ASIA: Travel tips and tricks.

[Dirty Bird]

We have a Europe and America one, so thought why not an Asia one?

In April-May next year I'm doing a quick Hong Kong stay on the way to Europe. 3.5 days or so.

What would people recommend in Hong Kong? My only time there I never left the airport.In and out in 4 or so hours.

We were looking at Disneyland, but we're going onto Paris soon after and We are 100% doing EuroDisney and that has everything plus more than Hong Kong Disney. Might open up a day trip to Macau though. Don't know, what would people recommend?

 

[James_Blues]

Has anyone done much travelling through Laos? I'm headed there in February with a couple of mates and we are planning on heading out to the rural areas. Any information would be greatly appreciated

 

[James_Blues]

We have a Europe and America one, so thought why not an Asia one?

In April-May next year I'm doing a quick Hong Kong stay on the way to Europe. 3.5 days or so.

What would people recommend in Hong Kong? My only time there I never left the airport.In and out in 4 or so hours.

We were looking at Disneyland, but we're going onto Paris soon after and We are 100% doing EuroDisney and that has everything plus more than Hong Kong Disney. Might open up a day trip to Macau though. Don't know, what would people recommend?

Well if you wanted to get a trip into a theme park, theres Ocean Park which isn't too bad.

Stanley Market is also a good place to visit, lots of shops where you can buy cheap clothes, toys, electronics etc.

Also worth checking out shops in Kowloon as theres plenty of jewellery shops for any significant others, clothes shops, electronics shops along Nathan Rd and the streets off of that. Theres also a lot of high end fashion shops around Canton Rd like Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc.

I personally found Macau to be quite boring, but thats just me. Certainly some interesting architecture since it was ruled by the Portuguese for a while, but the strip where the Casino's are just felt like a run down Las Vegas to me (not that I've been to Vegas).

Also one thing I recommend you do is to actually make your way into the city by the train instead of a taxi. Its much more affordable (around $15 to Hong Kong Station or $14 to Kowloon Station), very clean and efficient. From there you can also take a bus which stops off at all the major hotels. On the way back to the airport, you can check in to your flight and check in your luggage at the train station and not have to worry about it.

 

[Aussie Assault]

Hong Kong is an amazing place. So much more than just the city as well with beaches, islands all within easy access thanks to their fantastic public transport system - the best I've come across in my travels. Some of the stations are massive.

I like the Kowloon side better than Hong Kong Island. Feels a bit more gritty like you'd expect Hong Kong to be. It also has most of the main markets except Stanley which is a nice little seaside town / suburb to visit even if not for the market. Ladies Market has a pretty good atmosphere at night for food and drinks with tables spilling out onto the street.

If you're there on a Wednesday night I cannot recommend going to Happy Valley night races enough. Even if you're not a fan of the races they cater very well for tourists and generally put a on a good night out. A bit of a party atmosphere trackside and cheap enough.

Catch a Star Ferry across the harbour. Gives you a different perspective of the place.

Go up the Peak if the weather is clear. Pretty touristy up the top but the view is also decent.

Catch a ride on a ding ding (double decker tram).

Lamma Island is known for its seafood. Pretty pricey and not the most picturesque place, but can get you away from the hustle and bustle. Plenty of seafood in town though are cheaper and just as good if not better.

Macau is ok. The casinos are huge. But it lacks the fun factor that Vegas brings. The casinos are as big and grand but its purely built for big business gambling. We saw a show there called The House of Dancing Water which puts any Vegas/Broadway/Cirque show I've seen to shame. Amazing what they can fit into their round stage area. Moulin Rough is the only show I've seen that is better - go an see that in Paris if you haven't been before - it was nothing like I expected and was in awe a number of times. But yeah, if it wasn't for HODW then I'd rate Macau as a complete waste of time, even with the Portuguese influence away from the casinos.

I love Honkers.

 

[Aussie Assault]

Has anyone done much travelling through Laos? I'm headed there in February with a couple of mates and we are planning on heading out to the rural areas. Any information would be greatly appreciated

I haven't done as much as I'd like but rate Luang Prabang very highly. We didn't want to leave the place once we arrived there and we blame it for leaving Vietnam feeling disappointed, simply because it wasn't in the same ballpark as Laos.

Hire (or buy if you're there long enough) a bike to get yourself around. The roads are relatively good thanks to the Chinese building them so they can mine the country, and traffic tends to be a lot less. You'll see so much more that way, as well as some amazing scenery.

The people are so friendly, Beer Laos is a good drop for Asia, and the natural beauty of the place is breathtaking - rivers, waterfalls, mountains. Food is up and down but if you do make it to Luang Prabang they have a night food market which I still fantasise about.

Its a landlocked country, and we are very much beach people, but I'm not sure if I've ever had a more relaxing time. Go slow there.

 

[IQ3]

Has anyone done much travelling through Laos? I'm headed there in February with a couple of mates and we are planning on heading out to the rural areas. Any information would be greatly appreciated

I went to Vang Vieng. It's freaking awesome. Local people are so cruisy, they just go about your business and you go about yours. We went in low season but still plenty of backpackers there. Night life rocks. Take note though travelling around Laos, especially by bus is as rough as it gets. Not really any concealed roads or any maintenance. In saying that the countryside is ridiculously beautiful. We also stayed a few days in the capital Vientiane, not so great there in comparison.

 

[00Stinger]

We have a Europe and America one, so thought why not an Asia one?

In April-May next year I'm doing a quick Hong Kong stay on the way to Europe. 3.5 days or so.

What would people recommend in Hong Kong? My only time there I never left the airport.In and out in 4 or so hours.

We were looking at Disneyland, but we're going onto Paris soon after and We are 100% doing EuroDisney and that has everything plus more than Hong Kong Disney. Might open up a day trip to Macau though. Don't know, what would people recommend?

Happy Valley

 

[LennyStarkiller]

I am interested to know what peoples thoughts are about Taiwan. I think it is an underated place to visit for people who travel around Asia.

 

[yaco55]

Hong Kong

Disneyland - Give it a miss as its not a patch on the other Disneylands - Much better to go to Ocean Park.

Macau - Great for architecture and ANTIQUES - If you have no interest in Gambling/Casinos.

 

[Jordie_tackles]

Hong Kong is an amazing place. So much more than just the city as well with beaches, islands all within easy access thanks to their fantastic public transport system - the best I've come across in my travels. Some of the stations are massive.

I like the Kowloon side better than Hong Kong Island. Feels a bit more gritty like you'd expect Hong Kong to be. It also has most of the main markets except Stanley which is a nice little seaside town / suburb to visit even if not for the market. Ladies Market has a pretty good atmosphere at night for food and drinks with tables spilling out onto the street.

If you're there on a Wednesday night I cannot recommend going to Happy Valley night races enough. Even if you're not a fan of the races they cater very well for tourists and generally put a on a good night out. A bit of a party atmosphere trackside and cheap enough.

Catch a Star Ferry across the harbour. Gives you a different perspective of the place.

Go up the Peak if the weather is clear. Pretty touristy up the top but the view is also decent.

Catch a ride on a ding ding (double decker tram).

Lamma Island is known for its seafood. Pretty pricey and not the most picturesque place, but can get you away from the hustle and bustle. Plenty of seafood in town though are cheaper and just as good if not better.

Macau is ok. The casinos are huge. But it lacks the fun factor that Vegas brings. The casinos are as big and grand but its purely built for big business gambling. We saw a show there called The House of Dancing Water which puts any Vegas/Broadway/Cirque show I've seen to shame. Amazing what they can fit into their round stage area. Moulin Rough is the only show I've seen that is better - go an see that in Paris if you haven't been before - it was nothing like I expected and was in awe a number of times. But yeah, if it wasn't for HODW then I'd rate Macau as a complete waste of time, even with the Portuguese influence away from the casinos.

I love Honkers.

This is a lot of what I liked, Victoria peak is good, take the tram down the mountain, also really enjoyed the ferries no matter how often I used them, shopping and markets are good, food is great obviously. And happy valley was good, my dad isn't into horses or gambling but lived happy valley!

 

[Juddism]

We have a Europe and America one, so thought why not an Asia one?

In April-May next year I'm doing a quick Hong Kong stay on the way to Europe. 3.5 days or so.

What would people recommend in Hong Kong? My only time there I never left the airport.In and out in 4 or so hours.

We were looking at Disneyland, but we're going onto Paris soon after and We are 100% doing EuroDisney and that has everything plus more than Hong Kong Disney. Might open up a day trip to Macau though. Don't know, what would people recommend?

eat! it's a food lovers paradise. Just walk around and explore at your own pace. The Temple St night market is good fun, The Peak, Mid Levels, Lan Kwai Fong, all good places. I go through HK twice a month. Macau is a dump. I've never seen a place so deserted by day...it's just the weirdest place I've ever been.

 

[mottrain]

We have a Europe and America one, so thought why not an Asia one?

In April-May next year I'm doing a quick Hong Kong stay on the way to Europe. 3.5 days or so.

What would people recommend in Hong Kong? My only time there I never left the airport.In and out in 4 or so hours.

We were looking at Disneyland, but we're going onto Paris soon after and We are 100% doing EuroDisney and that has everything plus more than Hong Kong Disney. Might open up a day trip to Macau though. Don't know, what would people recommend?

Many days planned for Hong Komg?
Ocean Park never been to (want to go this time think I'll again give it a miss due to hopefully going to an amusement park in Manila) apparently outstrips Disney do get told this time and time again and also a lot cheaper.

Avoid shopping on Nathan Road real sharky place.

Visit **** Kok for the markets and experience. Crazy place which would make the MCG on a major event day look tiny.

Go from TST to Central on the boat.

Visit Lantau near the airport if you have time to travel to the big budda.

Go to Chunking Mansions however have no intention of getting a room there. Really crazy place which would be the melting pot of hong kong. Got everything from Aussies to Americans to Africans to Pakistanis all around it.

Spend a day and travel up to the New Territories . Sha Tin is very nice especially the parks between the two stations. Travel on from there to Shenzhen on the China side for half a day or a day in mainland china can buy s**t at the shopping centre cheaply or even head to Dongmen if you want department store goods. Best place for replicas clothes.

Visit the many landmarks on the island of relevance such as the Peak (bus ride really is the best way to get up slower but better than the tram) times square, stadium, shopping centres, take a tram ride, Happy Valley Racing (good if you get a meet while there, LKF for drinking.

Making a day trip to Macau is good but really only need half a day. Do it in the afternoon, head down to the ruin of St Paul, the scenic space in the city, the museum all are in a ks distance between each other at most and the stay at dusk to see the lights, for dinner and head to some cas if that is what you want. Ferries leave hourly 24 hours a day. Do consider buying tickets in advance ie on your first day as can sell out just before the thing leaves. Let me know in here if you have any other questions/more specific questions like finding things to do that you'll be interested in .

 

[mottrain]

eat! it's a food lovers paradise. Just walk around and explore at your own pace. The Temple St night market is good fun, The Peak, Mid Levels, Lan Kwai Fong, all good places. I go through HK twice a month. Macau is a dump. I've never seen a place so deserted by day...it's just the weirdest place I've ever been.

Stayed the night there was really not needed. Could cover the tourist things in 4 hours.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Many days planned for Hong Komg?

We have 3.5 days or so.
The initial plan was
1 day Hong Kong*
1 day Kowloon*
1 day Disneyland
1 day Macau

*1 of those was half a day.
But looking at what's at Hong Kong Disneyland, we've cut that out. We'll just do Eurodisney 2 weeks later.

But we're still unsure on Macau. Id happily gamble, my dad might, but my mum wont. So that might drop off.

 

[mottrain]

We have 3.5 days or so.
The initial plan was
1 day Hong Kong*
1 day Kowloon*
1 day Disneyland
1 day Macau

*1 of those was half a day.
But looking at what's at Hong Kong Disneyland, we've cut that out. We'll just do Eurodisney 2 weeks later.

But we're still unsure on Macau. Id happily gamble, my dad might, but my mum wont. So that might drop off.

Better off mixing much of HKIsland and Kowloon together. For example you can do a big part of Kowloon in the afternoon by visiting TST around 5 or 6 and heading to **** KOK after for the markets. Macau is worth half a day if you leave after lunch and come back late and lose some of your sleep time.

Otherwise head to Lantau or to Shenzhen. Both are more enjoyable. Shenzhen if you have never been to the mainland before and want cheap clothes and other stuff and Lantau for the scenery big budda.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Anyone got tips for what to do in Singapore?

 

[szhengd]

For the major sights in HK, just jump on the HKG tourism page, and it will give you a top 10. All are OK, and reasonably close to each other.
This big attraction of HK is the street life. I suggest you get the train up to Sham Shui Po, and then try and walk back to TST ( about 2 hours) staying off Nathan Road. That will take you through some of the older and more crowded parts of Kowloon, and its an easy detour into the markets at Mongkok and Edward if you want to shop. Other areas to explore are Sheung Wan and surrounds, and North Point (both on the island)
Take a trip to the islands one day. Cheung Chau is very nice, with great (and reasonably cheap) al fresco seafood along the Praya, and Mui Wo is also great to relax in. From Mui Wo you can grab a bus to other parts of Lantau (Tai O, Cheung Sha Wan beach, or the Big Buddha) Tai O is worthwhile, Big Buddha is not (unless you're fascinated with seeing Buddha's that are big)
Macau is OK if you have never been there. Good Portuguese food obviously, and walking through the old town is nice. If you're not into gambling, then the Casino's won't be you're thing. It's definitely not Vegas
Take a trip up Shenzhen for a day. Visa can be written at Luohu and Huanggang borders (180 rmb). Luohu is a dump, which mainly exists for tourists. Huanggang will get you closer to the nice parts of Shenzhen, like Futian CBD, Huaqiaocheng and Nanshan
Clearwater Bay and Sai kung are also very nice if you are in that part of town.
Food is everywhere. Do a Google search for the type of food you would like. Plenty of affordable Michelin star restaurants around as well, so you definitely won't starve

 

[mottrain]

For the major sights in HK, just jump on the HKG tourism page, and it will give you a top 10. All are OK, and reasonably close to each other.
This big attraction of HK is the street life. I suggest you get the train up to Sham Shui Po, and then try and walk back to TST ( about 2 hours) staying off Nathan Road. That will take you through some of the older and more crowded parts of Kowloon, and its an easy detour into the markets at Mongkok and Edward if you want to shop. Other areas to explore are Sheung Wan and surrounds, and North Point (both on the island)
Take a trip to the islands one day. Cheung Chau is very nice, with great (and reasonably cheap) al fresco seafood along the Praya, and Mui Wo is also great to relax in. From Mui Wo you can grab a bus to other parts of Lantau (Tai O, Cheung Sha Wan beach, or the Big Buddha) Tai O is worthwhile, Big Buddha is not (unless you're fascinated with seeing Buddha's that are big)
Macau is OK if you have never been there. Good Portuguese food obviously, and walking through the old town is nice. If you're not into gambling, then the Casino's won't be you're thing. It's definitely not Vegas
Take a trip up Shenzhen for a day. Visa can be written at Luohu and Huanggang borders (180 rmb). Luohu is a dump, which mainly exists for tourists. Huanggang will get you closer to the nice parts of Shenzhen, like Futian CBD, Huaqiaocheng and Nanshan
Clearwater Bay and Sai kung are also very nice if you are in that part of town.
Food is everywhere. Do a Google search for the type of food you would like. Plenty of affordable Michelin star restaurants around as well, so you definitely won't starve

Luohu's lovely to visit especially to stir staff, see the cops walk through it, offload baby powder, get harrassed by hotel taxi touts, buy goods, view the hills etc etc.

 

[Aussie Assault]

Anyone got tips for what to do in Singapore?

Eat. And when you're finished eat again.

Airport Road Hawker & Hong Lim Hawker (hard to know its even there) were the ones we went back to. La Pau Sat (hexagon building) is overrated. But really any hawker centre you should be able to find some delicious food. A lot of stalls will be all done and dusted by early afternoon when they sell out.

Little India is a pretty cool spot to be at night. Chinatown is ok as well, but not as good as some of the other Chinatown's you see elsewhere. The CBD is nice to look at with the lights and harbour/bay but not pretty bland IMO.

Palau Ubin takes you away from the big shiny Singapore. Its a small island that you can ride a bike around.

Its metro is bloody easy but not as wide spread as I'd imagined before going. Their taxi's are cheap though so no probs.

 

[expires]

Halong Bay North Vietnam is rather good.

 

[ash_1050]

Anyone got tips for what to do in Singapore?

Head to Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling. The hotel is a gorgeous British building and the bar has it's own unique character. It's also expected that you will throw your monkey nut shells on the floor as it's tradition.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Halong Bay North Vietnam is rather good.

Nha Trang, south Vietnam,is better

 

[szhengd]

Eat. And when you're finished eat again.

Airport Road Hawker & Hong Lim Hawker (hard to know its even there) were the ones we went back to. La Pau Sat (hexagon building) is overrated. But really any hawker centre you should be able to find some delicious food. A lot of stalls will be all done and dusted by early afternoon when they sell out.

Little India is a pretty cool spot to be at night. Chinatown is ok as well, but not as good as some of the other Chinatown's you see elsewhere. The CBD is nice to look at with the lights and harbour/bay but not pretty bland IMO.

Palau Ubin takes you away from the big shiny Singapore. Its a small island that you can ride a bike around.

Its metro is bloody easy but not as wide spread as I'd imagined before going. Their taxi's are cheap though so no probs.

I second the Hawker centres. All of them are pretty good, and dirt cheap. Singapore is just one of the greatest cities in the world for food
Little India is fun, especially late afternoon, early evening when the streets are packed. Great curries too
Little Arabia (Kampong Glam) Is alos fun to explore

Another place that's worthwhile is Changi museum. Very powerful. And close to Changi village which is nice and pleasant. Good hawker centre there too

 

[expires]

Nha Trang, south Vietnam,is better

You are comparing apples with durians. Nha Trang is not unique. Halong Bay is. It is classifieds one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Probably depends what mood you are in as to which you get the most out of. But nothing on earth comes to mind as a comparison to Halong Bay

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Anyone been to Iran?