Where Next?

[ittybittybobcat]

OK, so after 9 months here (9 great months!) it's time for me to move on. I'm feeling the call of the wild, (well, sort of) like it's time to kick up my old heels, board a train and go on a new adventure. I like staying in places for extended periods of time, but never outstaying my welcome. The thing is, after Chiang Mai, I've no idea where to go next! I feel as though I've been spoiled, by the ease of life here!

What I'm looking for is a 'Chiang Mai' in the mountains, or a 'Chiang Mai' by the sea. A place with all the comforts and ease (and cheapness of Chiang Mai!) but in a more natural environment. A place where you have a variety of restaurants, wifi, comfortable accommodation that is secure and reasonably priced no beach shacks thanks!). Not too much hastle with visas, and a populace with a fairly reasonable grasp of English. It would also have less concrete and exhaust fumes than chiang mai; a reason perhaps, for my need to move.

Oh, and it can't be in Thailand. (I know I could probably find what I'm looking for in Pai, or Mae Hong Son or Nan - but I don't like to get stuck in a country too long. Variety being the spice of life and all that). I'm keen to experience all that Asia has to offer, and don't want to see out the rest of my days here in Thailand just yet!

In thinking about other locations I figured it would be fun to find out what other people's recommendations are. I realize that everyone is going to have a different idea of paradise, but what I'm looking for are those special places - you know the type of place, somewhere you can get stuck in for a few months, a hidden gem of a place that has it all. Having been so comfortable here in Chiang Mai, makes finding those other places all the more difficult! Bali would be an obvious contender – except I've been there. So I'm now thinking further afield – the rest of Indonesia? Malaysia? India?

So, recommendations on a postcard, and please, don't just say, just jump on a bloody train and find out for yourself! I'm just interested in hearing about other places, that's all. In places that are charming, cheap, easy, and one of those hidden gems that you can easily get stuck in.

Thank you

[thaimiller]

Vientiane in loa

[SamSipEt]

Best of luck on your travels and where ever you end up please do revisit this post and let us know where it is and how it compares

[papajohn]

Hi Itty, I, like you, get itchy feet too. Been living and loving CM now for 2 years, I have been able to satisfy my travel needs by motorcycle all over the North and enjoyed every minute. Took the slow boat to Luang Prabang, Laos, nice little town but 3 days was enough. Did not make it to Vientiane so no comment.

You say you are here 9 months, that tells me you missed " Loy Krathong Festival" in November.

I suggest you stay put until you have been here to

experience it. A whole week of happiness and the flower floats parade down Thae Phae Road for 4 nights in a row are not to be missed. Then you walk to the Mae Ping River where the Krathongs are floated with the candles to light up the river. The night sky is filled with big lanterns sent aloft by people all around CM. Sorry I sound like a TAT

promo. Just don't want you to miss a cultural event

that makes Thailand so endearing. I wish you the best in your wanderings and exploring other cultures.

To answer your question, I have been looking at Cebu in the Phillipines as a fall back position. Much

info if you google it. Happy Trails to you.

[nicksal37]

Hi Itty you must stay and see Loy Krathong Festival in November.To see the Krathongs floating down the Mae Ping River is a sight you will never foget.

[gpdjohn]

Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Seems to have everything that CM does except for mountains.

That's where I'll go next.

[papajohn]

Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Seems to have everything that CM does except for mountains.

That's where I'll go next.

Hi John, I know you visited Nam recently can you tell us more about Vung Tau. Being a communist

country I may be wrong in excluding it from my list of places to visit or live. Is it North or South,

is the weather as nice, do they have internet connection. I have met many Viet ladies so no need to get

into that . Please tell us more.

[papajohn]

Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Seems to have everything that CM does except for mountains.

That's where I'll go next.

Hi John, I know you visited Nam recently can you tell us more about Vung Tau. Being a communist

country I may be wrong in excluding it from my list of places to visit or live. Is it North or South,

is the weather as nice, do they have internet connection. I have met many Viet ladies so no need to get

into that . Please tell us more.

[bunta71]

Dumaguete,Negros ,Philippines. Two hours by fast modern ferry,German made, from Cebu City. College town serving much of the Visayan Islands. Ex-pat community.Fairly clean compared to most places in the P.I.

[Ajarn]

Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.

Lived there for a year. Lovely people- and no farangs!

[gpdjohn]

Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Seems to have everything that CM does except for mountains.

That's where I'll go next.

Hi John, I know you visited Nam recently can you tell us more about Vung Tau. Being a communist

country I may be wrong in excluding it from my list of places to visit or live. Is it North or South,

is the weather as nice, do they have internet connection. I have met many Viet ladies so no need to get

into that . Please tell us more.

Hey PJ,

Other than in the airport, I never noticed it was communist. The VN Immigration guy was very grim faced & hard nosed but seemed to like me just fine, but sure didn't like a surfer looking Aussie dude who was in line next to me...

Weather seemed as nice as here with an ocean breeze all day long. Cable TV is from Thailand but it seems the internet is more shall I say on par with the west than compared to here. ( TH )

Shopping malls, good eats, and alittle south of HCMC ( Saigon )

I found the people friendly compared to my last visit when it was RVN, but was told they do not see many Americans, just Aussie's mostly ( VT was a large Aussie military area back in the day..)

Housing is plentlyful and it seems they are building more as we speak.

It is the "oil city" for southern Vietnam. Weekends it fills up with Saigonese escaping the city.

Funny seeing the old Ford M151A Jeeps that we left are still being used by the police there ( and they seem to be in better shape than when we had them now, almost 40 yrs later )

The wife liked Saigon much better, maybe it's because all the Viets thought she was VN as well, but I could easily live there, and just might one day.

A picture of "Front Beach" from my hotel room at the Rex.

[dingdongrb]

A picture of "Front Beach" from my hotel room at the Rex.

"Front Beach"??? Must just be the name as from the picture all I see is concrete.

[gpdjohn]

A picture of "Front Beach" from my hotel room at the Rex.

"Front Beach"??? Must just be the name as from the picture all I see is concrete.

Seems to be some water in the picture as well... you might want to see an eye Doc 'bout this condition you have.

The other side of the mountain ( hill ) is "Back Beach", this is where the waves and sand are.

The silver colored buildings in the pic is where the hydrofoil piers are. Takes around 40 minutes from Saigon...2+ hrs. by road.

[dingdongrb]

A picture of "Front Beach" from my hotel room at the Rex.

"Front Beach"??? Must just be the name as from the picture all I see is concrete.

Seems to be some water in the picture as well... you might want to see an eye Doc 'bout this condition you have.

The other side of the mountain ( hill ) is "Back Beach", this is where the waves and sand are.

The silver colored buildings in the pic is where the hydrofoil piers are. Takes around 40 minutes from Saigon...2+ hrs. by road.

Sorry, I don’t need glasses as your picture is pretty evident there is no beach shown as well as my and Wikipedia’s definition of a ‘beach’:

From Wikipedia:

A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of a body of water. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, or cobble.

I guess if you want to get technical concrete is sand and gravel.

So, in summary since the ‘beach’ is behind the hill I need some of those glasses that you wear, x-ray that allows one to look through things even if they are in a picture.

[Ulysses G.]

A picture of "Front Beach" from my hotel room at the Rex.

"Front Beach"??? Must just be the name as from the picture all I see is concrete.

Seems to be some water in the picture as well... you might want to see an eye Doc 'bout this condition you have.

Don't forget alll those green things. We call them trees.

[dingdongrb]

Here's a picture of a beach because there is water.....hmmmmmm

[gpdjohn]

A picture of "Front Beach" from my hotel room at the Rex.

"Front Beach"??? Must just be the name as from the picture all I see is concrete.

so, in summary since the 'beach' is behind the hill I need some of those glasses that you wear, x-ray that allows one to look through things even if they are in a picture.

Well, never say I won't help out a friend.

Here's a coupon to order some.

[gpdjohn]

Now here's a real picture of a great big beach..

[Ulysses G.]

Mad Cow for sure!

[jaideeguy]

Back to the OP....a place like CM, but different??/

I spent 5 yrs in Baguio City, Philippines. Beautiful climate as it's 2,000 mtrs above sealevel, yet only a half hour to the beach. Lots like CM, but with a Filipino flavor....the vegetable bowl of the country with many cool weather veges being grown there.

Like Chiang Mai, it's the 'summer capital' of the Philippines. Worth considering....

[all4one]

I enjoy Songkhla in the South but I know I'll get flamed about the security situation dow there...Its near Malaysian border so good to nip over and get away for a week down to Kuantan or similar, Hat Yai for shopping and no end of deserted beaches. Most of the Expats in Songkhla are oil workers most seem ok.

Bali - my fav place is Padang Bay...could live for an extended period no problem and its kind on the funds...

Java - Pangandaran, is also ok you'd miss your essentials though.

Personally I'd forget Laos - too many hippy types for my liking.

My choice would probaly be CM for 6 months (during that nice weather period) and Bali for 6 months....one can dream :-)

[RoastLamb]

Yangshuo, China. For me, that's the only place in Asia that comes close to Chiang Mai. If it's natural scenery you want, this place has got it in breathtaking bucket loads. It's truly majestic. Many Chinese go there specifically to learn English, so no problems with the language. Lots of foriengers there teaching English and lots of Chinese on holiday make for quite a vibrant atmosphere. But it is China, so the days don't drift by quite as easily as they do in Chiang Mai, and you'll probably have to have something specific to do to avoid getting bored.

Here's a pic: http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m246/mi...FromTvTower.jpg

There's more to it than that, the town kind of weaves its way through the peaks.

Edited August 31, 2008 by RoastLamb

[mogoso]

Now here's a real picture of a great big beach..

thanks a pant load, now I'll have nightmares for weeks to come.

[bunta71]

Back to the OP....a place like CM, but different??/

I spent 5 yrs in Baguio City, Philippines. Beautiful climate as it's 2,000 mtrs above sealevel, yet only a half hour to the beach. Lots like CM, but with a Filipino flavor....the vegetable bowl of the country with many cool weather veges being grown there.

Like Chiang Mai, it's the 'summer capital' of the Philippines. Worth considering....

what beach is within 30 minutes of Baguio?

[Steve2UK]

Back to the OP....a place like CM, but different??/

I spent 5 yrs in Baguio City, Philippines. Beautiful climate as it's 2,000 mtrs above sealevel, yet only a half hour to the beach. Lots like CM, but with a Filipino flavor....the vegetable bowl of the country with many cool weather veges being grown there.

Like Chiang Mai, it's the 'summer capital' of the Philippines. Worth considering....

what beach is within 30 minutes of Baguio?

I loved Baguio (just a few days' stay there after the 6-7 hour bus haul from Manila) - but was also puzzled by the mention of it being so close to a beach . So, I did some digging and, lo and behold, it turns out Baguio is only 30 km (admittedly a winding mountain road) from Bauang, La Union.

"La Union and in particular the Bauang beach is a popular destination for tourists. Ideally located to take a trip up to Baguio City as well (1 hour)"

http://www.singletravel.com/phil_faq/launion.htm

So, if you're used to driving Filipino-style (and 5 years would probably give you that?) - maybe "a half hour to the beach" isn't so off-the-mark? For sure, a lot closer to a beach than we are in CM!

[blue eyes]

Hi Itty you must stay and see Loy Krathong Festival in November.To see the Krathongs floating down the Mae Ping River is a sight you will never foget.

You are right about that!!As you will see by the photo,what we have is a bunch of"poor"people stealing the money that was placed in the katongs for good luck.These guys are nothing but theives.Why do I say this?Because I have watched people that have put their katongs in the water and followed them down the river to see these theives steal the money.They will say that that is their katong and to please leave it alone.But no the theives will still push them together to steal the money.Well so is life.

But you really must stay for Loy Katong.The parade on the land is the longest parade that I have ever seen.The water parade on the river is relly a sight to see.Good luck with your travels.

[ollylama]

this is a great thread, by the way. even just for people who want to take a sabbatical somewhere - not just for a week or so but a few months or even just a month. i've always appreciated the "chiang mais" of other countries.

one in particular that appealed to me in 2000-2001 was granada in spain. however, i'm sure it's much more expensive now. back then i had a cool little apartment in the albaicin (the moorish ancient part of town) for five US a night. really cool university town with lots of cafes and nice hikes in the nearby hills. only an hour by bus from the beach. the gypsy/flamenco culture was really amazing as well. you could practically drink for free every night because bars near the main plaza gave out free coupons for sangria and beer to get you to come in. plus you got free tapas with your drink.

not sure if it's still the same, but worth checking into for those looking for a little chiang mai in europe. of course, it's quite cold in the winter.

ubud in bali, despite its growing commercialization still has a vibrant expat community and is famously beautiful. i'm curious what lake toba in sumatra is like these days - haven't heard anything about it for ages.

[papajohn]

Yangshuo, China. For me, that's the only place in Asia that comes close to Chiang Mai. If it's natural scenery you want, this place has got it in breathtaking bucket loads. It's truly majestic. Many Chinese go there specifically to learn English, so no problems with the language. Lots of foriengers there teaching English and lots of Chinese on holiday make for quite a vibrant atmosphere. But it is China, so the days don't drift by quite as easily as they do in Chiang Mai, and you'll probably have to have something specific to do to avoid getting bored.

Here's a pic: http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m246/mi...FromTvTower.jpg

There's more to it than that, the town kind of weaves its way through the peaks.

Sweet looking town, thanks for photo. I will add to places on my dream list

What is the best way to get there from CM ? The part about the English schools

is interesting, did you teach there? I visited Ghuanzhoe ( Canton) last year with my Chinese friend and liked it. Even in that big city a Quilow (sp), farang, is a rare thing.

The Chinese are very nice and hospitable people. Good food too ! Thanks for the info