Quote:
Originally posted by dimmreaper
Well yeah, that's kind of the point. Think of it this way: Your money is worth at least 15 times as much there as it is here, and women outnumber men nearly 2 to 1.
|
I'm telling you SE Asia is a messed up place to go. There are so many expats who started off with a vacation and now can't get themselves to leave. They all have stupid jobs like teaching English for $200 a month.
As for the money, yeah things are cheaper, but not 15-1. A decent hotel, 3-4 star, is around $25 a night. If you want to go first class, a place like the Oriental in Thailand or the Peninsula in the Philippines will cost over $100 a night. You'll probably spend about $5-10 on food a day unless you eat at western places all the time which will cost more. Drinking at bars costs about $1-2 a drink. Unless you have a host, you probably won't be able to drink at the more exclusive establishments that cater to businessmen which are hella nice. Women don't outnumber the men, but it seems like they do at a 10-1 ratio at the touristy places due to the huge numbers of foreign men who visit for...well you know.
BTW, don't get hooked by the girls there. It's the women that make SE Asia the most dangerous place in the world. Culturally, women in Asia and the Western world are very different, and men who are not used to it may mistake their behavior for something else. Unless you have a healthy dose of cynicism, it's best to stay home. SE Asia can really **** with your mind if you let it.
If you go to real 3rd world, like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, then things are cheaper. Very close to 15-1, maybe even higher. Be prepared to suffer a little in those countries though. Take malaria medication too. Malaria is a real possibility in those countries and if you catch it, you'll be out for weeks. Dengue fever is also a possibility if you go to some of the remote areas and from what I hear, you either survive it or you don't since there's no cure. Make sure your Hep C vaccinations are up to date, once again, no cure. If you go to any of those countries, don't take too much clothing. Just buy stuff as you go along or have the hotel wash it, it's cheap enough. Take my word for it, it's better that way.
Cambodia has Angkor Wat, one of the most beautiful temples in the world and, from what I gather, truly a sight to behold. If you saw Tomb Raider you'll get a glimpse of it. In Cambodia and Laos, you can probably get by on something like $10-20 per day, less if you stay in the cheaper hotels without air conditioning. In Vietnam, you may need $15-30 depending on the hotel you stay at. I'm heading out to China in another 2 weeks or so. If I have extra time (doubtful since I have to go to 3 cities), I'm thinking of stopping by Cambodia. I was there 7 years ago, but never went to Angkor and I kind of want to see what it's all about.
One last thing, DON'T go anywhere out of the main cities without a guide. Aside from the risk of being kidnapped by a warlord or opium dealer, strange as this may sound, there are still working mines in some parts of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and you may just inadverdently lose body parts if you're not careful.
All the warnings aside, SE Asia is a great place for a vacation IF you are well grounded in reality. The place is a hedonist's paradise and it's very easy to get trapped. If you've never been there, you can get a glimpse of an entirely different culture and people. To be perfectly honest, I don't really enjoy travelling, but I do enjoy meeting different people. Just don't fall in love with the place or its people. There's nothing worse than seeing a scruffy looking obese middle aged American, because he can't afford decent clothing or a maid teaching English at $200 a month, haggling with a 18 year old girl over $5 for her services.
