Where would you go instead of CM?

[Percy Penguin]

I'm changing my plans a bit in light of all the stories about visa problems. I need somewhere to bounce to to cut my time in CM. I'm torn between Siem Reap, Hanoi and Vientiane. I know Hanoi a bit but what about Vientiane and SR? Can anyone give me an idea of how they compare to CM, especially in terms of bars, food and massage? I like chilled out bars. If there are bar girls, all well and good, but the pushy ones are just annoying. When I go for a massage I like to chat. In Vientiane they will speak Thai - in SR will I get 'sorry me English little'?

[MickeyMaow]

Sounds like you’re sexpat so Phnom Penh would probably be the best place for you.

[Percy Penguin]

Never mind, I'll just visit them and see.

[BritManToo]

Hanoi (was there last weekend) is a bit too 'uptight' for me.

Siem Reap is great, has cheap beer, naughty massage, freelancers, cannabis, but is a hot as hell in the summer.

My pals all ended up in Phnom Penh, plenty of cheap beer and bar girls, and the river walk is nice in the morning and evening.

Most of the girls I encountered in SR and PP spoke pretty good English, I met a really nice one in PP.

Food was generally far better than CM, as a bonus good Indian restaurants in both places.

All the same Thai dishes but they make them with less chillis, and more coconut milk and peanuts.

Edited October 13, 2019 by BritManToo

[donnacha]

I don't think you need to worry too much about visa problems if you are flying into Chiang Mai. The vast majority of problems reported here are occurring at Don Mueang and certain notorious land borders.

It sounds as if you have the necessary finances to move around Asia a bit, so, you're in a lucky category, it should be fairly clear to airport IOs and consulate staff that you are not trying to live full-time in Thailand on tourist visas.

I like CM but would not particularly rate it in terms of bars. You say you like "laid back bars" but, frankly, the scene in CM has strayed far beyond "laid back" and solidly into the territory of "boring".

What CM was good for was as a place to network with other remote workers. I'm not confident it will continue to be so good, there is a chance that the visa situation will suck the momentum out of that.

As most people are aware, the 4-month haze season means that CM is not somewhere you can live year-round anyway, so, good that you are checking out the alternatives. Personally, I am reassessing the Philippines. It has its minuses, it certainly isn't a direct replacement for Thailand, but I figure it might be a long-term option in a way that Laos, Burma, Cambodia can never really be.

Vietnam I'm also not so sure, in terms of how the government may react towards foreigners in the future. I was certainly impressed by aspects of it, and most of the people are friendly, but there is an undertone of hostility from some of the younger guys. My Rambo t-shirt seemed to cause a certain amount of tension.

I am also looking at Malaysia and Indonesia (i.e. the main islands, not Bali). Malaysia appears to be quite expensive, especially if you want to retire there. A friend was recently in Indonesia for a few months and found it to be very good value. Online dating is pretty wild, precisely because there are so few whites there. He sent me photos of some of the girls he bedded and I was impressed. It also appears, according to my friend, that Muslim girls have a lot of sexual anxiety they need to work out.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2019 by donnacha

[sfokevin]

You might try posting this question in the Pattaya forum... Most of the Chiang Mai forum member are not here looking for a chatty masseuse... 

Edited October 13, 2019 by sfokevin

[DLock]

2 hours ago, sfokevin said:

You might try posting this question in the Pattaya forum... Most of the Chiang Mai forum member are not here looking for a chatty masseuse... 

 

"Chatty masseuse"...you phrased that much better than I would have.

[tabarin]

Forget about Vientiane, you will get bored within weeks. Cambodia might be the easiest, with Phnom Penh leading in P4P girls (in similar ways as Thailand). 
If you want to split time and easy to get or pay for girls matter, Philippines is gonna be your best friend. 

Otherwise I would go to Vietnam for sure (direct flight Hanoi too), pretty much sure, the more time you spend there, the more fun girls / places you find too.

OR if you don't care to move every other month during the break of Thailand, you could visit each place for a month without getting bored / annoyed, 
in that case you could easily bring a Thai girl with you too.

Edited October 13, 2019 by tabarin

[4737 Carlin]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Food was generally far better than CM

Cambodian food is better than Thai ? ???? Are you sure you've been there?

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, 4737 Carlin said:

Cambodian food is better than Thai ? ???? Are you sure you've been there?

I was there in January and April this year, food was great, managed an Indian dinner almost every day.

[CharlieH]

posts removed. This is NOT an adult only forum. If you wish to discuss such things do it in the pub and not as graphic or specific.

[malibukid]

try KL

[sunnyboy2018]

4 hours ago, sfokevin said:

You might try posting this question in the Pattaya forum... Most of the Chiang Mai forum member are not here looking for a chatty masseuse... 

You speak for your self!  The CM forum needs some red bloodied men with appetites for more than a cheap bottle of beer! Make CM great again!

[Moon6966]

Siem reap is nicer then phnom pen cheaper then phnom pen
And have I believe from experience everything
Phnom pen is dirty city
Sr much nicer calmer good cheap food everywhere
I don't see same in pp
And English is no problem

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[scubascuba3]

Siem reap is nicer then phnom pen cheaper then phnom pen
And have I believe from experience everything
Phnom pen is dirty city
Sr much nicer calmer good cheap food everywhere
I don't see same in pp
And English is no problem

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

but can you live in siem reap without getting bored after a week?

[sunnyboy2018]

13 hours ago, MickeyMaow said:

Sounds like you’re sexpat so Phnom Penh would probably be the best place for you.

Somebody is not reallly defined as a sex pat just because they want a sex life surely. Unless of course the term is an attempt at a slur by someone with a moral agenda. I travel around Thailand,  visit temples, festivals, areas of natural beauty, visit cities and enjoy the girls and the night life.  That does not make me a sexpat.....just a normal man. Those who forego pleasures of the flesh, especially those who label people are really missing out on one of the main advantages of living in Thailand. They are often repressed by experiences in childhood abd are crusaders for evangelical extremists. The prevalence of such people is perhaps why CM is so boring and has such a thriving gay scene. Its possibly the most repressed, locked down, oppressive city in Thailand.

[Tropposurfer]

areas around Da Nang are beaut, beachers are good, even some waves of sorts occasionally, sea air, sea breeze ???? 

[sanemax]

54 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

 Those who forego pleasures of the flesh, especially those who label people are really missing out on one of the main advantages of living in Thailand. They are often repressed by experiences in childhood abd are crusaders for evangelical extremists. The prevalence of such people is perhaps why CM is so boring and has such a thriving gay scene. Its possibly the most repressed, locked down, oppressive city in Thailand.

Although its not the actual sex, its the paying for it .

You seem to think that people who dont use prostitutes are celibate , impotent, gay, Religious , no money or  repressed in some way .

  Maybe it hasnt occurred to you that some people do participate without having to pay to participate ?

[scubascuba3]

Although its not the actual sex, its the paying for it .

You seem to think that people who dont use prostitutes are celibate , impotent, gay, Religious , no money or  repressed in some way .

  Maybe it hasnt occurred to you that some people do participate without having to pay to participate ?

usually you can tell who pays based on age, no way a 70yo is getting it for free

 

[emptypockets]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I was there in January and April this year, food was great, managed an Indian dinner almost every day.

What's the big deal about an Indian dinner in Cambodia? Or an Indian dinner generally?

genuine question as I'm not from the UK..5555

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

You speak for your self!  The CM forum needs some red bloodied men with appetites for more than a cheap bottle of beer! Make CM great again!

Once the insurance kicks in it will be.

[emptypockets]

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

usually you can tell who pays based on age, no way a 70yo is getting it for free

 

Especially not in the UK unless there is an Alzheimers patient in the old folks home.

[Puwa]

Ubud

[scubascuba3]

Ubud

What's Ubud like these days? much to do?

[Puwa]

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

17 minutes ago, Puwa said:

Ubud

What's Ubud like these days? much to do?

Haven't been in 5 years, but I always liked the vibe of the place. 

 

[Bill97]

What's Ubud like these days? much to do?

Chinese eating Mexican food.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[fhickson]

lived in cm, hanoi, siem reap, pp long term.

 

keep it short

 

like hanoi. affordable, great beer, great cafes and coffee, things to do in the daytime etc. every other woman is head spinning gorgeous, friendly, but difficult (to the point of frustration ????. nice living city where you dont feel like a tourist. low rents. great food. nice cooler weather. the dudes keep spitting and blowing snot while your trying to eat. hate viet dudes, and cant avoid them no matter how hard you try. im american btw.

 

siem reap

 

downer drinking city with tourists passing through. nothing to do. low life sexpat scene. easy to get laid. food sucks and lacks variety.

 

cm

 

pretty much just sucks these days. liked it when i lived there 5 years ago. could just be me needibg to move on.

 

vientiane

 

did not like the law about screwing local women. im american. forget it.

 

pp

 

really easy to get laid, but worries about what your catching ????. low rent sexpat scene. losers everywhere. nothing to do. food sucks. rats around if your wearing sandals. expats that truly suck balls and creeps around. trust no one.

 

hope it helps.

Edited October 14, 2019 by fhickson

[Percy Penguin]

Thanks all, good info. Sounds like both Hanoi and Siem Reap are worth a look.

On 10/13/2019 at 3:12 AM, donnacha said:

I don't think you need to worry too much about visa problems if you are flying into Chiang Mai. The vast majority of problems reported here are occurring at Don Mueang and certain notorious land borders.

It sounds as if you have the necessary finances to move around Asia a bit, so, you're in a lucky category, it should be fairly clear to airport IOs and consulate staff that you are not trying to live full-time in Thailand on tourist visas.

Yeah, I hope that's right, but you don't really know and I prefer to play it safe and spread the love a bit.

Quote

I am also looking at Malaysia and Indonesia (i.e. the main islands, not Bali). Malaysia appears to be quite expensive, especially if you want to retire there. A friend was recently in Indonesia for a few months and found it to be very good value. Online dating is pretty wild, precisely because there are so few whites there. He sent me photos of some of the girls he bedded and I was impressed. It also appears, according to my friend, that Muslim girls have a lot of sexual anxiety they need to work out.

I don't like Jakarta much - dirty, congested and not especially cheap. Can't comment on what it's like once you get out of the capital. I had a friend who worked in KL for a good few years and I went out quite a bit in that time. The booze is on the expensive side and there's not that much choice, but otherwise I'd say it caters for all budgets. I didn't meet that many Muslims there - mainly expats and Chinese Malaysians - but I've definitely been told that they're a lot more conservative than in Indonesia.

On 10/13/2019 at 1:32 AM, BritManToo said:

Hanoi (was there last weekend) is a bit too 'uptight' for me.

Siem Reap is great, has cheap beer, naughty massage, freelancers, cannabis, but is a hot as hell in the summer.

My pals all ended up in Phnom Penh, plenty of cheap beer and bar girls, and the river walk is nice in the morning and evening.

Most of the girls I encountered in SR and PP spoke pretty good English, I met a really nice one in PP.

Food was generally far better than CM, as a bonus good Indian restaurants in both places.

All the same Thai dishes but they make them with less chillis, and more coconut milk and peanuts.

Cheers, that's exactly what I wanted to know. Yeah the food is shocking in CM. The only decent Indian I have found is on one of the Sois off Loi Kroh. If you're going towards the old town I think it's the one on the left before No. 1 Belgian beer bar. Run by two old Pakistani-Thai women. It was a bit of a shack and not the cleanest place I've ever been to, but the food was really good. I know of a couple of places I've never tried but I'm jaded at this point. I'll get all excited and then be served something that tastes like Gandhi's flip flops.

[MickeyMaow]

On 10/13/2019 at 11:14 AM, sunnyboy2018 said:

Somebody is not reallly defined as a sex pat just because they want a sex life surely. Unless of course the term is an attempt at a slur by someone with a moral agenda. I travel around Thailand,  visit temples, festivals, areas of natural beauty, visit cities and enjoy the girls and the night life.  That does not make me a sexpat.....just a normal man. Those who forego pleasures of the flesh, especially those who label people are really missing out on one of the main advantages of living in Thailand. They are often repressed by experiences in childhood abd are crusaders for evangelical extremists. The prevalence of such people is perhaps why CM is so boring and has such a thriving gay scene. Its possibly the most repressed, locked down, oppressive city in Thailand.

 

Just to clarify “sexpat” would be an expatriate that pays a prostitute for sex. Also I wouldn’t say “normal men” roam south east Asia exploiting young women for their own sexual gratification. 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

What's the visa situation in Vietnam? easy to get a long term one?