Cambodia forum
solo travelling
Have questions? Jump to our menu of forum quicklinks
Add your reply
You need to be logged in to add a reply.
Not a member? you can join here.
Welcome to Travelfish, original Asia travel intelligence you can trust
Menu
muskey
Joined Travelfish
21st February, 2010
Location United Kingdom
Posts 21
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
Hi there. Im planning a month long trip in july/august, hopefully around chiang mai.. siem reap.. hanoi and phuket, l've never travelled alone before so im alittle wary. Could anyone give me some good advise on do's and dont's while on my travels. Cheers
#1 Posted: 21/3/2012 - 10:12
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Don't get so drunk you don't know where you are or what you're doing.
Do be friendly and smile a lot.
Don't try to go to the four places you mentioned, which are so far apart geograghically, in one month.
Do try and get to know indigenous people (vice other backpackers).
Don't be afraid to go to local clubs at night - noting the proviso in number one.
Do say your sorry if someone is irritated at you. It's a kind of get out of jail free card.
Don't go to all the same places everyone else does (Hanoi, Siem Reap, Phuket, Chiang Mai - for example) and do go to some places really off the beaten path that no one has ever heard of.
Do learn enough of the local language that you can function - this is a tough one, but if you don't, can't, or won't - then ignore the pervious don't, as you have to stay on the beaten path to communicate - which is useful when ordering food for example.
#2 Posted: 21/3/2012 - 10:29
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
Advertisement
chinarocks
Joined Travelfish
17th June, 2011
Posts 372
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Do listen to MADMAC...
#3 Posted: 21/3/2012 - 11:54
muskey
Joined Travelfish
21st February, 2010
Location United Kingdom
Posts 21
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
Thanks for the advise 'madmac'... l've been on a website called 'tiger trails' it shows alot of tours and adventures in laos, it looks amazing!!!
#4 Posted: 22/3/2012 - 09:58
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Don't use the word "amazing". It's cliche and way over-used.
I'm not a fan of Laos, but Rufus lives there and he knows the place inside and out. Good guy to talk to if Laos interests you.
#5 Posted: 22/3/2012 - 11:28
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
thebananaho-
use
Joined Travelfish
4th October, 2011
Location Global Village
Posts 7
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
as long as you fly from place to place you can fit it all in. though i would skip Phuket but that is personal opinion. Chaing Mai, siem reap, lunag prabang and hanoi. Then again, I live in Kampot so I would definitely visit Kampot.. looks like you are more interested in bigger cities though.
#6 Posted: 1/4/2012 - 09:04
thebananahouse's social networks[Twitter]
------------------------------
Happy adventuring!
Dottravels
Joined Travelfish
6th April, 2012
Posts 3
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
When I was 67, I spent 5 days in Luang Prabang by myself but arrived there with a friend who helped pick our hotel and helped me get acquainted with the town. It is totally lovely and small and safe.
I spent six weeks in Siem Reap on my own but knew the guesthouse owners from a previous visit. It's safe and friendly too but it's really nice if you can get the name of a friend of a friend to connect with before going.
#7 Posted: 10/4/2012 - 11:31
Beyon_Sun
Joined Travelfish
15th April, 2012
Posts 2
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Keep your smile and say hello to everyone. your points that you want to be, all the people are friendly.
#8 Posted: 15/4/2012 - 11:30
dene_aus
Joined Travelfish
3rd May, 2010
Posts 15
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
yep agree with MADMAC. dont get so drunk you dont know what your doing, bad things can and will happen.
and dont waste time at phuket.
oh and its a really really really bad idea to combine those two points......
#9 Posted: 15/4/2012 - 22:45
muskey
Joined Travelfish
21st February, 2010
Location United Kingdom
Posts 21
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
Hello you lot. Just want to say thankyou to those people who took time out to reply to my post. I will take all the advise on board and put it towards having a safe enjoyable holiday.
#10 Posted: 16/4/2012 - 05:48
Advertisement
chinezero
Joined Travelfish
13th June, 2011
Posts 13
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Pretty similar Itinerary, however I'm not heading to Vietnam.
Pretty much looking at flying into Siem Reap 8-9 July and few days in each : fly to Phnom Phen, up to Laos (Viet, to VV to Luang (quick trip to Plain of Jars), then going up north through Laos to Chiang Mai. Fly/overnight to BKK a few days and onward to Phuket/Phi Phi and Koh Samui/Phangan for Full moon party (3-6 Aug).
#11 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 04:03
muskey
Joined Travelfish
21st February, 2010
Location United Kingdom
Posts 21
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
Hello chinezero. You ok? Just been reading your itinerary... everybody talks about these full moon parties, are they really as good as they say? At 45yrs old, i reckon im to old for them.
#12 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 11:45
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Muskey
Pull up some video on youtube and check it out for yourself. You'll be able to tell if it's something that would interest you or not. I have zero desire to party with other westerns, but obviously some people like that sort of thing.
#13 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 11:59
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Yes, Madmac.My son did exactly that.He vaguely remembers going with some girl.Woke up next morning terrible hangover, minus money, minus girl.
Why would anybody want to go to Kampot when you've got all that action in good ol' Snooky
#14 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 13:21
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Which brings us back to never getting so drunk that you don't know what you're doing.
#15 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 13:25
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
neosho
Joined Travelfish
13th August, 2008
Posts 340
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Muskey....Your age on any given day is dependent on how young you felt the night before. I'm 61 and if I had a desire to go to a full moon party , then I would do it. If after getting there and you don't enjoy it, then leave. Atleast you'll know. I bunjee jumped for the first and last time when I was 40. Go for it.
#16 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 17:08
chinezero
Joined Travelfish
13th June, 2011
Posts 13
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
As in I agree with MADMAC, don't get to the point where you are so drunk you can't figure out left from right. As a solo traveler, that would be the last thing I do. And at the very least... kick the girl out afterwards. HA!
And to OP, you are only as old as you think you feel. I'm 31 and still interested in the party atmosphere (not for everyone) and not always for myself. I am all about it on occasions. But as I like to experience a wide breadth of cultural experiences, including the partying such as VV tubing and KS Moon party. All other travels in between will probably not result in much drinking and more early rises and sight seeing. But I like to plan a variety in my travels.
#17 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 18:22
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
I too sometimes like the Party atmosphere - I just don't want to do it with westerners. Not here. That's for a lot of reasons, but were I a tourist here the biggest would be it would seem in my mind to defeat the point of coming here. Again, this is unless the reason I came was simply to have a hedonistic time. In which case, the entire point has nothing to do with culture or Thailand in the first place but other things Thailand happens to offer (like beaches, cheap stuff, women, etc. etc. etc.) I don't do the hedonistic vacation, but I have no problem with people who do. It just not my scene.
#18 Posted: 22/4/2012 - 22:44
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Why only a month.Come to Phnom Penh and drink yourself senseless every night for next to nothing and in my favourite bar the staff look after you-even prop you up.
Don't be shy of speaking to people is my advice.
#19 Posted: 23/4/2012 - 07:55
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'
Rasheeed
Joined Travelfish
4th November, 2010
Location Cambodia
Posts 306
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
Even though the people suck according to you?
#20 Posted: 23/4/2012 - 08:36
Rasheeed's social networks[Twitter]
------------------------------
From Phnom Penh, Head North!
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Spit it out Rasheed, why hold back if you've got something to say.That comment is just pure flaming.If you read my whole post perhaps you'd like to put up a counter argument.
I'm in Cambodia because of my girlfriend and no she's not Asian.I'm presuming your mixing posts here perhaps you'd like to go on the correct one instead of causing confusion.Yes, I firmly believe that Thai, Laos and Vietnamese people are far more genuine than Khmer basically because the country stinks of corruption from the head down.Now please continue on the correct post out of courtesy to the OP here.
BTW I drink with ex-pats.
#21 Posted: 23/4/2012 - 11:54
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
"I'm in Cambodia because of my girlfriend and no she's not Asian."
She's not Asian? How come?
#22 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 01:16
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Yeh Mac I do seem to be the only guy who hasn't hooked up with a local but it's hard to resist the charms of a long-legged Russian.Plus they are SO unpolitically correct.Just sit back and watch her do the cleaning, cooking.Men are not expected to do anything around the house except mend things that go wrong.Who the hell wants a liberated woman.
In fact they've got something Western women lost a long time ago-femininity.
Now sit back and wait for the angry responses from Whiskey-Foxtrots.
#23 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 02:02
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'
busylizzy
Joined Travelfish
31st December, 2007
Location New Zealand
Posts 1873
Member profile
Profile page
Private message
Shucks, I just love the way you guys joke around on this site!
#24 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 02:02
------------------------------
As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
No joke Lizzy
Russia hasn't discovered feminism yet.
#25 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 02:26
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'
chinezero
Joined Travelfish
13th June, 2011
Posts 13
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Well I think that is settled. I'm going to Russia!!!
#26 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 02:53
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Love too as well but they got these awful visa restrictions and by what she tells me the place is something like Al Capone's Chicago.
#27 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 02:58
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'
MADMAC
Joined Travelfish
6th June, 2009
Posts 5060
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
I actually was madly in love with a feminist women. She was a university professor and we dated for six months, but she had a real problem with what I did for a living and eventually wised up and dumped me. She was a classy lady, so I can't say all feminists are bad.
#28 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 07:19
------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
sayadian
Joined Travelfish
15th January, 2008
Posts 1412
Member profile
Profile private
Messaging not enabled.
Well as we are on the subject of advice and now women (feminists) It brings be to that all important warning: beware women of the night if you value your possessions.
I once saw a girl carrying away a guys shoes and clothes as well as all his other possessions.Met the guy later, couldn't miss him he was the one walking around with no shoes and lacerated feet.That's a true story. Happened on the old Lakeside, Phnom Penh.
I still miss the skanks in Guesthouse #9 though.
#29 Posted: 24/4/2012 - 08:56
------------------------------
money frees you from doing things you dislike,since I dislike doing nearly everything money is handy'