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Q: What is the best Southeast Asian country for quick visit during Spring Festival?
The advice of board members would be appreciate. I want to go to a Southeast Asian Country within relatively easy flying (or if possible train) time from Beijing. I am thinking about Vietnam (Hanoi, not Saigon), Thailand, Laos or maybe even Singapore. I am looking at a quick trip of less than one week, just to escape from Beijing during Spring Festival. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
11 years 20 weeks ago in Transport & Travel - China
only been to Thailand but the rest are all on my list (wouldn't go back to Thailand).... think you are going to have to fly if you plan to avoid/minimize mass Chinese travel during spring festival, when you only have a week .that festival goes on for a month. Vietnam and Laos sound good to me.
Why you dont try Bali (Indonesia)..it is a fun kind of place...
981977405:
Thanks..don't know how that one flew off my radar...thanks again.
I would add Kualu Lumpur to the equation (or some other place in Malaysia) Kualu Lumpur is a modern city, but oposed to e.g. Singapore (which is in my mind like being stuck in a giant shopping mall) Kualu Lumpur has some soul, people are friendly and prices within reason
I'd say Thailand's your best bet for a quick, convenient and relaxing visit. There's a whole load of flights to and from Beijing to Bangkok and the tourist infrastructure is the best in the region. From Bangkok it's only an hour or two to the closer beaches and islands, or you're very close to some good national parks if that's your thing.
If you had longer, I'd recommend somewhere else - but for such a short time-frame, Thailand is hard to beat.
MissA:
If you're a gullible idiot, then Thailand's not the ideal place to visit, that's true.... but the same goes for all of SE Asia. I've always found the Thais to be absolutely lovely.
Taiwan is a great country, it is what china could be if they didn't have the ccp ruling over them
981977405:
I would love to see Taipei and the countryside but from what I hear, Taiwan is a bit on the expensive and I was looking for something a little cheaper, actually. Any thoughts on this?
Scandinavian:
Taipei has excellent baozi and is also generally a nice place. It does seem like China with western organization.
crimochina:
yeah so does india, phils, vietnam, jap, koreas, russia, ........
I went to Thailand, Bangkok is absolutely horrible, unless you're a balding old man looking for prostitutes in which case I'm sure its great. I didn't get scammed, or hear of any scams actually. If you do go to Thailand, one night in Bangkok (as the song goes) is enough; get out to the beaches ASAP.
If I had the time/money, I would go to Taiwan. I hear good things and bad things about the place so I would like to see what its actually like.
MissA:
I'm not balding, nor old, nor a man, nor looking for prostitutes - I don't mind Bkk at all. When I arrived there after leaving China it seemed like an utter paradise! Everyone was so friendly and everything was so easy and cheap.
I must admit, Bangkok took a fair amount of time to grow on me, though, compared to the rest of Thailand.
TedDBayer:
The only thing I didn't like about BK was that the sidewalks seemed too narrow downtown after being in China.
xunliang:
Each to his own I guess. Even if you manage to avoid the sleazy side, what can you do in Bangkok? It's a modern tourist city like every other one on earth. There's not much to do in the city itself. The only good thing is it has Thai boxing matches . I spent a few days in Bangkok and after seeing the temples and the boxing, I left because it was boring.
Lao could use the business and more off the radar. Check your visa situation first.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/la.html
981977405:
Thank you again, another thoughts but the plane fare Beijing - Vientiane is dreadfully expensive compared to other SEA countries.
It is not a country in your suggested area, but is a closer flight from Beijing. SOUTH KOREA. I have been there a few times, and is a great place to visit. The food, palaces, parks, etc.
One of my favourite countries that I have been to in world.
981977405:
Dear JungleLife, this is NOT a bad idea at all, all things said and done. There are direct non-stop flights from Shenyang to Seoul and it is not expensive at all. I just wonder about hotels in Seoul, however and I hear that winter is really awful there.
JungleLife:
Yes, they do have cold winters. A place in SE asia would be better to escape the cold for a bit.
I don't know your budget but Fiji is a beautiful place (and doesn't require a visa for Chinese nationals).
Hugh.G.Rection:
Sorry, the amount of answers you provide I assumed you were. However, Fiji doesn't require visas for Brits, Canadians or Americans either, don't know about the rest of 'the west' but tbh they don't require visas for many places at all.
Hugh.G.Rection:
It doesn't, it was just a poor assumption on my part. My (erroneous) reasoning was that you had answers to such a huge amount of divergent problems / questions that you were therefore local as you had such a large local knowledge.
No, offense intended I assure you, and my apologies for my mistake.
MissA:
No visa required for Aussies. Fiji is a stunning county, but a bit long of a flight from China for a quick visit, surely?
Me and the gf are strongly considering the Philippines for a getaway this spring festival. Visa free for me as an American, and shouldn't be too difficult for her as a Chinese (especially since she has an older passport, pre-map modification). Not sure how it looks from Beijing, but the flight prices from Shanghai/Ningbo are quite reasonable (cheaper than most of the aforementioned destinations, aside from South Korea perhaps....but....brrrrrrr in February). Accommodation costs are what you make them, everything is available from 5 star hotels to roach motels.
Has anyone here been to Myanmar? Is it worth the trip?
Cambodia. My girlfriend lives there if you are willing to pay her 1000 a month she wil drive you all over the city and be the perfect mate. Once you stop paying her she hates you and considers you a dump snake.
