SOUTH EAST ASIA 2012
South East Asia 2012
Travel Summary
Part 2 of my Sabbatical from KPMG involved making my way from Europe to Asia. While Europe was solo (visiting friends from exchange here & there) and living as frugally as possible, Asia was a totally different scenario. My boyfriend (now, husband) grew up very differently. As in, he was accustomed to finer things in life. Okay, let’s just be clear: it was 5+ stars and luxury ONLY.
So, after 3 years of dating, a big TEST to our relationship was the discovery of how TRULY different we were. I would assume many relationships would fail at this point but thankfully, ours prevailed. Overall, we learned to compromise.
I jacked up the accommodation budget (he nearly had a heart attack when I tried to book hostels) & he took concessions here and there. A defining moment was when I refused to take an expensive taxi in KL, Malaysia and insisted on using the local rail. In hindsight, this was a very bad idea (2 massive suitcases, 2 small asians and a sea of humans crowding in the central rail station). I’m still amazed we emerged out of that sea alive.
Lesson learned: Sometimes, paying the extra money may make the most sense. This may seem obvious now but at that time (at 23), this was a newfound concept.
Memories:
- Introducing my boyfriend to my grand uncle/aunt in Hong Kong
- Driving to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and checking out the tea plantations
- Temples, Temples, Temples in Angkor Wat
- Getting ditched by the boyfriend as he prioritized Formula 1 in Singapore and never came back to the hotel as promised (before the days of cell phones)
- Scam, scam , scams in Hanoi Vietnam (and having my ex-roomie ditch me last minute due to some very forgivable circumstances).
- More temples, temples, temples in Bangkok
- Exploring while scootering around the island of Koh Samui
- First time on an Airbus 380 with Emirates flight from Thailand to Hong Kong (I still dream of this flight)
Planning:
Writing this in 2021 and finding my notes from 2012, I only have one thought: I’M SO CUTE. HA! I’m sure others would look back and think (what a freak) but I’m still the exact same way - that is meticulously planning every penny. I should ask my husband what he thought when he first laid eyes on my colour coded spreadsheet.
Cost Summary:
PP
International Flights AC Pass
Intercontinental Flights $950
Accommodation $1300
Other Transportation $120
Food (Estimate) less than $300
Shopping less than $500
Activities around $400
So for about 4 weeks, $3,500. Not bad!
Note 1: Initial flight to HKG is not included in the price above. The transportation costs are limited to just within Asia.
Note 2: Please note that I did not include food costs for this trip as I striked a deal with my boyfriend who agreed to pay for all meals as a reward for all my trip planning efforts ;)
UPDATE: Notes I found from Blogger.com from January 2015
Transportation
This consists of 7 flights ($890), 1 rental car ~($100) & 2 bus rides ~($20), resulting in a total cost of $1,068. We flew primarily with Air Asia as they offer the cheapest flights by far (hint - be careful how many times you check the site as they actually actively track your IP and will continuously increase the price everytime you frequent/check their site). Also be made aware that to fly in to Koh Samui, the airport is completely monopolized by Bangkok Airways. It is a premium to fly but as time was extremely limited, it was well worth the convenience. If you have more time on your hands, you can travel by land or fly with Air Asia to Surat Thani and then take an overnight boat to the island. Note that you will dock at the west side of the island while the main beach (Chaweng beach) is on the East. Although, there are many great things to see on the West, North & South respectively .. it just depends what type of vacation you want.
Accommodation
1. Cosmopolitan - Situated right in the heart of Happy Valley a block away from the Jockey Club. Located about 10 minutes walk away from the Causeway Bay Station. The hotel offers a free shuttle service to several station. Price was among the cheapest but still hugely overpriced as it is HK afterall. Main issue with this hotel is that it faces directly across a cemetery. I called in advance and made a request to be at a higher floor so that we do not see this sight from our window. They were able to accommodate but they can never this promise to guests. Overall, the rooms and amenities were quite nice.
2. Park Royal - Located at the heart of Bukit Bintang (the main area of KL). Steps away from the monorail but I would not recommend taking public transportation in general (taxis are cheap and way more convenient). There are several indoor shopping areas from extremely cheap to extremely luxurious just minutes away. The night market is just around the corner. Overall, this hotel was a definite 4 star at a great deal. Highly recommended.
3. Cameron Highlands - Given the limited supply, accommodation at the cameron highlands may be on the high side. We thought we would play it safe and booked a highly reputable hotel. Quite disappointing as it felt like a typical motel but at a premium price. Location wise, you will need a car regardless of where you stay.
4. Golden Temple Hotel - Hands down, THE best hotel we had across our whole SE Asia trip. This is based on several factors: location, price, amenities & service. The location is a bit hidden but just a few minutes walk away to anywhere (also, tuk tuks are largely available). The price was great for what we received: an awesome welcome gift with cold refreshments and snacks, discount to other shows/restaurants at the owner's other establishments, free dinner and free breakfast along with snacks for your angkor wat tour (even if you don't book with them) & best of all, a free massage. Can you beat that? The room was gorgeous with a very nice Cambodian touch and the staff were so wonderful.
5. Jonker Boutique - Calling this place a hotel may be a far stretch. Pretty bare bone especially considering the price. Given that there really isn't much to do in Malacca other than the Chinatown, I suppose you can say the Jonker Boutique hotel's location is prime.
6. Studio M Hotel - To be honest, we didn't do very much research into this one as supply was extremely limited as a result of Formula 1 being in town that weekend. Also, the fact that it was a loft made it extremely difficult to consider other places. Overall, the hotel is extremely luxurious and unique. The location is a bit difficult if you plan to walk/take public transportation therefore limiting your availability to taxi (which you would need the lobby to call for you). Although it advertises as being in the heart of clarke quay, i would still say it takes about 10 minutes to get there.
7. Paramount Hotel - A very bare bone place but a pretty good deal for the price we paid. Location wise, just a few minutes walk away from Hoan Kiem Lake. A bit off topic but I was a bit weary of taxis drivers and after hearing one too many horror stories, we ended up walking to every single tourist spot. A definite challenge in the blistering heat but completely doable.
8. Aetas Bangkok - A few minutes walk away from the Phloen Chit station (on the green line). May be a bit hard to find as it is hidden in a alleyway but it is a definite gem (absolutely 4 star material). My boyfriend voted this as the best hotel but my loyalty still lied with Golden Temple in Siem Reap. Staff is great and there is also a free shuttle to the nearby station. Also, there are several great restaurants and an awesome massage spot around the corner.
9. Karikayan Boutique - Location wise, it is probably THE furthest beach on Chaweng beach (we were the last people off our mini bus). However, this wouldn't be a very big problem if you are renting a scooter anyways. Private beach available and decent amenities. Overall, a nice place but I would probably shop around some more on my next visit to Chaweng.
10. Royal Pacific Hotel - Decided to try another spot on our return back to HK. This time around, I wanted to stay in the Kowloon side. Location wise, I prefer this spot as it is just a few minutes away from TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) and near the Avenue of Stars for a nice walk. The hotel itself feels very dated and supposedly, different towers are in different stages of renovations. So, it may be a good idea to have a quick conversation with the receptionist to confirm which room you're getting prior to arriving. Overall, no issues and would consider this place again.