Banks - There are several banks in Siem Reap with International ATM's throughout town. How things have changed in a few years! All the banks are located near the center of town most around the Old Market. Guides - The small free magazine called The Angkor Guide is published once every 6 months and is a must have for tourists. It is more up to date than most guidebooks and tourist publications and it is available at many of the guest homes … [Read more...]
Vientiane, Laos
Vientiane, set along the meandering Mekong River, is the very laid back peaceful capital city of Laos. This city is in stark contrast to the chaotic bustling streets of Bangkok or select other South East Asian cities! Vientiane is small enough that its not an overwhelming city (population 135,000) and you can find your way around quite easily. If you do get lost, there is usually a Tuk-tuk eagerly waiting to whisk you away to your destination. … [Read more...]
Vientiane, Laos – More Information
The following are several things to be aware of when traveling in Vientiane and are listed in alphabetical order. Laos installed the first ATM in the country in Vientiane, and in the early 2000's still could not handle international transactions! Fortunately today, there are plenty of international ATM's scattered throughout town. There are at least 6 or 7 banks in Vientiane that can handle cash advances or change money. A good souvenir is a … [Read more...]
Vang Vieng, Laos – Transportation
For a country among the 10 poorest in the world transportation on the whole is fairly easy to use. Public buses run several times from the capital city of Vientiane to Vang Vieng along the paved Route 13. The public buses are usually quite crowded and without fans and AC. They are however, among the cheapest ways to reach Vang Vieng from Vientiane. Once the seats fill up small plastic stools are offered and are placed down the aisle in order … [Read more...]
Vang Vieng, Laos – More Information
The following is general information to be aware of when traveling in Vang Vieng. These are arranged in no particular order - they are just some insights Dave wants to pass on from his experience traveling in Vang Vieng. MoneyThe Lao "Kip" is the unit of currency for Laos. The kip fluctuates tremendously from week to week. The largest bill in circulation was a 10,000 kip note which is valued at slightly more then 1 USD. As a souvenir to give … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is thousands of people all wearing the same color shirt on the same day for respect to their King, it is backpackers, it is Khao San Road, it is massage parlors, it is crowds, it is traffic, it is orange robed monks, it is hot, it is humid, it gleams with golden temples, it is medical tourism, it is cheap guest houses, it is some of the best hotels in the world, it is an ever present ebb and flow of life - all day and all night long, it … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Weather
Bangkok, Thailand. The temperature in the city remains hot year round although there is certainly seasonal fluctuations in temperature. Most of the year sees high temperatures during the day usually in the low to mid 30 degree Celsius range (90's Fahrenheit) - often accompanied by humidity. Either humidity or heat by itself can be somewhat bearable but when you combine both together it becomes stifling, steamy and sweaty. It should be noted … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Food
Thai food is incredible in it's flavors and diversity. Street vendors are everywhere in Bangkok. Depending where you are in this city, you can eat at most any hour of the day or night. Most of these food vendors setup shop on a street sidewalk - they have a small glass container for displaying the food, maybe a few plastic chairs/tables and they will have a small stall for cooking the actual food - which is done by using a stove hooked into a … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Massage
There are seemingly thousands of massage parlors and day spas in Bangkok ranging from the very cheap to the more luxurious. Districts such as Khao San Road are loaded with cheap massage options. Parts of Sukhumvit also feature an extensive range of massage parlors. FOOT MASSAGE usually lasts from 30 to 120 minutes. Your feet are initially washed in warm water - it is a good idea to show up at the massage parlor wearing shorts instead of … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Medical
Medical and Dental work in Bangkok can save you several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the type of work and procedures that you have done and which country you live in. Places really vary in price from the high end hospitals to the clinics you see scattered all over Bangkok. Note that some drugs you normally would need a prescription for in "western" countries are available without a prescription from Thai … [Read more...]