1st Leg : Malaysia - Hanoi
Day 1 - 4/10/2014
7.50 am: Flight took off to Hanoi after delayed of 1 hour. Tix AirAsia price RM670/2pax+25kg baggage.
10.00 am: Arrived Hanoi airport. Took taxi to Sinh Tourism Cafe at Old Quarter/ Ho Kiem lake area. Taxi fare VND300k.
12.30 pm: started private tour to Tam Coc Wharf a.k.a Halong Bay on Land - place where Running Man was filmed. Price $95/pax.
6.00 pm: our driver for the tour sent us to Ga Ha Noi train station for our next leg ie to Sa Pa. Met with our delivery man for train tix that was bought online earlier. Train tix fare $48/2pax/soft seat with a/c + $11 for delivery
9.50 am: departed to Lao Cai station.
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2nd Leg : Hanoi - Sa Pa
Day 2 - 5/10/2014
7.00 am: arrived Lao Cai. Found a lady boss asking around on board to those who haven't have a bus to Sa Pa. We followed her. Minivan to Sa Pa fare VND50k (was informed by a local that local's fare only VND40k).
7.30 am: bus to Sa Pa - journey around 45min to 1hr
8.30 am: arrived Sa Pa. Walked into a guesthouse for $10/nite.
2.00 pm: went to Cat Cat Tourism Village. Entrance fee VND40k/pax. Took a bike with "driver/biker" for VND100k.
**warning: do not give any money or present to the kids.
Nite: went to night market, walked around the town, had a couple of vietnamese coffees.
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3rd leg : Sa Pa - Luang Prabang
Day 3 - 6/10/2014
7.30 am: started the journey to Dien Bien Phu by van. Bought tix from the owner of the guesthouse for VND260k/pax (originally VND300k)
**spent a couple of hours in a workshop. Bas rosak.
5.30 pm: arrived at Dien Bien Phu. Walked into a guesthouse in front of bus station for VND150k/room/nite.
Day 4 - 7/10/2014
7.30 am: took a van to Luang Prabang. Original price was VND495k, but we paid in USD so we had to pay $55/2pax.
**at border - Thai immigration, change some dollars to kipp.
At Lao immigration, pay immigration fee of 10k Kipp + swine flu test of 3000 Kipp.
Warning: malaysians dont need visa. So when asked to take photograph & pay for it, just refused & say you dont need visa.
Tips: Change just a few dollars at the border. Change the rest of your dollar when you reach the city, coz the rate would be much better.
9.00 pm: arrived Luang Prabang. Took a tuktuk to night market to find a guesthouse. Tuktuk fare 15k Kipp/pax. Guesthouse $20/2nite/room.
Day 5 - 8/10/2014
5.30 am: Woke up to watch morning alms procession (giving food to the monks). Went back to guesthouse at 7am.
10.00am: rented a bike for 20k Kipp/ $3. Went around the town. Sent out postcards (postcard: 20k Kipp, stamp 9k Kipp). Found halal indian food (Nisha Restaurant) for lunch.
Evening: went to Mount Phousi temple - got lost & couldnt reach the top to watch sunset. But the good thing was we didnt need to pay an entrance fee of 20k Kipp.
Nite: shopping at Night Market.
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4th Leg : Luang Prabang - Chiang Mai
Day 6 - 9/10/2014
7.00 am: took a tuktuk to slow boat. We arranged the tuktuk the day before & agreed to 80k Kipp fare per tuktuk. Took roughly half an hour.
8.00 am: bought slow boat tix to Pak Beng for 110k Kipp/pax.
Tips: 1) choose front row seats, coz the back seat is closer to the engine and the noise would drive you crazy.
2) bring some games/books.
3) bring a neck pillow.
8.30 am: slow boat started moving.
6.00 pm: arrived at Pak Beng. Found a guesthouse for $7/room/nite. Macam rumah setinggan, serius.
Nite: Loi Krathong Festival!
Day 7 - 10/10/2014
7.30 am: checked out from guesthouse. Bought bagels for breakfast which cost the same as our guesthouse's price last nite.
8.00 am: booked our seats on the slow boat. Waited for the officer to sell tickets. Fare: 110k Kipp to Huay Xai.
8.30 am: slow boat started.
5.30 pm: reached Huay Xai. Negotiated with tuktuk driver to bring us + 1 new friend to border. Initially 100 baht/pax, but later he agreed 250 baht/3pax.
6.30 pm: reached Lao immigration. Paid immigration fee of 10k kipp. Took service bus to Thai immigration for 25 baht (no choice here. You cant walk).
CONFIRMED: immigration closes at 8pm.
8.00 pm: took the one & only tuktuk to Chiang Khong. Fare 200baht/tuktuk. He dropped us at Ban Faai Guesthouse. Room price 300baht/room/nite.
Day 8 - 11/10/2014
10.30 am: arranged with guesthouse's owner for transport to Chiang Mai. Fare 250 baht/pax.
11.00 am: van started the journey.
5.30 am: arrived Chiang Mai centre. Then took a tuktuk to Lanna Thai Guesthouse. Fare 80 baht/tuktuk. Lanna Thai Guesthouse price: 400 baht/nite for twin bed/fan/tv. Reason we chose Lanna Thai Guesthouse : 1min to Anusarn Night Market where there are a few halal restaurants + a few km to Karale Night Market.
Nite: emptied our pockets at the night markets.
Day 9 - 12/10/2014
10.00 am: walked around town & to bookstores near AirAsia office. Books as cheap as 10 baht/book.
2.00 pm: took a tuktuk to train station for 60 baht & tuktuk continued to airport for 120 baht. From here, Ipah went back to KL & I continued the journey as a solo.
******* MY SOLO PART ******
5th Leg : Chiang Mai - Bangkok
5.30 pm: train departed from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Fare 431 baht for soft seat with fan.
Day 10 - 13/10/2014
9.30 am: Arrived Bangkok station. Went to @Hualamphong Hostel. Price 350 baht/bed/mixed dorm.
Evening: went to Patpong Night Market.
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6th Leg : Bangkok - Siem Reap
Day 11 - 14/10/2014
5.30 am: Checked out hostel. Went to Hualamphong train station. Bought ticket to Aranyaprathet for THB 48
5.50 am: Train departed to Aranyaprathet.
12.15 pm: Arrived at Aranyaprathet. Took a tuktuk (shared with another lady) for THB100 to border. Later found out he dropped us at a fake/scam office for visa application. Walked by ourselves to the border/ Thai immigration. Later walked another 5-10 minutes to Cambodian Immigration. Then took a bus to Siem Reap.
2.40 pm: Departed to Siem Reap by minivan for $10
5.00pm: Reached Siem Reap pit stop. took a tuktuk to guesthouse for $2. checked in guesthouse. total price incl. VAT ard $20++
Nite: Dinner at Cambodia Muslim Restaurant (Haji Ismail's). total $7.75
Day 12 - 15/10/2014
7.00 am: Prepared lunchbox to bring to Angkor Archeological Park. Walked to the centre (nearby night market) & rented a bicycle for $1/day (deposit $15)
8.00 am: reached tiket centre/booth. bought day pass for $20. tour around Angkor Park.
3.00 pm: back at guesthouse.
5.00 pm: a visit to Masjid An-naekmah & dinner at Cambodia Muslim Restaurant (Hj Musa') for ard $12
7.00 pm: booked a seat (minivan) to Bangkok for $11. then went to Night Market.
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7th Leg : Siem Reap - Malaysia
Day 13 - 16/10/2014
5.30 am: checked out guesthouse. picked up other guests along the way
9.00++ am: reached Poipet for border
10.30 am: settled border stuffs. found the guy who took me to the minivan office.
11.30 am: departed from office to Bangkok
4.00 pm: reached Pratunam. no idea where to go cause was informed to be dropped at Khaosan Road. found a guesthouse for THB1000/nite
Day 14 - 17/10/2014
11.00 am: checked out hostel. went to post office to send postcards. stamp THB15. took taxi to Don Muang Airport for THB155
2.30 pm : departed from Bangkok.
5.40 pm: safely landed in Malaysia!
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TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET (Include transport & accommodation but exclude some souvenirs & food expenses) = <\RM2150.00
