Recommendations for a visa run / mini-holiday

[greenerphuket]

I will be soon finishing my nearly 10-year "work experience" here in Thailand and I want to take a few months off to just rest and relax. As far as I understand my non-b visa will go with the job and work permit so I will have to go and get a tourist visa for the rest of my stay. One entry will be enough.

I have been to KL quite a few times and don't want to go to Penang. Any recommendations for a good 4-5 day trip to get visa and see some sights? I'd like it to be..

- Easy to sort out the visa at the embassy/consulate

- Interesting city

- Reasonable travel time

- Reasonable prices at the destination

- Fly directly from Phuket if possible

Has anyone been to Taiwan for a tourist visa, is it easy to do there?

[ubonjoe]

It has been awhile since there has been a report for Taipei. There is one from 2011 here: Latest Reports Of Getting A Visa In The Region

Bali is an option. The honorary consulate there has been reported as being friendly.

[Mister Fixit]

Singapore is a great place to visit. I can't speak for the ease of getting a visa there, sorry.

If you only want a single-entry tourist, should be easy.

Anyone know otherwise?

[ubonjoe]

Singapore might not do a tourist visa because he has been here on an extension. They have been turning people away with previous tourist visas and visa exempt entries.

Singapore is not on my recommended location list for visas.

[phuketrichard]

Myanmar

but need fly via Bangkok but its Cheap on air asia ( around 7-8,000 baht)

Pre approved VOA

Phnom Phen is same cost and use an agent to get visa

VOA

Both are great for 4 days

[Altalake]

Taiwan? Dreadful place.

If you are thinking of going all hat way, why not Hong Kong? Fits the bill for what you say you want - tho' it is very costly.

[alex8912]

I would go to Hanoi but don't know if you could get a visa in Phuket. Great architecture, cheap to fly to and reasonable priced hotels and cheap beer. Nice food too.

[spidermike007]

Myanmar

but need fly via Bangkok but its Cheap on air asia ( around 7-8,000 baht)

Pre approved VOA

Phnom Phen is same cost and use an agent to get visa

VOA

Both are great for 4 days

Difference being phnom phen is reasonable once you are there. Burma has become quite expensive.

[phuketrichard]

been twice to Mandalay and the area last year and hotels are a bit more ( well high season a lot more)

just back from PP a few days ago and its easy to get by on less than $40/day for food, accom and fun.

[Travelighlty]

I would go to Hanoi but don't know if you could get a visa in Phuket. Great architecture, cheap to fly to and reasonable priced hotels and cheap beer. Nice food too.

Do a VN visa online. Inexpensive visa. Then you do a checkin in Hanoi where you finish the paperwork. No fuss, no muss.

[sikishrory]

Greenerphuket I am in pretty much the exact situation as you. I just finishing 3 years of work on non b and need to switch to tourist visa. I want to travel to vietnam and cambodia but cannot understand how to get around the proof of onward travel when i come back into thailand. I found a visa run that can get me the tourist visa in penang and get me back to thailand without the proof of onward travel but actually i would really rather go by air similar to you. Only doing the penang visarun as i see no other way.

May i ask how you are dealing with this problem? I feel like I am missing something. There are 1000s of people doing this sort of stuff, i'm sure they don't all have there ticket home booked and paid for

[Tboy928]

Bali was amazing good guy running consulate ,, he had closed door and was on way to lunch when came there,, and turn around and open when i came, fill out papers and all ok, but you not get Visa back day after,take 2 til 3 days i think. but is long flight Phuket ,singapore, so bali usually.. Kambodja is cheap, half the prices of Thailand ,and frendly people..

[ubonjoe]

Greenerphuket I am in pretty much the exact situation as you. I just finishing 3 years of work on non b and need to switch to tourist visa. I want to travel to vietnam and cambodia but cannot understand how to get around the proof of onward travel when i come back into thailand. I found a visa run that can get me the tourist visa in penang and get me back to thailand without the proof of onward travel but actually i would really rather go by air similar to you. Only doing the penang visarun as i see no other way.

May i ask how you are dealing with this problem? I feel like I am missing something. There are 1000s of people doing this sort of stuff, i'm sure they don't all have there ticket home booked and paid for

If you have a visa of any kind you do not need proof of onward travel for entry to the country nor to check in for your flight.

Some embassies and consulates want a ticket out of the country for each entry of the visa. None of those in the neighboring countries ask for them (maybe Cambodia).