Phuket 100% , Manilla boring
for vacation better to stay at Kon...hotel karon sea sand about 100-120$ per night but very good for thai andd this price ///just cross road beach ...and not far lots of bars ....but live in hotel silent everytime ....also not far from patong where real night life, visit rok city or hit me and buy beer for this info :D

I keep reading HIV is exploding all over the Philippines, not just in AC. However, PI hookers flat out don't use condoms at all so no surprise at this news.

And yea, some real low lifes visiting AC. But it's not all bad. Still fun to be had for a few days, but for me it gets depressing after that. It's a sad place.

No shit?

True, there are some excellent deals at certain times from air asia, just don't rely on them to get you to a connecting flight without at least 3 hours in reserve. I fly with them every few weeks, lost count how many times they are late, but getting return flights from phuket to bangkok for $30 is amazing!

great...not overcrowded with tourists, easier to communicate with locals than in Thailand, nice nature, and comparing to Thailand all looks much "wilder" (especially those crazy bus drivers....)

bad sides: really shitty roads (20 hours ride, distance of 400-500 km), UMTS only in big cities, in small villages (typical for Sumatra), you are lucky if yo get GPRS edge...

Berastagi are nice (you can climb active volcanos), Toba is wonderfull, (in both places Christians live...), Bukkitingi (nice city) are also nice (mountains, rice fields and so on...muslims, Padang people)...I wanted to go to Aceh but didn't have time...-> orthodox muslims there and beautiful beaches, also lot of cannabis (but you know penalties for being unlucky....)

also people are very friendly...if you treat them with respect :)

you can get nice room in Toba for under 7 $ easily....in other parts of Sumatra you basically pay the same prices like in Thailand, but you get lower standard...
(backpackers guesthouses)

when you fly to Medan heading to Toba or Berastagi, just live this city asap, it's madness..the worst what you can see from asian city in one place..crowded,polluted and noisy

Philippines, is really filthy, if you have any breathing issues, you do not want to be there. I think Thailand is a better nicer place to visit.

Thailand for sure,but when u r there,u can easy do both countries,i think air ticket is like 100 bucks so very easy:) Cambodia is the most shity country i have ever been to,lol:)

Good luck with that man ha ha ha

Out of touch to say the least.

that's why i tried to contact you on ICQ, i thought if someone knows the current situation about that it should be you :upsidedow

Fuck. i have a flight to london in the morning.

Been to both places. Thailand is your only choice. Philippines is in no way comparable. There are many places well away from the hookers. Try a trip up north to see the real Thailand.

I have to poke you on that one, so you live on the road ? Indeed its a good relax point with your motorbike downhill to Nai Harn Beach, i tend to go up to Layan Beach for a more 'relaxing' place without to many 'farangs'

Breakfast on the thai place on the rocks to the left is a good one, cheap and clean food. (Right side on the photo)

BJ - Swede ? Take a beer some day ?

ha nope not on the road, I live beyond the lake a bit. Im american, always up for a beer.

Try get a flight directly to Phuket if possible.

Get your international driving licence with you so you avoid donating money to the police tee party.
Pack your expensive, eg cameras and toys with you in the cabin so they dont get legs.

Try get here to Songkran, it's a week you never_ will forget.

Rest i think BJ have said... and pack light, you will buy a lot of things here
so .. just a heads up if you are comming.

IGotTheYellowFever :helpme I miss when they closed old laguna, was the best place to get a burger at 5am and some desert with you home :upsidedow

I'm in the move to a new house, always in need for a beer after that :thumbsup

If you guys just take Manila to sample the philippines than you are dead wrong.
I can`t believe some of the ignorant and half educated judgments in this thread.
Can`t compare it to thailand, since I have never been there. But there are places in the philippines that compare to international tourist standards.

There are fantastic places on bohol, boracay, palawan, negros and other islands that are far from filthy.

I am staying here for my 7th year now, never been robbed, shot, kidnapped or never even lost my wallet once. And I do my fair share of drinking and partying.

Btw, regular travel agencies mostly have no clues about the philippines.
So you might just give a specialist a call if you still consider the philippines.

I am booking mostly with http://www.kirschner-reisen.de/
You can get some quality infos from specialized agencies.

I lived in Philippines for 5 years. Cambo has hotter wemon. Thailand has better jungle

I was held up in manila 2x, had phone snatched, dad died from dengue at st lukes hospital got fined for beating the shit out of this guy trying to sell me 40 wallets.

Been to Boracay, it's a paradise if your with your hun, going there alone is boring.

What other countries do they have guards outside 7/11, and warn people not to go outside the banking district, even the taxi drivers was speeding thru the city each time we visited L.A Cafe. From all the people i know from philippines, all have been robbed atleast, see it as a good sign instead that you never got robbed but pretending it's not gonna happend is a bit low... don't you think ?

Not like that at all. I have never had issue in the Philippines.
Where out of the city are you talking about?

There's guards everywhere because its a 3rd world country so people will want to steal food or drinks or a little cash, and the guards are cheap so why not.

I used to walk around at night down alleys by myself going to 7/11 or ATM, etc.
Just like any other city you need to watch yourself.

I've been to PHL about 4 separate times so far each for different lengths, no issues and sort of fun.
My only complaint about Makati and cities around it, is that the clubs (the real clubs) allow anyone in, so they are packed full of guys and its always a huge sausage fest.
Last time I went to Embassy at the Fort (yes, i know its not called that anymore, I don't remember what it was called when I went last), it was PACKED but it was almost ALL guys. I had a table and that shit was gay as hell.

Thanks again for all the info!

Let's say i'd go for Phuket and a villa - how do i get internet? i'd like to stay for a month or so but can't stop working for that time. i know - no porn etc. - but i would work by remote desktop on my home computer.

We only made it as far as Georgetown, Malaysia just south of Thailand, so I haven't been, but my vote goes to Thailand. Plus, just read about the island of Koh Samui in the NY Times, here:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09...tml?ref=travel

Sounds nice.

The Yellow Shirt protesters claim to have enough funding to stay at least 100 days.

Last two times they (yellow shirts) took to Bangkok in large numbers, they successfully got rid of the prime minsters.

MaDalton, if you end up in Thailand, Phuket is nice if you are going to get your own villa. Just don't go in the wet season as it rains a lot. And DO NOT rent the jet skis. Google "Jet Ski Scam Thailand" and you'll get enough info on that.

thanks for the info! :)

can you enlighten me on the internet access thing?

Most villas/places has hi-speed internet connection, either cable or wireless one.

Visit both countries if you are up for it, I can't believe all the negative comments about the phillippines. People gettig HIV and getting fined for beating delboys up haha, wear a condom if you don't wanna get HIV I use them over here in the uk. I'd never do it bare back with someone I don't know. If you wanna good time in the phillippines you need a driver to take you to the best places, I wouldn't drive around there that's for sure. I guess I had a great time there because I have a nice family that are all decent people to show me the best places.

I've never been to Thailand but I've heard it's a nice place in the right areas.

Phi Phi island baby


http://www.google.com/images?client=...ed=0CDkQsAQwAA

Anywhere is what you make of it, I live in a 3rd world country most hate on but for me it works out perfectly.

X2

People can have a good (or bad) time anywhere.

not in somalia:warning:warning:warning

but yes i get your point

go to Thailand ( Phuket )/ Australia ( Melbourne , Sydney , Adelaide , bla )