Author Topic: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE  (Read 4309 times)

Lance Hiruma

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Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« on: March 10, 2018, 09:34:45 AM »
Has anyone done a long-term/slow travel 6+ months in SE Asian, or planning to do so post FIRE? What does the route look like and any tips? We have been to a few countries in SE Asia but have not done any slow travel. Things we need to consider – visa border run, raining seasons in different countries, typhoon seasons, medical stuff, apartment renting, interesting festivals, motorbike or not, flights (maybe book all in advance, or just to and from USA only to start), bus, etc? Lots of planning. Thank you in advance.

limeandpepper

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2018, 10:16:51 AM »
I've done two trips to Asia of about 5 months each with my partner, though we weren't solely in SE Asia, we ventured to other countries outside of that. The first trip was Malaysia - Myanmar - Thailand - Taiwan. The second trip was Malaysia - South Korea - Japan - Hong Kong / Macau - Thailand. We usually like to spend about a month in each country, sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more. We usually move around the country instead of sticking to one city so it's not super slow travel, though we did stay a whole month just in Bangkok recently.

Visa border run - never did it.

Seasons and festivals - yep, we take that into account.

Medical stuff - we get travel insurance. This covers for other things beyond just medical too.

Apartment renting - we usually go with guesthouses, Airbnb etc.

Motorbike or not - depends on the country, what licenses you have, your skill level. In many parts of SE Asia the laws are usually not very strict and it's not difficult for a foreigner to procure a motorbike without a license, and it can be very freeing and enjoyable to ride around the country. However these same countries often also have a high rate of traffic accidents. Assess the situation and risk level and come to your own conclusion.

Flights - we do some in advance, others not so much - I like to lock in cheap flights but also like to allow for some flexibility so it can range from as little as a couple weeks to as long as several months in advance. In our most recent trip, we decided to stay put in Bangkok longer than originally planned, so we forfeited a flight we booked (luckily it wasn't too expensive), and booked a new one. If you're doing an indefinite trip then I certainly wouldn't book all of them in advance. If it's a shorter one... maybe, if you have a reasonable idea how long you'd want to spend in each place, and find some great flight deals.

Other transport - whatever suits our needs. Bus, boat, taxi, train, horse cart, electric bike, etc.!

Catbert

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2018, 10:54:41 AM »
You might checkout

www.gocurrycracker.com 

They've done extensive slow travel, especially in Asia.

chasesfish

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2018, 02:02:42 PM »
Here's a couple that I know of through a mutual friend doing it right now and live blogging about it:

https://careerbreakadventures.com/

Padonak

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2018, 02:25:39 PM »
Following

trix76

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2018, 11:01:14 AM »
I spent 7 months backpacking around Asia, probably traveling a bit faster than you’re thinking. (I usually spent 3-10 days per city; you may want to settle down for longer periods.) My itinerary was a month in China, 3.5 weeks Vietnam, 6 weeks in Nepal (including 3 weeks of trekking), 8 weeks India, 6 weeks Thailand, 2-3 weeks Cambodia, 2-3 weeks Laos. We mostly traveled overland (eg between China and Vietnam, between Nepal and India), with a few flights when we needed to get somewhere to optimize for weather, etc. (For example, flew from Bangkok to Kathmandu to catch the tail end of trekking season before the mountain passes closed.) I appreciated having the flexibility. If I met someone who had a great recommendations, I could change plans on a dime.


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chouchouu

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2018, 04:35:59 AM »
SE Asia is efficient to get around using trains, buses, boats etc. Travel insurance is debatable as to its value. Many policies won't cover certain areas where you would be more likely to need to or covering many activities such as being on a moped or taking a fast boat down the river from Thailand to luang prabang. Also medical care in SE Asia is cheap. Most treatments would be under your excess and insurance asks you to translate documents by a certified translater. Considering that something like a broken leg might cost only a few k if that at an excellent hospitality self insurance might be something to consider. I have looked up the cost of medical evacuation and is usually at 30k or under but an exceedingly rare need.  The only case where I would think it is needed is if you end up in intensive care but really what are the chances of that?  After my experience dealing with travel insurance I've decided to only get it if travelling to the US. My daughter was in hospital for 3 days in Poland which came at about $600. Her diagnostics were much more expensive at about 2k but spread over numerous days which means I would only get a small amount back as they only covered over 500 per day. Then they asked for certified translations and told me there was an issue with my paperwork. I decided not to pursue the claim because it would cost a small fortune to translate and I got the feeling they would fight it so no guarantee of a return. Hospitals outside the US are cheap, even Switzerland.  I'm going for the free cover offered by my cc but otherwise dropping the expense and self insuring.

expatartist

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2018, 07:35:31 AM »
I've spent a total of ~4 years in SE Asia living mainly on tourists visas, over the past 15 years.

Thailand: Spent loads of time there (got married on an island in S Thailand) and try to return once/year for commissioning paper and for thorough medical check-ups. It's convenient, cheap etc. Massive tourist infrastructure. Excellent healthcare, in the north you can easily pay half of what it costs in Bkk at a hospital.
Cambodia: Lived in Siem Reap 1.5 years on a year-long business visa which at the time you could just get at the border, did plenty of travel throughout the country, it's less rough than it was then, but I hear Angkor Wat is now oversaturated with visitors. More expensive than Thailand.
Laos: Did several months paper making research throughout the north mostly. Just lovely. Yes it's changed rapidly but is still a transfixing place. Easy access overland from Thailand, more difficult to get to VN/Cambodia overland. Prices can be higher than Thailand in some cities (Luang Prabang/Vientiane) but smaller towns can be quite cheap.
Vietnam: Spent several months doing artist/papermaking research mainly in the North, but some backpacker-type tourism in the south. Very diverse, more of a Chinese feel than the rest of SE Asia (1000 years of colonialism will do that). At the time I didn't like VN - traveling on a low-end backpacker's budget while stressed about $ and getting ripped off didn't help - but after years in China, Vietnam now feels laid back ;) ETA: Their currency challenges and manufacturing mean prices have remained very low and are still a good value.
Malaysia: Worked for a time in Penang. More expensive than the other countries, are trying to become a destination for medical tourism. A fascinating cultural mix and less visible sex tourism than much of SE Asia. That was a plus for me, may not be for everyone.

Travel Insurance: Get it, no question. World Nomad's adventure insurance with more coverage for things like motorbikes etc (check T&Cs carefully) will allow more flexibility. Evacuation is not cheap. Much of SE Asia outside Thailand has woefully inadequate hospitals.

Corruption
takes new forms all the time. Be aware, but not paranoid.
« Last Edit: March 12, 2018, 07:38:43 AM by expatartist »

Nancy

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2018, 08:06:14 AM »
We hope to do this in 20 months!

Lance Hiruma

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2018, 10:59:45 AM »
Motorbike or not - depends on the country, what licenses you have, your skill level. In many parts of SE Asia the laws are usually not very strict and it's not difficult for a foreigner to procure a motorbike without a license, and it can be very freeing and enjoyable to ride around the country. However these same countries often also have a high rate of traffic accidents. Assess the situation and risk level and come to your own conclusion.

I rather not drive motorbike, but is that realistic to get around without it? In many youtube videos, many do use motorbike to get around. Did you guys?

Lance Hiruma

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2018, 11:06:57 AM »
Hospitals outside the US are cheap, even Switzerland.  I'm going for the free cover offered by my cc but otherwise dropping the expense and self insuring.
CC doesn't cover much though. Yes US is expensive but surprise that Switzerland is not. Last time I was in Switzerland, everything was exorbitant.

Lance Hiruma

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2018, 11:11:58 AM »
I've spent a total of ~4 years in SE Asia living mainly on tourists visas, over the past 15 years.

Thailand: Spent loads of time there (got married on an island in S Thailand) and try to return once/year for commissioning paper and for thorough medical check-ups. It's convenient, cheap etc. Massive tourist infrastructure. Excellent healthcare, in the north you can easily pay half of what it costs in Bkk at a hospital.
Cambodia: Lived in Siem Reap 1.5 years on a year-long business visa which at the time you could just get at the border, did plenty of travel throughout the country, it's less rough than it was then, but I hear Angkor Wat is now oversaturated with visitors. More expensive than Thailand.
Laos: Did several months paper making research throughout the north mostly. Just lovely. Yes it's changed rapidly but is still a transfixing place. Easy access overland from Thailand, more difficult to get to VN/Cambodia overland. Prices can be higher than Thailand in some cities (Luang Prabang/Vientiane) but smaller towns can be quite cheap.
Vietnam: Spent several months doing artist/papermaking research mainly in the North, but some backpacker-type tourism in the south. Very diverse, more of a Chinese feel than the rest of SE Asia (1000 years of colonialism will do that). At the time I didn't like VN - traveling on a low-end backpacker's budget while stressed about $ and getting ripped off didn't help - but after years in China, Vietnam now feels laid back ;) ETA: Their currency challenges and manufacturing mean prices have remained very low and are still a good value.
Malaysia: Worked for a time in Penang. More expensive than the other countries, are trying to become a destination for medical tourism. A fascinating cultural mix and less visible sex tourism than much of SE Asia. That was a plus for me, may not be for everyone.

Travel Insurance: Get it, no question. World Nomad's adventure insurance with more coverage for things like motorbikes etc (check T&Cs carefully) will allow more flexibility. Evacuation is not cheap. Much of SE Asia outside Thailand has woefully inadequate hospitals.

Corruption
takes new forms all the time. Be aware, but not paranoid.

Did you do motorbike in any of those places? I have been to all those countries except for Laos and I am still not sure about the charm of Luang Prabang compared to Chiang Mai or Bali. Even Penang.

expatartist

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2018, 11:40:06 AM »
Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Bali. No question, you'll be able to go places and have interactions you don't get on buses and other public transport. It was excellent in Thailand but the "Thai tattoo" is no joke. Tourists often don't wear any protective gear. Combined with amateur motorbike driving it's common to see some unfortunates missing skin.

My ex had a Triumph in the UK and has been riding for decades. We drove a vintage Minsk from Hanoi to Halong Bay, wouldn't recommend it. However renting smaller bikes was enjoyable.

Thailand's probably the best place to give it a go if you want to learn. Spend a week or two in the area first, watch the rhythms and local habits of drivers for a while. Try not to cast aspersions on the driving habits of others but watch and learn and figure out what common behaviors you'd encounter.

LP has been overrun for over a decade but was for me a nice break from research in the countryside.

There's a ridiculous amount of info online about SE Asia. I enjoy some of the articles on Travelfish, did some listings for them ages ago.

expatartist

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2018, 11:43:39 AM »
Re flights to and from the US, book those first to bracket your trip and leave the main portion of your trip flexible. You never know if you'll find somewhere you want to stay a while longer.

blikeafox

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2018, 07:39:48 PM »
Motorbike or not - depends on the country, what licenses you have, your skill level. In many parts of SE Asia the laws are usually not very strict and it's not difficult for a foreigner to procure a motorbike without a license, and it can be very freeing and enjoyable to ride around the country. However these same countries often also have a high rate of traffic accidents. Assess the situation and risk level and come to your own conclusion.

I rather not drive motorbike, but is that realistic to get around without it? In many youtube videos, many do use motorbike to get around. Did you guys?

When we went (only for 8 weeks), we found motorbikes a convenient way to get some places but definitely not a necessity. We'd rent a motorbike for a day to travel to sights nearby a town (i.e. lots of sights outside of Chiang Mai, waterfall near Luang Prabang) but there were always other (sometimes more expensive/less convenient) ways to get to those places.

LAGuy

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2018, 09:33:28 PM »
I just spent 6 months out in SE Asia. For the most part you don't need a motorbike. Taxis are so cheap, just pay the 3 bucks or whatever they cost instead of the 80 cents to a mototaxi or even more to rent a moto. It does depend on where you go. Bali is like impossible to get around without taking a moto (they're driving their motos on the sidewalk there!). For most of Thailand, though, I think I took a moto twice (I hate taking the things).

For visa runs, I wouldn't plan them. Just be aware of visa rules and just leave the country at that point to explore something new. Visa runs are for long term expats, not for slow travel.

Weather I wouldn't worry at all. It rains sometimes...often dumps and usually the afternoon. But that's nothing. I'm in SF right now and we're looking at basically 2 straights weeks of miserable, drizzle and rain. The rain here is freaking horrible compared to the tropics where it comes angry and fast and then is gone like an hour later.

Cambodia was the highlight of my trip. Can't recommend it highly enough...Phnom Penh is downright hipster with it's combination of local flavors, French colonialism and repatriation of those that fled during the Khemer Rouge and who have now returned. We had Brazilian BBQ! Hahaha.

Songkran is the festival not to miss in Thailand. Chang Mai is supposed to be the spot for it. It has different dates across the country. It originated as a some sort of Buddist festival where the monks would pour a small amount of water over your shoulder. Of course, it's evolved into a gigantic squirt gun/water fight. However, it can get tiresome...try not to hit it more than one place. Otherwise you're basically looking at spending an entire weak soaking wet/having people dump freezing cold water down your back (dudes on motos going around selling blocks of ice for people to put into their trash cans full of water). Best tip for Songkran: get yourself some goggles, like swim goggles. They like to wipe this chalk stuff on your face, but when people get drunk they have a tendency to stick their fingers in your eye along with their chalky paste. Otherwise, your best bet with this ritual is to just submit to the face chalking...trying to avoid it is pointless and just increases the chances of an eye poke as they basically physically assault you to apply the stuff.

limeandpepper

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2018, 11:10:36 PM »
I rather not drive motorbike, but is that realistic to get around without it? In many youtube videos, many do use motorbike to get around. Did you guys?

It really depends where you want to go and what you're into. If you want to get off the beaten track in rural areas, it can be easier and cheaper with your own transport. But if you're mostly staying in the city areas or going to the famous sights, there are always other options. We liked going around on our own scooter/motorbike to explore mountain villages in Northern Thailand for example, but felt zero need to do that in a city like Bangkok where traffic can be stressful and we could easily take a bus, taxi, metro or ferry to get wherever we wanted to go anyway.

chouchouu

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #17 on: March 14, 2018, 05:15:44 PM »
Hospitals outside the US are cheap, even Switzerland.  I'm going for the free cover offered by my cc but otherwise dropping the expense and self insuring.
CC doesn't cover much though. Yes US is expensive but surprise that Switzerland is not. Last time I was in Switzerland, everything was exorbitant.

I was surprised too, I thought of medical care in Switzerland as a worst case scenario but after some googling found the cost quite reasonable. Doctors visits between 100-150 us and broken legs less than 1k.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #18 on: April 02, 2018, 08:27:54 AM »
I'm bumping this thread, simply because this is a topic that is near and dear to me right now :)

To keep the discussion going.....

One of the things I am learning from documentaries and bloggers/vloggers I follow doing this thing is that SE Asia is rapidly changing. One of the things pulling me to that corner of the world right now is the simple fact that 10-20 years from now, it will likely be unrecognizable.

limeandpepper

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #19 on: April 02, 2018, 09:33:52 AM »
One of the things I am learning from documentaries and bloggers/vloggers I follow doing this thing is that SE Asia is rapidly changing. One of the things pulling me to that corner of the world right now is the simple fact that 10-20 years from now, it will likely be unrecognizable.

One of the places that has been changing incredibly fast is Myanmar. I don't know about right now but a few years ago when I went, it was at a point where guidebooks published only the year before could be out of date, it was changing that quickly. Two years before we went there were no ATMs, when we went there were a few, I think there are lots more now. PayPal was blocked up until sometime in 2013, when we went soon after we were already able to use it to book accommodation. There were no McDonald's, KFC or Starbucks when we went. Now they have KFC and the rest will probably follow.

expatartist

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #20 on: April 02, 2018, 09:45:01 AM »
One of the things I am learning from documentaries and bloggers/vloggers I follow doing this thing is that SE Asia is rapidly changing. One of the things pulling me to that corner of the world right now is the simple fact that 10-20 years from now, it will likely be unrecognizable.

Yes. When I first visited Siem Reap (2003) I fell in love with what was a quaint country town. The only bars open past 10 were girlie bars, the tourists were up at 4am every day to see the temples. When I finally managed to move there in 2005, Bar Street was in full swing and from what I hear the town is now a city and has been completely overrun by Chinese money, something that was beginning when I left in 2006.

People who were there before me might feel the same way about the state of the town when I visited. There'll always be someone who's seen wherever-it-is before you have and believe they saw it in a more "authentic" state - a meaningless valuation that has nothing to do with the perspective of those who live there. Just get there when you can, and try to leave it in a better place than where you found it: do good while there, whether supporting ethical/eco-businesses, volunteering, etc. Every place we stay, every shower we take there, strains the resources of these societies, the governments and elites of which are cashing in as much as and while they can.

letsdoit

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #21 on: June 25, 2018, 01:03:58 PM »
does anyone know if it is easy to study mandarin in Malaysia? for adult and teen

expatartist

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #22 on: June 25, 2018, 08:58:48 PM »
Yes, should be. Somewhere like Penang with a large Chinese population will have great options - even the Y has it there. Though most Chinese residents of Malaysia speak other Chinese languages at home, Mandarin's a lingua franca and many have learned it.

letsdoit

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Re: Slow Travel in SE Asia post FIRE
« Reply #23 on: June 26, 2018, 09:18:17 AM »
anyone have educated  guess how much mandarin classes would be in malaysia?
?

 

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