Bar Trip: Where in Asia should I live for two months? Forum

[BigRob]

I'm a 25-year-old white guy who is taking the bar in July and doesn't start work until early October. A long vacation seems fun (maybe I'd get some life experience or something), plus I'd avoid paying $5,000 for two months' rent in Manhattan.

Ideally, I'd like to rent a one-bedroom in an urban (but not too urban, like Tokyo) area and absorb some local culture. I was thinking maybe Bangkok or Hong Kong. Any experienced travelers have advice or suggestions?

[rad lulz]

.

[BlueLotus]

Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India!

[BigRob]

Patpong in Thailand

I just Google Image'd Patpong Thailand. I'm not looking to get herpes by stepping foot off the plane...maybe something more demure is for me.

[BlueLotus]

Patpong in Thailand

I just Google Image'd Patpong Thailand. I'm not looking to get herpes by stepping foot off the plane...maybe something more demure is for me.

There's probably nothing more demure than my recommendation, the hometown of the Dalai Lama.

[BigRob]

Oh, the fuck. There was just a really long and helpful post, but I refreshed and it's gone now.

[KD35]

Oh, the fuck. There was just a really long and helpful post, but I refreshed and it's gone now.

That's a sign you should go to Patpong.

[spaceman82]

What kinds of things do you like to do? Are you looking for a place where you can just chill out for two months or are you wanting a little more adventure?

Accommodations in Hong Kong can be a bit expensive (I mention this since you mentioned your apartment in Manhattan) and, due to its size, Hong Kong doesn't have as much to see and do as other countries in the region. It's good for shopping, however, and has an interesting vibe.

Many people absolutely love Thailand. Bangkok has a few cool things to see, but I'd really try to check out the islands down south (avoid Phuket and Pattaya, in my opinion) and then northern Thailand (as well as Luang Prabang, Laos, and Myanmar/Burma if you have time) instead of just spending all my time in Bangkok. Accommodations in Thailand are quite reasonable and it shouldn't cost you too much to get from place to place.

Backpacking through India would be an awesome way to spend a couple of months, in my opinion. It wouldn't be the easiest trip, but you'd get to see a lot of things--and it'd be probably change the way you look at the world.

I personally love Japan and think the Osaka/Kyoto area would also be a great place to spend a couple of months. It would be less of an adventure trip and more of an opportunity to see temples, etc., and enjoy Japanese culture.

Let me know if you want me to elaborate on any of this. I didn't want to go into too much detail about somewhere or something that you might not be interested in.

[BigRob]

What kinds of things do you like to do? Are you looking for a place where you can just chill out for two months or are you wanting a little more adventure?

Accommodations in Hong Kong can be a bit expensive (I mention this since you mentioned your apartment in Manhattan) and, due to its size, Hong Kong doesn't have as much to see and do as other countries in the region. It's good for shopping, however, and has an interesting vibe.

Many people absolutely love Thailand. Bangkok has a few cool things to see, but I'd really try to check out the islands down south (avoid Phuket and Pattaya, in my opinion) and then northern Thailand (as well as Luang Prabang, Laos, and Myanmar/Burma if you have time) instead of just spending all my time in Bangkok. Accommodations in Thailand are quite reasonable and it shouldn't cost you too much to get from place to place.

Backpacking through India would be an awesome way to spend a couple of months, in my opinion. It wouldn't be the easiest trip, but you'd get to see a lot of things--and it'd be probably change the way you look at the world.

I personally love Japan and think the Osaka/Kyoto area would also be a great place to spend a couple of months. It would be less of an adventure trip and more of an opportunity to see temples, etc., and enjoy Japanese culture.

Let me know if you want me to elaborate on any of this. I didn't want to go into too much detail about somewhere or something that you might not be interested in.

I should have included more information about me in the original post, but your post was very helpful -- thanks!

I'm not much of a traveler, and am pretty much looking to chill out while experiencing something new. (I could spend the summer in NY watching T.V. and porn, but it's a "been there, done that" situation.) It's also important that I not spend much more than I'd spend living in Manhattan. (I'm not sure I should even be taking a vacation because I have a negative net worth, but if it saves me money or costs about the same, #yolo.) Finally, I'm in good shape but don't want to sacrifice creature comforts, so I'll be eschewing hiking, backpacking, and the like -- I'd prefer to mostly veg out, read some books, and just wander around town from time-to-time.

I'd rate my priorities: Safety > Cost > Entertainment. Thailand seems to be a frontrunner based off the reading I've done so far. I'm still not sure, though.

And finally, not to be racist (xenophobic?), and I'm not sure where this is coming from, but I hadn't really considered India an option. I just imagine extreme poverty, overcrowding, and inescapable foul-stench -- but maybe I'm wrong. To be fair, my worldview is based entirely off what I saw in Slumdog Millionaire and negative stereotypes I've heard, not personal experience.

[spaceman82]

Yeah, if you're on a tight budget, you might want to avoid Hong Kong (and Japan) and go with Thailand. Even 4-5 star hotels in Thailand are quite reasonable, and you could probably rent a house or nice apartment for $400-$500/month for two months as well. Local food will also only run you a few bucks a meal, so overall, you should be able to stay well under budget as long as you're not hitting up seedy bars every night.

I still wouldn't do Bangkok for two months, however; it's a bit boring and polluted. Chiang Mai, which is Thailand's second largest city, is cheaper, greener, and more laid back, and has better food, IMHO. You might want to look into it as an alternative. Or, if you're into beaches, Koh Tao, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Phangan (the north of the island is quiet, but avoid the beaches where the Full Moon Party takes place if you're not up for partying) seem to be the best. Let me know if you need more info. I spent about six weeks in Thailand a few years back and also have several friends who have moved there to live and love to talk about life there.

You probably wouldn't like India much based on what you've said. It can be quite dirty, even though much of the country is also very beautiful.

For something different, Malaysia or Taiwan might also be nice.

[mccllln2]

What kinds of things do you like to do? Are you looking for a place where you can just chill out for two months or are you wanting a little more adventure?

Accommodations in Hong Kong can be a bit expensive (I mention this since you mentioned your apartment in Manhattan) and, due to its size, Hong Kong doesn't have as much to see and do as other countries in the region. It's good for shopping, however, and has an interesting vibe.

Many people absolutely love Thailand. Bangkok has a few cool things to see, but I'd really try to check out the islands down south (avoid Phuket and Pattaya, in my opinion) and then northern Thailand (as well as Luang Prabang, Laos, and Myanmar/Burma if you have time) instead of just spending all my time in Bangkok. Accommodations in Thailand are quite reasonable and it shouldn't cost you too much to get from place to place.

Backpacking through India would be an awesome way to spend a couple of months, in my opinion. It wouldn't be the easiest trip, but you'd get to see a lot of things--and it'd be probably change the way you look at the world.

I personally love Japan and think the Osaka/Kyoto area would also be a great place to spend a couple of months. It would be less of an adventure trip and more of an opportunity to see temples, etc., and enjoy Japanese culture.

Let me know if you want me to elaborate on any of this. I didn't want to go into too much detail about somewhere or something that you might not be interested in.

I should have included more information about me in the original post, but your post was very helpful -- thanks!

I'm not much of a traveler, and am pretty much looking to chill out while experiencing something new. (I could spend the summer in NY watching T.V. and porn, but it's a "been there, done that" situation.) It's also important that I not spend much more than I'd spend living in Manhattan. (I'm not sure I should even be taking a vacation because I have a negative net worth, but if it saves me money or costs about the same, #yolo.) Finally, I'm in good shape but don't want to sacrifice creature comforts, so I'll be eschewing hiking, backpacking, and the like -- I'd prefer to mostly veg out, read some books, and just wander around town from time-to-time.

I'd rate my priorities: Safety > Cost > Entertainment. Thailand seems to be a frontrunner based off the reading I've done so far. I'm still not sure, though.

And finally, not to be racist (xenophobic?), and I'm not sure where this is coming from, but I hadn't really considered India an option. I just imagine extreme poverty, overcrowding, and inescapable foul-stench -- but maybe I'm wrong. To be fair, my worldview is based entirely off what I saw in Slumdog Millionaire and negative stereotypes I've heard, not personal experience.

I live in Bangkok and it's an incredible city. When you feel like going out there's always something new to do or experience, it's safer than any major city in the US (unless you rent a motorbike), and it's very cheap. I pay approximately 425 bucks a month for a beautiful 1 bedroom apartment on the 26th floor in the heart of the city with a gym and a pool. They practically give away delicious food here as well.

That being said, northern Thailand is cheaper, along with Laos and Cambodia. If your looking to just relax and read for a bit consider Luang Prebang in Laos. It's a great laid back city and I'm guessing it's almost half as expensive as Bangkok (which again would feel like a joke when coming from Manhattan).

[Bikeflip]

Not urban, but a fun detour: Dive in the Philippines for a week. Just don't go to Davao.

[dkb17xzx]

On any day, I'd say Chiang Mai... but watch out for Thailand with the political unrest and the possibility of it spilling over to the North if Yingluck gets kicked out.

I'd say anywhere in S.E. Asia is good to go - it's cheap, there's an expat population, open to foreigners, great culture, awesome street food.

[Gamecubesupreme]

Taiwan is amazing.

And cheap. Very under-rated.

[crit_racer]

Sri Lanka or Nepal. Trust

ETA: Sri Lanka might not meet your safety requirement butttt the fun you'll have there makes up for it

[BlueLotus]

Sri Lanka or Nepal. Trust

ETA: Sri Lanka might not meet your safety requirement butttt the fun you'll have there makes up for it

What part of Nepal did you travel to, crit? Back in 2009 my UG gave me a grant for a study/volunteer abroad program in Dolpo, but my parents freaked out (about safety issues) and I ended up not going.

[Lockfast]

Tour around Europe

[crit_racer]

Tour around Europe

I did the manaslu circuit which is like a 17 day trek. Mainly Nepal is good for trekking through little villages. Pretty amazing. I Donno if I could do two whole months just there but I have a friend who lived there for 6 months and loved it.

Sri Lanka had lots of good hiking and outdoorsy stuff too, but it's also great for partying. Also not completely overrun with tourists.

[BlueLotus]

Tour around Europe

I did the manaslu circuit which is like a 17 day trek. Mainly Nepal is good for trekking through little villages. Pretty amazing. I Donno if I could do two whole months just there but I have a friend who lived there for 6 months and loved it.

That sounds pretty amazing. Regret to this day not going on that trip (parents were worried that I'd get kidnapped by Maoists )

If OP's not willing to travel to India, I'm not sure he would enjoy Nepal though.

[lawdawg09]

Patpong. My firm sends new associates there to get it out of our systems (and some of the share partners that misbehave after a few drinks at happy hour). We haven't had a sexual harassment problem in years.

[worldtraveler]

I would recommend Boracay, Philippines if you like the beach lifestyle. Or Bohol. Kuala Lumpur is also pretty cool and also quite cheap. All of these places are pretty easy for someone who is not a big traveler, too.

Maybe I'm the only person in the world who thinks this, but I thought Bali sucked. It's like the Cancun of SE Asia, and there are really too many people there to enjoy anything.

[patogordo]

u should conquer some island in indonesia. there are like 10000 of them im sure oyu could take out the weak link

[sparty99]

Thailand. Bankgok is a quick jump off to other places as well. You can easily fly to Singapore, Malaysia. Cambodia and Vietnam are near by. Australia is also close if you have the extra funds. Bangkok is hella cheap. Then after some time in BK, you can go to southern Thailand and hit up the beaches. Northern Thailand you can do trekking.

[downinDtown]

A place in India that is amazing is Goa (former Portuguese colony). Also one thing you could look at as part of your trip is either renting/living in a house-boat or going on a house-boat trip. Super chill and relaxing. I'm sure they have options in several of the countries people have mentioned. It's cruising, Asian-style.

[Jsa725]

.