5 hours.
Very light loads in J on this route, as you can see.
Taxiing to the runway at DAC.
First time seeing this livery.
After waking up on final approach, I saw this from the window. Clearly a city in Malaysia, not sure which one though.
An uneventful flight, we landed on time. I had a bit of time between flights, so I switched terminals and made my way to the SilverKris Business Class Lounge for a light breakfast snack.
Business Class (C)
SQ447: DAC-SIN (Dhaka to Singapore)
19 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
9V-SSI
Seat 14A
Departure: 11:55PM
Arrival: 06:05AM +1
After a quick ride to the airport, I checked in and made it through immigration pretty quickly. I had about an hour to kill in the lounge before my onward flight, so I had some water a relaxed. The lounge was pretty basic and I didn't look at the food on offer, as I'd just had dinner. I then went for a stroll around the airport and finally turned up at my gate a few minutes prior to boarding.
The Dhaka airport reminded me a bit of the Manila airport (T3), in terms of its old-fashioned layout. The main difference was the air conditioning actually works in Dhaka, whereas MNL still can't get their act together on that front.
I'd booked this flight for the express purpose of sleeping, so I was sure to take a Unisom before take-off.
That night's menu looked pretty good, but I declined the meal service so I could maximize my sleep.
Pretty comfortable seat for sleeping, despite the fact that it's angle-flat. I ended up sleeping very well for about 3.5 hours.
Very light loads in J on this route, as you can see.
Taxiing to the runway at DAC.
First time seeing this livery.
After waking up on final approach, I saw this from the window. Clearly a city in Malaysia, not sure which one though.
An uneventful flight, we landed on time. I had a bit of time between flights, so I switched terminals and made my way to the SilverKris Business Class Lounge for a light breakfast snack.
May 27, 2018, 3:21 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore - Yangon
Singapore Airlines
Business Class (C)
SQ447: SIN-RGN (Singapore to Yangon)
20 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
9V-STW
Seat 12A
Departure: 07:55AM
Arrival: 09:20AM
Admiring the orchids at SIN
Candy store next to the lounge entrance. I really do love this airport.
More amazing orchids
I made a quick stop in the SilverKris lounge and surveyed the food offerings. I sampled a few things, but I still prefer The Pier in HKG. Though this was a perfectly good lounge.
9V-STW in the distance. Hard to get a good shot of her.
Menu
I pre-ordered the Nasi Biryani from the Book the Cook menu. It was quite good and definitely a worthwhile choice.
The flight was short and the hard product the same as the previous flight. As usual, the SQ service was exceptional. Before long, we were in Yangon.
Business Class (C)
SQ447: SIN-RGN (Singapore to Yangon)
20 May 2018
Airbus 330-300
9V-STW
Seat 12A
Departure: 07:55AM
Arrival: 09:20AM
Admiring the orchids at SIN
Candy store next to the lounge entrance. I really do love this airport.
More amazing orchids
I made a quick stop in the SilverKris lounge and surveyed the food offerings. I sampled a few things, but I still prefer The Pier in HKG. Though this was a perfectly good lounge.
9V-STW in the distance. Hard to get a good shot of her.
Menu
I pre-ordered the Nasi Biryani from the Book the Cook menu. It was quite good and definitely a worthwhile choice.
The flight was short and the hard product the same as the previous flight. As usual, the SQ service was exceptional. Before long, we were in Yangon.
May 27, 2018, 8:50 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Yangon, Burma
Yangon, Burma
My flight landed in Burma on time and I was through immigration quickly. We landed at the new international terminal, which was quite nice. It reminded me of the Phnom Penh Airport. Since I'd applied for an e-visa in advance, the issuance of my tourist visa was quick and painless. The process was very similar to that of Cambodia and Vietnam.
I got some Burmese Kyat and a SIM card after customs and met up with my tour guide (and driver). I'd hired him to take me around Yangon for the day and show me the sights. Overall, he was a much better guide than the Dhaka guide.
Kyauk Daw Kyi
Loka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Buddha Image
A Buddhist temple with a huge seated Buddha figure carved from a single piece of granite. It was quite impressive.
Royal White Elephant Garden
Apparently, albino elephants hold some cultural significance in Burma, so these elephants are captured and chained up here. They're allowed to roam the ground of the park twice a day, but they're otherwise kept chained here. It certainly protects them from poachers, but it's hardly humane to keep them chained up like this. We didn't stay here long, as I found it upsetting.
Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda
This was our next stop. It's an enormous reclining buddha image. It really is quite massive. Pretty cool, but the photos tell the story.
Bogyoke Park
A quick stop here to see this huge floating restaurant and event hall.
Sule Pagoda
Located in downtown Yangon, this is a historic pagoda that's thought to be roughly 2,600 years old.
Maha Bandoola Park
And a giant obelisk. I believe it commemorates Burmese independence, but I could be wrong.
Yangon City Hall on the left, an old colonial building in the middle (pink roof) and the Immanuel Baptist Church on the right.
Yangon Region Court
Reminds me of some of the colonial architecture in Kuala Lumpur.
Maha Bandula Park Rules
No soccer and no sex. I guess some rules need to be stated?
Kyauktada Post Office
Formerly the old telegraph station for the city. They have some of the old equipment on display.
Police station
The rear of the court building
Port Authority Building
By that time, it was around 1PM and getting really hot. So we decided to get some lunch. We went to the Feel Myanmar Food, which serves mainly Burmese food. It's a popular restaurant, but service was quick and the price was inexpensive. No photos, but I linked to the restaurant's website for photos and the menu.
After lunch, I went back to the hotel to check-in and rest until around 4PM. It was nearly 100F outside (and humid), so it was far too warm to visit out last sight. Since we had to be baregoot, we'd have burned our feet on the hot sub-baked marble flooring. Once it cooled down a bit, we went to the Shwedagon Pagoda, our final stop on the tour.
Shwedagon Pagoda
Legend has it that the pagoda was constructed over 2,600 years ago, making it the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world. Archaeologists contend it was built roughly 1,00 - 1,500 years ago. Whatever the truth, it's clearly very old.
By the time we were done, it was after 5PM and I was ready for dinner and bed. So, I went back to the hotel and concluded the tour. Overall, it was a very productive day.
My flight landed in Burma on time and I was through immigration quickly. We landed at the new international terminal, which was quite nice. It reminded me of the Phnom Penh Airport. Since I'd applied for an e-visa in advance, the issuance of my tourist visa was quick and painless. The process was very similar to that of Cambodia and Vietnam.
I got some Burmese Kyat and a SIM card after customs and met up with my tour guide (and driver). I'd hired him to take me around Yangon for the day and show me the sights. Overall, he was a much better guide than the Dhaka guide.
Kyauk Daw Kyi
Loka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Buddha Image
A Buddhist temple with a huge seated Buddha figure carved from a single piece of granite. It was quite impressive.
Royal White Elephant Garden
Apparently, albino elephants hold some cultural significance in Burma, so these elephants are captured and chained up here. They're allowed to roam the ground of the park twice a day, but they're otherwise kept chained here. It certainly protects them from poachers, but it's hardly humane to keep them chained up like this. We didn't stay here long, as I found it upsetting.
Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda
This was our next stop. It's an enormous reclining buddha image. It really is quite massive. Pretty cool, but the photos tell the story.
Bogyoke Park
A quick stop here to see this huge floating restaurant and event hall.
Sule Pagoda
Located in downtown Yangon, this is a historic pagoda that's thought to be roughly 2,600 years old.
Maha Bandoola Park
And a giant obelisk. I believe it commemorates Burmese independence, but I could be wrong.
Yangon City Hall on the left, an old colonial building in the middle (pink roof) and the Immanuel Baptist Church on the right.
Yangon Region Court
Reminds me of some of the colonial architecture in Kuala Lumpur.
Maha Bandula Park Rules
No soccer and no sex. I guess some rules need to be stated?
Kyauktada Post Office
Formerly the old telegraph station for the city. They have some of the old equipment on display.
Police station
The rear of the court building
Port Authority Building
By that time, it was around 1PM and getting really hot. So we decided to get some lunch. We went to the Feel Myanmar Food, which serves mainly Burmese food. It's a popular restaurant, but service was quick and the price was inexpensive. No photos, but I linked to the restaurant's website for photos and the menu.
After lunch, I went back to the hotel to check-in and rest until around 4PM. It was nearly 100F outside (and humid), so it was far too warm to visit out last sight. Since we had to be baregoot, we'd have burned our feet on the hot sub-baked marble flooring. Once it cooled down a bit, we went to the Shwedagon Pagoda, our final stop on the tour.
Shwedagon Pagoda
Legend has it that the pagoda was constructed over 2,600 years ago, making it the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world. Archaeologists contend it was built roughly 1,00 - 1,500 years ago. Whatever the truth, it's clearly very old.
By the time we were done, it was after 5PM and I was ready for dinner and bed. So, I went back to the hotel and concluded the tour. Overall, it was a very productive day.
Last edited by swingaling; May 31, 2018 at 10:27 am
May 28, 2018, 2:06 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Savoy Hotel Yangon
Savoy Hotel Yangon
Standard King Room
I chose the Savoy mainly due to its location and the price. It seemed to be a nice property and was much less expensive than the other options I'd considered, namely the Belmond, Strand and Shangri-La. I also considered the Lotte and Pan Pacific, but the Savoy seemed to have more character than those two newer properties.
Overall, I was quite happy with the Savoy. It reminded me a bit of the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh, albeit a bit smaller and perhaps not quite as nice.
In any event, after an eventful day of seeing the sights, I went back to the hotel for the evening and got some rest. I had a club sandwich for dinner at the hotel bar, and it was quite good. I went to bed early because I had to be up around 3:30AM to catch a 4AM cab to the airport.
Some photos of the room to follow.
Cheap mini bar pricing
Standard King Room
I chose the Savoy mainly due to its location and the price. It seemed to be a nice property and was much less expensive than the other options I'd considered, namely the Belmond, Strand and Shangri-La. I also considered the Lotte and Pan Pacific, but the Savoy seemed to have more character than those two newer properties.
Overall, I was quite happy with the Savoy. It reminded me a bit of the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh, albeit a bit smaller and perhaps not quite as nice.
In any event, after an eventful day of seeing the sights, I went back to the hotel for the evening and got some rest. I had a club sandwich for dinner at the hotel bar, and it was quite good. I went to bed early because I had to be up around 3:30AM to catch a 4AM cab to the airport.
Some photos of the room to follow.
Cheap mini bar pricing
May 29, 2018, 8:59 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664