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Travel The MEGA Travel Thread!

I live in Costa Rica, so if you want to know anything, just ask away. As for Panama, I do recommend visiting Bocas Del Toro. It's a set of islands, and the main town there, Bocas Town, is practically built on the water. It's amazing.

As for Costa Rica, yes, Corcovado is simply breathtaking. You also have to see the active Arenal Volcano. It usually erupts nightly, and you can see the lava flowing down the side of the volcano from a safe vantage point. There's also numerous natural hotsprings in the area.

So many other awesome places here in Costa Rica.
 
^ We're going to Thailand for our honeymoon :D 3 months and 1 day to go! <3

We've decided to stay in Chaweng for a few nights at a cheaper resort for the first part of our Koh Samui leg, and then we're staying here for 4 nights:

http://www.elements-koh-samui.com/

It's on the south-western tip of the island, so it's VERY quiet, and polar opposite from the bustle of Chaweng. The beach isn't as nice at low tide, but we don't care - we'll get amazing sunsets and it's had rave reviews on trip advisor. This is the last part of our holiday before we head home, so we're finishing off in style, having stayed at guesthouses and mid-range hotels for the rest of the time. :)

We're in Bangkok for 3 nights, Chiang Mai for 4 nights and Koh Samui for 8 nights. We'll day trip a fair bit while in Chaweng (Ang Thong marine park, Koh Tao, etc).

I love Thailand :)
 
I got a couple of Q's if anyone can help answer would be much appreciated:

1. Can you day trip to Koh PhiPhi from Patong/Phuket?
Prices for ferries/speedboats?

2. Is the scuba diving any good around Koh Phangan and can you do a diving day trip to Koh Tao from PhanGan?

3. Any diveshop recommendations in these areas?
 
^ For your q's 2 and 3 (and probably 1 anyway), I recommend you PM Carl (of BL) in case he doesn't see this. He used to work as a scuba-instructor in that area so without doubt he'll have great answers for you.
 
junctionalfunkie said:
"....He wis also babbling oan about his ain life in a maudlin sortay wey, and spouting fantasies aboot how he wis gaunnae git hissel straightened oot and take oaf tae Thailand whair the women knew how tae treat a gadge, n whair ye could live like a king if ye had a white skin n a few crisp tenners in yer poakit."

-From Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
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It is scary that a lot of people actually believe in what is said here. Mind you, women there "knew how tae TRICK a gadge".

Be very careful ;).

9 weeks is a long time - you can definitely pick up some language in that period. It will help immensely.

Personally, if I knew I was going to a place in 9 weeks (which I kinda do - about C. America), I'd spend as much time as possible doing 3 things:

1. Learning the language
2. Stuffing myself with as much historical, cultural, literary, and practical info on that place.
3. Saving as much money as I can.

I'll PM/Email you sometime soon with some resources :).
 
Not every Thai person / women is out to trick you. As long as you've got your wits about you and your not daft you'll be well aware that people can sometimes have an agenda. But not always so you shouldn't always assume so.
 
Loving the photos SHM. It looks like I'm off to S. America in October. Wooohoo! :D
 
Jamshyd said:
It is scary that a lot of people actually believe in what is said here. Mind you, women there "knew how tae TRICK a gadge".

Be very careful ;).
Click to expand...

Oh, I will. I've heard stories! 8(
9 weeks is a long time - you can definitely pick up some language in that period. It will help immensely.
Click to expand...

On top of that. This is a great and free website for learning Thai at all levels and a variety of situations, social to professional:

http://www.learningthai.com/speak_thai.html

Personally, if I knew I was going to a place in 9 weeks (which I kinda do - about C. America), I'd spend as much time as possible doing 3 things:

1. Learning the language
2. Stuffing myself with as much historical, cultural, literary, and practical info on that place.
3. Saving as much money as I can.
Click to expand...

Been doing all three every day... well, I REALLY need to stop spending $. Flight and tuition and room/board for thew course are aid for. I'd like to have at least a $3K cushion once I get there.... should work out just right.

Lots of job postings in Hua Hin, a seaside town a ways SW of BKK. Anyone familiar w/ that town?

I'll PM/Email you sometime soon with some resources :).
Click to expand...

OK! I sent you an email a couple days ago! :)

We'll meet someday, Jam, I promise. My dream is to have a Dalmatian Ranch in Turkey, and teach ESL on the side (not to the dogs).
 
LiquidMethod said:
I got a couple of Q's if anyone can help answer would be much appreciated:

1. Can you day trip to Koh PhiPhi from Patong/Phuket?
Prices for ferries/speedboats?

2. Is the scuba diving any good around Koh Phangan and can you do a diving day trip to Koh Tao from PhanGan?

3. Any diveshop recommendations in these areas?
Click to expand...

To answer Q1 - yes you can (i've done it). It was 4 years ago, so i can't really remember how much, but i do remember that it wasn't expensive. We went to Maya Bay, the Viking Cave, a couple of other lagoons to snorkel (took my breath away) then on to Koh Phi Phi for lunch. On the way back, we stopped at Koh Hae (Coral Island) for an hour of snorkelling and relaxing. It was a lovely day :)
 
Some of you will have been to S. America so I'm looking for any general tips or places you recommend visiting, I've got my flights booked to Brazil for the end of October and will spend 4 months travelling around. Think I'd quite like to see some of Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Argentina but I'm not gonna have a set plan so suggest away places to visit.
 
^ Are you serious!? I'll be starting my trip in Mid-october and should be in Costa Rica by the mid-November (I aim to be in Mexico City nov. 1st for the Feast of the Dead).

I am thinking, if I find I have the money, to make a quick swoop down to panama from which I'd take the boat to Cartagena in Colombia, after which I'd go through Venezuela to Surniame. From there, an idea would be to go back to Boa Vista in Brazil, down to Manaus, and through the Amazon to Iquitos in Peru.

Let me know what your plans are. If you're thinking of going north from Brazil, it would be amazing if we could meet halfway!
 
I'm serious, all booked mate. I'm not sure exactly what my plans are but possibly south from Rio down to Argentina. I need to work round the weather have no idea what it's like the time of year I'm there and it probably varies massively from country to country.

You seem to have a pretty good idea of what you're doing and where you're going, I've got a few 'must see' places but aside from that I probably won't know until I'm there.

How much money you think you'll need per month?
 
I travelled from Costa Rica up to Mexico a couple of years ago. Some places I advise you to check out:

Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, specifically a town named San Pedro. It is a big hippy / party town that is a lot of fun. You can go out an swim in the lake during the day, and it is probably one of the most idyllic experiences ever. The water is so clear, that you can swim down 3 metres, and still see the sky perfectly.

Some other guy before said there isn't much to do in El Salvador. I stayed there for about a week, and went surfing the whole time, so I'd have to disagree with that. I didn't do any sight seeing whilst I was there, so I couldn't tell you what else there was to do.

If you're in Costa Rica, do not go to Jaco. It is full of Americans, and has become a complete tourist trap. A more chilled out place would be Puerto Viejo. It is full of backpackers, stoners, and surfers and is a really cool place to chill out. Also, it is a good place to stop before you move onto Bocas Del Toro.

Another nice place is San Juan del sur in Nicaragua. Another surf town full of backpackers which is good fun to chill out in.

When you go to all these countries, I'd advise you to get out of the capital cities as fast as possible. From my experience, they are only useful for the bus stations to take you around the country. I'm talking about San Jose, Managua, and the capital of El Salvador.

Depending on how you like to live, you can find a bed in a hostel for about 5-10 bucks per night. Food, booze and drugs are so cheap.

Enjoy yourself.
 
Spade: I'll keep you posted. You seem like great company :).

Phoebus: Thank you very much! Yes 5 - 15 bucks a room is my budget. Would you say this applies to Costa Rica as well? I am in fact keen on trying this hammock stuff. Does it work as purported? :D.

And what you say lines up with pretty much everything I read thus far: stay away from the capital cities.

And yes, I did expect the backpacker scene to be filled with surfers :D

On the same line - and this is a question for all who went there - is theft THAT common? I'm pretty sure that at least the locals exaggerate a little bit. Just how bad is it? I never got robbed in SE Asia or India and people say robbery is common there. I wonder if it really is as bad as accounts make it out to be in C. America?
 
Yeah let me know, if we're gonna cross paths it would be good to meet. :)

I'm interested in the theft / safety issues as well, every time I tell people I'm going to South America they say it's dangerous but is it really that dangerous. I too have never encountered any trouble in SE Asia but I think it's a pretty safe place, I felt safer and more relaxed there than I do in my home town at night. Think S. America may be a bit different though.

Opinions?
 
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I had attempted robbery twice in Ecuador. Quito bus station is notorious. Keep your bag off the floor, it will get nicked. And I got my bag slashed on a bus because I made the mistake of closing my eyes for 10 minutes.

Besides that, I had no problems. Although while in Peru we heard news of a whole football team that went over a cliff when their bus was held up by bandits (it happens).

Heard lots of theft with guns stories about Venezuela. And Brazil may be a different kettle of fish, I don't know.

But on the whole, be smart and you'll be safe. It's something to be aware of, not scared of.
 
Interesting.

One big, fat, ugly, glaring problem in all of Latin America (indeed, all of the Americas) is the scarcity of trains. Add to that the fact that I've never heard a single good thing about overnight travel, and you have a big obstacle right there: ridiculously-long, nerve-wracking bus-rides that don't even give you the benefit of skipping a night at a hotel/guesthouse/etc..

From my calculations, it seems that the average trip between any two points in South America (and in Mexico) is easily 12 hours. That's insane!

I hope some people here will have good news about bus travel...
 
I'm not looking forward to the long bus journeys, doing an long train or bus in SE Asia (max 12hrs) didn't bode well with me, particularly night journeys because of my sleeping problems. I actually preffered to take day buses when possible even though I had shit loads of valium. Travel in S. America is going to be a challenge for me. :)
 
Valium is indispensable for travel! (K is better IMO of course, provided you can conceal it... or even if you cannot (India) ;).

That said trains, when done properly (first-class sleeper, etc) are something I am obsessed with and do not mind spending weeks on them. One really nice ride is the train from Belgrade to Bar (in Montinegro). I took it from Uzice to Podgorica, and it had some of the most beautiful scenery. The train from Mostar to Sarajevo is probably one of Eastern europe's nicest little surprises.

But I digress. I definitely look forward to the Copper Canyon train in Mexico.

The thing about busses in Latin america, as SHM notes, is that you need to be ever-vigilant (or so people say), which renders Valium useless :(.
 
I have to add...Ecuador has the best bus service I've ever encountered and the friendliest most helpful citizens of anywhere I've been. People will try to help you and they want nothing in return. You will never have to wait more than 20 mins for a bus to anywhere from anywhere.

As the man said about C America, get out of the cities as fast as possible. They are the places that cause problems.
 
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