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Thread: suggested tips for my first overseas holiday

  1. #21
    Senior Member oyama's Avatar
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    thanx heaps guy's will take your advise.

    (HKT is Phuket, SIN is Singapore, KUL is Kuala Lumpur)

    SQ 278 23MAY ADLSIN 1140 1735 (Singapore Airlines)
    MI 758 23MAY SINHKT 1835 1920 (Singapore Airlines)

    12 Night stay in Phuket

    MH 787 04JUN HKTKUL 1030 1255 (Malaysian Airlines)

    7 Night stay in Kuala Lumpur

    SQ 107 11JUN KULSIN 1025 1120 (Singapore Airlines)

    1 Night stay in Singapore

    SQ 279 12JUN SINADL 2350 #0810 (Singapore Airlines - # means arrive next day)

    all booked, now to save lol
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  • #22
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    good stuff , now save as much as you can! asia is cheap , but you still spend more than you imagine. do some tours , you learn a lot about the country that way.

    In Phuket , visit the market for some cheap clothes and some basic electronic gear. do a tour to James Bond Island ( Phi Phi ) which includes canoeing around beautiful limestone outcrops.
    the bus will return via some large jewellery making shop or some other tourist traps.
    get window seat on the plane , you'll snap a few awesome photos just flying into Phuket.

    if you buy duty free , ensure you claim back the GST at the VAT counter - BEFORE you enter the baggage check in. once you are in the terminal its too late. bit of a quirky thing.

    in the markets , buy a T shirt that says - " no , i dont want a tuk tuk , massage or suit " they do sell em , and you will need one!!

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  • #23
    Senior Member oyama's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iwacelect View Post
    Don't take your bogey board, buy one when you get there

    Hmm going to thailand and taking the wife, oh well the family that plays together....
    Got to take the wife its going to be our honeymoon only 5years latter.
    due to work commitments etc... as they say all good things come to them who waits or something like that.

    great advice all round, except for going to greece, i can get all the kalamata olives here.
    Last edited by oyama; 05-01-12 at 09:28 AM.
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    I am not sure what you plan for telephone communications but typically you would want to take your mobile phone with you. You should check with your provider BEFORE you leave Oz as to access to global roaming and call and SMS fees.

    It is not advisable to use any mobile data services as these are horrendously expensive

    Making or receiving voice calls is also not advised as these are also very expensive - I advise ensuring call forwards to MSG bank ar OFF as u you will be charged heavily fo incoming calls to MSG bank when overseas otherwise

    SMS texting fees are usually reasonable so this is generally the way to go to keep in contact with family & friends

    I am not sure what it is like in Asia (however I am sure it is probably the same) but in Europe once you arrive you go to a local market / store and pickup something like a Local Lebara sim card for like 5 dollars . These have great rates for outgoing calls locally and internationally. This might mean a bit of sim flicking but then it is worth ... You always take an old phone for this as well.
    Added bonus ... These local sims are starting to offer cheap data access ... Although local free wifi access may suit here as well

    Making sure u r setup for Skype is also a good idea but remember u need Internet access for this

    I hope this helps

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    I have heard that you can just buy a one off mobile for use while in country. Velly cheep & it beats the hell out of Oz providers.
    Some people need to get their finger out of their arse so that the brain can get some oxygen"

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    I haven't heard anybody suggest "You want ping pong show mista ?"
    I haven't seen them in Patong Beach, but I'm sure there will be some there somewhere.

    Thai massage, yes lots of people recommend it. I'm not one for asians putting their greasy little hands all over me It's not really a racist asian thing, I just don't like greasy little hands

    Malaysia is not as good as Thailand. But there is still plenty to see and do.
    If you get bored with KL, jump on a bus "SuperVIP" to Penang.
    It's about a 6 hour trip, but comfortable.

    Pirate DVD's are cheaper and better quality in Malaysia.
    Buy them on your first days, and if there are any probs, you can swap them.
    Dealers are usually very honest, and you can bargain with them but they are very good at reading westerners for the price they will pay.
    If you can haggle in Bahassa with Malays and Manderine with Chinese, it is much easier to name your price.

    Is that a flight from KL to Singapore ?
    Ummm.... KL and Singapore are about a 3 hour drive apart, and KL airport is half way to Singapore SuperVIP bus is the alternative and it's quicker.


    Phuket. Hire a car and go for a drive off the Island. You can visit Krabi as a day trip.

    Koh Phi Phi isn't the "James Bond Island". That's Koh Tapu. I think they've change the name now. It's actually nowhere near Phi Phi.

    If you're on your way driving to Krabi, turn right to a little town... I think it was Haad Panyi. The tourist info will be able to tell you. From there you hire a (fast) longtail boat or some other larger slower ferry.

    I prefer to stay on Phi Phi for a couple of nights, but you can do a day trip from Phuket which will take you to Koh Phi Phi Lae and Koh Phi Phi Don.

    One is usually expected to see the movie "The Beach". It was filmed on Phi Phi Lae.

    Fantasea is a big show on Phuket. It's a big tourist thing to do, and worth seeing once to kill some time. Don't hang around Patong. Get on a bike and follow the road south to some of the other smaller beaches and villages. You'll get some ideas for places to stay should you want to go back. Phuket is just one tiny part of Thailand, the less well known places are so much better

    7 days is going to go so quick !
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    thanks guy's, wife and i went to the travel agent to pay deposit.
    just before we handed the hard earn over, she says do you really want to stay in Singapore for that length of time blah blah blah.

    she came up with this.....

    5nights in KL
    8nights in Puckett - Staying at Graceland (elvis has left)
    3nights in phi phi island
    5nights in Krabi island

    now i want to see James bond island as well

    shes gonna give me the package price this morning.

    we've decided to have a great holiday hopefully.

    As they say its a woman prerogative to change there mind
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    Thumbs up

    Holiday done and dusted.....................

    we had an awesome time,

    stayed in
    Dorsett hotel in KL
    Graceland in phukett
    Centara in krabi
    phi phi island village

    tips came in very handy while travelling.

    you want massage - lost count
    you want taxi - lost count
    you want suit - well u get the picture
    then to top it off while walking around in patong beach, ppl on scooters stopping to sell you time share OMG fark off im thinking bite yr tongue.

    Bought one of those tees no i don't want ........ works every time.

    the missus got sick for 3day balli belly.

    all in all fantastic holiday/honeymoon planning our next one ASAP

    thanx for all the tips guy/girls and everyone in between

    Oyama
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    good stuff mate told you its a great place to go for first timers.

    for bali belly , see a travel medicine clinic before you go , they can give you strong stuff to take just in case. i copped it on the last day , its was the first and last time i'd eat from a street stall. they just dont know anything about food prep or hygiene.

    meet any other aussies over there? any yanks ? Phuket is full of them. especially in the bars !!

    next time you go you'll want to avoid the big cities and head up to the hills.

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    the most importants at holiday in another country is to respect culture and custom of this place

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    Quote Originally Posted by JolyV View Post
    the most importants at holiday in another country is to respect culture and custom of this place
    yep yr spot on, hence i was biting my tongue
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  • #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tradesman View Post
    good stuff mate told you its a great place to go for first timers.

    for bali belly , see a travel medicine clinic before you go , they can give you strong stuff to take just in case. i copped it on the last day , its was the first and last time i'd eat from a street stall. they just dont know anything about food prep or hygiene.

    meet any other aussies over there? any yanks ? Phuket is full of them. especially in the bars !!

    next time you go you'll want to avoid the big cities and head up to the hills.
    thanks buddy,
    caught up with many Aussie who helped us with tips places to go.
    i was checking out this muay thai poster upcoming event, ben from qld stopped and helped me with directions time etc.. bought him a beer or two at the fight.

    all in all 90% friendly 10% rude i can live with that.
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    at the end of the day the locals just want your money. so what if they rip you off a few baht here and there , its still way cheaper than back home.

    Phuket and Thailand in general have been quite safe , there is an unwritten law that you never show violence against tourists . unfortunately 2 incidents this week have changed that a bit but hopefully no more problems.
    in 2008 we were in downtown Bangkok when the tanks rolled into Putchetburi markets. these rebels were chucking stuff at Govt troops while we were standing close by. the rebels asked us respectfully to move out of theier way so they can resume throwing bottles. how nice were they. anywhere else in the world you would be the target.

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    Thailand hands down, lots of places to go so you can chose if you want the hectic chaos of Bangkok or the laid back island's like Samui or the even smaller Islands if you want peace and quiet. Never been to Bali and never will, too many bogan aussies to give us a bad name, sure you can get away from that but the island is only so big.

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    havent bothered with Bali either . Thailand is the best of all the Aisian places in my opinion.

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  • #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    Thailand hands down, lots of places to go so you can chose if you want the hectic chaos of Bangkok or the laid back island's like Samui or the even smaller Islands if you want peace and quiet. Never been to Bali and never will, too many bogan aussies to give us a bad name, sure you can get away from that but the island is only so big.
    thanks mate
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    Just one of my favourite pics i took



    Currently creating a video of a monkey doing a workout in phukett very cool
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