Planning a world trip - advice needed

[redarmi]

I worked for an Asian bookie in KL for a while and they gave me a very nice apartment but on my days off I used to go and stay in the Mandarin Oriental about 20 minutes away because it was just such incredible value and made me feel so pampered.  The don't mind, ahem, guests either.  The Beach Club just over the road is a good place to interview prospective guests too.

[ruud]

Have been most places on this list, for long periods of time as well (thin), so will try and offer an in depth few posts in the next couple of days.

Can I ask though, before I start chucking eateries and sleeperies at you, are you backpacking this, or can you afford the odd splurge?

How happy are you using public transport? Is the missus alright with getting on grim, dirty, dangerous (I mean unsafe roads/crazy drivers rather than filled with axe-wielding maniacs) buses in Asia? Or is she going to want to be on the first class train?

There are some border crossing, especially in Asia, where you are certainly better off flying, and I can especially help here. Will post tomorrow for sure.

[ruud]

My and my gf are currently planning an around the world trip in August, with the below route;



We are trying to do it a cheaply as possible with regards to accommodation etc

doh, answered one of my own questions.

Here's a link to our blog which we kept. Will def give you something to think about, but I will try and offer some more specific help in the next 24 hours.

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/LouMark/

[ZZZZZZZROPE]

Hey dude thx for the reply, been off the forum for a few days, so i just saw your post there.

We are trying to do it as cheap as possible within reason as we are looking at hostels, but we are looking at the higher end of scale and only taking private rooms etc.

Yeah we are comfortable with using cheaper travel options like buses etc.

looking forward to your reply!

[celtic]

Pm amatay. He's been to quite a few places i think.

[Woodsey]

Arrggggggghh, heads up on the China visa situation for you. Just had mine rejected  such a pain in the arse, going to have to change my plans now as time is short and I don't have time to go to the embassy in London in person 

Just make sure you apply in plenty of time so you have time to re-apply if rejected as they are thorough as hell. I guess just do it in person at the embassy wherever you are. They want physical proof of my flight and hotel reservations, didn't see that anywhere on the application, just wrote it on there.

[claypole]

Pm amatay. He's been to quite a few places i think.

Cough cough lol

I think two months is a nice amount of time to hub through Bangkok.  Can certainly fill two months in Thailand, I'll leave the itinerary to Woodsey...also Air Asiia connects well to Phnom Penn and Siem Reap., loved Camodia and Sihanoukville was a nice spot five years ago and alternative tomThai beaches. Personally, I prefer to hub through KL now for the reasons Keef alluded too, it's dirt cheap for top hotels after roughing it and a bit less scummy than Bangkok. I've just booked Sheraton when F1 on for £50 a night.  That said, that comes after hubbing thru Bangkok for years, the first time I arrived there I loved it.

Just had a nice week in North Koh Phangan - if you want quiet, beautiful spot while tourists go mad on Samui and flouro backpackers still rave at Haad Rin (altho you can joinin as I did with a 40min cab) I really liked Haad Salad - nothing there but beautiful, quite beach and a few bars

[ZZZZZZZROPE]

that sucks woodsey! we have actually decided just to drop china altogether.

We will be spending around 3 months in Thailand, which will include Christmas and new year! Any ideas on the best place to spend that week?

the route i was thinking is something like the below;

bangkok for a week then get the train to chumphon

see the islands including koh toa - ko phangan - ko samui , then head to krabi and also see phi phi (now is it worth adding in phuket around here, as i have heard mixed reviews)

make our way to kuala lumpar for a week then back up to bangkok, then ober to cambodia and back.

opinions from Thailand regs? 

[Woodsey]

All sounds ok, you've got loads of time so Chiang Mai might be worth adding if you like temples, trekking and outdoorsy stuff like that. Don't think it matters where you are for Xmas and NY, just make sure you have accom booked as that is the only time it's harder to come by and prices rise a lot.

As claypole says some side trips to Cambodia, Laos or Burma/Myanmar would be interesting too depending on how much ground you want to cover or whether you're happy chilling for longer in fewer places.

[ZZZZZZZROPE]

We are now less than 2 weeks away from starting the world trip!

The route will be;

NY
Mexico
Peru
Brazil
Argintina
South Africa
India
Thailand
Singapore
Vietnam
Cambodia

I have set up a blog entitled 'the beery traveller', which will be used to wirte about the different beers consumed and some funny stories along the way. The link is www.thebeerytraveller.wordpress.com if interested.

We have also set up a more traditional travel blog : www.theworldandotherstuff.wordpress.com

They may provide some entertainment to some of you

[Woodsey]

Good stuff I'm jealous, wish I could buzz off from work for a few months to see some new places, not been to South America at all yet.......

[CHIPPYMAN]

Start the trip with a bang.

Stay here for a couple of nights:

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/

It's about £200 a night, but anywhere else in the world it would be nearer a grand a night.

Amazing hotel.

£200 a nite for 2months will come to £60k ? Are you multi millionaire or Keith taking a piss here .
As for Singapore , it's the most safest and cleanest country in the world . It's very expensive place to go on holiday but I recommended u stay in Johor Bahru (MALAYSIA) . It border Singapore and they are lots lots cheaper. It's take about 1/2 to an hours trip from there to Singapore .

[CHIPPYMAN]

Pm amatay. He's been to quite a few places i think.

I PM Amatay last year when my son went for his honeymoon last year . He suggested a few places to visit . My son says its amazing place and I still forget to thanks Amatay for telling my son where to visit . If u are single ( I know u not ) , there lots of cheap birds there if u can't pull one ! Thailand is a must visit country . Cheap and nice beaches

[Amatay]

yeah sorry thats just where we fly into, we are planning on travelling about, maybe also go to cambodia etc?

Cambodia is one of my faves. You must go.

[ZZZZZZZROPE]

Aye really looking forward to the Asian countries, saying that, i havent visited and of the counties we are going to, so it all should be pretty amazing