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From Turkey to Indonesia in less than 6 months
Ooaj Travel Guide, tourism, hotel reservation, residence, plane, cheap pension for you holidays in from turkey to indonesia in less than 6 months
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Description of a trip from Turkey to Indonesia, added with my comments and estimated time necessary. Remark: times indicated are rough estimates, subjective and do not take into account time traveled between places.
Turkey
Istanbul
I consider this to be one of the most beautiful cities I have seen. With its bleu mosque and the Aya Sophia as highlights. Of course, the city suffers from being not the most safe place for tourists, not everyone is nice out there and it can get pretty hectic. 2 days
Canakkale
The town is not the worst you have seen, but still. Also the ruins that make up the main attraction of this town are not that spectacular. 0 days
Ephesus (Celçuk)
For all you history lovers, although overcrowded, this site is quite interesting I can imagine. The town can serve as a basis to go to nearby beach, other historical sites and even Pamukkale, all discussed here-under. 1 day
Guzelcamli
Well, this is the gate to the nearby national park that serves for all you beach lovers. The water is fairly clean and there is some small fish and coral reef. But do not expect the most magnificent lagoon. 1 day
Karakasu (Aphrodisias)
The town is a weird non touristy place. The site built in honor of the goddess of love is rather nice. I enjoyed my visit there. It is almost empty and you can still see somewhat interesting ruins. 1 day
Pamukkale
This remarkable natural phenomenon is quite interesting and even beautiful. Except, at close look it is in general not at all that spectacular and even quite polluted due to the many of us tourists. If you are not that far out, you could consider a visit. Do not miss the Roman theater. 1 day
Antalya (and around)
This is a boring city to my opinion, nothing to do and no atmosphere. Also the waterfalls nearby are a joke. The only thing worthwhile as far as I can remember is the site Thermessos, and Aspendos where we saw 'La Traviata'. And even these sites where not the most spectacular. 0 days
Olimpos
This was a tourist hang-out for doing nothing. You can do the one-afternoon-walking-the-area though and have a swim in this not to polluted sea water. I hear that the nearby ruins are cool though. 0 days
Manavgat
Do not come here, there is nothing to do and the nearby waterfall is again a joke. Furthermore it was expensive and boring. 0 days
Cappadocia
Brilliant and relaxed scenery. Goreme being a true travellers place to explore. There are several things to do in the surrounding areas making sure you hang out there for several days. Maybe you could even stay in one of the caves. 3 days
Malatya (Mount Nimrod)
In Malatya I was only briefly but the people treated me nice. This was my first contact with so many Kurds. I used this town as the base to visit Mount Nimrod, my number one site in Turkey. This place shows some historic artifacts and even more so, a breath-takening view on the surrounding valleys that embed the Euphrates. 2 days
Urfa (Sanliurfa)
Coming from the west, this is definitely the middle east. The streets give you an idea of the surrounding region with its Iranians, Syrians, Iraqis, and other arabics. Besides that, the city is nothing special, just a city. But you go there to further visit Haran, a nice days to see one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots on earth with their beehive houses. 1 day
Diyarbakir
This pleasant town gives nothing more than just that. There is not really much of interest there, but to hang around. 0 days
Mardin
Although beautifully located and nicely built on the slope of a rock, there is again nothing of real interest to find, except just that. But if you are near, it is just a lovely place. 0 days
Dogubayazit
The border town, and a fairly enjoyable it can be. There is actually something to do around there and if you really want you can stay there for some time. I enjoyed my one day visit. 1 day
Van
Some people and guidebooks recommend also Van, but I did not go there. 0 days
Iran
Tabriz
As I entered Iran from Turkey in the north-west, this town was the first to visit. I would not recommend this town at all as there is not much more to do or see than the market area. The town in itself is a quit modern and dull place to hang out, but the people treat you nice despite the cities size. 0 days
Masule
I did not go there, but talking to others it sounds as if it should be worth visiting. There seem to be beautiful mountain villages near the Caspian Sea. It seems interesting to go out there even if it was just for the setting. 0 days
Tehran
Tehran: the capital. Not the worlds' most beautiful of capitals to say the least, overcrowded, chaotic, difficult to get around and to the main sites. Except for some museums and another bazaar, there seems to be not much to do. If you get stuck there for some reason, once you get around a bit more easy, the metro offers possibly good value for that, then the city may get more interesting. 0 days
Esfahan
Esfahan is plain beautiful and triggers a nice feel because of the fairly relaxed atmosphere. You can visit the bazaar, mosques, gardens, ... and meet people, loads of people. Unfortunately for the prices of the sites. It is hard to suggest whether it is worth going to the Emam Mosque if it costs you another four dollar or so... that is up to you. The teahouses were kind of nice. 2 days
Yazd
In Yazd you can get a glimpse of the earlier settlements many years ago, the style of mud-brick cities and buildings... So I enjoyed the short stay here in this desert town. If you are in the neighborhood, be sure to drop by for a day. 1 day
Shiraz (Persepolis)
Shiraz I really thought was uninteresting. Although it is described by lonely planet as being a relaxed, cultivated city, with wide tree-lined avenues and enough monuments, gardens and mosques to keep most visitors happy for several days, I found it dull and un-inspiring. Of course, visiting all the tourist attractions would keep you busy somewhat but this is not for real budget traveler as there is a high price for every garden, museum, mausoleum, and so on that you will visit. The one good thing is that it is the city you can use as a basis to go to persepolis. This is defenitely a very interesting day out for history lovers. The Throne of Jamshid built in 512 BC are interesting ruins to have a walk around in. And although I am not the worlds most history minded person I kind of recommend it, unfortunate of the almost 8 US entrance fee. 1 day
Kerman
This town did not offer much, so my very short transit in this town was more then enough. But if nothing else to do, just go and sit in some tea house, or maybe go to the cinema. I went to Sirch, a very small town a little bit east of Kerman and went there to the hot springs, a great side trip it proved to be but not because of the hot spring nor the town itself though. 0 days
Bam (unfortunatly destroyed 26/12/2003)
The ruins of the ancient city were beautiful, very nice as well as interesting to explore and although the new town was kind of dull it was still not a bad place to hang out briefly. 0 days
Zahedan
A get-out-this-border-town-as-soon-as-possible place. Nothing of any interest, unless you still have to arrange for a visa for Pakistan. 0 days (pass through)
Pakistan
Taftan
As you enter from Iran in the south-west of Pakistan, this is the ugly border town that serves as a shocking introduction to the country. The desert town, surrounded by junk and slums is not some place to explore. 0 days (pass through)
Quetta
Well, this city was a very nice 'just-a-city', bordering Afghanistan causing some amalgam set of people on the street and markets. I liked to just walk the streets for the two days I spent there. I do not think that there is much to do though. 1 day
Multan
I did not visit Multan and its surroundings but I heard several good comments by other travelers, suggesting that it may well be worth the visit if you are into nice town and interesting ruins. 1 day
Lahore
This diverse city is on the edge with India and is therefore probably the most visited city in Pakistan. The attractions are definitely worth a look with its nice market streets and beautiful fort. There is also an interesting dance every Thursday, performed by the Sufis if I am correct, try to go there, for many travelers this proves to be a highlight of their visit. 2 days
Peshawar
Your door to Afghanistan through the beautiful Kyberpass, but in itself also a nice city to have a walk through. Like Quetta, an interesting mix of people and a vivid market place to explore. 1 day
Gilgit
I do not recommend going to this town because there is really not much to do out here. You can walk around in this very bland town, maybe, or take a small walk in the surrounding hills. But I recommend to travel onward to the north as soon as you get here. 0 days
Karimabad (Ultar)
This beautiful valley is sure to keep you there for some days. The scenery is beautiful and it is a nice day out to walk up to the base-camp of the Ultar mountain. There are nicer base-camps to walk up though but the atmosphere around this town is nice enough to not want to leave it too soon. 2 days
Minapin (Rakaposhi)
This tiny town is of no interest and offers only one guesthouse that is surprisingly good. The only reason to be here is the hike up to base-camp of the Rakaposhi mountain, and that is brilliant. It is a four to five hour hike up there, and you can sleep at basecamp, at least I could as there are virtually no tourists so they do not bother going up there to ask an entrance fee. 1 day
Rawalpindi/Islamabad
The squared administrative capital and its dirty, polluted and overcrowded twin-city where the people actually live are both quite interesting. There is not much to do there though so the time I spent there was little. 1 day
India
Amritsar
This is the home of the golden Sikhs Temple. If possible, be sure not to miss it as the atmosphere is strangely relaxing and just being there is rewarding as it is. There you can sleep near the temple, for a donation. You can get free meals during the day if you want, and just sit there and watch the people... 1 day
Delhi
There are worse cities I am sure. The embassy and palace area is nicely constructed and also other areas in Delhi are surprisingly beautiful but for me there is not that much there to keep me there. And the people treat you like shit, all the time being lied to. So I reckon a few-days visit would be worth it. 2 days
Pushkar
A holy city, very relaxed as there is nothing to do except drinking bang or other lassies or sitting and watch life go by at the gats. Also here the people kind of see you as the big stupid tourist that one should rip off. 1 day
Jodhpur
To get some idea of the Indian cities this may be a nice choice. There is a beautiful fort to visit and the streets offer some nice people to talk to and also a market you can hang out for some time. But in itself there is not really an attraction besides the fort and one day was enough for me. 1 day
Jaisalmer (camel trek)
The city is not so very spectacular, except if you are really into forts, but I am not. The people treat you really bad, with lies all the time... but you are there for doing a camel trek. And this is kind of nice. I enjoyed being in the desert on the back of a camel, although not extremely interesting it did offer me something to do that I would remember for a long time. 3 days
Agra (Taj Mahal)
Agra is where you find the Taj Mahal. This is as far as I know the monument that is representing India. The extreme high entrance fee makes it a tough choice whether or not to go in. I did go in and I thought the Taj Mahal was very beautiful. But on the other hand, for the entrance fee I can live over three days in India. The massive red sandstone Agra Fort was easy to skip as again it would mean paying a high entrance fee. 1 day
Varanasi
For over 2000 years this is the religious capital of India. This is the place known for the river 'Ganges', surrounded by the many gats where people come to pray and do all the other religious things. The atmosphere, although very rough, can be really enjoyable. Once I found a way to mentally deal with all the lies and annoying people I loved walking around, doing nothing really. Everywhere things happen that require you to stand still and observe, even to get amazed... You see people getting cremated, ceremonies of different kinds, and a vivid market... It is hard to miss out on this city if you are in India. 2 days
Darjeeling
Beautifully located but surprisingly polluted by exhaustion fumes, this city offers the nice and relaxed Nepalese atmosphere. The high altitude treks in the vicinity are rewarding and easy to do. The mountain town itself furthermore offers Buddhist monasteries and tea plantations around. Darjeeling also has the unique attraction of the famous miniature train that connects this town with the lower cities in the valley. 1 day + trek (see Nepal)
Calcutta
I just loved Calcutta because although this is a big city it still treats you quite good. People do not lie to you nearly as much as between Rajastan and Varanasi. Still, everything you need is all there and the people are in average quite friendly. 2 days
Puri
Well, there is nothing really close-by Calcutta, except some mildly interesting beaches in the Orissa region a bit more south. Nothing to do there, maybe swim but the water is rough. And there are not so many tourists as you might think though, and as usual, the few 'temple' attractions are costly. 0 days
Kerala
This is a region that I wanted to do but did not because of time shortage. Unfortunate though because it was recommended by many and said to be the Indian area most resembling South East Asia that I love so much. There should be a network of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals wherein you could do an interesting boat trip, observing the local life. ? 1 week
Nepal
Sunauli
This is a relaxed but very small border-town. There are worse places to get stuck but try not to anyway. 0 days (pass through)
Pokhara
This is an ugly touristy town in my opinion. Especially now that there are no tourists, it is annoyingly empty. It serves as the base for going trekking around the Anapurna and the like. I can imagine that coming home from such a trek, mostly between 4 days and 21 days, it can be a fun town to hang out in with all sorts of food and bars... There are some Tibetan settlements that I did not visit. Instead I did a day walk to Sarangkot and that was ok. There are apparently also some limestone caves at Mahendra Gufa or Rupa and Begnas Tals lakes, maybe they are worth it?? 0 days
Chitwan National Park
This area in the Terai offers jungle and wild life. Although a bit expensive, sitting on the back of an elephant can bring you quite close to the rhinos around, and offer you a different perspective on the vastness of the jungle. I liked it, also the jungle walk we did the day after. We got to see some sorts of crocodiles, a bear, and some series of birds and insects. If you are lucky, there are also tigers and rhinos to run into. 2 days
Katmandu
Here in Katmandu you can find it all, the old temples and the new modern possibilities, food from all over and whatever you want to make your trip more easy. It is one of the most beautiful cities to wander around in, both during the day as later in the evening. Nearby Patan is maybe hardly to be called another city in the Katmandu valley. It is just across the Bagmati River and is much quieter than Katmandu. The atmosphere is again very nice, only unfortunate for the high entrance fee for the Royal Palace, unlike the entrance fee for the city center not possible to escape from. The third city in the Katmandu valley and again highly priced when entering using the main roads. Just take a small road in to avoid paying the 10 $ because it is probably not worth that much money to a budget traveler. Bhaktapur is said to be the least modern of the three with very nice architecture going back to the 17th century The Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath known as the 'monkey temple' offers a nice view on the surrounding Katmandu valley. The entrance fee is avoidable, otherwise skip it. Pashupatinath, the Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva on the banks of the holy Bagmati river was very interesting hanging out for a few hours. The entrance fee is again easily avoided, otherwise just have a look from up above the hills if you are on a tight budget. You can see cremations there, monkeys and cows running down the stairs. Then there is the huge stupa of Bodhnath, the largest in the country. If you have no time to actually go out and explore the Himalayas, go to Nagarkot to see the mountain range when sun rises early in the morning. 4 days
eastern border with India
I did a 3 day trek from Darjeeling. During the trek you are walking in and out of Nepal as the border is basically on the ridge of the mountain. I slept in a few of the small villages, the first day in Nepal, the second in India. And because the atmosphere is definitely not Indian but Nepali, I experienced this trek as well as my stay in Darjeeling to a large extent to be Nepal rather then India. 4 days
Bangladesh
Dhaka
This was a very interesting city. Being a very poor, dirty and overcrowded city, it still felt quite relaxed and friendly. I loved walking around there doing nothing more because there is nothing more. Or you could take an old English double deck bus, or one of the seemingly millions of rickshaws. 2 days
Chittagong
I was only here briefly. It showed that people were again friendly and the market place was nice and vivid, even a little later in the evening. 0 days
Rangamati, Chittagong Hill Tracts
I was also here only shortly. Police wanted to see the permit that the tourist information office claimed to be not necessary. And to do anything and I mean this almost literally, with an armed police escort I did not fancy, therefore, get out as soon as possible. But people there treated me again very nice and I had some interesting time up there in Rangamati. 0 days
Mongla
Very near to the Sundarbans National Park, this place can be used to do some canoeing in the area. The town is small and there is not really much to do there but to hang around. 0 days
Sundarbans national park
I went to Mongla but I suggest you go to the National Park, organized from Khulna. Anyways, although considered my main goal in Bangladesh, I missed out on this because of some visa problems. I would have loved the experience of seeing a tiger in the wild, or canoeing in the mangrove, ... but yeah well, you can not win them all. 1 day
Somapuri Vihara
Again, unfortunately missed out on. I hear it is very nice. Surprisingly the woman in the tourist information office did not even know this Buddhist Temple???? 1 day
Myanmar
Yangon
This very nice kind of laid back capital is a good introduction into the country. The city feels completely different from most other Asian cities because of its 'citylesness'. The snacks are great and fairly cheap. The colonial architecture is still present and there are broad boulevards. I enjoyed the Shwedagon Paya although the entrance fee of 5 $ may be a bit too much. And also just walking around or visiting one of the markets is definitely worth spending your time on. In the evening you can go out to see sporting events or maybe a movie in this one theatre they subtitle in English. 3 days
Bagan
Here you go to see the ruined temples. Very beautiful indeed. I really enjoyed just walking around for a few days in the hot sun, through this awesome landscape dotted with very beautiful pagodas and temples. Definitely a highlight in Myanmar. 1 day
Pakkoku
This very friendly somewhat bigger town two hours up river from Bagan offers a very interesting perspective on the less tourist-oriented Myanmar small-city-life. I enjoyed my day there doing nothing but talk to some people and learn about Myanmar kitchen. 1 day
Mandalay
I do not like cities that much, in average. And this city was said to be the same but different and by far less interesting then Yangon. So I skipped it to a large extent. I did not see much of the city apart from the bus-stations. I must say though that the people at the bus-station were exceptionally friendly, also here. Maybe the place is not so bad, definitely a place that may be good for shopping. The surrounding deserted cities I also skipped because in Myanmar on a 28 day visa you have to choose and eliminate destinations. I did this based on not wanting to see many other temples and monasteries. 0 days
Pwin-Oo-Lwin
This town looked very nice with its colonial archtecture, being a british hill station with pleasant cool temperatures. But the city I thought was quite dull, although for all you waterfall lovers, this one is very nice. If you are in the vicinity, this may be a nice stopover. 1 day
Hsipaw
A travelers hang-out, small and rural but yet wel equipped with the necessities of travelers. The walks in the villages and nature around kept me busy for longer than I thought, really a place to recommend to just hang out. People over there were again quite nice. The waterfall is because of the walk up there worth going out there for. The hot(warm)-water spring is not though. 3 days
Nyaung Shwe (Inle Lake)
Beautiful scenery of all the villages and their gardens on the water, and with all the boat travel around. The town itself though is in my opinion, some disagree, just a tourist rip off town. It is a little more expensive than other places visited and tourists are somewhat more considered to be money-belts. On the other hand, accommodation is cheap and you can do several things out here including trekking (do it yourself), boat-trips to nearby villages (organize yourself), ... but here you will definitely see that most of your interaction with the locals is about money. I especially enjoyed the little villages outside the town. I was also briefly in Shwe Nyaung and Taunggi. Taunggi is quite interesting as a day trip from Nyaung Shwe I believe. The market is very big and you can find all other stuff like cheap Myanmar food or a payable draught beer out here. 2 days
Bago
Not much of interest here unless you want to pay up 10 FEC to visit some of the pagodas. The town is friendly though. If it is very short, like for me, a stopover here is not the worst that can happen. 0 days
Thaton
There may be little to actually do around here, the town is very friendly. Here you are for the atmosphere. Just sit around for a day I think is the thing to do here. Because of the colonial mansions and nice environment it can be a worthwhile few days out of Yangon. I visited Hpa-An as a day trip from Thaton. It was ok but to be honest, except for the trip getting there it did not offer me much. I should have done the trip to Mawlamyine instead. But that would have taken up a bit more time, a thing I didn't have any more on the end of my trip. 2 days
Thailand
Bangkok
This big city, center of South East Asia, will show it all. From big temples to elephants performing in the streets, from the very big weekend-market to Thai-boxing, from Kao San Road to the traffic madness. For me Bangkok was a highly polluted and diverse city and I will end up there, probably, again in the future due to its center position in traveling South East Asia. 2 days
Sukhothai
The oldest city in Thailand. Of course, that means a lot of ruins, though in a very pleasant setting these ruins are very lovely. According to other tourists they resemble in a way the ruins of Ayutthaya and consequently are maybe not worth it if you have seen those already. 1 day
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a touristy developed cultural and economical center in the north of Thailand. It offers some trekking and cultural trips. For me the market was the main attraction, specially good for Thai silk. 1 day + trek (few days)
Mae Hong Son
This mountain city quite near to the border with Burma has not that much to offer in my opionion besides a trip to the long neck Karen people and some trekking in the very nice jungle you can find over there 0 days
Chiang Rai
In many ways this is an ugly city to me which offers only some possibilities for trekking in a nice jungle to see some of the minority people living there. There is a nice market but it is less interesting than the one in Chiang Mai. 0 days
Chiang Saen and the golden triangle
The city itself has some cultural historical significance as can be witnessed by the ruins. For me the major attraction was the three countries that meet each other. Unfortunately there is a lot of tourism to spoil most of the fascination brought to you by this area. 1 day
Chiang Khong
This border town is definitely preferable over its Laotian counterpart Huay Xai. It is cheaper and offers a lot more possibilities to eat or to go on the Internet. Head out early in the morning around 7 and you'll be in time to catch the first bus or boat out of Huay Xai at around 8 AM. 0 days (pass through)
Laos
Huay Xai
This is an ugly border-town, try not to have to spent time there I would say. The 'I will get your money' atmosphere and the lack of anything worth visiting or doing there makes that you head to there early in the morning to be sure you can take the boat or truck out, around 8 AM. 0 days (pass through)
Luang Nam Tha
This place in the north of Laos is good for trekking. The little city itself is pleasant but in my opinion nothing more. The trekking here involve jungle and minority villages. 1 day + trek (few days)
Muang Sing
Probably even better to do trekking into jungle and to see minority villages is to head out to Muang Sing. This is a very little sleepy town with as major downfall that the villagers know how to sell their handmade items and drugs. Be aware of scams with opium, they will sell and tell and you will loose a lot of money. 1 day
Nong Khiaw - Mong Noi
Laying on the river banks these family run guest houses in these small towns offer only a nice relaxing atmosphere. Having been there, I would not suggest to miss out on it though. It gives you the feeling of being really out there. Mong Noi is an hour upriver from Nong Khiaw, after 10 there is no electricity. 1 day
Luang Prabang
As a very pleasant colonial town it offers very great food from all over the world. There should even be some great trekking there, in vast jungle meeting minority people that haven't seen much tourists. The small waterfall is maybe worth the visit too. 2 days
Vang Vieng
The Mecca of laying back. You can just fill your day swimming in the river, going out to visit some cave or just lying in a tube floating on the river while you see the enchanting scenery drift by. In the evening you will be able to eat you international dinners, drinking fruit shakes and cocktails, watching some very nice movies together with all the other relaxing travelers. For most this is the best place in Laos, for me it is good for a day or two. 2 days
Vientiane
The capital of Laos is certainly not the most beautiful of the three 'Indochine'-capitals. Although some people appear to like this city, for me a quick run through sufficed. 1 day
Si Pan Don
Literally translated, 4000 islands is ?same same but different? to Mong Noi. This broad part of the Mekong river, just before entering into Cambodia, is dotted with little and very little islands. It is definitely worth walking around in the area because of its relaxing atmosphere. Also, most people enjoy the waterfall and the Mekong river. The evenings are very calm and enjoyable in the family run guest houses. 2 days
Bolaven (Tadlo)
This area is probably very nice, especially because it is different from the rest you will find in Laos. I saw, for example, cotton grow. But the place to stay is everything but interesting. This is definitely the place I would not visit if I were you. 0 days
Cau Treo
Border towns, ugly as they come, this is again one. Unlike promised, I had to stay there for one day, unfortunately. 0 day (pass through)
Vietnam
Hanoi
To see Hanoi waking up was mind blowing. And although it has everything every other big city does, there is this atmosphere to it that gives it this warm feeling, at least it did to me. Maybe because of the lakes and parks, or because of the life on the street starting early in the morning with many people playing badminton there. This was definitely the most beautiful and nice capital I saw in South East Asia. The traffic is still less car-oriented and is bustling with bicycles. Especially this is just great to take part in. 2 days
Cat Ba
The island near Halong Bay may not offer the nicest town. A sleep on the boat right in the middle of this extraordinary landscape on the water is recommended by many. This is also the case for the 12 km trek on the island. It offers a very beautiful piece of jungle. Try to combine both I would say, the overnight on the boat as well as the trek, preferably with only very few people. 3 day tour
Sapa
Superb views on mountains and surrounding valleys together with the minority villages that live in these mountains makes Sapa the most recommended place of Vietnam. It offers treks to these villages and natural scenery. Consider going there by train during the week (starting Monday or so) as tours operate from Thursday to Sunday. 3 days
Hue + Demilitarized Zone
Hue was a very important city throughout ancient Vietnamese history. A visit to the Tomb of Tu Duc was worth the expensive visit, but I didn't do any other tombs, pagoda's or whatever. The purple city I did not visit because most people considered it not worth a visit and because of the resemblances to the tombs in architecture. So if you are not really into these kind of things you might want to skip it. The city itself I liked but I do not consider it vital to see if you are in Vietnam. The DMZ tour I did find very interesting though, it shows Hamburger Hill, Khe San, the Ho Chi Mihn trail and some other war historical sites going all the way between the tunnels on the coast line to the military bases on the Lao border along the river dividing north and south Vietnam. 2 days
Hoi An
If you talk about a nice little feel-good town... than this is it. Known for its inexpensive tailor made clothes (not very well cut I might add) and its limited influence of modern times, this town offers you a good time just walking the streets. And there is even the possibility to go out and have a swim in the ocean on a fairly ok sandy beach with moderate waves. 2 days
Nha Trang
Now the city of pickpockets and millions of people on the beach I would have skipped if possible. It is definitely not the worst town you could be in but I prefer to spent my time elsewhere. It is a good place for all you party animals that just love spending money on beer, weed and dig on hanging around the beach. 0 days
Dalat
The town itself is not worth a visit in my opinion. The people who liked Dalat have all one thing in common, they did something particular there, like rock-climbing for example, or hiring a guide and motorbike to go around the central highlands area. Especially the latter has been recommended to me big time. 0 days
Saigon
For me not nearly as nice as Hanoi but nevertheless Saigon has it all. Here you will find the most western influenced character in all of Vietnam. Communism is only visible marginally. The millions of motorbikes in the streets give it that overcrowded feeling. I would not choose to stay too long in this dirty but modern world city. The War Remnants Museum is one of the few 'must have seen' museums in Asia. From out of Saigon you can visit the tunnels of Cu Chi, fighting tunnels during the Vietnam War, for me also worth the visit. 1 day
Mekong Delta
Brilliant were the days spent in the Mekong Delta, cruising down the Delta in little boats watching the daily life on the floating markets, visiting the swamps used by the Vietcong during the War in the Rung Tram forest, climbing Sam mountain for sunset with views over the border with Cambodia, ... and it is possible and recommended by me to cross the border with Cambodia here with a boat on the Mekong. 3 days
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Richly decorated temples, overwhelmingly beautiful colonial houses mixed with mother and child sleeping on the streets. Phnom Penh is filled with poor people making it dangerous to wonder the streets in dark places at night. Besides visiting temples, war history is a major attraction. Most people visit the killing fields of Choeng Ek together with the torture chambers of prison 21. Although not appreciated by everyone, for me these were interesting. 3 days
Sihanoukville
And in Cambodia there are beaches, not plenty but fairly deserted. In the south, Sihanoukville offers four sand beaches and quite clear water. The surroundings offer friendly people and very beautiful scenery, an open landscape dotted with trees. If you plan to head in or out of Cambodia by sea, this is the only port where you will be able to do so. 1 day
Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
The town is visited almost primarily for its proximity to Angkor Wat. Therefore, in the evening you will find many tourists here. The evenings you have to spent there are more than enough in my opinion to explore the town fully. The Khmer temples of Angkor Wat, build between one of the 7 wonders of the modern times. This 9th to 13th century building complex consists off over maybe 100 temples. It was a big center during the old days, both cultural as political. Angkor Thom, the square city with the Bayon in the center.
- Bayon, a temple, at first site nothing special but that changes as you go in...
- Angkor Wat, the biggest Buddhist temple in the world and maybe mausoleum
- Preah Khan, powerfull jungletrees on and in the temple ruins. For most people this is the most unforgettable part of the complex.
If you have only one day to spare, you should leave out all other temples, these are the ?must must have seen's?. A three day visit on a leisurely pace makes sure you see them all at least ones. 3 days
Battambang
On the banks of the Sangker River enriched with some nice colonial houses, this city is very pleasant but there is not much to do around there that you won't find in more interesting places. It is the second most large city and walking around there gives you an idea about city life in Cambodia, it is not like Phnom Penh. 1 day
Malaysia
Penang
Penang-Georgetown is again a very nice colonial town with some remarkable colonial buildings and an interesting Indian and Chinese area. Also again, it is a port towards Indonesia and it is the last major town before entering Thailand. If not for this location would not bother going out there. 1 day
Kuala Lumpur
I have heard many good things about the atmosphere in KL, the capital of Malaysia. Due to a mix up with Malaysian Airlines I wasn't able to visit it but some people convinced me that because of the colonial buildings as well as the Chinese and Indian areas it is well worth doing so. KL also offers everything a modern capital has the offer from big chopping malls to skyscrapers. The diversity probably makes this city rather interesting 1 day
Melaka
A nice colonial town with some interesting buildings, and also a port towards Indonesia. It is a very nice town to just walk around for a day because of the mix in colonial influences. But if it were not for the port to Indonesia I would not bother going out there. 1 day
Sumatra (Indonesia)
Dumai
Talking of ugly bordertowns with bordertown people lying their boots off. Well, this is it. You don't want to end up here for more than a few hours. 0 days (pass through from Melakka)
Medan
Visited only briefly because of the transit towards Malaysia. I don't know much about the city but it didn't give me any good feelings so I was glad not to have to spent to much time over there. 0 days (pass through form Penang)
Berestagi
A very nice little mountain town. Berestagi is especially worth the visit for the surrounding sites although the town itself also has a good feel to it. You will be able to walk in the jungle or hike up the mountain and descend in some volcano craters. If you are into hot water springs, they are there but unfortunately re-build as a swimming-pool, so don't expect to much. 2 days
Ketambe (Leusser National Park)
For treks into the jungle and to explore the wildlife this is a very nice alternative to Bukit Lawang known for its fauna and flora. Here you will be able to see the orangutan in the wild if your guide finds one. I also saw several other species making it a very interesting experience. Superb was also the warm water spring in the middle of the jungle where you will enjoy the rapid alternation between very hot and very cold water while you are looking up a wall of trees on the nearby mountain. 2 day trek
Bukit Tinggi (+ Harau & Maninjau)
This is a relaxing town in the hills. Because of some caves used during the war, a fort and some views over the surrounding it is easy to hang out there for at least a day. It is also interesting for its location in the proximity to the Harrau Valley and to Lake Maninjau. Harau Valley has some waterfalls to offer, high ones but very certainly not the most spectacular because of the little water involved. Danau Maninjau is an impressive crater lake and the road towards it are even more so. 2 days
Parapat (Danau Toba in Palua Samosir)
One of the main touristy highlights of Sumatra is this Lake. Only when there is not much of tourism there, then there is not much reason to stay in this ultra relaxed place, unless you are either recovering from sickness or if you are with your girl/boy friend longing to just look at each other for a few days. The town of Parapat near to it is again nothing much. 0 days
Java (Indonesia)
Jakarta
I can imagine that this can be an interesting city, but so far I heard only bad things about it. Just riding through it with a bus even strengthens the opinion that it will take quite some time to appreciate this overcrowded busy and dirty city. 0 days
Pangandaran
A touristy beach resort that grew out of a fishing village. It is a national park with some jungle but mainly it is a place to swim a little and relax. I would not have gone there. 0 days
Bogor
Probably this is a very nice city known for its botanical garden. For me it didn't offer me much besides it being a very easy gateway to Jakarta so that I did not need to stay out in Jakarta for the night to catch my flight. Some Dutch colonial buildings are maybe worth a look, and there is some, possibly interesting, forest with wildlife quite near. 0 days
Yogyakarta
The cultural highlight of Java is Yogyakarta, a busy town without high skyline. It can be a nice town to wander around as it has several things to visit and it is interesting as a hub towards sites like Borobudur and Prambanan. The latter, Prambanan, is the biggest Hindu temple complex in Java (9th century) and I thought it was well worth the visit. This is also true for the Borobudur, built some years earlier, and together with Bagan in Myanmar and Angkor in Cambodia one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in South-East Asia. 2 days
Solo (Candi Sukuh)
Nearby Solo there is a small Hindu temple that is similar to what you'd expect in Inca culture. But especially the surrounding nature was worth the walk, through the forest, passing through villages, crossing over rivers between mountains and valleys. 1 day
Wonosobo (Dieng Plateau)
I don't know about the town of Wonosobo but the Dieng plateau an hour up-mountain is a scenic area that shows some boiling mud pools and a small colored lake. There are some very old temple ruins too, older than Borobudur and Pramanbanan, but far less spectacular. 0 days
Probolinggo (Mount Bromo)
The town itself is off the beaten track and there is a reason for it, there is nothing to see or do there. But the volcano 'Bromo' is exquisite. For me this volcano looks as if it is taken out of the earliest times when dinosaurs ruled the world. Watching sunrise there was something to never forget. 1 day
Madura (Sumenep & Pamekasan)
This island in the north of Java is not often visited by tourists because there is not so much to do or see. The cities of Sumenep and Pamekasan did not leave any sound impressions on me. The one reason besides maybe the bull fights you should get out there for is to see the difference money can make in the lifestyle as they are considerably more rich in Madura 0 days
Alas Purwo National Park
A natural resort completely isolated from the outside world. Here the ocean is so rough you'd better not swim but surfing is possible quit near (Plengkung), and there is wildlife that you're not likely to see unless you head to the feeding grounds (Sadengan). The sea at trianggulasi is very romantic as the white sandy beaches are often completely deserted. 0 days
Banjuwangi (Gunung Kawa Ijen)
This little town again was not that special but it was the gateway to the Ijen crater. People dig in the crater for sulphur and you can hike up the crater and descent in it with them while they are working. The sulphur-gas coming out of the crater-holes and the clear bleu lake in the crater were again unforgettable. But things have changed around here I am told. 0 days
Bali (Indonesia)
Denpasar
The capital of the Bali district is maybe worth visiting briefly. I didn't, so for me it was just a stop between Gillimanuk on the border with Java, and Ubud. The people ripped us off big time over here and were all but friendly. 0 days
Ubud
Ubud is a town in the hills of Bali. It is a nice place to get into the cultural life of the island. There is a Monkey Forest Temple and you can do some nice little walks in the area to for example Goa Gajah, some ruins. Some museums show Balinese art and there are traditional performances almost every night. I was lucky enough to witness a Hindu burial. 2 days
Kediri (Tanah Lot)
Just a glimpse of the ocean here, because besides the little temple on the rock at the beach there is not much to see or do. Also the town Kediri is not worth going out there for. 0 days
Klungkung
This town with friendly people has nothing to offer in my opinion. 0 days
Padangbai
If you want to take the ferry to Lombok, then this is the place you will do that. Besides the ferry and the many fish restaurants there is only one thing to do here. The bat-cave some few kilometers out of town is used for the burial-ceremony. More interesting even are the billions of bats flying out at sunset. 0 days
Danau Bratan
It was a nice walk around the lake but in itself the temple didn't overwhelm me. 0 days
Lovina
Black sand beaches and probably everything you can do at black sand beaches like going out for dolphin watching, snorkeling, diving, ... but I didn't do any of that... We went out to see a waterfall and a Buddhist monastery on a hill. The latter was nice, the first really crap. 0 days
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