2014 Asia trip

I've been a bit slack this year with my posts. But here is my itinerary that I travelled on this year. I'll try add a few posts soon about a few of my experiences on this trip.

SEOUL - KUALA LUMPUR - SIEM REAP - LUANG PRABANG - NONG KHIAW (via bus) - LUANG PRABANG (via bus) - CHIANG MAI (via boat on the Mekong) - AYUTTHAYA (via train) - BANGKOK (via train) - SINGAPORE - BANGKOK - KUNMING - DALI (via bus) - SHAXI (via bus) - DALI (via bus) - KUNMING (via bus)  - XI'AN - BEIJING (via train) - SHANGHAI (via train) - ATLANTA (roadtrip: New York - Buffalo - Vermont - Maine - Washington DC - Georgia) - AUCKLAND

Ah, the memories =)

Travel Tip: crossing the border overland

This is mainly for those travelling on two passports, and this is based on my experience crossing Laos to Thailand. Crossing the border overland is different to entering via an airport. In an airport, customs do not care what passport you use so long as you can legally enter their country. Overland, they want to put the entry stamp next to the current exit stamp. So there is no way to interchange passports.

While this might not effect you, just keep this in mind if you are ever trying to get a visa (I.e. Chinese visa) within  that country. For example, I entered Thailand with my Laos visa and was expecting to enter Thailand with my NZ passport. However, as I crossed the border overland, my entry stamp remained on my Philippine passport. This caused me a lot of trouble trying to get a Chinese visa on my NZ passport while in Chiang Mai.

If this is not the case for all overland border crossing , or visa issuance, please let me know!

TIP: Booking Buses to Chiang Mai

Even though there are a lot of buses running between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, I recommend booking your bus ticket in advance if you can. Especially if you are looking to leave at a specific time. The buses do tend to sell out pretty fast, especially for the VIP and first class buses.

The differences:
*A Class (second class): 2 / 2 bus seating. Air con. Should take 3 to 4 hours with a 15 minute break during. Costs 144 baht.

*X Class (first class): 2 / 2 bus seating. Air con. Bottle of water. This should take 3 to 4 hours as well with a 15 minute break. Costs about 190 baht.

*VIP: 1 / 2 bus seating. Air con. Bottle of water and a snack. To my understanding this should also take 3 to 4 hours but with no stops. This costs about 288 baht.

They do tend to blast the air-con so best to carry a sweater with you to keep you warm during the ride.

Laos to Thailand border crossing

This has got to be one of the easiest ways to cross two countries. We started in Laos and made our way to Thailand via the Mekong. We were told that going the opposite way, Thailand to Laos, is much busier. During our two day travel, the boats coming from Thailand were very full so we're glad that we went the way we did.

We started in Luang Prabang. There are two options to get to Huay Xia, the town at the border of Laos and Thailand:

- Slowboat
To take the slowboat, it will take 2 days. Your first trip is to Pak Beng and then onwards to Huay Xia. There are travel agencies that will sell slow boat tickets, however, they will charge a commission and it is much cheaper to buy when you get to the port. As you are going against the strong current of the Mekong, each journey does take 8 - 10 hours. It is a comfortably ride, though, with some beautiful scenery. The newer boats they use now have car seats added in, rather than just wooden benches. There are four seats around a table. First in, first served.

- Luang Prabang to Pak Beng: 110,000 KIP (14USD / 16NZD)
- Pak Beng to Huay Xia: 110,000 KIP


- Fastboat
There is an option to take the fastboat from Luang Prabang straight to Huay Xia. This will take roughly 7 to 8 hours. The prices here are slightly more expensive. Will this will save you a day, please note that the speedboats are not as comfortable as the slowboat. There is no roof, which means you will be sitting in the sun for those hours. As the boat cuts through the water there is a lot of spray so you will want to waterproof your bags if you are worried about them getting wet. Also, in the dry season the water levels of the river are much lower so you will have to trust your driver to navigate very safely and quickly through all the rocky parts as they speed through. From what I saw, only the driver has a helmet and there were no life jackets.

- Luang Prabang to Huay Xia: 320,000 KIP (40USD / 47NZD)
- Luang Prabang to Pak Beng: 190,000 KIP (24USD / 28NZD)

You will need to stay one night at each stop as you get in around 5pm - 6pm. You can just walk around and find the best guesthouse for you. No need to prebook. You can also request to see the room first before paying. A couple of great guesthouse recommendations are Mansavanh Guesthouse in Pak Beng and Sabaydee Guesthouse in Huay Xia.


Originally, you would take a ferry across to the Thailand border. However, in December 2013 they opened a new Friendship Bridge between Laos and Thailand. This is Friendship Bridge 4. As of January 2014, the ferry option was no longer available to foreigners and you know cross the border via this bridge.

Here are the simple steps:
1) Take a tuk tuk in Huay Xia to the Laos immigration. Generally this should cost around 15, 000 - 25, 000 KIP pp in a shared tuk tuk.
2) Go through immigration and get stamped out of Laos.
3) On the other side, there is a shuttle bus waiting to take people across to the Thailand immigration. There will be a guy selling tickets, which will cost 25 baht or 7,000 KIP.
4) On the Thailand side, on arrival you will get given your arrival form to fill in. Go through immigration. There was no customs so you just go on through.
5) There are tuk tuks waiting to take people into Chiang Khong, the closest town to the border. This costed us 50,000 baht per person for a 10 - 15 minute ride. They asked us where we were going and we said to the bus station for Chiang Rai, which is where they dropped us off.

Easy as pie! A lot more simple than I expected. Also, as the bridge is new, the immigration areas of both countries are very clean and easy to navigate.

For those carrying on, there are regular buses both to Chiang Mai (3 to 4 hours away) and to Chiang Rai (about 2 to 3 hours away). A bus to Chiang Rai costs only 65 baht and takes you to the Chiang Rai terminal.

I hope this helps any one planning on making the same journey. If you have the time, I would definitely recommend traveling to Thailand from Laos (or vice versa) as this was a lot less hectic than flying. I have a couple of photos to put up, but when I have better internet service I'll put them up then.

Happy travels!

All the slow boats 

Wild elephants on the Mekong

The fast boat

Thailand Tips

Just some things I would advise for Thailand:

- Accommodation: There are many, many different hostels/hotels you can book with. Don't be afraid to shop around if you aren't planning on pre-booking and don't be afraid to ask to see the room before paying.

- TukTuks: They will try to rip you off! Don't be afraid to barter and if you can, somehow try find out how far away your destination is. Jump on a computer and try google map it. I stupidly paid nearly 200 THB to just go around the corner. It is only $7NZD equivalent but when you can get it for only half the price or less, it's worth it!

Also, they'll try take you on a 'tour' of Bangkok and will take you to visit their friends jewellery shops etc, where they get a commission if you purchase something. So if you don't want to go, you can say no. Don't be afraid to stand your ground even though some can get quite pushy.

- Airport shuttle bus: Most accommodation will offer taxi or coach services to and from the airport. You can do this, or for a cheaper option (from memory only 100THB) you can take the airport shuttle bus. I took one by Khao Sann Road and took about an hour or hour half  to get to the airport from there, depending on traffic. They leave pretty frequently and is the most convenient and cheapest way to get to and from the airport.

- DIY vs Packaged tours: There are many tour companies that run through out Thailand, either locally or bigger companies like G Adventures or Intrepid. While these are good if you are on a limited time frame or want the ease and security of having an itinerary already, but if you are planning on doing this yourself Thailand makes it very easy to do so. Buses and trains go to nearly every town in Thailand and are very affordable. From what I saw, train and bus stations do have an English speaking guard or helper that will pick out tourists and ask if they need help so it is quite easy to book as you go.


Enjoy your Thai adventure ;)

The best of NORTHERN THAILAND

Northern Thailand has been one of my favourite destinations so far... and this is why:

Before heading north, I'll just start with BANGKOK- the capital and the heart of Thailand. This city is full of hustle and bustle. Personally, as much as it has a lot of history and famous temples I would only stay here for 2 or 3 nights at the most.

There are many different hostels and hotels all around this area and nearby. The good thing about Thailand is that for a good 3 or 4 star hotel, the price is considerably cheap (about $40NZD per night for a decent place).

If you just want a place to lay your head and are not fussed about spending too much I would recommend either the Sawadee Khao Sann Inn or Sawadee Bangkok Inn. Both are around the corner from the infamous Khao Sann Road Markets, and offer dormitory rooms or private rooms. They are both clean with basic necessities and offer breakfast included as part of the nightly rate. You might also recognise Sawadee Bangkok Inn from the movie 'The Beach'. Or else for something a little further out, Lub D Bangkok Hostel comes highly recommend from friends who have stayed here. Great atmosphere and service.

Otherwise, for a slightly longer walk away (slightly longer meaning 5 minutes instead of 2) I did stay a night at the Royal Hotel. Open air swimming pool, two restaurants inside, storage for bags (cost about 10,000THB per day, per bag), taxi service and a travel desk.

If you limited on time and want to see temples there is one that is a must see and that is the Wat Pho Temple. This is home to the infamous reclining buddha. It is 46 metres long and 15 metres high and was designed to illustrate the passing of the buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with  mother-of-pearl and the decorations at the feet are to represent 108 auspicious characteristics of a true buddha.

*Khao Sann Road -  Test out your bargaining skills or enjoy some tasty street food, or pop into one of the local restaurants for a cold Singha beer.

*Chao Phraya River - Here you can feed catfish, see the river houses on stilts and even see some floating markets.

Khao Sann Road Market

Chao Phraya River 

Wat Pho Temple

The feet of the Reclining Buddha

At Wat Pho Temple

1) SUKHOTHAI
This is easily one of my favourite places in the world so far, and in Thailand. This was known as Sukhothai Kingdom, which existed from 1238 to 1438. This is Old Sukhothai, which is where I stayed and ventured around. About 12km outside of this is New Sukhothai.

The old capital (Old Sukothai) is now in ruins and has been labelled as a UNESCO World Heritage Historical Park. It has so much character and history. Such a beautiful place to get lost in. I was lucky enough to arrive when the lotus flowers were blooming in the river, as well.

The best way to get around the park is if you hire a bicycle. 

One of my favorite temples in the park.

A seated Buddha

Phra Achana in Wat Si Chum Chapel

The hand of the buddha above. You can buy gold painted paper to stick onto the buddhas hand as an offering after a prayer.

A local cooling down in the river after a days work.

Le Charme Sukothai Resort. 

Local transport. 

2) THE ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTER - LAMPANG
There are many different elephant conservation centres in Thailand, however, some don't have the best resources or staff to properly manage and run a massive operation like this. Also, a lot of ethics and animal welfare come into play as well especially from tourists unconsciously keeping an eye out on how the animals are treated in places like this.

When I came here I was very impressed by how the centre was managed and built. You could tell the staff really did care for the elephants well-being and were not just used as a showcase for tourists that visit. The animals were almost given free reign at certain points of the day, were also well fed, had large enclosures and adequate health care facilities. If there is a centre I would recommend for people to keep coming and feeding money into to help sustain, it would be this one.

Not only can you witness these magnificent animals at play and in their almost natural habitat, but you can also volunteer here for a period of time to become a 'mahout' (elephant trainer/caregiver). Depending on the length of time you decide to do this you can get very close and personal with your elephant and while there I met a couple volunteers who had been back twice to which their same elephant remembered them.

For more information about this place: http://www.thailandelephant.org/en/

I went here en-route to Chiang Mai.

The nursery

Paintings done by some of the elephants themselves. These are sold off and money goes towards the center

Mahouts giving their elephants a bath / a time to cool off.

3) CHIANG MAI / CHIANG RAI
Chiang Mai is my second favourite place in Northern Thailand. The city is surrounded by hillsides and although is still a busy city, it feels less stressful than Bangkok. The night markets here are infamous and while I think Khao Sann has better selection of clothes, here you can find more handicrafts and souvenirs.

While in Chiang Mai, don't forget to try your hand at a traditional Thai cooking class. Delicious value for money.

Chiang Rai (about an hour or two out from Chiang Mai) also holds one of the most interesting temples I've seen so far. It's not the typical temple you see in Thailand but the designer made it with a 'heaven and hell' theme in mind, something that is usually not seen in Buddhist thinking. A definite must-see if you are up this way.

The temple is called Wat Rong Khun (White Temple of Northern Thailand), an unconventional Buddhist and Hindu Temple. Construction began in 1997 and is supposed to end by 2070.

Night markets at Chiang Mai.

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep- 309 steps up to the temple.

Cooking class- traditional Chicken and cashew nut stirfry.

Monks at the white temple.

4) THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
From Chiang Mai you can head towards the Golden Triangle, which is where Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet. Historically this area is known for the trading and growing of Opium. From the Thailand side, Chiang Rai province, they have an Opium museum if you wanted to know more about this history.

From here, I was able to get across to a part of Laos via long boat. Here we spent a couple hours meeting locals and shopping around the local markets.

Entering Laos

Some snakes and reptiles soaked in very strong Vodka like alcohol.

Travelling Solo

Travelling solo and as a female has always made my family and some friends a tad nervous. I admit, when I first ventured on a holiday by myself it was definitely nerve-wracking, even if I told everyone else that I wasn't worried at all. But I think that's what I love about it, that nervousness that turns into excitement. That unknown journey you're about to take and seeing the changes in yourself once you come out the other side.

I think at least once in your life you need to step out of your comfort zone and throw yourself in the deep end. Book a one way/return ticket and make plans or arrangements as you go along, or travel alone, whatever it may be I think you'll be surprised at what you're capable of.

For those that are uncertain of doing something like this, I just wanted to share my reasons of why travelling solo is great. While I love being able to share memories with a fellow travel partner, I think travelling by yourself adds a different, more memorable aspect to a chosen getaway.

1) DO WHAT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU WANT.
It is you and only you that you have to worry about and plan for. You don't have to sacrifice seeing certain sites because your friend doesn't want to, or stick to a scheduled plan as what happens most times when travelling with others.
Had an unexpected (late) night out? Don't worry, you can take that 6am bus to Chiang Mai the next day =P

Taking the 13 hour overnight train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

2) LOCALS TEND TO BE A BIT MORE HELPFUL TO YOU
Locals generally tend to be helpful to all tourists in their country, however, when they do see you alone they almost become your best friend, mother, father, sister, brother, cousin...you name it. Some will go out of their way to make sure you end up where you need to be, or you have somewhere to lay your head, or will help get you a good deal on a package. Having a local to help you does come in handy especially when English is not so commonly spoken in the country you're visiting.

3) YOU WILL MAKE FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY.
I consider myself to be quite sociable but when you already have someone you know with you, you don't tend to speak to others as much or get to know other travelers than if you were alone. Alone you are forced (to use that term loosely) to make conversation, find out about other people and mingle. From this I guarantee you'll make at least one, two, three or more lifelong friends even if it comes down to just sharing travel stories or photos via Facebook.
Also, it's always a good story telling friends and family back home about all the interesting people you've met along the way.

In this case:
- Stay in a hostel- dorm room: You may feel nervous sharing your personal space or feel shy to speak to others but trust me, I bet majority of the people there feel the same way too. You may come from different sides of the world but you are all there for similar reasons so you already have that in common.

- Take public transport:  Try travel using the buses or trains. This is another great way to meet fellow solo travelers.

- Stay away from places that are more popular with couples or families if you can. These  kinds of places will tend to make you feel lonely.

- Join a tour group: Generally I do try stay away from these but in some cases you may have to. I experienced this in Ubud, Bali where to get to certain sites a local company had to drive you there. This meant signing up to a small tour company, however, through this I met two awesome people from Europe (both travelling alone) who I keep in contact with still.

Khao Sann Road, Thailand

I hope this helps ease those worries about taking that leap into travelling alone for your next getaway. Feel free to let me know if you need any more motivation!

Stay adventurous everyone =)