Kicking the tyres: A quick (limited) guide to travel in Asia for Indians - part 1
Having lived in Singapore for 4 years, I was fortunate enough to explore a number of countries around. This is my shoot-from-the hip view of my travels. I've broken it down into 4 sections: i. general overview ii. summary iii. rankings (blog post 2) iv. comparisons (blog post 2)
General Overview:
Visa on arrival: Enough has been said about the complete lack of inability of Indians to travel freely without the need for extensive visa procedures (being grouped with countries referred lovingly as the Axis of Evil). Towards this, please note
1. Countries with No Visa Reqs/ Visa on arrival (AFAIK):
a. Hong Kong
b. Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Gili Islands)
c. Thailand (Krabi, Bangkok, Phuket)
2. Countries with online visa procedures
a. Cambodia (Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh)
b. Vietnam (Hanoi, Tamcoc) //inputs taken from parents
3. Countries where you need to visit the consulate
a. Philippines (unless you already have a Singapore visa-then you can enter at Manila with no issue): Bohol, Coron, Cebu
b. Singapore
Summary:
1. Hong Kong: City destination with a bit of everything (Disneyland, Cityscape, Nightlife, Trekking)
2. Bali: Beach+Culture+Nature getaway. Kuta (beaches+nightlife), Ubud (cultural villages), Lombok (nearby island with good beaches)
3. Krabi: small seaside town good for a quiet get-away. Good resorts and rock-climbing. Not as crowded as Bali
4. Bangkok: Crowded, Shopping & Food destination (not a fan since I'm more veg than non-veg)
5. Siem Reap: Home of the famous Angkor wat (beautiful - once a lifetime visit) + Pub Street (Beer at a dollar)
6. Battambang: Small unique beautiful town - getting here is a nightmare night bus ride - european influence in the architecture pervades
7. Phnom Penh: Can be skipped. Tragic war museum
8. Hanoi/Halong Bay/Tamcoc: Developing country- urban city. Can be skipped as a destination. As base for Halong Bay (beautiful bay) and Tamcoc (limestone rocks rising out of the inland lake)- worth it.
9. Bohol: Absolutely must visit (can get as low as 6000rs return from Singapore via tiger/jet*). Unique combination of Chocolate hills, beaches, Hinagdan caves, Twin waterfalls
10. Coron: Beautiful virgin island having lagoons and lakes which are straight out of the movies. Can be skipped if doing Bohol as well (since Coron-Cebu-Bohol airfare is a bit expensive).
11. Mount Bromo: Absolutely gorgeous volcano (views) and surroundings. Tellytubby hills and Sea of sand are unique
12. Singapore: City destination with a bit less swagger than Hong Kong. More organized and westernized.
Bromo Pics..
General Overview:
Visa on arrival: Enough has been said about the complete lack of inability of Indians to travel freely without the need for extensive visa procedures (being grouped with countries referred lovingly as the Axis of Evil). Towards this, please note
1. Countries with No Visa Reqs/ Visa on arrival (AFAIK):
a. Hong Kong
b. Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Gili Islands)
c. Thailand (Krabi, Bangkok, Phuket)
2. Countries with online visa procedures
a. Cambodia (Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh)
b. Vietnam (Hanoi, Tamcoc) //inputs taken from parents
3. Countries where you need to visit the consulate
a. Philippines (unless you already have a Singapore visa-then you can enter at Manila with no issue): Bohol, Coron, Cebu
b. Singapore
Summary:
1. Hong Kong: City destination with a bit of everything (Disneyland, Cityscape, Nightlife, Trekking)
2. Bali: Beach+Culture+Nature getaway. Kuta (beaches+nightlife), Ubud (cultural villages), Lombok (nearby island with good beaches)
3. Krabi: small seaside town good for a quiet get-away. Good resorts and rock-climbing. Not as crowded as Bali
4. Bangkok: Crowded, Shopping & Food destination (not a fan since I'm more veg than non-veg)
5. Siem Reap: Home of the famous Angkor wat (beautiful - once a lifetime visit) + Pub Street (Beer at a dollar)
6. Battambang: Small unique beautiful town - getting here is a nightmare night bus ride - european influence in the architecture pervades
7. Phnom Penh: Can be skipped. Tragic war museum
8. Hanoi/Halong Bay/Tamcoc: Developing country- urban city. Can be skipped as a destination. As base for Halong Bay (beautiful bay) and Tamcoc (limestone rocks rising out of the inland lake)- worth it.
9. Bohol: Absolutely must visit (can get as low as 6000rs return from Singapore via tiger/jet*). Unique combination of Chocolate hills, beaches, Hinagdan caves, Twin waterfalls
10. Coron: Beautiful virgin island having lagoons and lakes which are straight out of the movies. Can be skipped if doing Bohol as well (since Coron-Cebu-Bohol airfare is a bit expensive).
11. Mount Bromo: Absolutely gorgeous volcano (views) and surroundings. Tellytubby hills and Sea of sand are unique
12. Singapore: City destination with a bit less swagger than Hong Kong. More organized and westernized.
Bromo Pics..
Sea of Sand
Bromo Caldera
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