SE Asia and then Australia!! Gone for a year!

[Dumbass17]

UPDATE: pictures being uploaded to photobucket, i`ll post the link when it`s ready

alright,

i finally booked my flight to Bangkok. (March 31st) I plan on staying in Thailand for around a month, catching the full moon party and checking out the many beaches, heading to Phuket/area then busing down through Malaysia (1 week stay) and check out Kuala Lumpur. Then I'm flying from KL to Jakarta, Indonesia and making my way to Bali. I plan on spending up to 2 months in the Bali area and checking out Komodo, Gili Islands, Lombok etc.
Finally, I'll fly from Denpasar to Sydney, Australia where I will spend up to a year. I have a working holiday visa for Australia already so it's just a matter of finding work around Sydney or Brisbane.

I am on here looking for suggestions on things to see, places to go, sites to see, things to avoid, stuff to bring, stuff to leave behind. Generally, any little tidbit of information would be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

Originally I was doign this trip solo, but now two friends may be tagging along for the first month or so in SE Asia. So that could be fun.

Also, I think i'll try to make it to New Zealand. It'd be a damn shame to miss out on it as it's so close and relatively cheap to fly there.

So, with that said, INFORM AWAY!

[rage2]

Take lotsa pics of your trip and post it here for us to see!

[ricosuave]

Dont smuggle any heroin.

[thrasher22]

If you can't work in Brisbane, try heading just south to Gold Coast. Its like a giant tourist town, so there's tons of bar/restaurant jobs.

Definitely make it to New Zealand, you can get round trip tickets out of Aus for $300 and its absolutely unreal there.
I liked New Zealand so much that I'm heading there in 2-3 months to do the whole working holiday thing :)

PS watch out for the lady boys in Thailand, people aren't joking about that haha

[LLLimit]

While you're in Gold Coast, you're pretty close to Byron Bay. Head up to the lighthouse and there's a sign that says 'Most easterly point of mainland Australia".

Saw a pod of dolphins swimming below the cliff & curvature of the earth, etc, etc.

[kaput]

.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by LLLimit
curvature of the earth You just made me realize that I don't think I've ever seen the curvature from land. That makes me sad. Maybe when I'm in the UK this spring I'll try.

[thrasher22]

Originally posted by kaput
Ignore this thrasher22 guy and nail a ladyboy for me :thumbsup: Just don't tell your friends about it (unless they find one too!)

Hey I'm just saying watch out, you don't want to be paying for the real thing when all you're getting is a replica.

[dj_rice]

Make sure 100% they are female before you do anything. If you have even 1% feeling not sure, then its a lady boy.

[Nufy]

Originally posted by Mibz
You just made me realize that I don't think I've ever seen the curvature from land. That makes me sad. Maybe when I'm in the UK this spring I'll try.

Ever driven through Saskatchewan ????

[Dumbass17]

sweet thanks guys!

keep them coming!

[CHICHARITZHI]

Originally posted by dj_rice
Make sure 100% they are female before you do anything. If you have even 1% feeling not sure, then its a lady boy.

:D

[dj_rice]

Also, your an annoying guy and all but don't get busted in a child prostitution sting.

[Dumbass17]

Originally posted by dj_rice
Also, your an annoying guy and all but don't get busted in a child prostitution sting.
you're*;)




THERE'S CHILD PROSTITUTION!? :love:

i mean

there's child prostitution? :barf:

[Dumbass17]

anything else?!

[Hi-Psi]

First of all, if you want to see blogs from peoples travels through Asia, Australia or other parts of the world or want to find travel buddies throughout your trip, check out TravBuddy.

http://www.travbuddy.com/register.php?ref=13315

You have to register but it's simple and easy and I've met a ton of great people on there and got a ton of info from their forum discussions.


As for Asia, here are some of my suggestions:

Set some time aside for Chaing Mai, Thailand. It's such a great place and there are sooo many things to do. Check out Julies guesthouse, I had a great time there!

Watch your buckets when you go to the Full moon party or when you're in Koh Phangan, some people including myself had their drinks spiked, luckily mine was just with MDMA so I ended up having a great time haha

Make sure to get off the beaten track and visit places that not a lot of the backpackers are heading to. Places like Malaysian Borneo, the Philippines and Myanmar are amazing places to see and very cheap to travel and not many people backpack through them so you get more of an authentic experience. The Phippines were the highlight of my trip, that and diving in Malaysian Borneo.

If you plan to take your open water diving course(which I high suggest), go to Sabah in Malaysian Borneo and take an SSI open water course. Their one of the cheapest places to take the course in all of Asia from what I found and they did a good job, then go down to Sipidan(again Malaysian Borneo) and do a few days of diving there. It's been said to be one of the best places to dive in the world and I will never forget my dives there! Then just take a PADI advanced diving course wherever you want so that you can do the really deep dives. In Borneo they won't care if you don't have your advanced and will take you deep but for other parts of Asia you will need your advanced to see the really good stuff. I did mine in Koh Tao, Thailand and really enjoyed it.

Koh Tao is a great island at night and pretty quiet during the day(everyones diving). At night make your way down the beach to some of the beach bars. Start at the far end at the beginning of the night and work your way back the other way as they close. That's what everyone does and you'll have an absolute blast and meet a crapload of people.

Skip Koh Samui. Check out Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi. There are tons of islands though, check out as many as you can, they're tons of fun.

Vietnam is great, start in the north and work your way south, that way you're travelling in the same direction as most backpackers. The bars in Vietnam are crazy fun. There's mostly cheap hotels here, most run about $10/night which is more than a hostel but there's aren't many hostels at all. It's a great country for pulling women though due to this fact, I pulled more women in Vietnam than any other country. Get a suit made in Hoi An, best suit making places in Asia(better than Thailand) and better pricing. I suggest A Dong Silk, they were a little more pricey but CEO's from all over the world fly there to get cheap suits made, great quality!

Cambodia can be done in a week to week and a half.

Laos is another amazing country, make sure to visit the north and plan to spend at least 3 days in Vang Vien for tubing. I've met people that have planned for 3 days and stayed 10, it's that much fun... Make sure to check out the south of Laos and it's 4000 islands, great place!

As for Indonesia, I don't know, I had a shit time in Jakarta, the backpacker part of town is an absolute disaster. I hated this city personally but from what I have seen, you have to get to the outer parts of the city to see it's beauty. I know there was a thread on Jakarta on here a few months back that had a lot of good info in it. You'll have a great time in Bali, especially if you like the bar scene. Bali has some of the best clubs in Asia, just hope there isn't a bombing on a club when you're there haha jk. Make sure to check out as much of Indonesia as you can, it's a very beautiful country, especially the Gili Islands.

Always make sure to haggle with shops whenever you buy something. If you're paying more than a 1/3 of the asking price then you're paying WAY too much.

Take a pair of flip-flops with you as you'll wear them almost everywhere and buy them before you go since the ones in asia are pretty cheap and will break pretty easy. I bought a pair of quicksilver ones before I left and they were great! Don't bother with running shoes unless you absolutely need them, most people don't wother wearing them cus it's too hot and you look like a tool being the only one wearing shoes. Don't buy Merrell sandals or the ones that strap on, it may sound really dumb but the women will make fun of you for wearing them to the bar at night. haha it's not really a big deal but I also found they stunk from all the sweating, flip flops didn't. Oh and don't bother taking a pair of jeans, you'll NEVER wear them.

I'm sure I've missed a bunch of stuff but if you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I had a great time travelling around Asia the year before last and actually considering going back in the fall.

I don't have much info on Australia(I'm planning to go to Australia in the fall) but my girlfriend has a good blog about Australia on her TravBuddy page. Here's a link to it.

http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/47411/Escaping-Land-Down-Under-1

Oh and don't be nervous about travelling alone, it' a little scary the first day or two but after that you'll love it! Now I prefer to travel alone, you can do what you want, when you want and you can travel with whoever you meet along the way. Plus it makes it easier to hook up when you're not sharing a room with someone(when your not in a dorm that is)

Hope you have a great trip, I know you will!

Jason

[kaput]

.

[tch7]

I haven't really been disappointed by anywhere in Australia, although there is a good reason why the eastern coastline is the most heavily populated and visited part of the nation.

Sydney itself is great, probably my favourite city. Tons of things to do, great nightlife, unique neighborhoods, good transit, clean, beautiful beaches, youthful population, etc.

Near Sydney, the Blue Mountains are definitely worth visiting for the scenery/bushwalking, Katoomba being a good base for that.
Further south is Kangaroo Valley and its surrounding area, which is just as impressive and not as touristy.

Canberra isn't as sterile as is often suggested. If you're into museums, galleries, and that sort of stuff, you should definitely check it out.

The Snowy Mountains are worth a visit if you're into skiing or boarding. I was there in the middle of summer so there wasn't much going on, but Thredbo looked like a pretty good ski hill.

At the southernmost point of mainland Australia is Wilson's Promontory National Park, which so far has been my favourite area in Australia. The scenery is fantastic.

The little penguins at Phillip Island were cute, but it is extremely touristy.

The Mornington peninsula south of Melbourne is worth a visit, with Sorrento being one of the nicer towns on it. Melbourne's an interesting city, but doesn't have the polish that Sydney has.

The Great Ocean Road is definitely worth a visit. Lots of koalas, some great waterfalls, and just overall great coastal scenery with some very attractive towns along the way.

The blue lake at Mount Gambier is pretty cool to see, if you happen to be in the area at the right time of year.

The Grampians are also worth visiting for some good mountain scenery and bushwalking.

South of Adelaide, there's some really picturesque wine country on the Fleurieu Peninsula along with some really nice white-sand beaches. Adelaide itself didn't do much for me, as it's really quiet and lacks character (I'd call it a dull Calgary). However, the people I was staying with at the hostel there loved Adelaide, so I guess it depends what you're looking for. The little towns in the hills to the east of Adelaide are gorgeous.

I'm currently living in Newcastle, two hours north of Sydney, until July and I really like it here. It's quite a relaxed place, especially compared to Sydney, but still has a good bit of life and is worth visiting. I haven't been north of here yet, but will be going up as far as the Whitsunday Islands to do some sailing and diving in 3 weeks.

To visit all of these places, I'd really recommend you buy a used car like I did, especially if you're here for a year. They do have a good public transport network, but I love the total freedom of having my own car, and it's taken me to a lot of neat off-beat spots and given me free accommodation many nights. Only in places like Sydney and Melbourne is a car a total pain in the ass to have.

As for some general tips:
- Get breathable, lightweight, quick-drying synthetic clothes. When it's 35 degrees with 95 percent humidity, cotton shirts are hell. Something you can quickly wash in a sink and air dry also means you don't have to pack as many clothes.
- Go solo. It's so much more rewarding in that it forces you to meet other travelers and locals, and you get to do what you want, when you want.

[Dumbass17]

thank you thank you thank you for those last two posts mostly!

very informatitive!

and actually, things have changed. two of my good friends have decided to join me on my trip, they'll arrive in bangkok 4 or 5 days after I arrive and may even come to australia with me now.

i think we are now considering spending more time in se asia, thailand, laos, cambodia, vietnam, indonesia, malaysia, singapore! (not in that order) but that seems to be the plan so far.

i'm stupid excited! last day of work is the 19th and then i have til the 31st to look more into an itinerary! and this thread has helped guys, so thanks again.
i will set up an account with travbuddy or some travel blog type thing and post my pictures and stories to share with you all! (when i get the chance) :clap:

[Feruk]

I highly recommend Fraser Island and sailing the Whitsundays in Australia if you have the time/cash. I think for like $700 you can get them as a pack deal. Best part of my Australia trip.

[5t3v3]

If you guys don't buy a car, there's always greyhound you can use.
I bought hop on/off pass (one way) from Sydney to Hervey Bay for $200. Here are the preset destinations. (http://greyhound.com.au/App_Assets/user/Image/types-of-passes/img-map-mini-travellers-syd-pia-large.gif)

Don't forget that Australia has WINTER season, May to Sept and the temperature can drop to as low as 10C. Considering most if not all homes in Oz don't have a heater, it can get very cold during the nights while asleep.

[Dumbass17]

Alright we have a bit of an itnerary packed but I think it may be rushing things, what do you guys think? (the reason it is 'rushed' is to make it to the full moon party on april 28th and my buddies don't get into bangkok til april 5th)

Arrive In Bangkok, Thailand April 5th
Stay two days to get our bearings, etc

Bus/Fly/Taxi/Motorcycle to Ko Chang Island, Thailand
Stay April 7th-12th

Bus from Ko Chang Island, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia
Check out Angkor Wat
Stay April 14th - 16th or 17th

Fly from Siem Reap, Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam April 17th
Stay a day or two, brings us to April 18th

Fly from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Hanoi, Vietnam April 18th
Bus/Boat to check out Halong Bay puts us into April 20th
Get Back to Hanoi

Fly from Hanoi, Vietnam to Bangkok April 21st
Wander around Bangkok for 3-4 days, puts us into April 25th

Fly from Bangkok to Surat Thani (just south of Ko Samui on the mainland)
Bus to Donsak Pier
Ferry to Ko Phangan
Stay on Ko Phangan April 25th - April 30th

Head over to Phuket and Ko Phi Phi and relax for a week or so and figure out what we’re doing next

TOO MUCH?
i'd like to check out lao and go tubing but i don't think we have time

[Hi-Psi]

First, you are seriously going to regret staying such a short time in Asia, I will tell you that right now.

Second, you are trying to pack too much stuff into such a short time. I would say to stick to the core of SE Asia if you're in a time crunch. Do Thailand, Laos, Cambodia. I really enjoyed Vietnam but I personally think that you could be spending more time in Thailand or Laos. Trust me, tubing in Laos is unforgettable and a lot of people could spend weeks there. But there are a lot of great places in Laos and it's super cheap. Vietnam is a little more hectic and expensive(Still cheap though).

I guess it depends on what you want out of this trip but trying to fit in so many different places will take away from your experience and you'll regret it.

Also, be prepared to extend your trip once you're there, I'm not joking, a lot of people call to change there flights within a few days of arriving in Asia haha

[Dumbass17]

yeah i figured that's the response i would get. my friends planned this and im' going to talk tot hem and tell them it's way too rushed

[5t3v3]

In case you weren't aware, there's some political shit going on in Thailand. I suggest you check what the situation is carefully to see if it affects tourists or not.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8575851.stm

[Speed_69]

Just wondering how much money everybody thinks you need to save in order to go on a trip like this for a year?

[thrasher22]

Originally posted by Speed_69
Just wondering how much money everybody thinks you need to save in order to go on a trip like this for a year?

I'd say at least 15 grand if you're going for a year and not working. Less depending on how long you spend in Asia, where you can live pretty well for $20 a day (hostels alone in Aus are 25-30 a night).

I spent around 13 grand doing almost the same trip in 6 months, but spent kinda irresponsibly ;)

[Dumbass17]

well i finally finished packing my backpack tonight and i'm off to the airport in 3 hours. (trying to stay awake so i can be tired and sleep on the plane, haha)

i'll post pics up and shit when i get a chance.
i'm excited/nervous/stoked/anxious haha

wish me luck!

[MintRacer]

good luck and just ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings, invest in one of those hidden money holders that tuck under your shorts.

[Dumbass17]

i took about 90 pictures today..and i think i'm way too lazy to post them up
fyi

plus, im' pretty disappointed with my new camera..fack

[Kobe]

Have fun bro!

[Dumbass17]

thanks man

[Vagabond142]

<-- as a Kiwi, I must heartily suggest my home country as a great touristing place. It's warm, green, a little windy (a lot so in Wellington XD), and full of lovely friendly people :)

If you're more of a people-person tourist, ie you want museums, aquariums (kelly tartons ftmfw), etc, then head on up to the North Island and hang around Auckland (kinda the Calgary of New Zealand), Rotarua (LOTS of maori history and some pretty cool mud), Wellington, and other towns and cities along the way.

If you're more of an adventure tourist, ie day hikes, multiple day hikes, off road bicycle, etc, then hit up the South Island. Christchurch is an excellent launch pad for MANY tours of the amazing mountains, valleys, and forests of the South. Also, if you've seen Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Return of the King, the valley where Edoras, capital of Rohan, was built (and subsequently torn down) is only an hour's drive out of Christchurch.


However, in total, New Zealand really does have an affect on everyone who visits, and your trip there will be amazing and memorable. Plus, we don't have sharks or jellyfish swimming off our beaches :D

[5t3v3]

I'm going to New Zealand in a week or so.
I plan on going on a Kiwi Experience bus tour.
They have this deal on special (http://www.kiwiexperience.com/top-dog-travel-pass.aspx). It covers quite a bit of both islands.

I want to do sky diving and bungee jumping too. Hopefully they have combo deals or something.

I'm still kinda confused on money issue though. Not sure if i have to open a bank account in NZ, or just withdrawal cash at ATM from my Canadian bank account.

[Ben]

Originally posted by 5t3v3
I'm going to New Zealand in a week or so.
I plan on going on a Kiwi Experience bus tour.
They have this deal on special (http://www.kiwiexperience.com/top-dog-travel-pass.aspx). It covers quite a bit of both islands.

I want to do sky diving and bungee jumping too. Hopefully they have combo deals or something.

I'm still kinda confused on money issue though. Not sure if i have to open a bank account in NZ, or just withdrawal cash at ATM from my Canadian bank account.

Depends on how long you go for. I have a couple NZ Bank Accounts because I lived there for a long period of time. If you're going for 2 months or less, I'd say dont bother and just withdrawl out of the ATM's when you need cash, it's a small fee.

As for the Kiwi Experience. It depends on your age. 25 and under and single and low standards, yah, good way to go. Bring lots of condoms, its basically a party cruise and the girls are "easy as bro". You'll find about 2/3's of the people there get shitfaced all night and then sleep all day, missing out on the actual sights and experiences, and then end up with no money half way through your trip. They stay at mediocre places at best, and it's a cattle drive, but if you get a great group of people it can be an epic way to go.

What I found is whatever you think you need in money. Double that, and whatever you need in stuff (clothes supplies etc) bring half. Lugging around excess shit sucks, and you can buy what you need on the go.

Get the hell out of Auckland, head north, up to Whangarei, and then Paihia. It's wicked. Great beaches and wonderful people. Go see Dan at the Boat Hire in Paihia (only one on the beach) He's a good mate of mine, and treats you well. Your trip doesn;t get to a lot of the amazing "Off the beaten path locations unfortunately but does hit a lot of the main "Tourist" spots. Really sucks you miss the coromandel, thats absolutely gorgeous, Same with "The Mount" or Mt Maunganui.

Various Photos: HERE (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41052&id=516236443&l=73fc0df03a)

Rotorua was home for a few months for me, stinks like sulphur but you get used to it. Wai-o-tapu volcanic wonderland is dope (a photo I took there won the photo contest on this site a while back). GO Zorbing and definitely do the luge there, its fun as hell!
Photos: HERE (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=53139&id=516236443&l=fee5a53f4d)

Waitomo is famous for the Blackwater Rafting and the Glow Worm caves, which are neat, featured on the Blue Planet discs.

Wellington was my favorite city for sure just because of it's urban feel to that of Vancouver and Sanfrancisco, but in a small convenient size. Very hily and windy at times, but very pretty bay. Lots of Seals and such, and a great nightlife on Cuba Street.

Photos: HERE: (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=70807&id=516236443&l=6c92016448)

Crossing Over on the interislander takes a few hours, these are MASSIVE ferries, they can hold TRAINS.

Picton is awesome on its own, very nice little town,

Nelson rocks, nice beaches and great people, good nightlife there too.

Stp at the Monteiths Brewery in Greymouth, I bartended for one of their Pubs in Hanmer Springs just north of Christchurch for a little while for something to do, and it was great stuff.

Kaikoura is incredible also, great walks and views from the peninsula, lots of seals and the Albatross are huge!

Anyways, I lived on both Islands for a good amount of time, I can answer your NZ questions for ya. Definitely bring a few grand with ya even for 19 days.

[Marsh]

For a trip like this, what kind of money are you planning to bring? ie how much in cash and how much on credit card, etc?

What about those who have travelled for a year or so, how much or percentage) did you bring in cash/credit?

Thanks,
Marsh

[Ben]

Ended up being about 60/40 Cash/Credit. Some things you just needed to Card. And there's somethings you just HAVE to do when you get to some places, and you gotta treat yourself every once and a while haha. Granted I bought a car and was there for the long haul.

[kaput]

.

[5t3v3]

Originally posted by Ben
*stuff about Kiwi experience

Heh, you made it sound like it's a bang bro bus.

But anyways, I signed up with them and these cocksuckers left me stranded at my hostel this morning. Apparently the bus stopped "around the corner" which is out of sight and drove away 'cus the driver didn't see anyone waiting outside.
He didn't even come to the hostel to check!! The deal was that I was to be picked up at the hostel. WTF!!?!
When I called, they told me to find my own way to Kaikoura, which would cost me $25 and they won't reimburse it. Fuckin hell; it's not so much about the money but the principle of it.

Argh ... one hell of a way to start the "experience". Not cool.

[thrasher22]

I took a Stray bus tour around the South Island and it was wicked, I'm told Kiwi Experiance is pretty much the same, but a slightly younger crowd. The bus tours are whatever you make them, but a great way to meet people, so it'll be worth it once you're on it!

The South Island at least is SICK, I'm sure you'll love NZ.

[Dumbass17]

THAILAND WAS AMAZING
CAMBODIA IS PRETTY SWEET
VIETNAM is upcoming

:)

very very VERY happy so far

also i have never seen cuter kids in my life than the ones in cambodia.. adorable haha

[Dumbass17]

EDIT

PICTURES GOING UP AT

http://s786.photobucket.com/albums/yy146/Grip72photos/

the link should work, i think