Where to go over Chinese New Year?

[j8k]

I am not having a moan at the influx of Chinese tourists into the LOS, but I am planning on travelling around a bit over CNY and would like to find some places that won't be overrun like Bangers, CM, Phuket etc

 

Any suggestions? Koh Chang, Hua Hin, up country?? Anyone know where I can find affordable rates during this time?

[j8k]

Anyone??

[losworld]

krabi

[dotpoom]

Maybe try China...if they are all over here?

  Just a thought.

[MyFriend You]

Vietnam is also a good bet,  Tet is the most important holiday in Vietnam, Saigon and Hanoi will have the best celebrations,  I have yet to see fireworks anywhere else though, extremely regulated. 

[Mavideol]

they will be all over Thailand..... best choice the gobi desert, it won't be overcrowded

How do you survive in the gobi desert?

You survive in the Gobi Desert by relying on the animals and the plants

 

[marcusarelus]

47 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Vietnam is also a good bet,  Tet is the most important holiday in Vietnam, Saigon and Hanoi will have the best celebrations,  I have yet to see fireworks anywhere else though, extremely regulated. 

Things sure change.  51 years ago when I lived there there were a lot of fireworks January 30, 1968 during Tet. 

Edited January 23, 2019 by marcusarelus

[expat1010]

Do not go to Penang over Chinese NY. Made that mistake in 2017 and my wife is still angry at me. All the Chinese owned shops and restaurants are closed (which is the bulk of them in Georgetown). The tourist sites are packed beyond capacity. The airport and immigration is chaos a la DMK.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[MuuKondiao]

10 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Things sure change.  50 years ago when I lived there there were a lot of fireworks January 30, 1968 during Tet. 

1968 - that was 51 years ago. 

50 years ago I was getting ready to go.

Now? - some veterans have told me they found Viet Nam a decent place.

Still I hesitate. Looking for a place to find some peace and Thailand is spoiled, corrupt, polluted with Chinese.

But have they really gotten over the American war? I don't know if I have.

Any input? 

[marcusarelus]

10 minutes ago, MuuKondiao said:

1968 - that was 51 years ago. 

50 years ago I was getting ready to go.

Now? - some veterans have told me they found Viet Nam a decent place.

Still I hesitate. Looking for a place to find some peace and Thailand is spoiled, corrupt, polluted with Chinese.

But have they really gotten over the American war? I don't know if I have.

Any input? 

I was still in 2018, thanks.  I changed it. 

Edited January 23, 2019 by marcusarelus

[MyFriend You]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

Things sure change.  51 years ago when I lived there there were a lot of fireworks January 30, 1968 during Tet. 

I was there for the sequel - Feb '69............though that one fizzled out real fast.  Korea Jan68-Feb 69, Nam Feb 69-Jul 69, Jan 71-Feb72, Thld Feb 72-Feb 73, Cambodia Feb 73 to Aug 73,  Thld Aug 73 Jul 74, Korea Jul 74-Oct76 and on and on and on  spent the entire decade of the seventies in Asia.

[MyFriend You]

52 minutes ago, MuuKondiao said:

1968 - that was 51 years ago. 

50 years ago I was getting ready to go.

Now? - some veterans have told me they found Viet Nam a decent place.

Still I hesitate. Looking for a place to find some peace and Thailand is spoiled, corrupt, polluted with Chinese.

But have they really gotten over the American war? I don't know if I have.

Any input? 

Had two tours in Nam during the war, I live there now, headed back in a few days...........first trip back was 1998, been back over 20 times over the years, spend a lot of time there now.  I spend my time between Thailand and Vietnam, gave up on Cambodia, spent two years there 97-99  and have been back a dozen times since - if you think Thailand is corrupt??, can't hold a candle to Cambodia, the Khmer invented corruption, they can teach Nigerians a thing or two.......the difference is Nigerians only want your money, if you're dead they can't get anymore out of you. The Khmer haven't learned that yet, after they get your money, they'll just kill you.

[MuuKondiao]

2 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Had two tours in Nam during the war, I live there now, headed back in a few days...........first trip back was 1998, been back over 20 times over the years, spend a lot of time there now.  I spend my time between Thailand and Vietnam, gave up on Cambodia, spent two years there 97-99  and have been back a dozen times since - if you think Thailand is corrupt??, can't hold a candle to Cambodia, the Khmer invented corruption, they can teach Nigerians a thing or two.......the difference is Nigerians only want your money, if you're dead they can't get anymore out of you. The Khmer haven't learned that yet, after they get your money, they'll just kill you.

I am a little surprised you spent so much time in SE Asia. I would have re-upped in 'Nam after one tour in 1970, but  - the paper work was too much trouble ? for someone .... they were downsizing the Corps, sent me to Camp Pendleton for early Release - non-essential MOS - I was a grunt 0311.

Didn't make it to Thailand until 2009. Then back in 2011-2014 and this January.

So can you tell me anything about Viet Nam now? How much trouble to get there. ? from LOS? 

I still remember some of  the language from the language school in Monterey.

What about medical care/health of ex-pats/veterans there? Getting DL? Anything to add?

[Benmart]

4 hours ago, MuuKondiao said:

1968 - that was 51 years ago. 

50 years ago I was getting ready to go.

Now? - some veterans have told me they found Viet Nam a decent place.

Still I hesitate. Looking for a place to find some peace and Thailand is spoiled, corrupt, polluted with Chinese.

But have they really gotten over the American war? I don't know if I have.

Any input? 

I (US Citizen), was there three years ago. The Vietnamese I met were gracious and friendly, taking an interest in practicing English. The French seemed welcomed as well, judging by observing interaction between them and the locals. Do give it a try.

[Lacessit]

Issan?

[Darkside Gray]

16 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Vietnam is also a good bet,  Tet is the most important holiday in Vietnam, Saigon and Hanoi will have the best celebrations,  I have yet to see fireworks anywhere else though, extremely regulated. 

Tet in Vietnam is a night mare would steer well clear most expats depart for other locations.

[Darkside Gray]

15 hours ago, MuuKondiao said:

1968 - that was 51 years ago. 

50 years ago I was getting ready to go.

Now? - some veterans have told me they found Viet Nam a decent place.

Still I hesitate. Looking for a place to find some peace and Thailand is spoiled, corrupt, polluted with Chinese.

But have they really gotten over the American war? I don't know if I have.

Any input? 

Many Vets quiet happily living in Vietnam many in Vung Tau and Saigon, no problems, cheaper than Thailand and no hassles with Imm and the BIB,

[Canuckabroad]

8 hours ago, Darkside Gray said:

Tet in Vietnam is a night mare would steer well clear most expats depart for other locations.

 

District 1 in Ho Chi Minh seems to get deserted during the Tet, with many people visiting their hometowns.  Transportation in and out of the city is crowded but (if I remember correctly) the accommodations in the city are less booked than usual.  Overall it might be a good time to visit if you want to get away from the crowds.  Businesses and restaurants in D1 will still be running, though in other parts of the city there might be closures.  There will always be activity in the Japanese enclaves in the north or the backpacker and market areas in the south.

[Lacessit]

On 1/24/2019 at 8:31 AM, Darkside Gray said:

Many Vets quiet happily living in Vietnam many in Vung Tau and Saigon, no problems, cheaper than Thailand and no hassles with Imm and the BIB,

The Vietnamese seem to have more self-confidence than the Thais, possibly because they took on the premier military power in the world and won. And they've given the Chinese a bit of a touch-up as well.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the comparative dearth of police checkpoints compared to Thailand.

[MuuKondiao]

4 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Vietnamese seem to have more self-confidence than the Thais, possibly because they took on the premier military power in the world and won. And they've given the Chinese a bit of a touch-up as well.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the comparative dearth of police checkpoints compared to Thailand.

Lacessit you need to get some sanity in your world.

The Vietnamese lost the war to the communists because the Viet Cong murdered millions of common people, assassinated villages leaders, recruited boys out of villages to go down to South Viet Nam to murder and rape civilians and steal food from them, while the communists raped their mothers and wives in North Viet Nam.

... until the world's policeman gave up the effort to prop up the South Vietnamese. The Vietnamese communists did not win one g*dd*amn battle against us. The South Vietnamese military folded and when the NVA marched towards Saigon. Then they  mass-murdered all of the Hmong people they could get ahold of and sent the South Vietnamese veterans into concentration camps to be re-educated to believe the trash that people like you spout out still. They dispossessed a lot of the Catholics and destroyed the right of the Hoa Hao to practice their religion. Then they caused mass-starvation by the collectivization projects to bring true communism to the people - plans that have never worked anywhere in the world that they have been tried.

And they caused millions more to flee their homelands to die in the seas or be taken in by more enlightened countries.

If they have confidence it does not have anything to do with ever having won any war. Since their takeover they have degraded and imprisoned any people who have dared to speak the truth.

I don't care if you hate the United States but it infuriates me that you people still talk this trash after all the horror that these tyrants have brought down on the world. Where have you been that you learned nothing from all the history of South East Asia since 1975.

If the Vietnamese people have confidence that is a fine thing.

But for you to tie this to your illusion of them having won a war is just insane. 

[j8k]

Stop talking about the American war! That is not relevant to my question.

 

I am thinking of going to Korat. I want to go to Chiang Mai but guess it will be infested with a billion uncouth vermin from the north, spitting everywhere and badly behaving.

 

Someone should make a travel guide based on where Chinese cannot travel to so easily - I guess anywhere with visa free travel should be excluded.

[Lacessit]

11 hours ago, MuuKondiao said:

Lacessit you need to get some sanity in your world.

The Vietnamese lost the war to the communists because the Viet Cong murdered millions of common people, assassinated villages leaders, recruited boys out of villages to go down to South Viet Nam to murder and rape civilians and steal food from them, while the communists raped their mothers and wives in North Viet Nam.

... until the world's policeman gave up the effort to prop up the South Vietnamese. The Vietnamese communists did not win one g*dd*amn battle against us. The South Vietnamese military folded and when the NVA marched towards Saigon. Then they  mass-murdered all of the Hmong people they could get ahold of and sent the South Vietnamese veterans into concentration camps to be re-educated to believe the trash that people like you spout out still. They dispossessed a lot of the Catholics and destroyed the right of the Hoa Hao to practice their religion. Then they caused mass-starvation by the collectivization projects to bring true communism to the people - plans that have never worked anywhere in the world that they have been tried.

And they caused millions more to flee their homelands to die in the seas or be taken in by more enlightened countries.

If they have confidence it does not have anything to do with ever having won any war. Since their takeover they have degraded and imprisoned any people who have dared to speak the truth.

I don't care if you hate the United States but it infuriates me that you people still talk this trash after all the horror that these tyrants have brought down on the world. Where have you been that you learned nothing from all the history of South East Asia since 1975.

If the Vietnamese people have confidence that is a fine thing.

But for you to tie this to your illusion of them having won a war is just insane. 

I'm a pragmatist. If you want to deal with the Vietnam War in emotional terms, that's your choice. I was just pleased I missed the draft for that war in Australia ( too old ), because even then I did not think the US had any business being there, propping up a corrupt regime.

I don't hate the USA. I've been there many times. However, it has a bad habit of interfering in other nations in the name of freedom. In most cases, it's not freedom but pursuit of self-interest. All countries do it.

The Vietnamese didn't win the war? Those scenes of helicopters taking off from the roof of the American Embassy or being pushed off aircraft carriers were photoshopped? They won the war in Vietnam, and they won the war of public opinion in America. Saying they never defeated American soldiers is simplistic.

As an Australian, I am not comfortable with the blood and treasure Australia has spent in supporting America in its military adventures. Australia has made itself a nuclear target on America's behalf, with Pine Gap and the North West Cape bases - which, incidentally, are sovereign US property. Some gratitude would be nice. Sorry, off topic.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2019 by Lacessit

[Aussieroaming]

On 1/23/2019 at 7:52 PM, MuuKondiao said:

I am a little surprised you spent so much time in SE Asia. I would have re-upped in 'Nam after one tour in 1970, but  - the paper work was too much trouble ? for someone .... they were downsizing the Corps, sent me to Camp Pendleton for early Release - non-essential MOS - I was a grunt 0311.

Didn't make it to Thailand until 2009. Then back in 2011-2014 and this January.

So can you tell me anything about Viet Nam now? How much trouble to get there. ? from LOS? 

I still remember some of  the language from the language school in Monterey.

What about medical care/health of ex-pats/veterans there? Getting DL? Anything to add?

I worked near Hanoi and it was well worth it. DL was just a case of showing my license and getting a Viet 12 month one. No rip offs that I noticed anyway and no negativity about the Vietnam war.