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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5014 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Trying to plan a trip this Spring to Asia. We want to fly there and hop around different cities... we've narrowed it down to:
Singapore
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Bangkok
Seoul
Beijing
Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi
Anyone have any experiences with these cities? Anyone jump around multiple cities in Asia?
ETA: we've already been to Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong 
Message edited 11/13/2007 11:35:47 AM.
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Posted 11/9/07 1:11 PM  |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11487 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Looks like a nice trip. How far is Seoul and Beijing from the other cities?
I've never been to those parts of Asia. I've only been to Japan.
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| Posted 11/9/07 8:45 PM |
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yankinmanc
Happy Days!
Member since 8/05 18208 total posts
Name:
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
We have done Hong Kong and Japan, but we purchased a package as we were unsure of travelling in Asia. It was worth it for us becuase it included all hotels and transfers, including someone to meet us at the airport and she spoke English and put us right on the bus from Narita Airport into Tokyo.
I would speak to a travel agent and find out about buying everything as a package. My parents have been to Vietnam and they said it was absolutely wonderful. This year they want to do China...
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| Posted 11/10/07 4:31 AM |
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BunnyWife
Insert Witty Comment Here
Member since 5/07 8274 total posts
Name:
BunnyWife
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
We spent half of our honeymoon in Bangkok. I'm not sure what city you want to hit first, but we took a non stop flight from JFK to Bangkok on Thai Airways that was fantastic. Feel free to FM me if you have questions about Thailand
Message edited 11/11/2007 2:00:51 PM.
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| Posted 11/11/07 2:00 PM |
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MURRAY-MM
LIF Infant
Member since 5/06 105 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
hello- I would not call myself an expert on asian travel, but I am actually in Beijing as I type this response. This is my 4th trip to Asia. (I travel for work). On this trip, I am going to Hong Kong, Beijing (both for work), and then my husband is flying out here and we are going to Phuket Thailand next sat.
I would recommend a travel agent to book your travels. Hong Kong is also a great city to put on your list, I have been there 3 times so far. Based on my experience, I think I would add a resort type location to your list. In my opinion, I find the cities to be very tiring, and catching some fun in the sun might be nice for a change, but it totally depends on you.
Let me know if you have any other questions, hopefully I can help out.
Also, if you can Business class makes a HUGE difference on the flights. Also, be sure to get the correct travel documents, for example, you will need a visa for China, and I think Vietnam as well.
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| Posted 11/11/07 6:05 PM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
Name:
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Beijing is great for history (great wall and forbidden city), but I found Shanghai a much more livelier and fun city.
I would also recommend going with a tour. It can be very difficult to communicate (in China at least) and our guide was invaluable! There were MANY shady situations (locals locking us in parking lots asking for "tolls") that we were in that our guide got us out of.
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| Posted 11/12/07 10:07 AM |
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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5014 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Posted by MURRAY-MM
hello- I would not call myself an expert on asian travel, but I am actually in Beijing as I type this response. This is my 4th trip to Asia. (I travel for work). On this trip, I am going to Hong Kong, Beijing (both for work), and then my husband is flying out here and we are going to Phuket Thailand next sat.
I would recommend a travel agent to book your travels. Hong Kong is also a great city to put on your list, I have been there 3 times so far. Based on my experience, I think I would add a resort type location to your list. In my opinion, I find the cities to be very tiring, and catching some fun in the sun might be nice for a change, but it totally depends on you.
Let me know if you have any other questions, hopefully I can help out.
Also, if you can Business class makes a HUGE difference on the flights. Also, be sure to get the correct travel documents, for example, you will need a visa for China, and I think Vietnam as well.
Interesting. Ive been to Shanghai, Tokyo, and Hong Kong... Ive never used a travel agent, choosing always to book my hotels and airfare on my own. It's so easy because they are all major cities.
Im curious as to why you advise using a TA. Do they give better deals? Do you mean for the intra-Asia jumping around?
Any info would be great!
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| Posted 11/13/07 11:34 AM |
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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5014 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Posted by Ericaf
Beijing is great for history (great wall and forbidden city), but I found Shanghai a much more livelier and fun city.
I would also recommend going with a tour. It can be very difficult to communicate (in China at least) and our guide was invaluable! There were MANY shady situations (locals locking us in parking lots asking for "tolls") that we were in that our guide got us out of.
We already did Shanghai and LOVED it.. DH wants to get to Beijing while they are prepping for the olympics and before its COMPLETELY westernized.
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| Posted 11/13/07 11:35 AM |
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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5014 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Posted by klingklang77
Looks like a nice trip. How far is Seoul and Beijing from the other cities?
I've never been to those parts of Asia. I've only been to Japan.
FAR.. about a six hour flight.. which would cut into our trip, obviously... so much to consider!
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| Posted 11/13/07 11:36 AM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11487 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
I would stay away from long flights like that and stay with the close by areas. I am not sure of your time restraints.
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| Posted 11/14/07 7:04 AM |
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MURRAY-MM
LIF Infant
Member since 5/06 105 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Posted by melbalalala
Posted by MURRAY-MM
hello- I would not call myself an expert on asian travel, but I am actually in Beijing as I type this response. This is my 4th trip to Asia. (I travel for work). On this trip, I am going to Hong Kong, Beijing (both for work), and then my husband is flying out here and we are going to Phuket Thailand next sat.
I would recommend a travel agent to book your travels. Hong Kong is also a great city to put on your list, I have been there 3 times so far. Based on my experience, I think I would add a resort type location to your list. In my opinion, I find the cities to be very tiring, and catching some fun in the sun might be nice for a change, but it totally depends on you.
Let me know if you have any other questions, hopefully I can help out.
Also, if you can Business class makes a HUGE difference on the flights. Also, be sure to get the correct travel documents, for example, you will need a visa for China, and I think Vietnam as well.
Interesting. Ive been to Shanghai, Tokyo, and Hong Kong... Ive never used a travel agent, choosing always to book my hotels and airfare on my own. It's so easy because they are all major cities.
Im curious as to why you advise using a TA. Do they give better deals? Do you mean for the intra-Asia jumping around?
Any info would be great!
I tend to book all my travel on my own, unless I go on big trips, to places I have never been.
This trip was such a mix of business and pleasure. For the personal part of this trip, I researched a lot on my own, prices, hotels, etc. I decided to check out a travel agent before I booked on my own, just to see what they had to offer/say. In the end I decided to book the Phuket portion thru the traveler, costs were just about the same, but it was more of a 'package", everything was done for me, and it included hotel transfers. After Phuket my DH & I go back to HK for a few days, that I booked on my own, because I know HK well.
Message edited 11/15/2007 12:14:01 AM.
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| Posted 11/15/07 12:05 AM |
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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5014 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
Posted by MURRAY-MM
I tend to book all my travel on my own, unless I go on big trips, to places I have never been.
This trip was such a mix of business and pleasure. For the personal part of this trip, I researched a lot on my own, prices, hotels, etc. I decided to check out a travel agent before I booked on my own, just to see what they had to offer/say. In the end I decided to book the Phuket portion thru the traveler, costs were just about the same, but it was more of a 'package", everything was done for me, and it included hotel transfers. After Phuket my DH & I go back to HK for a few days, that I booked on my own, because I know HK well.
Ahh that makes sense. Is there a TA that you recommend?
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| Posted 11/15/07 8:30 AM |
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kimchee
LIF Toddler
Member since 1/07 428 total posts
Name:
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Re: Anyone an Asian travel expert?
I can't call myself an expert by any stretch... however I was born there and lived there abit before calling the US home.
If you do go and don't speak the language I highly recommend going on a tour. You do not want to travel to Asia by yourself. Even in the westernized cities like Tokyo and Hong Kong, you may get lost or conned if you don't know the language.
I was going to go back to Asia through a tour (check out affordabletours.com) or even go on an Asian cruise.
Good luck!
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| Posted 11/15/07 10:29 PM |
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