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Fitzy Fitz posted:I would love to go to Vietnam this year, and we're looking to do some overseas travelling, but the tickets from the east coast are just so high right now. Nevermind, some pretty cheap flights just posted on Air Canada (~$800) from much of the eastern US. Looks like I'm going in November. Crazy
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Feb 12, 2023 20:44
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Atlas Hugged posted:I've never been and have been lazy about traveling since my son hasn't been a great age for tourism plus covid. I'll need to get over there in a year or two. How in gods name have you never been to vietnam
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Feb 16, 2023 23:29
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kru posted:How in gods name have you never been to vietnam I've never been and have been lazy about traveling since my son hasn't been a great age for tourism plus covid. I'll need to get over there in a year or two.
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Feb 17, 2023 09:27
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Gonna do a brief ish write up as I’m nearing the end of the trip. Just sat down at Jay Fai and I’m about to get loving fat. Best trip of my life.
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Feb 17, 2023 11:46
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webmeister posted:
In my experience they’re very friendly to Americans (yes even in Hanoi). The war ended nearly 50 years ago and it’s a young country. If you’re going to hear Vietnamese complain about a country it’s going to be China. Solaris 2.0 fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Feb 17, 2023 |
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Feb 17, 2023 13:55
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Sorry was trying to edit a post
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Feb 17, 2023 14:49
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Solaris 2.0 posted:In my experience they’re very friendly to Americans (yes even in Hanoi). I’ve never met friendlier people in my life, even more than in Thailand. Also good lord Jay Fai was good. https://twitter.com/formerlyfiz/status/1626595712925601792?s=46&t=VgWoo1PQFJhmuWzjgcfoRQ
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Feb 17, 2023 15:57
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FizFashizzle posted:I’ve never met friendlier people in my life, even more than in Thailand. I thought it was okay but kinda pricey. Of the youtube famous spots, I think Soei is worlds better.
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Feb 18, 2023 18:40
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Waltzing Along posted:I thought it was okay but kinda pricey. Of the youtube famous spots, I think Soei is worlds better. its weird but the texture of that omelette was incredible, but the taste was sorta whatever. The tom yum soup, however, was the best I'd ever had. The crabmeat curry wrecked me and I woke up at three in the morning both ends. That was our last day too so we had to check out of our hotel at noon with a flight out at eight. I had planned to spend the day buying small trinkets to bring home, but instead I spent it shoving antidiarrheals and zofran down my mouth and shivering in a movie theater while Quantumania played on repeat. Trip was amazing. Phuket - kinda the worst part tbh. we stayed at a resort near Patong. We never really went crazy at night, and honestly we never really wanted to. We were so jet lagged we ended up going to be pretty early every night. Beaches were gorgeous. Had a great time at old city, an elephant sanctuary, hiking up to a big Buddha, etc. best noodle dish I had on the whole trip was from a random street cart. Russians everywhere. Vietnam - unbelievable. Hanoi is an amazing city with great energy. First night we randomly walked into a restaurant called Duong Dining. They didn't have a seat but told us to wait and put one together for us. had pho, bun cha, etc. randomly there was another white guy from Asheville in there, go figure. owner told us there was an opening in the cooking class in the morning and said they'd had a cancellation, offered it half price, we agreed. pretty touristy I know but the other couple in the class were cool and down for whatever so it turned into an all day walk around Hanoi, food tasting, then cooking class type deal. They were trying to freak us out with local foods and everyone was game to try stuff. We had one of the chefs and an English speaking tour guide and honestly we were all pretty drunk by the time the cooking class ended. yes I drank that daily brewed beer and yeah I think it's pretty great. the streets around our hotel are shut down on the weekends and everyone comes out and just like....vibes in the streets. its wild. we did an overnight tour to Ninh binh. It was overcast the entire time but it was still gorgeous. just looks like a different world. Very crowded, very touristy. tour itself was kinda meh and we and the other people on it kinda agree that we didn't need it. food was provided and it was the blandest poo poo imaginable, probably because people who take tours like that don't want something "too spicy." Also it was a bike tour which was really fun but my god that was the worst loving bike I've ever been on in my life. thing was too small, seat was terrible, etc. also im staring down surgery on my left knee and apparently I can't push down on that leg anymore on a bike if I'm standing? so good to know. actually hosed up my tickets to Cambodia so didn't end up getting to go. Pissed, but lesson learned. Had a great time in Bangkok. Did all the things. ate lots of good food. Had a fancy hotel etc. honestly next time I go I'll just stay in Vietnam. Incredible place.
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Mar 4, 2023 00:50
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Anyone been to Hua Hin in Thailand? We're headed there for ten days in July. Gonna stay at the holiday inn next to the waterslide park for the first five days to appease lil bee then go stay somewhere a bit fancy and relax for the remaining five. It's primarily gonna be a "fun/relax time" type holiday but I thought I'd ask if there's anything particularly interesting or fun to do there? Also add one more voice to the "Vietnam is amazing and cool" chorus. My partner's sister and her family live in Hanoi so we've been lucky enough to have gone over there and explore a few times now.
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Mar 4, 2023 04:18
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bee posted:Anyone been to Hua Hin in Thailand? We're headed there for ten days in July. Gonna stay at the holiday inn next to the waterslide park for the first five days to appease lil bee then go stay somewhere a bit fancy and relax for the remaining five. It's primarily gonna be a "fun/relax time" type holiday but I thought I'd ask if there's anything particularly interesting or fun to do there? Hua Hin is one of my favorite places to stop by, but it's a small town, that is mostly for people living residential lives. There is a small 'downtown' if you can call it that, but also the large night markets and outdoor cafeteria area. I always stop by The Chocolate Factory and a long time ago they had a 60s themed market too that is probably still there. It's a small town for real, and not really action packed for 10 days.
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Mar 4, 2023 19:43
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Awesome, thanks! This is going to be a slow, relaxing holiday where we do a lot of swimming and lounging around rather than a go exploring every day kind of trip. But having one or two things interesting to check out while we're there will be perfect. And who doesn't love a good night market? 
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Mar 4, 2023 22:30
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In Hua Hin check out the Phraya Nakhon cave. Pretty cool place. It's about an hour drive from all the hotels, but worth it.
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Mar 5, 2023 06:32
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Banjo Bones posted:In Hua Hin check out the Phraya Nakhon cave. Pretty cool place. It's about an hour drive from all the hotels, but worth it. That cave looks really interesting and beautiful but the guides I've read have me a bit concerned about the accessibility. Mr bee uses a prosthetic leg and struggles getting up and down hills, so a humid 30 min hike over rocks to get to the cave might be beyond his capabilities 
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Mar 5, 2023 08:11
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My cousin who was supposed to get married in Vientiane in 2020 is finally getting married there this July. Obviously flying to Laos for the weekend is a silly thing to do so most likely I'll be there (with some family members) for about 5 days on either side. Tentative agenda: Fly to Bangkok because it's the furthest I can get with Krisflyer points Look at temples and pet elephants Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Get drunk in Vientiane Look at more temples and whatever else there is to see Luang Prabang Fly back to the US, probably via Singapore Is there anywhere else that's really worth visiting in Laos on a short trip? Any post-wedding time not spent in Laos would probably be spent in Singapore so consider that the competition. I've been to Southeast Asia twice before but never to Laos and not to any part of Thailand except Bangkok. The previous trips were in November and January so I'm definitely open to suggestions for things that are specifically worth seeing/doing during the stickier part of the year. Is there a "cooler" part of Southeast Asia in July or should I just accept my fate with regard to the heat? Also, how stupid of an idea is it to get a suit made in Vientiane right before the wedding?
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Mar 8, 2023 03:32
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Sure make a suit but lmao at wearing long sleeves south of hong kong Lmao at delaying a wedding for 3 years Lol, lmao
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Mar 8, 2023 13:23
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Plain of Jars is probably one of the highlights of Laos, but I don't recall offhand how accessible it is from Vientiane
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Mar 8, 2023 13:30
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peanut posted:Sure make a suit but lmao at wearing long sleeves south of hong kong I was not surprised that it didn't happen in 2020 or 2021 (lots of guests from the US and Australia) and I am very surprised it's still happening in 2023 after not happening in 2022.
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Mar 8, 2023 22:13
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Spend the wedding in Laos and then gently caress off to Vietnam or Thailand or Singapore because Laos is hella boring
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Mar 22, 2023 08:17
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Thailand Visa question, I am going to in the Country for about 75 days is best option the Tourist Visa with a single entry or multiple entries? Is possible to turn one Visa type from one to another? For example, what if I find a good job and want to stay in the Country? What's the general consensus on using AirBnB in Bangkok? Is there anything different I should be aware? Gucci Loafers fucked around with this message at 21:51 on Mar 27, 2023 |
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Mar 27, 2023 21:37
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Deffo multiple for a long stay, you never know what might pop up.
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Mar 27, 2023 23:56
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:Thailand Visa question, I am going to in the Country for about 75 days is best option the Tourist Visa with a single entry or multiple entries? Is possible to turn one Visa type from one to another? For example, what if I find a good job and want to stay in the Country? AirBNB is fine according to my friends. I use Agoda when traveling around Thailand and haven't had an issue.
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Mar 28, 2023 06:21
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Is there some updated Visa guide somewhere? I am getting the feeling I just need that 90 Day VISA and I'll have to wait to get that approved before I show up, right? Or is this no longer a thing?
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Mar 30, 2023 10:44
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Not sure whether to post here or in the China thread, but this thread is more active so here goes: 1.) Apparently weed has been legalized in Thailand these days? If I were to consume cannabis once during a tourism trip there then head back to China, would it be detected in a drug test while going through customs coming back into China? China seems to detain/deport people for use of cannabis outside of its borders, but I don't know how likely a random drug test at the airport would be without reasonable cause besides "foreigner went to Thailand for tourism". Not even sure if it's worth loving around and finding out in this regard since I've been here for several years now/built up Chinese fluency etc and don't really want to risk all of that just over a happy pizza. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xEXxWxzdWc3CDpq1gDirAA 2.) Unrelated, but I've always been interested in visiting Thailand, although people are saying Vietnam is the new fun place to visit now among long-term China expats. If given a few days of holiday and you've never been to SEA, would it be better to visit Thailand or Vietnam and why? Appreciate the feedback.
Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 01:11 on Apr 2, 2023 |
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Apr 2, 2023 00:56
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Thailand just because you probably don't need a visa
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Apr 2, 2023 08:46
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I've never been to Vietnam but I live in Thailand and I don't regret it. It has everything you could want for a holiday, from beaches to amazing food to historical sites. I've never been to China so I have no idea what the return risk is if you smoke while you're here.
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Apr 2, 2023 14:39
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That's really a thing - random drug tests when arriving back in China? Wow So, ya, if you live and work in China and there's a nonzero chance of having problems there due to it I'd stay away from partaking.
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Apr 2, 2023 14:57
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Teriyaki Koinku posted:2.) Unrelated, but I've always been interested in visiting Thailand, although people are saying Vietnam is the new fun place to visit now among long-term China expats. If given a few days of holiday and you've never been to SEA, would it be better to visit Thailand or Vietnam and why? I think Vietnam vs Thailand probably comes down to what kind of travelling style you prefer. They both have a similar offering of great food, interesting history, fascinating culture etc. To me, the main difference is that Thailand's tourism industry is much more mature than Vietnam's. English speakers are more common, things are better organised, better selection of tours, higher standard of hotels and so on (outside of the biggest tourism areas like Ha Long Bay and Hoi An, anyway). So if you just want to relax on the beach in a nice hotel for a few days, Thailand is probably your better option. If you want a slightly edgier and more challenging kind of experience, Vietnam is probably the way to go.
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Apr 2, 2023 22:42
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Throwing this out a second time, how strict is the E-Visa for multiple entries? I am going to be in the Country for a few months but I don't know my exact flights just yet or where I will be staying. And I can't even find any of my old travel information when I visited in 2019. Do I really need that?
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Apr 4, 2023 02:46
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I really wish I had an answer for you, but I haven't had to deal with visas on my own in a long loving time since my job handles all of that for me.
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Apr 4, 2023 04:19
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Yea, I'm probably asking the same annoying tourist question but goddamn Thailand does not make this easy and their VISA websites looking like geo-cities doesn't inspire confidence?
Gucci Loafers fucked around with this message at 08:24 on Apr 4, 2023 |
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Apr 4, 2023 07:08
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I'm dumb and keeping missing the important parts. There's no VISA or you "automatically" get one when you show up just like Europe which is relatively new. You stay for thirty days and extend it to 60 but if you need to stay longer you'll have to apply for an actual VISA. If anyone is around Bangkok feel free to hit me up for drinks, food, etc. 
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Apr 11, 2023 04:25
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I'm assuming you're American? I think you might be misreading things - according to the Thai embassy in the US, you've got the following options: 1. Visa Exemption https://thaiembdc.org/visaexemption/ As an American you can just turn up and be granted a 30-day tourist visa (15 days if you're arriving overland). You can't extend this, and you can only do it twice per year. 2. Tourist Visa https://thaiembdc.org/trmetv/ Pre-arranging a tourist visa allows stays of up to 60 days, with an optional 30-day extension. There's options for single- and multiple-entry, I would always recommend the latter because you can leave and come back (eg a weekend in Cambodia or something). I haven't checked the details, but this option isn't free, and will require paperwork in advance. Other considerations: - you probably need a return ticket, they won't always check but if you can't prove you intend to leave the country they likely won't let you in - you aren't allowed to work on a tourist visa, self-employed digital nomad stuff is kind of a grey area but obviously very hard to police - you'll need 6 months validity remaining on your passport I realise the website above looks a bit dodgy but it seems legit; it's the same one the US State Department links to: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Thailand.html Oh and as a side note, that "just show up in Europe" thing is going away as of 2024. You'll need to obtain an ETIAS (basically just a pre-approval thing) before arriving. It's a short bit of paperwork and a small fee, but you'll need it approved before boarding a flight. The USA has had an equivalent - the ESTA - for quite a few years now.
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Apr 11, 2023 14:03
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The 30 day visa on arrival can be extended an additional 30 days for 60 total - unless its been changed since I did it back in October. Its kind of a pain - had to go to an office all the way up by Don Mueng (if you're in Bangkok), wait in a queue around 3 hours even though I showed up 30 minutes before they opened, and pay 1900 baht. The time/effort/cost for being able to stay in the Kingdom. Also did it another time earlier last year while in Samui.
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Apr 11, 2023 15:15
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I went with VISA exemption, you literally only need your passport but don't through away your plane ticket until you've gone through immigration. That ETIAS change is going to confuse the hell out of a lot people.
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Apr 11, 2023 15:20
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:That ETIAS change is going to confuse the hell out of a lot people. I doubt it - the ESTA has been a requirement for travelling to the US since 2009 so it’s not really a foreign concept to a lot of people
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Apr 11, 2023 16:04
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webmeister posted:I doubt it - the ESTA has been a requirement for travelling to the US since 2009 so it’s not really a foreign concept to a lot of people It's new to Americans and those are the only people that matter to Americans
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Apr 11, 2023 16:11
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webmeister posted:1. Visa Exemption https://thaiembdc.org/visaexemption/ Visa exemption gives you 30 days stamp on arrival, plus you can extend it for another 30 days by visiting immigration and spending half of your day waiting in lines and paying 1900 baht. Temorarily, it was 45+30 days over the winter, to stimulate tourism, but that campaign just ended and we are back to 30+30 days. Overland arrival will also give you 30 days, the 15 day limit was some years ago. But you are limited to maximum of two 30 day visa exemption overland entries in a year. No such limit exists for arrivals by plane. So technically you can border bounce every two months indefinitely, until immigration gets tired of you.
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Apr 11, 2023 16:13
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They really crushed the visa run indefinite stays, huh? I have a workmate married to a Thai (well divorced now, but his ex- in-laws and children live with him while his ex has left her home town) and it was hells own trouble getting back into Thailand for him for awhile, covid only made it worse. His logistics seems to have become straight forward now but was interested if they kept on track to remove all the lost in Asia folk nearing pension age with no preparation/savings/actual retirement plan.
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Apr 11, 2023 17:22
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webmeister posted:I doubt it - the ESTA has been a requirement for travelling to the US since 2009 so it’s not really a foreign concept to a lot of people The difference now or what will occur next year is that you will need to apply prior to traveling you can just show up with a passport. Reading the website, this applies to the United States and quite a few other countries. That sucks we can't do VISA runs all the time but it seems like they really want wealthy folks to cough up that cash for things like an Elite VISA.
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Apr 12, 2023 02:51
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