Thailand - 35 days 4 Countries with only USD 750, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand

Here you go this is my last place before I head back to Malaysia

Here is the price from of the Guest house (if you read the previous part) I stay at Luang Prabang. From Laos Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai it cost 340,000 Kips (around 42USD) and the around plus 20 hours. This guest house transportation price is quite reasonable and might cheaper than outside agents (I had compared). Here is the important part you need to know, from Luang Prabang 5.00pm depart from guest house to the bus station (price included send you to bus station). After arriving at bus station, a 14 seat van will pick you up! and send you to border Huay Xin bus station. The van took 12 hours to reach Huay Xin bus station and most importantly is the road condition is totally out of my mind! it's not a road! sand road! bumpy like hell! I can't even sleep for awhile. After arriving to Huay Xin bus station around 6.00am, the van will just leave and change to bus to Chaing Mai. The bus to Chiang Mai departure time is 9.00am. From Huay Xin to Chiang Mai take around 6 hours.  

Here is the price list from Luang Prang to any place

After arriving to Chiang Mai bus station 3 which is a new bus station. Please don't take tuk-tuk which is hell expensive quote me from bus station to old town cost 130 Baht. I just take the Red Truck and tell him where you heading to, red truck, which cost me 30 Bath (just ask people where to take Songthaew).  It's quite far to town around 4km. Here the location of the bus station 3 - 18.800754, 99.017908

The picture taken from internet, Here is red truck "Songthaew"

In Chiang Mai, I stay at the Chiangmai Backpack House, which cost me 120 Baht per day. The room is shared with 6 people included me and it only has fan and not aircond. Moreover, it only has one toilet each floor, you're required to share with quite a lot of people. This guest house is convenient because you walk a short distance have a lot of hawker stall and during Saturday there is a night market.  Please remember to take a 3D maps at the counter for free. 

The location of the guest house - 18.780887, 98.990529

The location of the hawker stalls - 18.781334, 98.988179

Picture taken from internet. This is where exactly I stay.

I just stay at Chiang Mai for few days only because I need head to the farm stay. Farm stay it's quite famous in Chiang Mai, where the place let you learn in farmer way? There is few farm over there such as happy healing home, mindful farm and etc. Warning you need to ride a yellow truck and the journey around 3 hours and cost 150-200 Baht (Please refer to their website will guide you to take the yellow truck which once journey a day). Most of the people go to the mindful farm. It's quite cheap around 150 Baht to 300 Baht per day including meals and accommodation.  I stay there for a week and it only cost me 1050 Baht only (150 Baht/day).

Here is the website for the farm, visit if you interested (Remember to inform them before go to their farm as they need to prepare)

happy healing home - http://happyhealinghome.weebly.com/

mindful farm - http://www.mindfulfarmers.org/

But, I go to Karen farm which already stop taking candidates. 

Stay at Karen Farm for a week, I head back to Chiang Mai by yellow truck. After that I stay at Chiang Mai for 2 more days because I bought flight ticket (RM200 promotion price) back to Malaysia. From the hostel walk to Chiang Mai International Airport around 15 minutes. 

~THE END~

I HOPE MY BLOG WILL HELP THOSE TRAVEL.

IF HAVE ANY QUESTION YOU CAN E-MAIL TO black_pen@hotmail.my

Laos - 35 days 4 Countries with only USD 750, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand

Next location Laos - Luang Prabang

From Hanoi to Luang Prabang 27 hours, 750 kilometer distance, the ticket cost me 44USD 

Question in my mind, why transportation in Laos is freaking expensive? Because Laos government have special tax on FUEL! 

The bus departure time will be 5pm and arrive to Luang Prabang next day around 8-9pm. The bus will stop at Luang Prabang bus stop location from google map - 19.868529, 102.131750 . It's 3-4 kilometer to town. Once you arrive there have few tuk-tuk waiting for you. You can choose whether walk or pay for the tuk-tuk. The tuk-tuk will cost you 20,000 Kips to your hotel. 

*Beware that, last time I saw the tuk-tuk driver offer 2 Korean guy for 50,000 Kips.  

Last time I stayed at Kounsavan Guesthouse cost me 5.5USD per night included breakfast and free flow coffee and tea. Please not that, book in advance because if walk in might not get any bed or room. Location in google map - 19.887097, 102.133397

Hostel is very near to the night marker which open everyday! This night market mostly sell handmade cloths and accessories. Location in google map -  19.889496, 102.134036

In this night market not much sell foods but there are one street selling food all the way. Moreover, this market is famous with buffet economic rice cost 15,000 Kips per bowl.Location in Google map  - 19.890012, 102.134224

*The foods is all Vegetarian, if you want meats need to pay extra!  

You can fill the bowl to the max that she give you!

Other than that, start from morning until night there have a row of stalls sell Laos sandwich, crepe, and fruit blended. Cost of the sandwich and fruit blended around 10,000-20,000 Kips Location in Google map  - 19.889281, 102.133934

Picture taken from internet. Here the stalls open from morning to night

Here is some menu.

 Chicken Sandwich - 10,000 kips

Bacon Sandwich - 10,000 kips

Mango + Banana blended - 10,000 kips

Enough about foods! Now is the time to blog about what to do in Luang Prabang. In Luang Prabang, one of best place to visit is Kuang Si Waterfall. I booked transportation at hostel cost me 30,000 kips per person. There have 2 time, which is 11.30am or 1.30pm. The duration stay at the waterfall is 2 and a half hours.

If you feel expensive, you can ask around the tuk-tuk. They will bring you to the waterfall cost of the round trip is 200,000-300,000 kips. Tuk-tuk can sit 5-8 peoples. If you in a big group, I recommend you hire a tuk-tuk, which is cheaper.

From town to Kuang Si waterfall around 45 minutes.

Please note that
*The transportation doesn't include Kuang Si Waterfall the enterance fees 
*Entrance fees to Kuang Si Waterfall is 20,000 Kip (can purchase at the entrance)
*Entrance fees included bear rescue center and waterfalls
*you can swim at waterfall. Please bring along your swim suits (it provide a place to change the clothes)
*You can walk to top of the waterfall but it's tiring. There have left and right route, left route will be much more easier comapred to right one

Entrance of Kuang Si Waterfall

There have 2 way to waterfall, if you want visit the bear use the right route

BEAR!

Some information about the bear

People heading to the waterfall

Road to top of waterfall. This is right route which is harder to get to top

Top of the waterfall

A view from top of waterfall

A korean lady :)

Other than that, one of the famous temple is Phousi temple location at top of the mountain. You required to climb 300+ zigzag steps Since it's at top of the mountain, a perfect 360 degree panoramic view waiting for you! 

Take how long to climb to top of the mountain? The answer is 10-15 minutes. 

What is the best time to go to Phousi mount? Either sunrise or sunset. I choose go to Sunset around 5pm

Do Phousi mount have opening/closing time? No...there is no specific opening/closing time

*Entrance fees 20,000 Kips, the ticket can purchase at the entrance.

Where is the location of the entrance? Location from Google map -  19.891602, 102.136684 

The picture taken from internet. From far away you can see this

 The entrance is behind me.  You will see Royal Palace

Photo taken from internet. Here the staircase

 View from top of Mount Phousi

 View from top of Mount Phousi

A lot of people waiting for the sunset

Almost sunset

Here you go!

 Sunset

Nice hair lady with nice sunset

Next location is Thailand Chiang Mai (Home stay)

Vietnam 1/2 - 35 days 4 Countries with only USD 750, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)

It's a busy city..opps wait...The bus will stop at google map - 10.768422, 106.692728

First thing first, you must know how much Vietnam Dong = USD or RM to prevent overuse

HCMC is a busy city which a lot a lot a lof of motorcycles. The first things you must know how to cross the road! The motorcycle won't stop for you and you must walk slowly and avoid the motorcycle. If you really scare just follow some of the people trying to crossing the road and sooner you will used to it.

After arriving at the bus station (actually on the road side and it's a backpacker area). Try to walk around and ask whether have and available dormitory room, but on that day I walk 10 hostel 9 is full. So I have no choice and have to pay an expensive dormitory which cost me 7.5USD included breakfast

 Here the road for all the bus stop

 Motorcycle is so irritating

Here is the dorm cost me 7.5USD, totally not worth it so I won't tell the Hostel name

   Kebab outside of the hostel cost me 20k dong

After staying a day at the costly hostel, I decided to find another cheaper and nicer hostel. Just next of the street I found 6USD doesn't included, but the environment is much better then the previous hostel. This hostel uses electric lock which reception will give you a card as a key, even the elevator required the card. The name of the Hostel is The Eco Hostel and location Google map 10.768333, 106.693546

Note : This hostel doesn't provide towel, if you want towel can deposit 20,000 Dong for the towel and during checkout give back the towel to the reception to get back the 20,000 Dong

 Dormitory of the day

I feel very secure since it's not like other dormitory, this dormitory feel a lot more privacy   

4 Sharing toilet

 view from balcony

What to do in HCMC? There have a lot of shops selling the tour such as Chu Chi tunnel tour, Mekong tour or One day HCM tour which cost ranging around 80k dong to ___k dong. Before joining any tour you try to ask few shop and compare the price to avoid scams (some tour included lunch and some don't so need to ask what's included and don't) but mostly the price is almost the same. In HCMC I didn't to go Chu Chi Tunnel because kinda boring? I walk from my hostel to the War Remnants Musuem take me around 20min. I did go to the War Remnants Museum and the entrance fees is 20k dong. For me, it's quite worth it but it's didn't recommend to children because of aftermath war pictures. Here the Google location for War Remnants Museum - 10.779375, 106.692111

War Remnants Museum information you can get in their website : http://warremnantsmuseum.com/

*Please note that the opening hours.

Here is some pictures I took at the War Remnants Museum :-

Entrance of the War Remnants Museum

 Killing machine

 guess who..

 Gun used in Vietnam war

 Agent Orange

 war information

TANK

Here is some famous food in Vietnam, can find anywhere in HCMC

Pho Bo - Beef noodle soup cost ranging around 30k-60k Dong

Picture above is 55k Dong 

Banh Mi - Vietnam Sandwich price ranging around 10k-30k Dong 

Here is the important information about open bus ticket.

I did do some research on the open bus ticket in Vietnam, there has a lot of bus company operate such bus service. During the research you will see a lot of negative comment on a bus stop in the middle of the road and pick people into the bus and sleep on the narrow floor of the bus and so on. There has two reputable company bus, which is The Sinh Tourist and Hahn Cafe. After thinking for a while I go for The Sinh Tourist bus company which I didn't regret at all. Their service is superb and the bus driver is really drive safe average 40km/hr for sleeping bus and for seat bus is slightly faster half hours compared to the sleeping bus. 

There have few choices of the open bus ticket. The differences is the difference stop location. For example, some open bus ticket didn't stop at Mui Ne and some didn't stop in Da Nang and so on. I decided to buy an open bus ticket which has 6 stops from South to North. The price of the open bus ticket is depends on how many stops and the sleeping bus is more expensive compare to the seating bus. Each of the bus you seat they will provide a small bottle of water and a wet tissue, if you take sleeping bus they will give you additional blanket.

HCMC > Mui Ne > Nha Trang > Hoi An > Da Nang > Hue > Hanoi

*Important information - Before you purchase the open bus ticket you required to select the time (on 2nd picture). The date is advance 2 days to tell the branches on each station or you can call them up for make reservation to next destination. 

The staff told me need to do 2 day advance booking but sometimes I didn't do advance booking, just book on the day. It's depends on the availability of the seats.

Each of the places had The Sinh Tourist branches and they will stop at their branches. Or you can request to stop at the Hostel/Hotel before the Branches but you must tell the reception. Moreover, you required to check in 30 minutes before departure time.

 Here the open bus ticket receipt

864k Dong = RM150 = 41USD

This is the time of the bus and some information such as how long of the bus and either sleeping or seating bus

Isn't wondering how sleeping bus look like? Here you go

 Below 45 degree?

 Leg room

Scenery 

Next destination Mui Ne

From HCMC to Mui Ne, 5-6 hours 250kilometer distance

It's a lovely place which near to the beach and have a really hot sun (it's good for body tan). But this place dormitory comparatively more expensive to others Vietnam place. I had no idea why, maybe touristy? Once you arrive you will see a lot of western people topless for man and bikinis walk around. Other than that, a lot of western people rent a motorbike drive around too. It's a straight and long street. If you walk around the street a lot of Vietnam people rent their motorbike for a day (doesn't include fuel). 

Here the entrance of the backpacker. I did told the The Sinh Tourist receptionist stop here

Swimming pool outside the room.

4 mix dormitory

Breakfast not included cost me 25,000 Dong

Green Saigon beer cost 10,000 Dong and Red Saigon Beer 12,000 Dong

Half day tour start from 1.30pm and end at 5.30pm. Price 7 USD

Fairy stream - Entrance fee 5,000 Dong

Walk in the water

The tall guy is from Netherlands and 2 girls is from UK

Fishing Village. It's a absolutely stunning view

The white sand dunes it's quite far away from town it take 45 minutes drive and entrance fees 10,000 Dong

ATV, cost 300,000 Dong for 20 minutes and 400,000 for 30 minutes

Red Sand Dunes is free entrance.

Red Sand Dunes almost sunset

Sunset at Red Sand Dunes, it's stunning view right?

Dinner beside the street. Walk 10 minutes from the Hostel you will see a lot of stall/restaurant because the beach selling seafood. I saw a crocodile too!

This picture is taken from internet. Yup there is a lot of restaurant beside beside the beach

G-Dragon bar..quite famous and a lot of Russian too. It's quite expensive for the beer but the environment worth it

Next destination Nha Trang

From Mui Ne to Nha Trang 5-6 hours 250kilometer distance
It's a small city and a few minutes walk to beach. This city is a lot of Russian, I had no idea why. Even most of the writing has Russian too..


In Nha Trang I stay at Son&Daughter Hostel which cost me 4USD per day doesn't include breakfast. In front of Son&Daughter there have another backpacker hostel cost 5USD. It's really cheap and can stay here longer. I forgot to take the picture of the dormitory. Location of the Hostel Google map - 12.234899, 109.194331

In this place there have 2 famous tours. One is 4 Island tour and second is Spa Mud Bath.

Firstly, I join the 4 island tour, which cost me 7USD or 150,000 Dong included 1 lunch on the boat, but exuded all the entrance fees such as aquarium 70,000 Dong and the entrance of one island is cost 30,000 Dong. I didn't enter the aquarium since a lot of people don't recommend, even the boat staff not recommend too.

The start from morning 8.30am pickup from the hostel and bring you to the jetty. On this tour I didn't bring my phone to snap some photo. This tour did bring you to aquarium,  snookering (snookering gear is free, mask and a life jacket), they will offer you for diving which need to pay extra 450,000-500,000 Dong. But I don't recommend for diving as I know it's not a good place for diving? After snookering they start the lunch and live band (someone play guitar and drum). After that, have a party? jump off the ship into the ocean!. Other than that, will go to next island which is a last island need to pay 30,000 Dong entrance, but it's worth the money. In the island there have some activities required to pay money to play such as banana boat/para sailing/motorboat and so on. It cost 450,000 Dong to play para sailing. And finally back to hostel around 5.00pm

 Photo taken from internet. Yup lunch is totally same as i described

 Photo taken from internet. Here is the aquarium which I did go cost 70,000 Dong

The second tour is Thap Ba hot spring (Mud Bath). Hostel did have this tour, but I didn't join. The Sinh Tourist also has this tour, which cost 240,000 Dong which is quite cheap compare you go by yourself. Here the Thap Ba website: http://thapbahotspring.com.vn/en.php 

Thap Ba if you go by yourself here is the location from Google map : 12.270499, 109.177022

By the way, I recommend you the join tour! if go by yourself which will cost you more

There have 2 types of mud bath, Hot and Cold. Hot mud bath definitely is more expensive. But if you join tour they will give you Hot mud bath. 

Moreover the mineral swimming is superb!

 Mud bath

This is hot mud spa which fit for 2 people

Mineral swimming pool (me and few of my China friends) 

Entrance of the Spa

It's time to enjoy the beach!

*If you want to sit the chair of the beaches need to pay 20,000 Dong. Someone will approach you if you walk near to the chair.

Part 3 please click of the right bar