Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Sudeste Asiático: Tailandia (Parte 3)

Islas de Tailandia
Lado Este

Atardecer en Koh Tao
Después de nuestro paso por Camboya, tomamos un avión desde Siem Reap a Surat Thani en el lado este de Tailandia, ciudad donde sólo pasamos una noche y, al día siguiente, nos embarcamos en un ferry hacia Koh Tao, la más pequeña de las tres islas más turísticas ubicadas en esta parte de Tailandia.

A diferencia del norte del país, el sureste de Tailandia se caracteriza por tener precios más elevados debido a que, en primer lugar, atrae a un mayor número de turistas y, en segundo lugar, se compone en su mayoría de islas de diferentes tamaños, pero islas al fin y al cabo, por lo que la vida resulta más costosa tanto para los lugareños como para los visitantes. 

Surat Thani

Surat Thani es el puerto de salida a las tres islas más importantes del lado este de Tailandia: Koh Tao, Koh Phangan y Koh Samui. Para trasladarse desde esta ciudad a cualquiera de las islas, recomendamos las dos siguientes compañías:
  • Lomprayah Ferry
  • Seatran Discovery Ferry
Personalmente, viajamos con Lomprayah Ferry y la experiencia fue excelente. Los ferries están en buenas condiciones, son cómodos y, en algunos, se puede comprar comida abordo. Existen los ferries rápidos (speed) y los ferries lentos (slow). Por lo general, son más económicas las embarcaciones lentas, pero eso también quiere decir que se demoran más en llegar a destino. 

Los pasajes pueden comprarse directamente en la boletería de cada compañía. Los precios van a variar dependiendo de la distancia entre islas, pero desde Surat Thani a Koh Tao nuestros pasajes costaron 700 THB por persona. 

Koh Tao

Sin lugar a dudas, Koh Tao resultó ser una de nuestras islas favoritas. Quizá por su pequeño tamaño y, por ende, fácil acceso a las playas e islotes cercanos. En Koh Tao se pueden hacer varias actividades, pero las que destacan son snorkeling y buceo. De hecho, muchos turistas optan por certificarse como instructores de buceo en este lugar.

Haciendo snorkeling en Mango Bay, Koh Tao.
Atardecer a la orilla de la playa
Además, por la noche la isla se transforma en un lugar de atmósfera relajada y se puede disfrutar de un trago a la orilla de la playa mientras se observa el atardecer, como se muestra en la foto anterior. 

Durante nuestra estadía en esta isla, nos alojamos en el hostal Good Dream. Tiene una muy buena ubicación – justo en frente de la playa – y las habitaciones compartidas son cómodas. Tiene buen WiFi (para ser una isla) y una pequeña área común donde también hay un par de máquinas y barras de ejercicio. 

Koh Nang Yuan

Desde Koh Tao, se puede visitar esta hermosa isla privada ubicada a menos de 10 minutos en taxi boat. Para poder entrar a Koh Nang Yuan, se debe pagar una tarifa de 100 THB. En la isla, hay un único restaurant y dos playas en las que se puede hacer snorkeling así como tomar clases de buceo. 

Koh Nang Yuan desde el mirador
También existe un mirador ubicado en una de las zonas de mayor altura de la isla. Para llegar la cima, hay que internarse por un sendero boscoso por 15 minutos aproximadamente, dependiendo del estado físico de cada persona. Sin lugar a dudas, el lugar vale la pena como se puede apreciar en la foto anterior. 

A fin de mantener el ecosistema que existe en la isla, las toallas de playa están prohibidas. Sin embargo, se pueden arrendar sillas de playa por la cantidad de horas que uno planee quedarse. 

Koh Samui

Después de estar en Koh Tao, la isla de Koh Samui no nos pareció del todo amigable con los turistas. Su tamaño es mucho mayor que el de Koh Tao y, por consiguiente, los puntos turísticos están más lejos entre sí. Sin embargo, es una isla con bastante que ofrecer a sus visitantes, especialmente si uno se queda en la zona cercana a la playa Chaweng, donde hay una gran variedad de tipos de alojamiento, centros comerciales, restaurantes, ferias artesanales, agencias de turismo, etc.

Chaweng
Además, en la isla existe la posibilidad de realizar diferentes tipos de tour, pero recomendamos arrendar una moto y visitar los lugares de interés por cuenta propia. Los paquetes turísticos incluyen muchas paradas y sólo algunas valen realmente la pena. Por experiencia personal, los lugares que sugerimos visitar son los siguientes:
  • El Monje Momificado (Mummified Monk)
  • Las Rocas de la Abuela y el Abuelo (Grandmother and Grandfther Rocks)
  • El Templo del Gran Buda (Big Buda Temple)
El resto de las atracciones, sinceramente, no nos parecieron dignas de una vista. Puede haber sido una combinación de calor y cansancio, pero en general, de todos los sitios que visitamos, los anteriores nos llamaron genuinamente la atención. 

Koh Phangan

Por razones de tiempo y porque nuestro viaje no coincidía con la fecha de la famosísima Full Moon Party – o Fiesta de la Luna Llena en español –, nos saltamos esta isla, que es la de mayor tamaño de las tres. Sin embargo, después de esta fiesta, cuando los viajeros en búsqueda de una noche loca se van en el primer bote a otro destino, Koh Phangan se transforma en un lugar de paz y tranquilidad perfecto para disfrutar en familia. 

Según la información que intercambiamos con otros viajeros, la isla es una mezcla entre Koh Tao y Koh Samui, por lo que si no eres de esas personas que sólo quiere irse de fiesta, no te vas a perder de nada si decides saltarte Koh Phangan. ¡Depende de cada uno! 

INFORMACIÓN ÚTIL
  • El alojamiento en este lado de Tailandia es más caro. Los precios varían entre 350-500 THB por noche por persona en un hostal para mochileros. Es recomendable reservar con anticipación para asegurarse de obtener un precio menor. 
  • Para viajar a Koh Nang Yuan, recomendamos tomar un taxi boat. Hay dos opciones: 1) Hacer snorkeling en Mango Bay por un par de horas y, luego, bajar en Koh Nang Yuan para pasar el día. 2) Ir directamente a Koh Nang Yuan, donde también se puede hacer snorkeling además de buceo. 
  • Koh Tao destaca por ser la mejor isla donde hacer buceo, por lo que si ello les interesa, esta isla es el lugar indicado. También pueden certificarse como instructores de buceo. Los precios son altos, pero imagino que vale la pena para quien disfruta de esta actividad. 
  • En Koh Samui, es recomendable quedarse en el área cercana a la playa Chaweng, donde hay un sinnúmero de opciones de alojamiento, restaurantes, tiendas comerciales, etc. También es donde se concentra la vida nocturna de la isla. 
  • Por su gran – y a veces incómodo – tamaño, en Koh Samui también se pueden hacer diferentes tipos de tour. Desde nuestra perspectiva y por experiencia propia, no recomendamos tomar ningún tour. Es mucho mejor quedarse en el área central y visitar los puntos turísticos más importantes por cuenta propia. Los turistas generalmente arriendan motos para estos fines.
El próximo post será sobre las islas del lado oeste de Tailandia. Como siempre, los invito a seguir mi blog y a hacerme cualquier pregunta que tengan. 

¡Nos vemos!

Ben

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Southeast Asia Trip: Cambodia

Cambodia
The Kingdom Of Wonder

Angkor Wat at sunrise
I have to admit that no other place has had such a powerful impact on me the way Cambodia did. Full of contrasts, this inspiring as well as troubled country offers an overwhelming history that will make you both ascend to heaven at Angkor Wat and descend into hell at Prison 21. No matter which, Cambodia will leave you breathless.

The first city that we headed to was Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s riverside capital, where I can assure you that, if you’re a sensitive person, at least one or more tears will roll down your eyes. Several tears rolled down mine. But I don’t want to go into details right away. Scroll down to keep reading about our travel experience in Cambodia. 

Phnom Penh 

This was our first city in Cambodia after traveling throughout Vietnam. We bused into Phnom Penh from Ho Chi Minh City using the country’s only reliable bus company, that is to say, Giant Ibis. The staff are incredibly nice and they even do your visa for you. Just make sure to hand them your passport and USD 30, or however much your visa costs depending on your nationality. For both Chileans and Americans, the visa is upon arrival and it costs USD 30. 

Bus company
If you cross into Cambodia by land from Vietnam, you will probably go through Bavet International Border. 

Bavet International Border
The ride from HCMC to Phnom Penh is about seven hours, but don’t worry about it. The Giant Ibis buses are comfortable and safe, so you won’t have a bad experience. And speaking of bad experiences, trust us when we tell you not to book your bus tickets with any other agency other than Giant Ibis. We heard stories of people being robbed of their belongings or scared to death while on the road because their bus driver was speeding up. Better to be safe than sorry! 

Here’s what we did while staying in Phnom Penh: 

The Genocide Museum
Have you ever entered a place and felt immediately overwhelmed by an inexplicable sense of hopelessness? That’s exactly how I felt when I first set foot on the Genocide Museum, or more commonly known as Prison 21. No words can describe the feelings that we all experienced while walking through what once was an ordinary Cambodian school for children of all ages. 

Prison 21 in Phnom Penh
During Pol Pot’s regime from 1975 to 1979, millions of Cambodians were forced to leave their houses overnight and move into the countryside in order to work in labor camps. All the cities in Cambodia were emptied and torture centers, such as Prison 21, were established across the country. An estimated two million Cambodians were arrested, tortured and, ultimately, killed over the course of this time. 

I’m sure you’re wondering why just like me. Unfortunately, I don’t have a reasonable answer to that question. Just like I also don’t have a reasonable answer to Hitler’s Nazism in Germany or Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile. For me, none of these acts makes any sense whatsoever, especially when there are so many innocent people involved. It was just another politically obsessive ideal gone horribly wrong. 


Once again and out of respect, I decided not to post too many photos of this horrifying place other than the one above. This picture portrays a woman being photographed before being tortured and, sooner or later, killed. Her baby was also killed. The Khmer Rouge spared no lives as they didn’t want surviving family members to seek revenge in the future. The hopelessness in this woman’s eyes is heart-breaking. 

The Killing Fields
I’m sorry to disappoint you, but the atrocities that the Cambodian people went through didn’t stop at Prison 21. After being sent to labor camps in the countryside, those accused of treason to the regime – or considered a threat to it – were taken to what is known today as the Killing Fields, or in more simple terms, mass graves where they were killed in the most inhuman ways possible. In order to save on ammunition, they used all kinds of tools, such as axes, spears, hatchets, etc., to kill prisoners. 

The Killing Fields in Siem Reap
In the photo above, you can see several mass graves in the ground as well as a towering memorial that was built in order to pay respect to all the victims who died during Pol Pot’s regime. Since then, at least 20,000 mass graves have been uncovered across the entire country. 

On a personal note, coming to these fields was emotionally shattering. Reading about Cambodia’s disturbing past is one thing, but being at the locations where everything took place is a completely different story. I genuinely hope that we learn from our mistakes so that tragedies like the Cambodian genocide are never to be repeated again. 

Loung Ung
If you are interested in learning more about the Cambodian genocide, I recommend that you read First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung. In her book, this brilliantly eloquent writer talks intimately about all the atrocities that her people had to go through for long four years. It’s a personal account of what millions of Cambodians experienced in the flesh during Pol Pot’s regime. 


Reading Luong Ung’s book will give you not only a better, but also a real appreciation of the brutality that the Cambodian people endured from 1975 to 1979. It’s a book that most of you will read through tears. My friend Megan and I read it together in order to discuss details afterward. 

Rooftop Bar
We didn’t book a hostel before arriving in Phnom Penh, so we ended up at 11 Happy Backpackers hostel. It was NOT the best place to spend the night, but its rooftop bar is amazing. There’s fast WiFi, nice food and drinks, smiling waiters, a great view of the city, and the bar also provides a nice, refreshing breeze which helps to cool down. If you have a chance to stop by, check it out! You won’t regret it. You can also meet more backpackers and exchange information about your trip.

Hanging out at the rooftop bar
What’s also great about this place is that it’s cheap, like pretty much everything in Cambodia. 

Siem Reap 

In order to arrive in Siem Reap, we took a night bus with Giant Ibis. Once again, the bus was very comfortable and we had no inconveniences during the ride. After getting off the bus, we took a Tuk Tuk to our hostel in the city center. We stayed at One Stop hostel, which turned out to be a very nice place to spend the night. They have comfortable shared rooms for USD 6 a night. Our night bus, by the way, is worth describing. It had no seats that turn into beds, but actual individual beds on one side and two-person beds on the other side. In other words, what I’m trying to say is that, if you are a solo traveler, you’d better get an individual bed or you’ll be sharing your night’s sleep with God knows who! 

Siem Reap is mainly notorious for being the gateway to Angkor Wat. However, it has also slowly become the chic epicenter of Cambodia, where you will find plenty to do in and around the city, so don’t worry if you get templed out. 

While staying in Siem Reap, we did the following activities: 

Angkor Wat 
This ancient temple complex is nothing short of extraordinary. Impressive for both its grand scale and unbelievable detail, this place will blow your mind away as soon as you set foot on it. 

The long walk to Angkor Wat
Starting the never-ending tour around the temples!
Stretching for several kilometers around, the Angkor Wat complex contains the magnificent remains of the different temples built by the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th century. The most famous temples within the complex are Angkor Wat – Cambodia’s iconic monument –, Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple, among many others. 



Angkor Wat was declared a World Heritage Site in 1992 and, a year later, Unesco launched a campaign to restore and safeguard Angkor Wat against pillaging, illegal excavations and land mines.



On a personal note, Angkor Wat was my all-time favorite destination in Cambodia. I would go back a hundred times despite the scorching heat and the incessant climbing to view all the temples. It is ABSOLUTELY worth it. If you go - which I hope you do - go in the early morning, or be prepared to get dehydrated every five minutes. 



Sunrise Tour
When visiting Angkor Wat, there are two famous tours that all tourists go on: the sunrise tour and the sunset tour. We took the sunrise tour and it was a beautiful experience. Here is a picture of Angkor Wat at sunrise:

One more picture of Angkor Wat at sunrise
In order to have the chance to take good shots, you need to arrive at the location before 5 in the morning. Ask your Tuk Tuk driver to pick you up before that time; otherwise, you will have to wait forever to take a decent photo. Likewise, don’t expect to have the place just to yourself. It will be crowded, so the earlier you get there, the more you will enjoy your tour. 

Happy Pizza
OH MY GOD! What can I say? Worst experience ever. Yes, all three of us, Megan, Alejandro and I had smoked weed before. Had also eaten weed before. Had pretty much done what everyone else does with weed before. But mind you, what we experienced after having happy pizza - or pizza with marihuana - in Cambodia was fucking nuts. We had a really bad marihuana trip that lasted all night long, like where are our bodies? kind of thing. 


And to top it all, the next day we had an early flight to southern Thailand. Somehow, we staggered our way out of our rooms and into Kim’s Tuk Tuk. I have literally no idea how I got on the plane. All I know is we are not having happy pizza ever again, much less in a remote land like Cambodia. 

USEFUL INFORMATION 
  • Cambodia uses the Cambodian Riel (KHR) as its local currency. However, the U.S. dollar is Cambodia’s second unofficial currency and, nowadays, it’s largely used in everyday transactions. As a matter of fact, when you withdraw money from an ATM, it comes out in dollars. 
  • The Cambodian Riel is mostly used for change. For example, if you pay USD 5 for a USD 4.5 bill, you will get your 5 cents in Cambodian Riel as change. 
  • One U.S. dollar equals about 4,000 Cambodian Riel. Crazy! 
  • An average hostel room in Cambodia is about USD 5-6 per night. 
  • To visit both the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, you can get a Tuk Tuk driver or book a tour through a travel agency. As always, ask around and double check the information before you make any decisions. 
  • At the Genocide Museum, request a tour guide for your group. If you all put in a dollar or two, it will be cheap for you and a good deal for your tour guide. And at the Killing Fields, you can get a multilingual audio tour for 3 dollars. By all means, pay for it. It’s worth it. 
  • There are three entrance fees to the Angkor Wat complex: the one-day pass (USD 20), the three-day pass (USD 40) and the one-week pass (USD 60). We bought the three-day pass, but did the whole Angkor Wat tour in two days. 
  • Doing the whole Angkor Wat tour is physically challenging, especially during dry reason (December-April), so be prepared to move and sweat like crazy. You have three options to do the tour: you can book a tour with a travel agency (which will be more expensive), you can bike (better be in good shape!), or you can hire a local Tuk Tuk driver to show you around. We chose the last option and it was great. Our Tuk Tuk driver’s name was Kim and he was excellent, so don’t hesitate to contact him. Here’s his Facebook account. 
  • When visiting the temples, dress respectfully. Wear a lot of sunscreen and bring a lot of water. Avoid bringing heavy bags. You’ll do a lot of walking and climbing. 
  • Make sure to check out the night market in Siem Reap. It’s got everything from handicrafts to delicious fruit shakes and more. 
  • Try the local food. It’s AMAZING. We recommend dishes cooked through the Cambodian culinary Amok technique, which is the process of steam-cooking different kinds of curry in banana leaves. 
And that’s it about Cambodia, guys. I hope you’ve enjoyed my post and, once again, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Spread the word!

Stay tuned for my next post about southern Thailand.

Ben

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Southeast Asia Trip: Vietnam

Vietnam

A country with a promising future as well as a troubled past, Vietnam has a rich history to learn from. Comprising a coastline that stretches for over 3,000 kilometers along the entire country, its beautiful landscapes offer photographic opportunities that will not let you down. Moreover, its weather is slightly chilly in the north yet comfortably warm in the south, so - depending on where you are from - Vietnam's weather is going to make you feel a little more at home. 

Our journey started in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital as well as one of its largest and most chaotic cities. We flew in from Vientiane with Cambodia Angkor Air for USD 95 each, which was one of the cheapest flight deals that we found. 

In case you're planning on flying in and/or out of Vietnam - or any other Southeast Asian country, for that matter -, Cambodia Angkor Air is not the only low-cost airline in Southeast Asia. Here is a list of the airlines that we used - and therefore recommend - while backpacking through Southeast Asia: 

⦁ Air Asia

⦁ Cambodia Angkor Air

⦁ Jetstar Airways 

⦁ Lion Air 

⦁ Vietnam Airlines 

Try to purchase your flight tickets a few days in advance so that you are able to find good deals. When we flew from Cambodia to southern Thailand, our tickets were a little too expensive for a backpacker's budget as we didn't book them beforehand. 

Hanoi 

Traffic 
As soon as we arrived in Hanoi, our first culture shock was the traffic. Honking scooters are all you're going to see the moment you step out of your hostel. It's not one, or two, or three, but hundreds of loud motorcycles simultaneously. Why do they constantly honk? you might wonder - because we certainly did -, and the reason is that that's how the Vietnamese communicate on the road: watch out! get out of my way! want a ride somewhere? etc. One of the first things that we had to learn in Vietnam was to cross the street without being hit.

Dare to cross?
Motorbikes parked on the sidewalk in Hanoi
If you need to get to the other side of the road, do NOT expect anybody to stop for you. Wait for locals to show up and walk right next to them, or take a deep breath and slowly cross the street. Drivers will miraculously dodge you. 

Hoa Lo Prison 
If you are interested in history, Hoa Lo Prison is a thought-provoking site that you shouldn't skip while staying in Hanoi. This prison was first used by French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners and, later, by North Vietnamese forces for U.S. Political Prisoners of War during the Vietnam War, when it was ironically referred to as the Hanoi Hilton by American prisoners. 

Public entrance to the prison
Nowadays, it serves as a dark reminder of how the French imprisoned, tortured and executed the Vietnamese, as well as a reminder of how the Vietnamese did the same to their own people and the American soldiers they captured.

Mannequins recreating prisoners in confinement
Hoa Kiem Lake 
We had plans to visit Dong Xuan market, but it was closed by the time we arrived. Therefore, we decided to go for a night walk around the city. And good thing we did! While Hanoi is not the most fascinating city by day, I can assure you that it becomes one of the most beautiful cities by night, especially if you go for a walk around Hoa Kiem lake, one of the major scenic spots in the city and Hanoi's focal point for public life. 

Turtle Tower in the center of the lake
Walking around the lake. It was cold!
If you wake up early, you can see old people and teenagers working out either in group or by themselves around the lake. It is as if the whole city was up and ready to exercise for as long as the morning lasts. When darkness takes over, however, the city becomes a more romantic site and you can see lovers holding hands side by side as well as parents playing with their children and tourists walking along Hoa Kiem. 

Night walk around the city center
Night walk around the lake
Little bridge over the lake
Halong Bay 

Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994, Halong - whose name in Vietnamese language translates as descending dragon - attracts thousands of visitors all year round, especially between May and August. Its towering limestone islets and profound emerald waters make Halong Bay northern Vietnam's number one tourist attraction. 


Most tours leave from Hanoi and include spending one or two nights on board a cruise within Halong Bay; however, an increasing number of tourists nowadays are deciding to head straight for the less visited but equally appealing Lan Ha Bay. We recommend sailing through Halong Bay, but sleeping on board a cruise within Lan Ha Bay, where there are no high rises to obstruct your view. It's more expensive, but you won't regret it.

Alejandro and I swimming after kayaking

Lan Ha Bay at night time
Hoi An 

Without a doubt, this is Vietnam's most beautiful city. There's just no question about it. Before I tell you why - or before you see for yourselves when you go through the photos below -, let me tell you how to get to Hoi An. 

If you're staying in Hanoi, the easiest and fastest way to get to Hoi An is to take a night train to Da Nang. Once you are at the train station in Da Nang, you can take a taxi to Hoi An. The ride should be about 250,000 VND total and not more than 30 minutes long. 

Night train from Hanoi to Da Nang
Now here's why Hoi An is the most beautiful city in Vietnam: 

Once a major trading port in Southeast Asia for centuries, Hoi An has been able to preserve its original architecture, authentic urban planning and rich fusion of cultures, thus making it one of Vietnam's most delightful places to visit. Japanese style bridges, ancient tea houses and Chinese temples abound on the streets of this charming town located on the banks of Thu Bon River. 

Walking around Hoi An
Just a nice villager
An Beach in Hoi An
When the night falls, Hoi An becomes one of the most beautiful cities in the world. 


Beautiful decoration at Hoi An's night market
Japanese Covered Bridge
Hoi An was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1999. And no wonder why! 

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 

Formerly named and still referred to by some locals as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam as well as a commercial and cultural city that has driven the country forward with its constant energy. During our time in HCMC, we visited the following places: 

Ben Thanh Market 
Popular with tourists seeking handicrafts, clothes, souvenirs and local cuisine, Ben Thanh market is one of the most important building structures in Saigon and a must-see tourist attraction. 


There are 24 districts in HCMC, so if you want to visit Ben Thanh market and other tourist attractions in the city, you should stay in District 1, the preferred district among tourists. 

War Remnants Museum 
Once known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, nowadays the War Remnants Museum is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Vietnam. It documents the devastating consequences from the appalling Vietnam War which lasted for almost 20 years. 

Public entrance to the museum
The Agent Orange room was one of the most disturbing sections - at least for me - inside the museum, displaying photos of the horrifying effects of the many pesticides that the United States sprayed over Vietnamese soil during the Vietnam War. 

A mother and her disfigured baby.
The Agent Orange room is full of photos like this one. And worse.
Out of respect, I decided not to post any other pictures of the Agent Orange room other than the one above. For me, coming here was a genuinely saddening experience, so I wouldn't like to be sensational about it. 

In general, visiting this museum was not a pleasant experience; however, coming here is a must-do in order to learn from our own mistakes as human beings in the past so that we never repeat them again in the future.

The museum is open every day and the entrance free is 15,000 VND per person.

Cu Chi Tunnels
Hiding spots as well as communication and supply routes, these tunnels are an enormous network of underground secret pathways used by Vietnamese soldiers in their resistance to American forces during the Vietnam War. 

Our funny tour guide at Cu Chi tunnels
Nowadays, the tunnels have become a popular destination among Western tourists, who can go in some parts of the tunnels that have been modified for foreigners. 

USEFUL INFORMATION 

  • Vietnam uses the Vietnamese Dong (VND) as its local currency. The largest banknote is 500,000 VND (approximately USD 22). Coins are also in circulation, but locals prefer banknotes and might refuse to accept coins sometimes. Make sure your banknotes are in good condition; otherwise, locals will refuse to accept your banknotes as well. 
  • In order to enter Vietnam, you need a visa. We processed ours through cheapvietnamvisa. The website is user-friendly, so just follow the steps. Make sure to submit your visa application at least 3 days in advance. 
  • While traveling in Vietnam, we also visited Da Nang. However, we recommend skipping this city as it is nothing but a long beach strip along which hotels and restaurants are too far apart. It also lacks old buildings and history, which makes its counterpart - Hoi An - a much more alluring place to stay in. 
  • Try the street food, especially in Hoi An. It's delicious and traditional. Bubble tea is also something that you should try. 
  • In Hoi An, we treated ourselves to a nice place and stayed at Sunshine Hotel. It has an incredibly delicious buffet breakfast, free bike rental and a beautiful swimming pool. The rooms are all air-conditioned and the beds are extremely comfortable. A good night's sleep is 100% guaranteed here. Needless to say, this hotel is a place that we highly recommend. 
  • If you want to use a beach chair while you're at the beach, you will have to pay for it as well as for bike and motorcycle parking. As always, haggle the price down! 
  • When you go shopping for souvenirs, haggle prices down as much as you can. Vietnamese people are notorious for trying to rip tourists off. If they refuse to accept your offer, slowly walk away and they will accept your price right away. Just be patient and smile a lot! 
  • We wouldn't recommend renting a motorbike in Vietnam. The traffic can be very dangerous for someone who hasn't ridden a motorbike in this country before. 
I hope my post has been of help to you all. If you liked what you read and thought it was useful, once again, I kindly ask you to share my blog and spread the word. 

Stay tuned! 

Ben

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Southeast Asia Trip: Laos

Laos 

Beautifully green would be a good adjective to describe Laos. Magically rustic would be another. Perhaps even desperately hot could be a good description of this country, too. No matter which adjective I use, Laos has interesting as well as unique qualities to offer. Our first and favorite city was Luang Prabang. We arrived here by slow boat, which turned out to be an exhausting two-day ride. Was the experience worth it? Yes, it was. No landscapes escaped my camera during the ride. First, we spent the night at the Thailand-Laos border, and the next day we took a slow boat from there. Here's our detailed version: 

Thailand-Laos Border 
I'm not sure if you remember, but in my previous post, I said it's important to make sure to double check the information when you book a tour somewhere. Here's the reason why: if you're staying in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, you can buy tickets to cross into Laos by land. While staying in Chiang Mai, we bought our tickets from our hostel and left for the Thailand-Laos border early in the morning the next day. We asked whether accommodation was included or not, and even though we were assured it wasn't, when we arrived at the border - Chiang Khong, to be more precise -, we learned that accommodation for that night was indeed included. I had already booked a hostel, so I had to cancel our reservation at the last minute. They didn't charge my credit card, but that was just pure luck, I suppose. So ask every question twice and double check the information with whoever you're booking your tour. Or embrace the unexpected! ;)

The Welcome to Laos sign at the Thailand-Laos border
Moreover, the visa to enter Laos is upon arrival and it costs USD 30 for Chilean citizens. However, if you cross the border over a weekend, there's an overtime fee, so you will have to pay one more dollar. You can bring your own dollars or exchange Lao Kip for dollars at the border. Whichever you decide to do is up to you. We recommend calculating how many dollars you will need for visas and bring them from home. It can be more convenient, but nowadays the dollar is so expensive that it doesn't really matter. For Weg, the visa fee was different. She had to pay USD 35 plus one more dollar (overtime fee) to enter Laos. Here is a website to check whether or not you need a visa to enter a Southeast Asian country according to your nationality.

Pak Beng 

After spending the night at the border, we were taken to a pier in Houeixai and got on a slow boat to Pak Beng, a small community along the Mekong river where we spent another night before arriving in Luang Prabang. Our experience in Pak Beng was interesting, to say the least. We arrived just in time for dinner, which was perfect after an almost seven-hour boat ride. Hungry and thirsty, we ordered food and drinks. The power, however, went out a few times, leaving the whole community in the dark for an hour or so. We remained without air conditioning all night. Not fun! 

Slow boats by the pier in Houexai
But not everything was that crazy. We also met nice people from Chile, Argentina, the Netherlands, and Germany. We went to a bar - most certainly the only one in town - and had a nice time. I have a feeling I will treasure all the moments we spent in this remote place for years to come. 

Luang Prabang

From Bak Peng to Luang Prabang, the slow boat took about six hours. Once again, the ride was incredibly long, yet beautiful. We hadn't booked a hostel, so we took a Tuk Tuk to the city center and ended up staying at Som Khounmeung guesthouse, which we also recommend. The staff were very friendly, the rooms were spacious and clean, and there was free coffee and bananas at the front desk. It was also within walking distance from the main night market and other tourist attractions. We paid about 60,000 LAK per person per night. 

Night Market in Luang Prabang
While staying in Luang Prabang, we also went to Kuang Si Falls, which was, by far, my favorite part of the city. In order to get there, you need to take a Tuk Tuk. Once again, don't forget to negotiate a price. We went with two more people, a friend from Argentina and a friend from France, so it was a cheap ride. The entrance fee was 20,000 LAK per person.

Huang Si Falls in Luang Prabang. There's also a trail through the jungle.
Group photo at Kuang Si Falls. You can see the falls in the background.
On our way back to the hostel from Kuang Si Falls, we stopped by a butterfly park owned by a very nice Dutch woman and her husband. They came to Laos years ago and decided to stay because they fell in love with the country. Once they were given permission to buy a property in Laos, they opened a butterfly park. If you have a chance to go, don't think twice! It's beautiful and there's also a free natural fish spa inside the park. If you want to know more about it, you can follow their page on Facebook




Unlike other countries, the traffic in Laos is not as crazy as in Vietnam, for example, and they also drive on the right side of the road, so we rented bicycles and biked around the city and along the Mekong river. Renting a bicycle for 24 hours in Luang Prabang costs about 25,000-30,000 LAK.

Biking around Luang Prabang. You can see my bike buddies in the background.

Vang Vieng 

Did we like Vang Vieng? I'll let you be the judge. For some strange reason, when we arrived in Vang Vieng, our reservation hadn't been made. Therefore, we were sent to another hostel with a swimming pool for the same price. Breakfast was included. Not bad, right? The next day we rented motorbikes - because the traffic is OK in Laos - and drove to Tham Phu Kham cave and the Blue Lagoon with our German friends, whom we had met the day before in the van from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. I won't lie to you. We did encounter some incidents while driving our motorbikes, but nothing too serious happened. Just a few scratches here and there. 

Inside Tham Phu Kham cave. It was like being on another planet.
Tham Phu Kham cave in the distance
Our German friends and us on our motorbikes in Vang Vieng
The Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng. It was crowded, but beautiful.
The entrance free for Tham Phu Kham cave as well as for the Blue Lagoon was 10,000 LAK each per person.

In Vang Vieng, we also decided to take a day off in order to relax. We were all a little drained of energy at this point, so we did nothing but rest for 24 hours. We were also facing some minor health problems. The next day, however, we went zip lining and cave tubing. It was great.

Zip line circuit through the jungle and over the river
Getting ready to go cave tubing

Vientiane

We stayed in Vientiane only for one day. We didn't do much here because it was extremely hot (41 degrees temperature), so we just walked around the city and did some sightseeing. One of the main attractions is the Buddha Park, which we decided not to visit after all. It sounds boring, I know, but had you been there, you too would have probably decided to stay in your air-conditioned room. To be honest, it was a nice, energy-recovering break. 

USEFUL INFORMATION
  • Laos uses the Lao Kip (LAK) as its currency. The largest banknote is 100,000 LAK (approximately USD 13). 
  • No coins are currently in use in Laos. Only banknotes. 
  • An average hostel room per night in Laos should cost about 60,000-70,000 LAK per person. 
  • Make sure to bring a passport size photo to get your visa at the border (or airport). 
  • Laos is a good place to rent a motorbike if you're a newbie, especially in Vang Vieng. 
  • Food was very good. Try the Lao steamed sticky rice. It's the best in Southeast Asia. 
  • If you plan on visiting any caves, bring a flashlight. 
  • When going to the Blue Lagoon, make sure to download a GPS application that works without internet access. There's a fake Blue Lagoon sign that appears sooner on the road. Just pass it until you reach the next sign. In any case, the Blue Lagoon is located approximately 8 kilometers from downtown Vang Vieng. 
  • When driving around on your motorbike, be careful with animals. They walk freely, especially cows. 
  • There is an early morning ceremony in which monks wake up at dawn to collect offerings from the faithful. It's called the Almsgiving ceremony and it takes place in Luang Prabang. If you want to attend the ceremony, you have to wake up at 5 in the morning. 
Once again, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop me a line. And if you liked what you read, please spread the word! The next post will be about Vietnam.

Stay tuned!

Ben